Important information that you need to read before reading my story (if you don't I will be thoroughly disappointed at you as a fellow consumer of creativity and as a fellow human being):
To start, I was told to write this by a group of my friends after having a discussion and playing some games. I neither identify with the Nazis nor share their beliefs; I merely have a deep appreciation and interest in history. I dislike that I have to explain this, but I feel it necessary.
This story is intended for readers with a firm grasp of both fantasy and reality, if you lack either then you best look elsewhere. In addition, a reasonable amount of historical knowledge, specifically pertaining to the relationship between the Nazi regime and the German military during the second World War is recommended, but as I figure most people do not have a reasonable amount of knowledge on the subject allow me to enlighten you. At this point you can continue with the rest of the story if you feel you've got all you need, but if you want to stay for a brief history lesson, be my guest. The Nazi party was, essentially, a political group in Germany, specifically the political group in control of the government of Germany. The Wehrmacht (a broad term for the combined German military) was comprised of conscripts and volunteers from Germany, its holdings, and the countries that Germany conquered. These conscripts and volunteers fought for Germany, the country and its people, not necessarily the Nazi government. As I've stated, the Nazis were a political faction. Membership into said political faction was entirely irrelevant when in relation to the Wehrmacht. I would also like to state that declaring every single German soldier, especially the soldiers who were conscripted without choice, Nazis is entirely ludicrous. Now, the Wehrmacht is not to be confused with the Waffen-SS. The Waffen-SS were Nazis. A requirement to join the Waffen-SS was Nazi party membership. After WW2, the Waffen-SS was declared a criminal organization for perpetrating war crimes (and just normal crimes). THEY were the Nazis that fought in the war, not the Wehrmacht. Albeit, the Wehrmacht were not an untarnished beacon of morality, but you get the point. Hopefully. Now, 15,000 Norwegians volunteered or "volunteered" to fight for Germany during the German occupation of Norway. This story portrays Elsa and Anna as members of the Wehrmacht. Please keep all of this in mind while reading this story and remember to take it for what it is, a piece of fiction.
Belorussia - June 24th, 1944
The worst part of it for Anna was staring at the blood on her boots. The shelling was constant like a rolling thunder pounding into her ears, unceasing and merciless. She was used to that hell by now though. The German retreat had cost many lives, but the Russian advance had cost even more. The blood was a Russian's, probably. It could have been Herr Schütz's too. The Unterfeldwebel's corpse lay split in half, offal spilled out in the muck next to her. The Russian's corpse lay sprawled a few feet back, several holes torn through its chest.
She tightened the grip on her Kar98k and grit her teeth when she spotted the drop of blood that had made its way onto the leg of her pants. Her eyes flitted away, desperate for a reprieve. Eventually they darted up, latching onto the dirty face across from her, into the icy blue of eyes of her sister.
For Elsa, the worst part had been watching Anna die inside. Ever since the Germans had invaded Norway and the two of them had "volunteered", Elsa had watched the life and joy fade from her sister's eyes.
Over the course of the war, Elsa had done everything in her power to protect Anna physically. The Germans nicknamed the blonde "Die Schneekönigin" because of how lethal and ruthless she was towards the Russians. The clever nickname was only reinforced by Elsa's decision to use the Russian's own weapon against them. Near the onset of the sister's deployment, Elsa had looted a PPSh-41 from a Russian soldier. While it lacked the range that the Kar98k provided, it gave her access to far more ammo with each magazine, the ability to effectively suppress anyone who dared take a shot at Anna, and an extreme advantage in close quarters. In addition to being careful with her usage, the Russians provided her with a steady stream of ammo, which meant she'd never run out as long as she was fighting them. To Elsa, it only made sense.
Slicking a bang back into her greasy hair, the blonde swallowed dryly and stared back into her sister's eyes.
Anna must think I'm a monster.
Elsa's eyes dropped down to her gun, then fell to her blood and much spattered boots, before moving to Anna's blood and muck spattered boots. Elsa fought with such ferocity, such conviction because she had to get Anna out alive. She needed to.
