Through Blood

Chapter 13: Weapon

Tiny rain droplets began to fall on the windshield. Ivy drove through the darkness, the night sky starless and cloudy. The road ahead as black as onyx, illuminated only by the car's headlights. They must have been close to the German border by then.

"Oma, check the glove compartment, there might be a gun in it. Herr Jung had two," Ivy said.

Gerda opened it and effectively, Ivy was right. A Walther P38 laid on top of some papers.

"I... I can't believe he's dead," Gerda whispered.
"He died fighting the enemy, it's the right way to die," Ivy coldly stated.
"My darling, don't talk like that. The right way to die is... in your sleep, of old age," she replied.
Ivy simply shook her head.

She slowed down, "I think I see something right ahead."

"Where? I don't see anything," Gerda pulled the gun out of the compartment.
"It could be French troops," Ivy turned the headlights off.
Her hands trembled, her whole body shook silently. She had never fired a gun in her life, but she had seen her father polishing his and Uli had shot rifles at Hitlerjugend. He had told her how it was done, how to aim, and how the weapons were loaded.

Ivy drove closer and pulled the car over. Very slight moonlight peeked through the clouds, illuminating the eerie darkness.

"Oma, stay here," she turned off the engine.
"No, I'm coming with you," Gerda replied.
"It's not safe."
"If it's the French, I'll be able to talk to them."
"Fine, but I'll take this," Ivy put the gun inside her skirt's waistband on the back. It was heavier than she expected.

They stepped out of the car and left their bags in the back seats. They walked towards the bright lights. There were at least a dozen war vehicles blocking the road. The thin rain continued.

"Halt!" soldiers from the blockade shouted.
"They're German!" Ivy said. She and Gerda raised their arms in peace.
"We're German," she shouted.

"Yvonne?" a voice shouted.
"Father?"
"It's my daughter! Put down your weapons. Oh thank goodness, Ivy! I was so worried. Are you alright?" Peter ran to her and they hugged.
"Yes Vater, I'm okay.  Herr Jung is dead."
"What!? What happened? Gerda, are you well?" he asked. Gerda nodded.
"He was shot by French soldiers in Strasbourg, it's been retaken."
Peter nodded, lost in thought. "Let's get you home, you've been through enough. Your mother must be worried sick."

Ivy held on to the cold metal weapon.

~

The fireplace burned brightly, filling the room with warmth and glowing amber light. Her hand wrapped around the back of his neck and the small of his waist.
They kissed passionately. She tilted her head back in a moan and Kristian softly bit the skin at the base of her neck.
"I love you," Sara said as she removed his uniform. He tore her clothes off, buttons flying everywhere.
"I love you too, baby," he ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

She was naked, beautiful as ever. She walked away from him and towards the fireplace. Sara stepped into the fire.  "No! What are you doing?" Kristian yelled, reaching out for her. She stood in the fire, calmly. He screamed and woke up, breathless.

It was 3 in the morning. His uniform laid neatly folded on his dresser.

The skull on his uniform hat stared at him, through him. Death becomes me...

He needed to go for a walk. He put on his overcoat over his pajamas and left his room. As Kristian walked down the hall, a low light caught his attention. He walked back and noticed that Carver's door was slightly ajar. He heard a groan. The sight he found in the low-lit darkness shocked him. Carver was with another man.

What? No... it can't be... is that... Hoch... No. No...
He ran back to his room and locked the door. He needed to process what he'd just witnessed and decide what his course of action would be. He finally had the weapon he needed to take down Carver, but in doing so, he would also betray his friend.

~

The next morning, Ivy, Gerda, and Peter arrived at Berlin. Simone gasped, relieved when she saw her daughter and her mother, safe, finally in her arms. Ivy kissed the twins and went to bed, she hadn't slept in two days.

The next day, she found everyone at the table, eating breakfast. She sat down and as she did, she noticed Hilda the maid walking out of the kitchen with a plate of food, but didn't return with it. Weird... What is she doing?

"Mother, are there any news from Uli?" she asked
"No, darling," Simone looked apologetic.
"I'm sure he's fine, our boys are doing a great job in battle," Peter assured her.
"Yes, he is a very good pilot... Is there any way you could find out, though? If he is okay?" Ivy insisted.
"I will try, no guarantees," Peter nodded.

There was an urgent knock on the door. A maid answered it and a few seconds later, Officer Hoffmann walked into the dining room.

"Heil Hitler," he saluted Peter.
Peter stood up and saluted him as well.
"Good morning, sorry to interrupt. General Khöler, there is an urgent meeting at the Reichstag," he sounded worried.
"Please excuse me," Peter said and got up, picked his uniform hat off the table and put it on. They walked out and into Peter's black 1940 Volkswagen Beetle, Hoffmann drove it.
Peter knew better than to ask what it was about, since Hoffmann probably didn't even know himself.

They reached the government building and Peter raced to the meeting room where all generals and commanders were waiting. The Führer hadn't arrived yet.

"What's going on?" Peter asked General Schweiger, Liesel's dad.
Schweiger shook his head and signaled for him to come closer. "Things have changed. Chamberlain is gone."
"He's dead?" Peter asked, shocked.
"No, he resigned and was replaced by Winston Churchill," he replied.
"Who?"
"He's a politician, been campaigning against us for a while now. Apparently this Churchill is a fervent Anti-Nazi, he has sworn many times that he will finish us."

Author's Note:
Thank you lovely folk for reading this chapter, if you enjoyed it please make sure you leave a vote and comment with your thoughts.