𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞; eugene roe ✔

PART FIVE

Word count; 2,647

Valentina

I had forgotten of the grandfather clock in my grandmother's antique room and found myself staring at it, surprised it still worked and waiting for the big hand to reach twelve. We had decided Teo would come - there was no thought in changing that - as well as Sascha. Emilia was too petrified, as were most of the other girls, and insisted it were better for the three of us to attend without her. That's what they all thought. Sascha and I were the most rational. Teo was the most optimistic. You couldn't create a better trio.

I had changed into a different dress, something blue that I'd normally wear on Sundays whilst at home. It was purchased for me a few months before the war was declared, the intent of it to be for attending Church with. What a waste. Everything seemed to be a waste. From the bleak heels of my shoes to the expensive perfume Herr Weinder had gifted me a few months previous. Pathetic. 

"He's here."

"They're here." Teo corrected, running down the stairs.

Sascha peered into each room along the corridor, surprised to find me in the furthest one. Her auburn hair was plaited and tied up, her lips a deep shade of natural red. When Teo came around the corner, his hair had also been brushed, his face washed. Doesn't it seem pathetic to you?

"Why haven't they knocked yet?" Sascha queried, more to herself than anyone else.

The big hand of the grandfather clock struck twelve yet no sound was made - the bell had collapsed inside it once upon a time and no-one could be bothered to retrieve it. Instead, a fist pounded at the door.

"They were waiting." I answered, standing up from a stall I had poised myself on. "Who is they?"

"We'll see." Teo replied dully.

I led the way, the distance from my hand to the doorknob rendering a collection of nerves within me. Liebgott was stood upright, nothing changed from the hour previous apart from his scrubbed-clean cheeks and straightened fringe. Next to him: the Staff Sergeant who helped unpack the boxes earlier.

"Good evening." I said, gulping down a lump in my throat.

"Miss Fritz." Joe smiled warmly, taking a cigarette away from his lips and directing it to the Staff Sergeant.

"Martin." He answered plainly.

I acknowledged him, "Valentina. Teo and Sascha."

He nodded, like these formalities were a waste of time.

"Let's get moving, then." Joe said.

Across the square, the vehicles from earlier still remained, the majority of the men having vanished. A few were still outside, some sprawled by the fountain and reading magazines whilst smoking cigarettes. Everything stank of tobacco. One sat up, observing as Teo shut the door behind him.

At first, Liebgott and Martin stayed together whilst the three of us trailed after them, my companions still unsure of this new environment. The two soldiers spoke the entire time, until Martin said something that Joe found funny and in result ended up bursting into laughter. A soldier appeared out of a window from a block of apartments and shouted for them to shut up, to which Liebgott yelled back that he should shut up considering they were with women and those in the window weren't.

"That means go fuck yourself." Martin supplied, a smile gracing his lips.

Martin didn't find many things funny, it appeared. Liebgott walked with his sarcasm and embraced it, whilst Martin reserved his attitude for when it was actually needed. I'd overhear them talk, for both to be talking sensibly, then for Joe to start telling an amusing story and Martin to address it with the same monotone answers.