She's waiting for you to say something.
Elsa's body hitched in an attempted laugh.
"So I guess that means you're the Unterfeldwebel now, huh?"
Anna's eyes grew wet and tears began rolling down her cheeks. The soft sobs that escaped her were entirely obscured by the constant pounding. Elsa eyed her sister with sadness and shook her head, moving to a low crouch. She settled in next to her before wrapping her arm around the girl. Anna had cried a lot since they lost Kristoff. Resting her head against the younger's dirt-smeared face, Elsa eyed the Russian.
He could have some food or ammo on him. Remember to check the body before we leave.
Anna's tears mixed with the blood and grime of her boots.
Berlin - April 16th, 1945
Elsa knew what was happening. The Germans had already lost the war, they were just holding onto the scraps and, the reality that truly frightened Elsa, fighting to the last person. Their squad was down to three again. Unterfeldwebel Frau Anna, Unteroffizier Frau Elsa, and a small boy, hardly an excuse for a soldier, Oberschütze Herr Hans. Elsa knew they didn't have a fighting chance.
The Russians hadn't surrounded Berlin yet and Elsa knew where and how to get her hands on a motorcycle and fuel. They were under close guard, but Elsa knew she could get them, the guards were lonely and Elsa was willing to be very persuasive to save her sister. If worse came to worse, Elsa would very willingly kill the fascists to get the motorcycle.
Anna stood a few feet away, an MP-40 slung on her side. Her Walther unholstered, she took aim at the German soldiers in front of her and ordered them forward. Raising their guns, the soldiers stepped forward, slowly crossing the street. Anna stood behind cover in the alley, two steps in front of Elsa and Hans.
The ripping fire of DP-28 began cutting through the Germans in the road. Anna barked at them.
"Run, you hunds! Run!"
The soldiers that weren't dead fell to cover behind a collapsed building that had spilled into the road. Setting up the MG-42 one of them carried, they laid down heavy fire on the Russian position at the end of the road.
Anna gave a signal and the three of them ran across the open before diving to cover behind the MG. Anna pointed to the alley and Elsa nodded in agreement. The blonde waved for Hans to move first.
Running into the alley, the child signaled it was clear. Removing her stielhandgranates and handing them to the soldiers in the rubble, Anna motioned for Elsa to do the same. Following suit, the elder sister gave up her grenades and ran into the alley after Anna and Hans.
A few moments or rest awaited them after a short jog through a few buildings and several side streets.
"Anna, er- Unterfeldwebel, we need to talk."
The redhead nodded.
"Take a break, Herr Oberschütze."
"Yes, Frau Unterfeldwebel."
The redhaired boy walked to the side of a building and leaned against it, propping his gun against the wall. Elsa stepped a few feet away, Anna in tow.
"What is it, Elsa?"
The blonde sighed. It had been a while since the younger had said her name. It felt good to hear it.
"You understand what's going to happen if we stay here and fight, right?"
A sharp breath cut through the thin slit between Anna's barely parted lips. Her eyelids closed and she grit her teeth.
"Of course I do, Elsa, we're going to fight and die for our country."
Elsa winced and shook her head.
"But this isn't our country."
"We volunteered for this. It is our country."
"Anna, we hardly volunteered, you know that. They didn't give us a choice."
The younger sister gave the elder a long hard stare before shaking her head.
"What about our duty to Germany? What about our oath?"
"You've seen what the Führer's done to some of his most loyal followers, our pledge means nothing, he's lost his mind and the only thing left for us to do now is either run or die…or worse."
An awkward silenced filled the air, perforated only by the gunfire and shelling in the distance. Finally, the redhead spoke.
"So, what do we do? How can we even escape, the Russians will be surrounding this place soon and we can't defect to them."
Elsa nodded.
"There's a garage nearby with a few motorcycles and enough petrol, we can steal one and ride it all the way to American lines."
"And how do you figure we can even get our hands on them? Elsa, I can't even bel-"
The snap of the bolting mechanism on an MP-28 knocked them back into reality. Turning their heads to the source of the intrusive noise, they saw the small redheaded boy, gun up, staring at them.
