When I returned, Harry was awake and cleaning his rifle.
"Where'd you go?" he asked.
"For a walk to clear my head," I replied.
Fergus and Pete sat lazily against a nearby tree with their rucksacks between their laps. My gaze met Pete's but he quickly darted his eyes away. I wanted to run up to him and slap him across the cheek, I wanted to yell at him, scream in his face and call him out on his disgusting behavior.
'Harry, Harry.' I wanted to cry. 'Your friend, your mate, your pal, sexually assaulted me as you slept.'
But instead I turned and walked towards the stream.
"Let's make a move." Harry called from behind.
He began to walk ahead and Fergus followed.
Pete was last to stand up, I strutted towards him, crossed my arms over my chest and whispered through gritted teeth. "If you ever touch me like that again I'll break your fingers."
-------
We'd been walking for three hours.
"Ever been to Kortrijk?" Harry asked, holding out the map before him.
"Nope." I grinned shaking my head.
"Well, that's where we're headed." He smirked.
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We walked for another three hours and I'd collected an impressive and colourful handful of flowers along the way.
Lilly's, daffodils, tulips.
They all rested in my light grasp. I picked out a delicate daffodil and handed it to Harry, I chuckled as he placed the flower in his chocolate curls, resting just above his ear.
"Do I look pretty?" He joked with a grin.
"The prettiest." I replied.
He smirked and removed the flower, placing it in the same position but in my hair.
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We reached Kortrijk four hours later.
It looked like most average French cities, expect it was larger.
The countries state of war didn't seem to affect the people of Kortrijk from continuing their daily routines. Shops still opened and welcomed customers, hotels hung signs and restaurants still cooked what little food they had. The streets also bustled with French and British troops, it reminded me of the early days we had spent in Luxembourg.
"Look at all the soldiers here, your unit may be close by Harry." I turned to him.
"Yea, maybe near Ypres." Harry agreed.
"How about we treat ourselves to a bed for one night?" Fergus suggested, a cheeky grin playing on his lips. "And maybe food that's not canned?"
We all agreed and within the next five minutes made our way to the closest and cheapest hotel.
Harry walked towards the desk and asked for two rooms. An elderly French woman obliged and handed Harry two room keys, her skin was white and sagged, her eyes were brown and droopy and her hair was thin and grey, she grinned with delight and waved us off. The thought that Harry and I would be sharing a room alone made me blush.
The wooden door creaked as Harry and I entered. The room was small but clean and had a single mattress in the middle of the floor covered with white sheets. The pipes were thankfully working and I washed my face and teeth.
YOU ARE READING
AFFLICTION.
Romance'The most deadly and violent war in human history. Soldiers believed they were running towards their enemy when truly, they were running into the open arms of death. ' British/French combat nurse Lianna Beauchamp is thrown into a difficult situation...
