Snow fell from the sky and burned the light skin of the Nazi soldiers as they dug their way through mountains of stone and rubble. Like the crooked teeth of a dying dragon buildings stood ragged towards the sky, in a few places they seemed simply untouched. A bubble of perfection. This was the snow of death. Produced not by lofty clouds but by ash and fire. It covered the tattered ground all around them as cries of dismay and shouting rung through the night. Through the mixture of voices the occasional shouting could be heard piercing the air. "Another body" or " All clear!" as they checked house after house with little to no luck. This was true hell on earth. Once voice though rang with a slightly different tone. " H-hello!" it was muffled and soft. It sounded of a lost child but the voice of a woman.
It had been late at night when the strike occurred. No one had expected it, and like a bad storm it blew in and out in a furry of wind of howling. Houses crumbled under the diving bombs, the ground shaking like the chest of a mighty beast. The town was reduced to nothing as hundreds perished and those who were left wished they had not been. It was rare that the death of someone was good but to die in such a manor was an abomination.
Amira had a bad steak of misfortune lately, ever since the mustached tyrant had taken his bone covered throne. So this night, for her, was not the worst one. It was, however, quite inconvenient for her to be left sealed in a musky basement under the rubble of a house that had already been abandoned a few years ahead of this time. It was the little basement that she had called home for the last two weeks or so as she plotted, waiting for the opportune moment to escape to Switzerland or Finland.
Like the others she had been sound asleep the night of the attack but unlike the others she had been tucked away in a basement. It was not the most comfortable place to sleep but it was better than concentration camps and on that night, it was better than any soft bed upstairs that there was. That night, being a runaway Jew wasn't the worst thing to be on Himmel Street.
" Help me out I think someone is under here!" One of the soldiers yelled motioning the closest man to him over. " Jager!" The two boys stood side by side and with a few heaves the pushed back the small slab of concrete over the metal basement door. Dusting it off Hans threw it open only to meet dark chocolate eyes. A woman, only a little younger than themselves looked up at them. What should have been a moment of joy for both parties was a moment of fear for one, and irritation on the other. " Damn...it's a Jew... all of these good people who died today and /your filth/ is what makes it. Typical of roaches."
Amira was horror struck. Of all the people who could have heard it it had to be two Nazis. This was it. It was the camps for her. Death camps likely being as she was not physically fit for a worker. Her tattered light blue shawl was pulled closer around her arms as the winds moved in and tossed her knotted hair and tattered brown dress. She did not know what to say? What was there to say? She could try pretend she wasn't Jewish but they would see through that lie. She looked Jewish, she acted Jewish, she was in a basement for Christ sake.
" Jager...she's all yours. Do whatever you want with her then leave her with General Marks. I think there is a transporter for them at the end of the block to the right. I'll scout out the rest of the basement."
((Sorry, this is super rushed because I have to leave really soon.))
You could taste the destruction. No matter how you covered your face, you always ended up inhaling the ash and debris. It left a unique bitter tang on the back of your tongue, and when you'd swallow two days later, there it was, a lingering reminder that dragged back everything, the memories, the pictures. The horror.
Or at least, that was Johan's experience of war zones, especially the bomb sites. He walked with his gloved hand covering his mouth and nose as he and the rest of his troop trekked over the rubble in search of survivors. It was a grim affair, despite being one of the rare occasions where they strove to preserve life rather than end it. The only choice was to numb out. He came to a halt when met with a disembodied arm, clawing up out of the rubble, still in death. He couldn't shake the bizarre urge to reach out and give it a helping hand up, as if he couldn't see the severed shoulder joint, and there might be a person hidden away under there ready to spring out and yell 'surprise!'.
"Jäger!" A shout from one of his comrades shook him out of the sick fantasy, and covering his stupor with a hard frown, he went to assist them. Thankfully he'd done this enough for his limbs to function on automatic. Move. Shift. Lift. Search. Disappoint. Repeat.