"You two can't be thinking of deserting? I misheard, right?"
The sub-machine gun's muzzle was aimed directly between the two sisters, ready to flick to either one if they tried anything that the boy perceived as threatening. Elsa closed her eyes and drew a slow breath as Anna opened her mouth to speak.
"Herr Oberschütze, what do you think you're doing pointing that at your superiors?"
"I'm pointing it at traitors, not my superiors."
As Anna opened her mouth to speak again Hans pointed the rifle at her and took aim.
"Don't say another word, you traitorous schweine."
Already leaping into action, Elsa grabbed the gun and forced it down just as a shot rang out. Tearing the gun from the boy's hands, the blonde flipped it around and bashed him in the back with the butt. Stumbling away, the boy froze when he beheld Elsa's steely gaze burning into him, the MP-28 leveled with his head.
As Elsa put the first hints of pressure on the trigger, Anna stepped in front of the barrel. The elder girl immediately removed the pressure and pointed the gun at the ground.
"Let him run, Elsa."
The two girls looked to where the boy had been standing, but he was gone. Elsa let out a long sigh, which was abruptly interrupted as Anna collapsed to the ground. Eyes wild, the blonde looked over the younger's body, her vision catching on the crimson covering the girl's boots.
"Anna!"
The redhead grunted as Elsa grabbed her leg and lifted it off the ground, attempting to examine the wound.
The blonde began the process of removing the redhead's boot. The girl yelped and whimpered several time, but eventually the boot was off and the extent of the damage could be seen.
"It looks really really bad, but I don't think it's fatal."
Slowly nodding, Anna bit down on her sleeve. A ripping sound filled the alley as Elsa tore her jacket into a makeshift tourniquet.
She wrapped the torn cloth around Anna's foot, padding the wound and limiting the blood flow.
"Can you walk?"
Rising shakily, Anna put a small amount of weight on her injured foot before collapsing with a yelp of pain.
Elsa's arms wrapped around the fallen girl and hoisted her up.
"I'll have to carry you."
"Els…"
Anna's eyes became wet with the first sign of tears. The blonde smiled.
She hasn't forgotten how to cry.
Sniffling weakly, the redhead spoke, confused.
"Why are you smiling?"
"Because I haven't lost you yet, now let's get moving."
Lifting the redhead into her arms and over her shoulder, Elsa slung her PPSh up and braced it between her arm and body. Satisfied with her positioning, the elder girl ran down another alley, in the direction she knew the garage to be.
Anna's foot had stopped bleeding, but the wound was severe and needed treatment. Elsa knew that that didn't matter though, if they didn't escape the city they were dead regardless.
The streets were dark, distant fires illuminated the skies to the east. A dim light shone down on the reinforced metallic door of a garage; two shapes, clothed in the patchy uniforms of the Berlin Defense Force, stood guard.
In the darkness of an abandoned building across the street Elsa laid prone, gun leveled. Anna sat next to her, propped against the wall. It took everything in the younger girl not to let the resurging storm within her break free. Her eyes felt wet with the onset of tears, but she stood resolute in opposing them. The redhead broke the silence with a whisper.
"Do you see Herr Hans?"
Elsa's eyes lingered across the way for a few moments more before breaking towards Anna.
"No, it's just two guards, same as it was five minutes ago. I doubt they know we're coming, so I could probably just approach them and take them out silently."
"But what if they do know? They'll shoot you on sight."
The blonde thought silently for a minute.
"If we shoot them, everyone around here is going to know. We won't have much time once we get in the garage."
Anna nodded, though she knew Elsa wasn't looking anymore. Those icy blue eyes were busy surveying the area in front of them again.
A few moments passed before Elsa pulled herself away from the window. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and raised her gun. Anna tensed as several shots rang out. The girl moved quickly, scooping up her sister and carrying her across the street to the garage. Quickly opening the door with one of the guard's keys, the blonde entered the darkness threshold. Gently setting her sister down outside, she reached for the light switch that was gently illuminated by the dim light shining through the open door. Flicking it, Elsa, rifle already raised scanned the room, ready to leap back.
