Can't Stop Death
"Albert Heinrich."
"Here, sir!" A silver haired man stood at attention.
General Späcoff scanned his clipboard, "You're in tent 413. Your bunkmate is Treize Teirbrun from Squadron 69. he should be at the tent now."
"Yes sir."
~*~
"Hey," Albert said, directing toward a ginger haired boy sitting outside tent 413. he looked up and silently watched him with dark, chocolate brown eyes. "You Treize?"
"Ja." He looked back down at the ground and started absently picking at the grass.
"How old are you kid?"
"Fünfzehn."
He blinked, "Can you speak English?"
"Some."
"Well, somebody's pretty melancholy for only 15," Albert said with a grin.
"Nein," Treize replied, smiling softly, "Just quiet."
"Let's see if we can't get that to change," he ruffled Treize's hair and sat down next to him. "I'm Albert, by the way." He extended his hand in greeting.
Treize looked at his hand, then up at his ice blue eyes. After a moment or two. He accepted the proffered hand and said, "Tag Albert, Wie geht's?"
~*~
"Alright you lazy maggots! Welcome to boot camp. I'm going to whip all you ladies into shape, even if it's the last thing I do!" Sergeant Bose stalked up and down the rows of "would-be soldiers." Halfway down the third row, he stopped ant looked down on Treize's small form. Eyeing him sharply he asked, "How old are you boy?"
"Fünfzehn, Herr Sergeant," he replied.
"I can't hear you!" "Fünfzehn, Herr Sergeant," he yelled.
"In English boy!"
"15, sir!" Treize continued to look forward, expression neutral, even as Sgt. Bose ordered him to hold out his hand, palm up. He barely flinched when the sergeant brought his riding crop down hard on his hand. Albert, on the other hand, winced noticeably. Sergeant Bose turned to him and barked out, "How about you soldier? Name and age now!"
"A- Albert Heinrich, age 30." Albert inwardly cursed himself. He shouldn't have stuttered like that.
Bose smiled maliciously. "The kid has more guts than you do Heinrich. Hold out our writing hand."
Albert gulped but complied. Bose grabbed his wrist and slammed the crop down with all his strength. Albert recoiled under the blow, holding his injured hand to his chest.
"Let that be a lesson to you all; any flinching or hesitating on the battlefield will cost you your life. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
Back at tent 413 after a long day of laps, push-ups, and obstacle courses, Albert flopped onto his bunk. "God, I've never worked that hard since... well, I've never worked that hard before."
Treize smiled and pulled off his over shirt. "City boy."
"Huh?" Albert sat up, "What did you say?"
"Nothing," Treize replied innocently. "City boy," he added his smile growing into a smirk.
Albert snorted, "Oh? And what are you?"
"I was born and raised on a farm; I have two older sisters and two younger brothers. I'm used to work."
"Ha! I'd rather be a city kid than a farm boy," Albert grinned. As Treize began untying his boots he asked, "How old are your sisters?"
"Hilde is 17 and Sheila is 25, why?"
"Just asking." A few moments of silence passed as Treize got into bed. "Do you miss them?"
"Nein, I'm glad to be away." After a bit he added, "They think I'm queer."
"Why do they think that?"
"Because I haven't got a girlfriend."
"Oh."
"Guten Nacht," Treize said sleepily and rolled over onto his side.
"Good night, kid."
~*~
After long harsh weeks of training, it came. D-Day. The end of the world as Albert and Treize knew it.
"This is it, Treize. The day we've been training so hard for. Finally, we get to see some action."
"I almost wish it wasn't," Treize replied sheepishly, looking down at his boots. He had been up since 1 am with a bad case of the nerves.
"You're young, you're allowed."
"Allowed what?"
"To be afraid to die of course," Albert replied, crossing his arms.
Treize smiled slightly, "That's not what I'm worried about."
"Oh?" Albert blinked, taken aback.
"Nein, it's just - I've.." He blushed, "I've never been kissed."
"Oh!" Albert laughed, "Is that all?"
"Is - is that all?!" Treize stared at him, "It's an awful lot to me!"
Albert just laughed to himself and began lacing up his boots. But he paused when he was done, obviously thinking of something. Unconsciously his hand went to where a locket rested against his chest, "I guess.. It means a lot to me too."
Treize looked up from writing in his journal, surprised, but said nothing as Albert revealed and opened the precious locket. "Hilda.." He whispered, unaware he had said anything at all.
"Picture of your girl back home?"