The expectation of a corpse was so absolute that for a moment, he didn't register that a living, breathing human being stood in the basement they had just opened. Swathed in a tatty blue shawl, the creature looked less malnourished than the jews Johan had seen, but the nose and heritage were unmistakable.
Smirking at the accuracy of the term 'roaches' used by his comrade, Johan stood waiting for the other solider, Claus, to shoot her. "Jäger...she's all yours. Do whatever you want with her then leave her with General Marks. I think there is a transporter for them at the end of the block to the right. I'll scout out the rest of the basement." Acting as if he hadn't just palmed of the duty of shooting a prisoner, Claus turned and rushed to go help out with a much more exciting rescue involving the hauling of heavy bricks and screaming children.
Scheißkerl˚.
Not bothering to cover the irritation in his expression, Johan turned his narrowed glare in the direction of the jew. His lips thinned as he bit down on their insides, considering his options. He knew what most men would do in this situation, and supposed he could understand the appeal. Hopefully they'd think him bloodthirsty instead of merciful if he just shot her instead.
"Jäger, was geht ab*?" Ivo, one of the newest recruits called out before he could do the deed, jogging over to see what had caught his attention. Adolf, a more hardened veteran of this war, joined him a moment later, and both displayed the same cheshire cat like grins upon spotting the contents of the basement.
"Oh, Jäger, you shouldn't have," Adolf sneered, shouldering past him and starting the steps down to the basement. He gave the jew a playful gesture with his gun, which quickly turned into a more obscene demonstration of what in his eyes was to come. "For us?"
"Finally," Ivo said, grinning at Johan before joining Adolf in entering the bunker. "Haven't seen a woman in a month."
It's an unforture fact of life that women often grow accustom to being looked at like a piece of meat to hungry dogs, but how Amira was being looked at now. She might have well been a rotting oak for a pack of wolves. Merciless and cold, their pearly teeth snarling down on her motionless frame. There wasn't a damn thing a sensible woman could do in a situation like this.
Thank God she was not a sensible woman.
She waited, biding her time as she watched the three men make their way down into her dark sanctuary. Her plans though were thowarted by her own inability to hold back laughter at one of the mans statements. " Why am I not surprised? A man like you would be blessed to see a woman at all." She snickered at him and crossed her arms under her chest.
Amira had never been the most endowed woman. She was a modest frame. Small in stature, standing an intimidating five feet and three inches, weighing in at a whopping one hundred pounds. She was not exactly the most fearsome beast but the fire in her eyes was scorching.
" Look assholes I'm really not in the mood for being poked at. Either rape me now or let's take a fucking stroll to the van because Im /really/ not in the mood. Don't waste your time looking for others, I'm alone. Have been for a while now."
Sighing she shifted foot and looked up at the sky. She dared not show her fear but her breath was jagged. Never had she been married, she was a virgin. She wasn't ready for something like this, maybe not even with a man she loved. Sex was something she had always felt repulsed by and to know it would be forced on her was horrifying.
" Well you fucking pansies what are you waiting for!?" Her whole body was over come with rage and ridgid as her yell ecoed through the small basement, dark hair moving like a whip when she had turned to face them. " Just....just get it over with already or kill me. I don't care." The steel of her voice could have made a tank. Taking a few steps up from the bunker it looked like she would bolt but she simply sat down.
To say she was having trouble coping was an understatement.
" So? What is it? The rape me, shoot me, or toss me in the van?" Amira had softened now to a bitter whisper of acceptance. She had always known this day was coming.
"Feisty," Adolf observed with a laugh, easing the look of shamed offence on Ivo's face. If the jew's comment stung the older man in any way, he certainly didn't show it, the toothy grin not once faltering as he rubbed the shaft of his gun with increasing vigour. Even he seemed a little taken aback, however, when she made a sudden start towards them, and was left blinking stupidly at her for a moment when she plonked herself down on the floor and continued to mouth off.
Another laugh from Adolf, nervous this time. "Was zur Hölle*? This bitch is nuts," he muttered under his breath, now aiming the gun at her forehead and leering. For a moment he seemed to be debating whether or not approaching the jew was safe, but, like Ivo had said, most of them hadn't seen a woman in well over a month. The little shrug Adolf gave could be roughly translated as 'I'm in no position to be picky so what the hell'.