Two motorcycles, a few cans of petrol, and a slew of tools, scrap, and other implements lay strewn about the garage.
Letting her guard down for a moment, Elsa gently picked her sister up and pulled her into the garage, closing and locking the door behind them.
Anna stared at the faint smile on Elsa's face. She felt a smile forming on her own and closed her eyes.
As Elsa turned to check the fuel on the first motorcycle, she stopped briefly and looked at Anna before resuming her task.
"Elsa."
The blonde stopped suddenly, before slowly proceeding.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
Letting out a relaxed sigh Elsa turned.
"I love you too, An-"
Bullets cut through the lock of the door, ripping through the barely reinforced metal of the door. Unwilling to sacrifice the vehicles inside, the first German bashed through the door. He didn't have time to level his rifle before Elsa's bullets cut him down.
Anna struggled to raise her gun as the elder sister dragged the both of them into cover. Turning back to face the door, Elsa raised her gun and fired a burst into the next intruder. The redhead pulled her MP-40 up just as three more Germans barreled into the room. Elsa fired two bursts as Anna fired another, cutting through them.
Gripping her gun and clenching her teeth Anna, looked down the sights of her gun, ready to fight. A few moments passed and no one entered.
"They're probably waiting for us outside."
"Probably. Cover the door, I have an idea."
Elsa looked around, trying to think of a plan. Spying the petrol, she quickly checked the level of gasoline in the motorcycle and content with the level tied one of the jerry cans to the back of the side car. Grabbing the extra jerry can, she walked to the side of the warehouse, combing an empty bottle and a rag filled and coated, respectively, with the fuel would give her a weapon she'd seen the Russians use a few times. As she lowered the rag into the petrol a loud click sounded outside.
Elsa's face fell. Moving quickly, the blonde jumped at the motorcycle, toppling it over. Seconds later the shredding fire of an MG-42 began cutting through the thin metal garage door.
The bullets ricocheted and embedded in the concrete of the ceilings and walls, finding ways to collide with the tools and scrap metal that filled the room. Elsa's ears rang and the air felt sharp. Three soft thuds shook her body. She reacted quickly, pulling herself lower and curling into the motorcycle for cover. She couldn't feel the pain or warmth of her blood yet, but she felt its stickiness. Her fingers clutched the ragged hole in her arm; crimson flowed out, coating her hand.
A scream was drowned out through the torrent of lead. Anna saw the blood pooling around her sister. She wanted to run over to the blonde and hold her, but doing so would surely end terribly. The redhead lay hidden beneath a sheet of scrap metal that had been lying nearby. Her eyes felt hot, but she held back her tears and looked around the room. The MG outside was likely being fed ammo, so waiting from the Germans to run out of probably wouldn't work. If they didn't do something, however, Anna knew they would both be killed.
Her eyes fell upon the sidecar. Only a few feet away from her the MG-42 mounted on its front would be perfect. Slinking forward, holding the sheet on top of her, the redhead slowly edged toward her target. Bullets roared around her, ricochets clinked off of the metal covering her, but she pressed forward.
For a few moments, the air settled and the roar of death stopped. Taking advantage of the pause, Anna quickly jumped forward and grabbed the side car toppling it on its side. Pulling her cover over her and huddling against the cover she'd created the air exploded once more.
Warmth and pain wracked her foot. The move to pull the sidecar down had taken its toll. Her hands moved across the surface of the MG. Attaching the box of ammo and loading it, Anna aimed the muzzle forward and gripped the trigger, but waited to fire. She wouldn't be able to aim properly with the cart toppled over and the gun at such an odd angle.
The redhead sat still, waiting for a lull in the gunfire. After a few seconds, the moment arrived; heaving with all of her strength, Anna pushed the cart back up. The instant the tires made contact with the concrete the redhead's finger squeezed on the trigger. She slowly swiveled the gun back and forth across the area she through the Germans to be. After a few moments of sustained fire, the ammo box ran dry.