"You might be saying that," after thinking over it for a minute, he gave a small jerk of his head and said, "C'mere kid." After Treize was comfortably seated beside him, he showed him the locket, "That's my wife, Hilda. She's a nurse and she entered the military division because of me."
"She's beautiful," he glanced shyly up at Albert, "She must really love you. To join the military like that, I mean."
"Yeah, she does," he gave a sidelong glance over to Treize. He smiled a little as he thought, 'What's the harm in one little kiss?'
Treize blinked and stared at Albert. He had kissed him. It was nothing more than a fleeting brush of the lips, but still it was a kiss. "What was..?"
Albert brought a finger to his lips, "Don't tell anyone, but now you've been kissed." He smiled and winked, causing Treize to laugh.
"That wasn't much of a kiss."
"Ah, but for what's it's worth, it was worth all the while. Besides which, it's the only one you're getting."
"Awe.." Treize managed to pout in an extremely convincing manner for a full five seconds before bursting into laughter. Whatever point there was behind it, Albert's kiss had succeeded in obliterating Treize's nerves.
~*~
"Hilda.. No. You can't leave me. We're supposed to be together. Hilda? Hilda!" Albert cried out into the night, holding his dead wife in his arms. He had been taking her to wounded troops stationed behind enemy lines. Just when he thought they would get through, they were caught. He had hastily gunned the engine and soon crashed, killing his most dear. "Hilda..." he sobbed, not caring that he was being soaked by the rain.
Suddenly there was the sound of gunshots through the woods. Albert looked up just in time to see Treize burst into the clearing. "Run Albert, we're under attack!" When he didn't move, he grabbed his arm and dragged him along. "We've got to get out of here!" they ran along in silence until the sounds of pursuit were faded away. They rushed into a cave and Treize lit a lantern that he had been carrying. It was then that Albert got a good look at his face.
"What happened to your face?" he reached out to lightly touch the blackened skin on his cheek.
"It's nothing; just a burn. Flamethrowers ya know?" he smiled, if only to reassure his friend. It hurt like hell, but he wouldn't let it show; he had to be strong. "She's dead isn't she?" he asked, sobering up quickly, "that woman was Hilda, wasn't she?" Albert looked away, a single tear trailing down his face. "I'm so sorry."
Albert wiped away the tear and turned to look back at Treize's sullen face. He gave him a small, sad smile before he leaned over and kissed Treize softly. "I thought I wasn't getting another one."
Albert gave a short laugh but soon tears stared to flow, "Hold me, please." He leaned against Treize and cried into his shoulder.
~*~
"Hey, hey! I think there's a light back there!" Random soldier #47 cried out, pointing at a cave.
"Well go in and check it out!" Lieutenant colonel Trigga yelled. "Honestly, I couldn't have gotten a more incompetent troop!"
At the back of the cave Treize froze. "Albert, you'll have to stop crying; we'll be discovered if you don't."
At this, Albert tensed as well. He looked at the soldier making his way towards them, then blew out the light. "Albert?"
"Don't move or make a sound."
"What are you doing?"
He paused at the cave entrance, "You're going to be alright. We'll both be right where we're supposed to be." He stepped out into the rain, determined to end up where he belonged; with Hilda.
"Albert, you'll die," Treize said meekly, "Don't leave me. I may be a soldier but I'm not strong. Not really, I'm just a girl. I disguised myself to get away from my father. I don't want to be left alone. Albert? Please, come back." Tracey, not Treize, curled up with her knees against her chest and cried silently, waiting and listening for the gunshots that would end her friend's life.
~*~
"Halt! I said halt!" Random Soldier #47 aimed his gun at the figure emerging from the cave. It took one last step out of the forest and stopped, light glinting off the badge on his hat. "Y-you're a G-German soldier?!"
"Yeah, and I'm alone and unarmed." Albert raised his hands above his head, showing just how defenseless he was.
The soldier walked around behind him and pushed the gun against his back. "Wa-walk." He ordered nervously. Albert raised his eyebrows in surprise, but complied, walking towards a clearing.
"Ma'am, I've found an enemy soldier, see?"
Lt. Colonel Trigga stared at the man. "Well, why isn't he dead yet?" she screeched, marching over and slapping him upside the head.
"OW!"
"You moron! It's our job to destroy the enemy.." As the colonel went on ranting at her soldier, Albert thought 'I was expecting to be shot in an instant. But with the way they're going on, maybe I can get away.' He shot off into the woods. 'Feet, don't fail me now!'