"We won't catch something from her, will we?" Ivo asked as Adolf finally crossed over to the jew. He seized a handful on her hair in his spare hand and used it to tip her head back, revelling in her already being at waist height. "I've heard things. Jews carrying diseases and messing you up. Nasty stuff."
"This rat won't hurt us. We won't give it the time." Adolf gave the jew a particularly cruel grin and gestured to his belt buckle to indicate what she was to do next. "Come on little rat. Help us out."
"Adolf," Johan said, finally finding his voice. Both of the other soldiers looked back at him, their gazes questioning the purpose of the interruption. "Claus left her in my care."
"You protecting this jewish bitch?" Adolf demanded, tightening his grip on the woman's hair and gritting his teeth.
"Gone soft?" Ivo teased more gently, smiling like it was all in good-humour.
"What I'm saying is," Johan said levelly, trying to keep his voice even. Adolf was a lot bigger than him, and unhinged at the best of times. "She's my woman."
"Oh," Adolf said. "Oh. Our apologies, your royal highness. How rude of us."
"We're letting him have her?" Ivo asked, blinking at his senior in disbelief.
"Hey, Jäger seems like a boy who needs a good lay. Probably your first time, right? Need us to show you where to put it? Joking, I'm joking, geez, quit with the stare." Adolf released the jew, though not before planting a rough kiss on her cheek, which he then proceeded to spit on. "Try not to catch something off of the rat. Looks infected to me."
Johan didn't move from his watch at the top of the stairs until both men had exited the basement, now laughing amongst themselves. He remained there, counting the seconds in his head, until their laughter faded out amongst the ruins. Most of the other soldiers had moved on by now, progressing deeper into the destruction. He was alone with the jew.
Regarding her with a tight jaw and careful eyes, he finally moved down the stairs, stopping at the last one so that he left a cautious metre between them. With steady, practiced hands, he raised the gun and took aim.
The heart of the young girl rivaled that of a humming bird in that small dark box. It beat faster and faster the closer the man got to her face and she let out a small grunt of displeasure as grabbed her hair and jerked his to attention. Of all the fowl things in the world, he in this moment had to be among the very worst of all of them. She had never been so scared, and yet so bold in all of her life. Glaring hatred itself with every blink of her lashes, up at the man in pure unfiltered fury.
She would have never expected for the other to jump in. So far he was her favorite. Not particularly due to his kindness but he was the only one that had not yet taunted or threatened her, and he had certainly not forced himself upon her like the other had. Another thing Amira had never expected. To be so relieved by one mans possessive nature. To be raped by one was far more appealing to be raped by three and what a horrible revelation that was for her.
As she watched the other two go it was like an anchor was pulled off her chest, leaving on a dull ache.
Turning to meet the eyes of the one they had called Jager. The piercing of his ice cold blue eyes was the warmest thing she had seen in a while and it, for only a short time, cracked her resolve. Small drips of tears began to well in her eyes and she laid her head down in her lap. " Oh thank god....." She was not even the least bit put off as she looked up to meet the barrel of his gun.
Amira let out an amused breathy laugh and pushed her hair from her eyes. " I never thought that the kindest man I would encounter in these past months is a man ready to kill me...." Shaking her head she stood on study feet and looked directly at him. " If I am going to die. It will be standing."
Before the man could even cock the gun though a loud siren rang through the dark of early morning but it was too late. The first bomb fell. Landing a good distance from the two, but a distance none of the less. At this she heard two kids scream for their mom and poking her head up she looked back to the German with terror. " Get under. They have come back to finish off the city."
" HEY! YOU TWO!" Amira yelled at the young girl and boy who were standing in the middle of the street. " Come here!"
The patters of the ten year old girl and her four year old brother rang through the street as they practically dove into the stairs.
"Did you see anyone else up there?"
Two shakes no.
