Winfred

101

Official Report

British Intelligence

Code:3986

Kathleen Winfred

Things were not the same after Virginia’s death.

I had come to know what it is to lose someone you care about, and it was a feeling I never wanted to experience again.

As the days passed, and turned into weeks, which turned into a month, I became more and more unbearable to everyone around me.

I had become (irrationally) convinced that, somehow, by attempting to control every aspect of my loved ones’ lives, I could make sure that nothing bad happened to them.

I became almost obsessive.

Pirot needed to run an errand in town; Albert was on guard duty and couldn’t accompany her. I insisted on going with her, much to her frustration.

I made several trips outside during work details to check on Matthew and Jessica. The most recent time, I noticed that they shared a glance of concern: concern for me. I was confused. Didn’t they realize I was just trying to protect them?

The list of prisoners who would be moving on when the date of the winter transfer arrived was something that I awaited with much anxiety.

Every day, without fail, I would ask Freidrich if the list had arrived, to which he would patiently reply “not yet”.

Not only that, but I would pester Freidrich about everything, from what meeting he had to go to, to which superiors he had to see, to when inspections were to occur, to name only a few of the things I bothered him with.

Pirot took me aside and asked me to tell her what was wrong. She knew, of course, about Virginia. I had told her. However, she didn’t understand my need to try to keep my remaining friends safe. She told me I was being irrational.

I became angry.

She became angry.

Albert was annoyed with me, especially because I had made Pirot angry.

Matthew and Jessica and I had no more cheerful conversations.

Freidrich attempted to be gentle with me, and to tolerate my constant questions and interrogations, but I could tell that even he was beginning to lose patience.

I felt so helpless. All I wanted was to avoid something bad happening, and all that my efforts were accomplishing was my alienation from the very people I was trying to protect.

Matthew tried to talk to me about it, and I became defensive.

Jessica had her own gentle, sweet ways of trying to make me see reason, but I refused to.

Pirot and I were mad at each other.

Since Pirot was angry with me, Albert also stayed away.

Even Freidrich seemed ill at ease with my questions and things between us seemed to be deteriorating somewhat.

I overheard Jessica and Matthew speaking to one another in concerned tones, and I found Pirot ranting to Freidrich about the problems between her and I, demanding that he do something.

It all came to a head on the day the list for the winter transfer came in.

I had gotten up late, because Freidrich, exhausted and annoyed with me the night previous, had told me to go get some sleep, apparently because he believed that might help.

When I came down to the office, I saw Freidrich, on his way out the door, with cap and an official looking document in hand.

I knew immediately what it was. He knew what I had been waiting to find out, and stopped, taking the time to ease my fears.