"What are you people waiting for?! Shoot the bloody German!" Lieutenant colonel Trigga glared at her subordinates and at the silver haired German soldier bolting off through the woods. "Well?" As no one moved a muscle, she grabbed the nearest machine gun out of a terrified soldier's hands and fired mercilessly. Grinning ferally as he fell to the ground, she smoothed a few loose strands of hair back, "That, my boys, is how you kill a bloody German." She sneered and added, "If he wasn't bloody before, he certainly is now." Laughing maniacally she lead the soldiers back to headquarters.
~*~
As Albert felt the bullets pierce his back he thought, 'At least I tried. Hilda, I'll be with you soon.' He seemed to fall in slow motion, 'Treize, I hope you survive all this, my dear friend.' Those were his final thoughts as wave upon wave of darkness hit him.
~*~
Epilogue: Tracey heard the colonel shouting at her men and the shots that soon followed from the safe darkness of the cave. She waited until dawn before leaving the relative safety and heading back to camp. Upon her arrival, she went to General Späcoff and revealed her disguise. The general was saddened to hear of Albert's death and understanding of her grief. He forgave her deception and offered her a job in the science and mechanical administration, which she gladly accepted, learning how to create and repair weapons and planes. There, she lived happily ever after. OR DID SHE?
~Fini~
002: *sniffle*
004: 002? Are you crying?!
002: Hn. *turns away and crosses his arms*
Tracey: I over-did it again, didn't I?
004: Weeeeeeeell...
002: *rubs his eyes*
Tracey: I did. Darn. That's why I don't like writing angst or sap! I always over-do it!
002: I am NOT crying. I just have something in my eyes, that's all!
Tracey: *sarcastically* Right, and I actually did my geometry homework on time.
004: Like that'll ever happen.
Plus: I like the end: OR DID SHE? Mwha! That's so funny!
002: I hate you.
Minus: Join the club!
004: Honestly! You two are despicable! How can you laugh after all that?
Plus and Minus: Easy!
004: -_-0
002: *sniff*
Tracey: Daijoubo desu ka, 002?
004: Where did you learn Japanese?
Tracey: Joe's teaching me!
002: *mumbles* Figures.
Tracey: Hm?
002: Nothing..
Tracey: *shrugs* Oh well. Next up: the next chapter of "Nightmare" and the action packed sequel, OR CAN YOU?
004: It's not really action packed; more like stupidity packed.
Tracey: So?
004: Never mind...
002: I could use a hug... *he whispered*
"Albert Heinrich."
"Here, sir!" A silver haired man stood at attention.
General Späcoff scanned his clipboard, "You're in tent 413. Your bunkmate is Treize Teirbrun from Squadron 69. he should be at the tent now."
"Yes sir."
~*~
"Hey," Albert said, directing toward a ginger haired boy sitting outside tent 413. he looked up and silently watched him with dark, chocolate brown eyes. "You Treize?"
"Ja." He looked back down at the ground and started absently picking at the grass.
"How old are you kid?"
"Fünfzehn."
He blinked, "Can you speak English?"
"Some."
"Well, somebody's pretty melancholy for only 15," Albert said with a grin.
"Nein," Treize replied, smiling softly, "Just quiet."
"Let's see if we can't get that to change," he ruffled Treize's hair and sat down next to him. "I'm Albert, by the way." He extended his hand in greeting.
Treize looked at his hand, then up at his ice blue eyes. After a moment or two. He accepted the proffered hand and said, "Tag Albert, Wie geht's?"
~*~
"Alright you lazy maggots! Welcome to boot camp. I'm going to whip all you ladies into shape, even if it's the last thing I do!" Sergeant Bose stalked up and down the rows of "would-be soldiers." Halfway down the third row, he stopped ant looked down on Treize's small form. Eyeing him sharply he asked, "How old are you boy?"
"Fünfzehn, Herr Sergeant," he replied.
"I can't hear you!" "Fünfzehn, Herr Sergeant," he yelled.
"In English boy!"
"15, sir!" Treize continued to look forward, expression neutral, even as Sgt. Bose ordered him to hold out his hand, palm up. He barely flinched when the sergeant brought his riding crop down hard on his hand. Albert, on the other hand, winced noticeably. Sergeant Bose turned to him and barked out, "How about you soldier? Name and age now!"
"A- Albert Heinrich, age 30." Albert inwardly cursed himself. He shouldn't have stuttered like that.