" Alright, then. Help me close up this door." With all her remaining strength she pulled the metal door shut and fumbled her way over to the lantern, lighting it with the matches in her pocket.
Another bomb rattled the world around them and the children began to cry. As if a light came on from somewhere deep inside of her the short Jewish woman ran to the aid of the two Aryan children, wrapping them close as they buried themselves in her dress. " Shhh shh shh hush now. You're safe you're safe. This basement is deep and it is sturdy, and I will NEVER let you go." It was as if they were her own. Not, in fact, the children of a German Nazi. She had seen their father and mother too. Strong Germans, prominent in the military and fierce fighters against the 'lesser races'. None of that seemed to matter though. They were children. They were victims. They did not choose this war.
((This feels rushed but I guess I'm just chomping at the bit to get it going
Johan had been prepared for tears, sure, but certainly not thank you's. He faltered for just a second, but that was one second too many, a noticeable quiver in the hold of his rifle.
Maybe it was the disorientating effects of clambering through a bomb site, or the shock of realising he was going to be responsible for this jew's rape, but he found his lips parting. "I'm not-" he managed to get out, before a siren cut him off.
Clearly, today was not his day.
Not what? Even he himself wasn't sure what he'd been intending to say, his brain lagging behind his mouth. Not kind? Certainly, it wasn't not going to kill you. He'd done it a dozen times before, and saw no reason why it should be any different with this one jew, even if she was something of an oddity. This was all he could dwell on in his state of shock as the jew went about ushering children into the basement and sealing the doors, plunging them into near total darkness.
In the soft glow of the lantern, he remained frozen still, listening to the jew's hushed words of comfort to the kids. German kids, arian kids, clearly well off kids, both of whom were now clinging in fright to a jew.
Johan's brain rushed to process this bizarre situation - trapped in a bunker with a jew he was set to kill and two kids - but he'd been off today, everything foggy, and he responded with a sort of awkward jerk of his gun, keeping it aimed at the jew. "Children," he said, his voice short and quick, "get away from her. This woman is a jew. Step back, and get behind me." Since he was on the steps, he walked forward two paces to let them follow his instructions, not once looking away from the jew. Surely this grandiose display of kindness had to be some act of trickery on her behalf. Jews were like that, he knew. Scheming and manipulating. It was their fault the world was in this state after all. Their fault so many had died, and their fault the germans had been treated like the dirt of the world.
No chance in hell was he trusting two innocent kids with a woman like that.
The kids were obviously torn, the girl took a half step away from her, just enough to look into her eyes. She understood what her brother was still too young to grasp. " You're not really a Jew are you miss?" She asked curiously and to this the woman simply sighed.
Bending to one knee she looked up to the girl. " I will not lie to you. I am. But I will not hurt you, promise." The boy did not budge from her. She was warm, she was soft. He liked the way she pressed him against her side and her fingers combed his blonde hair.
The young girl said nothing and looked to the man. A Nazi. " You're like papa...." It was more a whisper of a thought than for anyone else to hear. But he was pointing a gun at the woman. She looked back to the woman who was now looking up to the brave soldier.
" You know better than to point that gun at me. I would never harm a child. The only threat in here I see is you, would you really force the children to hide down here with a dead body? Haven't they seen enough. Please, we can finish this AFTER the threat is gone and the children are safe."
Amira rose now and very gently pulled the boy off of her. " Stay here for a second please." Walking to the dark corner in the back of the room she rummaged around for a bit before pulling out two blankets. One she carried back and laid out for the children, the other she tossed to the nazi's feet. " It is cold down here, I know."
Her shawl was removed and she wrapped it around the girl before sitting down next to them. She too shook but not out of cold, out of fear. Fear for herself, fear for the kids. How ruthless was this man? Would he not care that there were kids here? What would he do alone with the three of them where the bodies could be silenced forever?
The boy soon scurried back to the womans lap but the girl kept her distance. " What are your names? I am Amira."
" I....I'm Rosa and his name is Josef. He doesn't talk a lot."
