𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

2. GERMAN BULLETS

" It causes situations where your body, your mind, and yourself are not your own anymore. "

-

WILL TURNED BACK towards the entrance and pushed through the doorway. Jo was quick to fetch her medical bag and followed close after. Damaged wooden stairs lead them to the lighter place above. The dark sky hovering so neatly above them so heavenly.

He peered along the empty streets and turned around the corner. They stayed in the shadows as Jo followed closely behind him. She told herself that there was no time for regretting this, yet her heart was already pounding in her ears.

The town was awfully silent and she could only wait for the Germans to jump out of their hiding spots and get them. And then it would be it. Worth a try, but never more than that.

Suddenly there was a man in the distance. Jo recognized the german words leaving his mouth as he vomited up onto the street. Murmuring to himself as William grabbed Jo's arm and dragged her to the side.

In front of them was a blown-up building, with severe walls and windows missing from the original contracture. The school assembly was still slightly visible from Jo and Will's point of view.

In the middle of what seemed to be a camp for the german soldiers, was a fire. Bags and empty beer bottles laid on the cold floor around it.

The two of them stayed silent as they both scanned the room, still hearing the pathetic moans from the soldier outside.

Then, a young man, not much older than Jo came out of the shadows. Their eyes met for a split second as they stood only a couple of feet from each other. It was another german soldier. Horror filled his eyes as William's hand had been roughly placed over his mouth, pushing him into one of the pillars with full force.

They stayed there for a few seconds, Will's dirty palms pressing harder by the second. Stopping any sound from coming out of his mouth. He then held his finger against his lips, gesturing for the man to stay quiet.

Jo watched as the man quickly nodded in response.

As William slowly loosened his grip, Jo could already sense what was going to happen. The man took a deep breath.

"Engländer!"

Both of them reacted quickly. William pressing his hand, once again against his face, causing the man to gag. They both fell onto the ground, letting the echo of their surroundings reach the ears of nearbyers.

Out of pure instinct, Jo grabbed onto the man's arm and held him down. Yet she couldn't look in his eyes as Will's fists now locked their way around his thin throat. It was inhumane but necessary. And what choice did they truly have?

She noticed the knife suddenly appearing in the german's hand and she was quick on trying to rip it out of his grip, causing the two soldiers to roll onto their side.

A low struggling groan left his mouth as Jo suddenly heard footprints approaching them behind them. Her head whipped around as she watched the same man from before, clearly drunk and stumbling on his feet, talking out in nowhere.

Jo carefully watched him in silence as he slumped over, onto the ground with the empty bottles, letting a loud breath escape his nostrils.

The muffling noise continued as the young soldier put his hand against Williams's chest in one last attempt to make him stop. Jo could still hear the drunken voice in the distance continuing to ask pointless questions to which he got no answer to.

Her heart stopped when she suddenly noticed his gaze being directed towards them. It was still too dark for him to watch what was going on there in the shadows, but Jo knew that they would have to leave very soon. By soon she meant now.

"Baumer. Wo ist..? Baumer?!"

William must have also heard the voice because, at the same moment, Jo watched him flinch at the german words.

The man, seemingly Baumer, desperately started kicking, clawing, and trying his absolute best, though the weakness building up, to get away from Williams's strong grip.

"Baumer?" the voice from behind them continued mumbling towards them. Slow steps echoing the bare walls.

All of a sudden, Baumer's arms fell limp onto the ground. One last gasp- and then silence. Absolute silence.

Williams quickly got up, leaving his rifle behind him, and leapt out of the shadows with Jo behind him. They headed straight past the confused soldier standing there, too quickly for his tipsy mind to react.

"Baumer!" he yelled behind as they soon started running out on the street, nothing to stop the weapons that were soon to be pointed at them. She tried not to think of the possibilities that rounded up in her head. But once the voices grew louder, so did the fear.

"Englander! Englander!" the yells seemed to come from everywhere, but she still tried to keep a gaze forward.

Jo struggled slightly as the heavy cotton dress on her dragged her slightly backwards, obviously not meant for running. She used her hands and took an armful of the fabric into her arms and tried as fast as she could to make it forwards. One rushed step at a time.

She watched as a bullet, with quick force, was shot, only a few feet in from them. They all slightly jumped at the sound as William turned his head to watch the source, hesitating to continue, but deciding against it, once her shoulder slightly pushed him forward.

Just before, a sudden man that had appeared in front of them, aimed his rifle and shot at the two. Jo managed to grab William's arm, dragging him down a narrow alley. They started running down the crooked street, doing their best effort as to not trip on the wet stones. Only able to listen as the footsteps behind them increased.

To their left was a corner that they quickly went down. Not having time to hesitate, or think, or breath.

When they arrived at some stone steps, they quickly went down two or three steps at a time. Her sore toes were cramped against her slightly too small shoes. Cursing under her breath at the stinging pain became more and more obvious.

They continued running for as far as they could.
Shots were fired behind her. And she tried to not think of their purpose. They were just sounds. Heartbeats in the darkest of nights.

Jo got dragged to the side ungracefully, closely tripping over her own sore feet. Bullets cracking off the cobbles just in front of them.

Yet they continued sprinting as fast as they could.

She noticed how they got closer to a bridge, a couple of yards in front of them. Only did she realize what William was about to do when he grabbed her arm and dragged her with him over the edge.

They must have fallen forty feet when they suddenly landed through the hard water surface. A splash and then everything became dark.

Too dark.

____

Second chapter down. Sorry, if it was a bit messy. The chapters are pretty short, but that also means i can publish more often! Thank you for reading :)

/connie