Bose smiled maliciously. "The kid has more guts than you do Heinrich. Hold out our writing hand."
Albert gulped but complied. Bose grabbed his wrist and slammed the crop down with all his strength. Albert recoiled under the blow, holding his injured hand to his chest.
"Let that be a lesson to you all; any flinching or hesitating on the battlefield will cost you your life. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
Back at tent 413 after a long day of laps, push-ups, and obstacle courses, Albert flopped onto his bunk. "God, I've never worked that hard since... well, I've never worked that hard before."
Treize smiled and pulled off his over shirt. "City boy."
"Huh?" Albert sat up, "What did you say?"
"Nothing," Treize replied innocently. "City boy," he added his smile growing into a smirk.
Albert snorted, "Oh? And what are you?"
"I was born and raised on a farm; I have two older sisters and two younger brothers. I'm used to work."
"Ha! I'd rather be a city kid than a farm boy," Albert grinned. As Treize began untying his boots he asked, "How old are your sisters?"
"Hilde is 17 and Sheila is 25, why?"
"Just asking." A few moments of silence passed as Treize got into bed. "Do you miss them?"
"Nein, I'm glad to be away." After a bit he added, "They think I'm queer."
"Why do they think that?"
"Because I haven't got a girlfriend."
"Oh."
"Guten Nacht," Treize said sleepily and rolled over onto his side.
"Good night, kid."
~*~
After long harsh weeks of training, it came. D-Day. The end of the world as Albert and Treize knew it.
"This is it, Treize. The day we've been training so hard for. Finally, we get to see some action."
"I almost wish it wasn't," Treize replied sheepishly, looking down at his boots. He had been up since 1 am with a bad case of the nerves.
"You're young, you're allowed."
"Allowed what?"
"To be afraid to die of course," Albert replied, crossing his arms.
Treize smiled slightly, "That's not what I'm worried about."
"Oh?" Albert blinked, taken aback.
"Nein, it's just - I've.." He blushed, "I've never been kissed."
"Oh!" Albert laughed, "Is that all?"
"Is - is that all?!" Treize stared at him, "It's an awful lot to me!"
Albert just laughed to himself and began lacing up his boots. But he paused when he was done, obviously thinking of something. Unconsciously his hand went to where a locket rested against his chest, "I guess.. It means a lot to me too."
Treize looked up from writing in his journal, surprised, but said nothing as Albert revealed and opened the precious locket. "Hilda.." He whispered, unaware he had said anything at all.
"Picture of your girl back home?"
"You might be saying that," after thinking over it for a minute, he gave a small jerk of his head and said, "C'mere kid." After Treize was comfortably seated beside him, he showed him the locket, "That's my wife, Hilda. She's a nurse and she entered the military division because of me."
"She's beautiful," he glanced shyly up at Albert, "She must really love you. To join the military like that, I mean."
"Yeah, she does," he gave a sidelong glance over to Treize. He smiled a little as he thought, 'What's the harm in one little kiss?'
Treize blinked and stared at Albert. He had kissed him. It was nothing more than a fleeting brush of the lips, but still it was a kiss. "What was..?"
Albert brought a finger to his lips, "Don't tell anyone, but now you've been kissed." He smiled and winked, causing Treize to laugh.
"That wasn't much of a kiss."
"Ah, but for what's it's worth, it was worth all the while. Besides which, it's the only one you're getting."
"Awe.." Treize managed to pout in an extremely convincing manner for a full five seconds before bursting into laughter. Whatever point there was behind it, Albert's kiss had succeeded in obliterating Treize's nerves.
~*~
"Hilda.. No. You can't leave me. We're supposed to be together. Hilda? Hilda!" Albert cried out into the night, holding his dead wife in his arms. He had been taking her to wounded troops stationed behind enemy lines. Just when he thought they would get through, they were caught. He had hastily gunned the engine and soon crashed, killing his most dear. "Hilda..." he sobbed, not caring that he was being soaked by the rain.
Suddenly there was the sound of gunshots through the woods. Albert looked up just in time to see Treize burst into the clearing. "Run Albert, we're under attack!" When he didn't move, he grabbed his arm and dragged him along. "We've got to get out of here!" they ran along in silence until the sounds of pursuit were faded away. They rushed into a cave and Treize lit a lantern that he had been carrying. It was then that Albert got a good look at his face.
"What happened to your face?" he reached out to lightly touch the blackened skin on his cheek.
