Locked Away (GerIta)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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Ludwig stalked down the road, eyes set on the bar. He needed a drink. Actually, he just wanted to get drunk. He'd had a bad day and just wanted to forget it for a while. Maybe he'd even pay one of those sluts to take his mind off of things.

The German shook his head, he thought about all the things that had happened that day. Early in the morning he'd had an argument with Martin that almost turned into a fistfight, he had a small child come up to him from the crowd and hug his led while she cried which really did break his heart, and then to top it off one of the men who were trying to escape turned around at the last minute, took his gun and slammed the butt of it into his jaw, leaving a bruise. Ludwig didn't have time to try and take the pistol so he just reached forward and snapped his neck.

He hated doing this to people. He knew they were innocent, not worthy of death. But he carried on with it because it was a distraction from remembering his brother and his family and all those women he forced himself upon. It made him forget and that was good.

The little girl who clung to his leg and sobbed that day had pretty brown eyes and reddish-brown hair, her tears had stained his uniform pants but he never took them off. As soon as she'd done it, Martin and Klaus had shouted at him to shoot her but he was frozen, heart banging in his chest. She was just a little girl, maybe five years old.

He flinched as a gunshot went off and the girl lay limp on the dirty ground, blood pooling around her head. Klaus had shot her. Ludwig turned around and lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar and cursing at him in German. He wanted to choke him to death but Martin broke them apart and he couldn't stay there any longer. He left and gave control over to Martin.

He'd gone to his tent and smashed an empty brandy bottle he'd drank from the night prior before cradling his head in his hands. He wanted out. Out, out, out. OUT.

Ludwig managed to compose himself and do half of his fence duty before the man had hit him with the gun and split the skin on his jaw, blood dripped down his neck. He called on Jan who immediately took over his shift while he supposedly went to the field hospital. But really he just left. He needed a drink and his flask had been empty for a few nights now.

By the time he got to the bar, his wound had partly dried up but it was still stinging. He yanked open the door and stomped in, his combat boots loud on the wooden floor. Customers straightened their posture and looked away from him, clearly intimidated. This time he didn't care. He walked right over to the bar, sat down, and angrily ordered a beer from the bartender who stood in front of him. 

"Ludwig?"

The German looked up and met those warm amber eyes he'd been dreaming about. He clenched his fist and stared at Feliciano.

"Are you going to get my beer or not?" He snapped, feeling quite guilty when a look of hurt flashed in the Italian's eyes. "Please."

Feliciano reached up into the cabinet and got a beer mug before filling it at the tap. He brought it back and set it down in front of Ludwig. He frowned at the cut on his jaw and noticed his lip had split towards the corner of his mouth.

"Hey!" Called one of the smirking men from the back corner. "Come take my order!"

Ludwig watched Feliciano shudder and walk over, taking his order and when he turned around he received a swat on the rear. The Italian bit his lip and hurried over to the bar and he shook his head. Ludwig didn't notice his watery eyes.

Feliciano got his beer and brought it over to the man, asking him to wait for his food to be ready. The Italian let out a shaky breath and walked back over to Ludwig who hadn't even taken a sip from his mug.