The woman let out a pleased humm. " Beautiful names..." Her look chilled though as it found the Nazi. " And you? What is your name?" She was trying to be gentle, soft, and kind for the children. She really was, but the woman in her was furious at him.
Held under the gaze of the young girl, Johan shifted uncomfortably. He disliked the reminder that he was becoming one of them, one of the hardened, middle-aged men who spoke of nothing but war and discipline. Not because he resented men like that, on the contrary, they were who he strove to be. His father's views on such individuals were still carved into his instincts, however, and the internal cringe of shame he felt whenever he remembered how disappointed his old man would be if he could see him now had yet to be stamped out.
Focus, he berated himself, returning his gaze to the jew and tightening his hold on his weapon. He nearly shot her when she started moving about, catching him off guard, but held his fire as she went about draping the children. He even snorted when she chucked a blanket his way.
Silent, he looked between the three of them for a long time. "When the bombs stop, you let them go. They leave, and then I will deal with you." He was still reluctant to mention the killing around the children, though they no doubt had seen their fair share from the war.
Bending to pick up the blanket, he inspected it for tricks or traps before going and dropping it over the lap of the boy, and by extension the jew. He was in no mood to get chummy with her, but the two children ought to be able to call him if they needed help. "I am Lieutenant Jäger," he said, careful to direct his words to the children so as to avoid letting the jew think her machinations were working. The boy ignored him, snuggling closer to Amira, whilst Rosa slowly crept towards him. She moved to take his hand.
Deciding for now to ignore the jew, Johan sighed quietly and lowered his gun. He picked Rosa up, for she was not yet big enough for it to be difficult, especially given his stature, and held her against him, rocking her gently. "This will soon be over," he said quietly, not cooing his words like the mothering jew had, but speaking with enough certainty to at least be reassuring. "There are other soldiers above ground too, and they'll come looking if anything happens. We'll get you back to your parents."
Though it was an idiotic thing to do from a tactical point of view, he turned his back on the jew, somehow uncomfortable with her seeing him like... well, like this. He didn't want her making the same mistake twice, and thinking him kind, or god forbid she might think he was going to let her live. That could lead to all sorts of complications, like her begging with him in front of the other soldiers. Then he'd be expected to toy with her for their amusement, and the whole thing would get rapidly out of hand.
Listening to the thundering crashing and whistling of bombs overhead, he tried his best not to think about the jew or the soldiers, and to instead calm the girl now crying into his shoulder. He wasn't much one for comforting words, so instead stroked her head gently the way his mother would when he was young. An eye was kept on Josef too, though it was tricky to avoid looking at the jew at the same time despite Johan's best efforts.
Like the breath of a ghost it started and silently progressed to the gentle coo of a song bird.
" Numi nyni yaldati,
Numi, numi, nim
Numi numi k'tanati
Numi numi nim "
Amira sang gently and rocked back and forth the little boy, winking at the girl when she peeked over the mans shoulder to watch her.
" Aba halach la'avoda-
Halach, halach aba.
Yashuv I'm tzeit halevana-
Yavi lsch matana~"
Her song continued under the rumbling of the crashing bombs and fire. It was quite the scene. A Jewish woman with two Arian children and a nazi soldier. A Nazi soldier that was soon to kill her and she accepted that. Looking to the girl she smiled she was far too interested in the foreign words so while the boy was asleep she was in a dull wake, focusing on the words too much.
" Guten Abend, gut' Nacht
Mit Rosen bedacht
Mit Näglein besteckt
Schlupf inter die Deck'
Morgan früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst duh wieder geweckt
Morgan früh, wenn Gott will
Wirst du wieder geweckt"
By the time she finished the songs both kids were out cold but the bombs still fell. She wrapped the boy up close in her shawl and nudged the extra blanket to the man. " Wrap her in this please. She is tiny she will get cold."
The two sat under the thundering street as bombs exploded above their heads, yet they were silent. " Lieutenant Jäger, if we make it out of here..." She began in a hushed whisper. " you have my word I will not run but please. If you have mercy you will kill me down here and make it my tomb."