Author's Note/Disclaimer: This story was inspired by Jason Flemyng's beautiful performance in The Bunker. Warning, this contains big spoilers. The Bunker is copyright Millennium Pictures 2001.
Corporal Baumann sat propped up against the tree trunk, watching the youthful Private Neumann walk away. Neumann was still a boy and had a life ahead of him; he shouldn't have to be in war.
The pain in his side from the stab wound burned into his flesh like fire. Baumann closed his grey-blue eyes and recalled the day he and his comrades executed the deserters. The deserters were only boys like Neumann. The corporal's throat felt dry with guilt as the image of the corpses lying in the pit flashed in his mind.
He opened his eyes. Baumann looked in the direction Neumann had walked on. The youth was out of site beyond the trees, waiting at the bunker for the Allied Forces to take him away.
The older man knew he was doing the right thing to stay behind so Neumann could survive. Baumann had taken lives in the war, both young and old. All his comrades were dead, Baumann did not wish to go on fighting. After the frightening events in the tunnels, he wanted to find relief.
Trying to ignore his wound, he picked up his knife and plunged it into the ground in front of him. Out of his pocket, he took the metal cross that belonged to the young man he killed and buried it beside the knife. Deep in Baumann's heart, he would never kill again.
He struggled to his feet, the wound burning with pain as his muscles worked. His uniform felt heavy and hot in the humid air. Baumann looked into the depth of the woods. He would not join the youthful Neumann.
His thoughts lingered as he walked through the maze of trees. He saved the life of someone after taking lives of others. For Baumann, the war was over. It was time for him to find peace with himself.