My Story: World War II - German [COMPLETED]

19: Work

I stood outside of the block between Zach and Erick for roll call. I was anxious based on what Luka told me the night before. The violence and everything that could happen. Luka was watching my block and I smiled a little at him.

"You left last night... with that officer," Erick said as he followed my eyes. I glanced at Erick.

"He was taking me to the Doctor," I said. Zach raised an eyebrow. I was tense which I watched Luka roll out his neck. The sign to relax. I took a deep breath and relax.

"The Doctor? He just came through to pick up twins two days ago," Zach said and I sucked in a breath.

"They just wanted to check my vitals," I said and they both looked at me. I said exactly what Luka told me to say.

"Makes sense. They have to see if you are healthy enough to work," Erick said as he looked straight again. Luka nodded at me and I took a deep breath.

"Where do you work?" I asked.

"Factory," Zach said, "Erick has the farming fields." I nodded and Luka walked up to us with another officer.

"You, boy, come with us," Luka said, pointing at me. I nodded and followed him. I glanced back at Zach and Erick who nodded and then I looked at the ground again.

"I'll go check on the restroom," the other officer said and Luka nodded before the officer walked off. I looked at Luka's gun that was a shiny black and silver under the sun.

"I got you the safest job I could manage," Luka told me as we walked to a grey building that had a chimney on it.

"What is it?" I asked. He looked at me and sighed.

"Trust me when I say that you don't want to know. Just do as I tell you," he said and I nodded.

"You are in charge here?" I asked and he nodded.

"This job at least," he said. I swallowed as he led the way to the basement. He handed me a shovel and nodded towards the ovens. "Shovel the ashes out. You will know soon enough what this job is." I walked to the open oven and put the shovel in to take out the ash only to put it in the wheelbarrow. I coughed and realised that it would be a long day.

Alaric Zimmerman

I realised that it was going to be a long day as I threw another broken box into the river. We had lost a lot of useless items and had been lucky with the fact that our food and ammo was untouched.

"Tiny. We got mail," Booya said as he walked up to me with a small bundle. I nodded and put the mail in my jacket.

"Thanks," I said as I started walking back to the mess. He grabbed my arm.

"You freaked everyone out by screaming," he commented. I shrugged and he rolled his eyes. "The point is that you need to be careful with that. The other guys might want to send you the mental alyssum."

"Listen, I'm not crazy. Just stressed. We just had bombs dropped on us not even a yard away from a few of us. Sorry if I am screaming into the darkness," I said. He let go of my arm.

"As your commanding officer and friend, I am telling you to watch yourself because right now, I think we can't trust Lemon, Orange or Gen if our little secrets were let out," he said. I stared at him and nodded.

"Understood. You can't seriously be thinking about what I think you are talking about," I said as he looked back at the trio.

"Investigation is what will keep us alive," he said and I nodded as he walked away. I kept my eyes on him for a minute before turning back to the river to pick through the next box I had in front of me.

Why would the guys turn us when they know who we are? Oh yeah. Who we protect on a daily basis in our minds and hearts. I looked up at the moon and her light that she was giving us. I thought about how she protected us from the bombers. She made the bombers go away and I touched my chest out my heart as I closed my eyes. She had saved us from dying.

Maybe that is all I had to do. I had to be the sun when people's eyes were on me. Unemotional and harsh like him. But around those I care about, I had to the moon in all her glory. Protective and caring. I had to make sure that everyone was safe but no one else knew.

"Alaric? I am borrowing your shirt," Bernadette said as she walked up to me. I looked at her and smiled as she looked up at me.

"That's fine. We might have pants that will fit you as well so you don't have to keep wearing skirts," I said. She smoothed out her skirt and shook her head.

"We have to keep some civility out here. I have to still be a lady and you still have to be a man," she said as she gave me a small smile. The tension in her voice told me that she wanted to put on the pants and be more than a translator for us but at the same society would shun her.

"Of course... it's almost Christmas," I commented.

"In two months," she confirmed, "that's still a long time from now."

"Not for Germans. My father would start looking for presents with my mother and my little sister would force my brother and I to help make decorations right about now. It was the best time in my house and I couldn't imagine not do it but I guess I'll have to this year," I said. She gave me a sad look but a small smile graced my face.