The Nurse

Chapter 6: Taken!

"Place your hands onto the top of your head!" The same deep, gruff voice instructed.

She stared at them coldly before resting her hands calmly onto the back of her head. Her heart beat violently in her chest, feeling as if it could explode at any given moment. She refused to show any weakness to the strangers. The men raised their rifles and aimed the barrels at Eloise's small frame. She chewed vigorously on the inside of her mouth until the bitter metallic taste of blood coated her tongue. The cocking sound of the rifles rang through her ear. Her peering stare never broke as she fearfully awaited the shocking sensation of a bullet.

"Wait a moment, Ingraham" She heard Albert's voice call out from the edge of the trees. The man glanced over his shoulder searching for the objecting voice. "I suggest that you have your men to drop their rifles. I would hate to inform high command about the murder of an innocent woman in the forest."

Her eyes scanned to the tree line where the familiar face of Albert appeared with another German soldier. A wave of mixed emotions came over her at the sight of him in his own uniform coat. He offered her a reassuring nod as he approached the scene. She watched the man's eyes grew wide at the sight of Albert.

"You're..." the leader's face instantly dropped in awe, lowering his rifle. He stared at Albert for several seconds before instructing his men to lower their weapons as well. "Sir, everyone thought you were dead."

He raised a single brow and cocked his head to the side, "I am alive because of that woman." He stated bluntly, motioning toward Eloise. "She is to not be harmed whatsoever. In fact, she should be treated with much dignity for her impressive work."

"We will take her back to the camp with us." Ingraham insisted, looking down at the expressionless Eloise. "The field hospitals are in need of good nurses. If she nursed you in the woods with nothing, what could she do with supplies?" He waved at the nearby soldier, "Help her up, gentlemen."

Two men immediately went to help her rise from the ground. She stared at them blankly, then at Albert and shook her head. Her mind spiraled with wild thoughts, jumbling them until her head ached from thinking. What was she to do now that she was captured?

"My father was a leader over these soldiers at one point." Albert stated calmly as they began their walk with the other soldiers. "I'm thankful that they knew who I was."

Eloise nodded without speaking. She could feel her heart breaking inside, knowing that she was now going into an unknown world that she despised. No words came to her mind, only complete silence.

"Eloise?" Albert's voice became soft and caring, stopping cold in his tracks. She continued walking down the path in silence, acting as if she did not hear his voice. The desire to talk was no longer present. All that she truly wanted to be left alone.

"I know you didn't want to be found." Albert spoke sympathetically, following after her toward the frozen horses. "But maybe it is for the best. You are a young woman hidden from the world. That is no way to live."
               
Eloise abruptly halted, staring at him distantly. "It may not be the way you would choose to live, but for myself it was just fine. That is the life I had chosen and was I satisfied." She shook her head, looking ahead at the soldiers mounting onto their horses. "I have no desire to go be a nurse for the Germans. I want to go back to my cottage and be left alone."

"What about me, Eloise?"

A confused look came over her. "What about you?"

"Did you not enjoy my company?"

"I nursed you back to health. I helped put the life back into your battered body." She began coldly. "I didn't do it for friendship or love or anything else; I helped you because that was the humane thing for me to do. If I knew all of this was going to happen, I would have left you in the poppy field in your flying coffin."