𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬; band of brothers ✔

PART THIRTY THREE

Word count; 2,089

Frances

— April 9th, 1945. Thalem, Germany.

Sat at a desk at the Company HQ, I flicked to the middle of a book, trying to find where I left off. It was the same book from the last town Easy occupied; I didn't think to keep it at first, but every other night Joe and I would curl up under the stars and read it together. Now was different, however; the officers had been put on a rotation for who was on duty, as Spiers couldn't divide himself into five parts, and today was my turn. I had nothing better to do than read.

There was a knock at the door, to which I answered, "Come in."

Mr Wittelsbach, the Reverand at the local Church, peered his head through the door, "Miss Kennedy?"

I smiled, putting the book down on the desk, "Good morning, Reverand."

He beamed, beginning to shut the door behind him before I insisted to leave it open. In his hands sat a plate of assorted buns; each day he would bring them, made by his wife earlier that morning.

"Blackberries and honey." He placed them to where I indicated.

"I love blackberries." I beamed.

"That's why she made them." He clasped his wrinkly hands together. "After you helped me the other day, I remembered what you said and this is our thank you."

Three days previous, Mr Wittelsbach nearly slipped by missing a step up to his Church, and luckily I was there to catch him. I walked with him to the Church's gardens, where we picked fresh blackberries and nibbled on a few.

"There was no need, hon. It was my pleasure."

"Well-"

He stopped his sentence as the stomping of boots neared. Spiers stormed into the room, a mission evidently in mind. The Reverand glanced at me, seemingly distasteful of the Captain.

"What's the matter?" I asked as he searched around the room.

"Patrol found something." He walked around the desk, ripping his jacket from the back of the chair I sat on.

"Like what?"

"That's what we're about to find out."

I rolled my eyes, "Need me?"

"No." He slid his arms into his jacket. "We need someone here."

"Okay." I said simply, and he left.

Mr Wittelsbach watched him exit the chamber, "I never liked that man."

I scoffed, "I once did."

He raised a brow.

"Long story." I dismissed. "You thank your wife for me, all right, hon?"

The Reverand nodded, disappearing in the direction that the Captain had. I returned to my book, unbothered by the world around me.

Night arrived long before Spiers returned for a second time - the first, it was only to grab a bunch of keys from the door, nothing else said. This time, he headed for the two sofas at the back of the office, throwing himself onto one, tearing off his headress. I was in the same position, writing down in a notebook small tasks I had to remember to do. 

"Rotation ended four hours ago, Captain." I said, not looking up.

He didn't respond, nor show any sign of reaction. Finally, I regarded him; he had fallen asleep upright, head uncomfortably resting on the wall behind the sofa. I sighed, reaching for the glass cabinet beneath the desk and the bottles of rum inside it. The second I clinked it on the table in front of him, his eyes darted open.