In the strained silence, Anna moved over to the garage door and peered through a bullet hole. Unable to identify anything in the darkness, she swore and turned back only to find her sister staring at her. Elsa smiled and, after a strained motion, flicked on the headlight of the fallen motorcycle.
Anna stared at the bloody splotches in her sister's arm, calf, and back. Luckily her calf and back appeared to have only been grazed, but the arm made Anna worried. The girl looked closely at the bloody limp mess that was her sister's upper right arm. Anna cringed when she saw small flecks of bone peeking out. The younger sister's face contorted with concern, but she forced herself to turn.
The multitude of bullet holes in the thin door of the garage allowed enough light to pass through that when Anna peeked through her hole, she was able to make out several lifeless forms and what appeared to be the MG-42, fallen in the dirt. The girl released a sigh of relief and turned back to her sister. The two stared at each other for a few moments before the blonde slowly stood, pulling the motorcycle up with her good arm. Crawling back to the sidecare, Anna pushed it next to the bike and hooked the two together.
"We need to try to bandage your wounds."
Elsa nodded and started taking off her jacket to make a tourniquet, but winced and grit her teeth when she moved her arm. The sound of tearing fabric assaulted the blonde's ears.
Anna held out three long strips of fabric, torn from her own coat. Smiling, Elsa moved closer to the redhead and they began treating her wounds.
The sound of the motorcycle roaring to life was sweeter than any other noise in the world. Anna was able to start the motorcycle and drive it. Elsa sat positioned uncomfortably in the sidecar.
The garage door slowly opened revealing a group of dead Germans. One of them, situated near the front, was significantly smaller than the others. His red hair shone off the light of the motorcycle. The two girls didn't think about it as they drove away, out of Berlin and toward the American lines.
Oslo – August 9th, 1945
For Anna, the best part of being home was sitting in the garden. Her eyes drifted across the small pond in front of her down to the flowers near her feet. She held her breath for a moment as a small bird landed nearby. It hopped over to the pond before pecking into it a few times. The redhead's attention shifted from the bird to the ripples in the water. The sound of footsteps behind her caused her to flinch and turn quickly.
Elsa stood a few feet back the wraps around her arm looked fresh. Anna nodded and moved to the side of the bench to make room.
As the blonde approached, the bird flew away. A frown flashed across the redhead's face before quickly disappearing.
Sitting down, the blonde shifted to a comfortable position before releasing a content sigh.
"Did you hear the news?"
Anna shook her head.
"America dropped another bomb. They say the whole war will be over in a few days."
The redhead glanced over to the ground in front of her sister, her eyes blurry. A painful silence pervaded the air around them. The two girls sat still, the world around them seemingly melted away, but they remained.
Anna's voice pierced the silence.
"The war's never going to end, Elsa. You know that."
The blonde looked up for a moment before scooting closer to the redhead and wrapping her arm around the girl.
"Yes it will, Anna," letting a faint smile cross her lips, the blonde pulled her sister close, "we'll survive this too."
The redhead stared down at her cane, the polished wood of its sparkled under the summer sun. She closed her eyes before leaning into her sister. Elsa stroked Anna's hair, just as the first tears began to fall from her eyes.
As the tears landed on the back of the younger girl's neck, she reached back to feel the source of the intrusion. Realizing what was happening she raised herself.
"Elsa?"
The older girl folded her good arm across her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. Now it was Anna's turn to comfort her sister. Wrapping both arms around the blonde, careful to avoid putting pressure on Elsa's still-healing arm, the redhead pulled her into a gentle hug.
"I- I'm so sorry, Anna. I'm sorry."
Unrelenting in her hug, the younger sister spoke.
"We'll make it through this, Els. We got through that war together, we'll get through this one too, we will."
The blonde wrapped her arm around Anna and returned the hug. Looking up at the elder, Anna saw her sister was staring at her, she smiled.
Elsa saw the life in Anna's eyes and her tears began to dry. Kissing her sister on the forehead, she rested her head against the younger's and the two girls slowly drifted off to sleep.