"It's nothing; just a burn. Flamethrowers ya know?" he smiled, if only to reassure his friend. It hurt like hell, but he wouldn't let it show; he had to be strong. "She's dead isn't she?" he asked, sobering up quickly, "that woman was Hilda, wasn't she?" Albert looked away, a single tear trailing down his face. "I'm so sorry."
Albert wiped away the tear and turned to look back at Treize's sullen face. He gave him a small, sad smile before he leaned over and kissed Treize softly. "I thought I wasn't getting another one."
Albert gave a short laugh but soon tears stared to flow, "Hold me, please." He leaned against Treize and cried into his shoulder.
~*~
"Hey, hey! I think there's a light back there!" Random soldier #47 cried out, pointing at a cave.
"Well go in and check it out!" Lieutenant colonel Trigga yelled. "Honestly, I couldn't have gotten a more incompetent troop!"
At the back of the cave Treize froze. "Albert, you'll have to stop crying; we'll be discovered if you don't."
At this, Albert tensed as well. He looked at the soldier making his way towards them, then blew out the light. "Albert?"
"Don't move or make a sound."
"What are you doing?"
He paused at the cave entrance, "You're going to be alright. We'll both be right where we're supposed to be." He stepped out into the rain, determined to end up where he belonged; with Hilda.
"Albert, you'll die," Treize said meekly, "Don't leave me. I may be a soldier but I'm not strong. Not really, I'm just a girl. I disguised myself to get away from my father. I don't want to be left alone. Albert? Please, come back." Tracey, not Treize, curled up with her knees against her chest and cried silently, waiting and listening for the gunshots that would end her friend's life.
~*~
"Halt! I said halt!" Random Soldier #47 aimed his gun at the figure emerging from the cave. It took one last step out of the forest and stopped, light glinting off the badge on his hat. "Y-you're a G-German soldier?!"
"Yeah, and I'm alone and unarmed." Albert raised his hands above his head, showing just how defenseless he was.
The soldier walked around behind him and pushed the gun against his back. "Wa-walk." He ordered nervously. Albert raised his eyebrows in surprise, but complied, walking towards a clearing.
"Ma'am, I've found an enemy soldier, see?"
Lt. Colonel Trigga stared at the man. "Well, why isn't he dead yet?" she screeched, marching over and slapping him upside the head.
"OW!"
"You moron! It's our job to destroy the enemy.." As the colonel went on ranting at her soldier, Albert thought 'I was expecting to be shot in an instant. But with the way they're going on, maybe I can get away.' He shot off into the woods. 'Feet, don't fail me now!'
"What are you people waiting for?! Shoot the bloody German!" Lieutenant colonel Trigga glared at her subordinates and at the silver haired German soldier bolting off through the woods. "Well?" As no one moved a muscle, she grabbed the nearest machine gun out of a terrified soldier's hands and fired mercilessly. Grinning ferally as he fell to the ground, she smoothed a few loose strands of hair back, "That, my boys, is how you kill a bloody German." She sneered and added, "If he wasn't bloody before, he certainly is now." Laughing maniacally she lead the soldiers back to headquarters.
~*~
As Albert felt the bullets pierce his back he thought, 'At least I tried. Hilda, I'll be with you soon.' He seemed to fall in slow motion, 'Treize, I hope you survive all this, my dear friend.' Those were his final thoughts as wave upon wave of darkness hit him.
~*~
Epilogue: Tracey heard the colonel shouting at her men and the shots that soon followed from the safe darkness of the cave. She waited until dawn before leaving the relative safety and heading back to camp. Upon her arrival, she went to General Späcoff and revealed her disguise. The general was saddened to hear of Albert's death and understanding of her grief. He forgave her deception and offered her a job in the science and mechanical administration, which she gladly accepted, learning how to create and repair weapons and planes. There, she lived happily ever after. OR DID SHE?
~Fini~
002: *sniffle*
004: 002? Are you crying?!
002: Hn. *turns away and crosses his arms*
Tracey: I over-did it again, didn't I?
004: Weeeeeeeell...
002: *rubs his eyes*
Tracey: I did. Darn. That's why I don't like writing angst or sap! I always over-do it!
002: I am NOT crying. I just have something in my eyes, that's all!
Tracey: *sarcastically* Right, and I actually did my geometry homework on time.
004: Like that'll ever happen.
Plus: I like the end: OR DID SHE? Mwha! That's so funny!
002: I hate you.
Minus: Join the club!
004: Honestly! You two are despicable! How can you laugh after all that?
Plus and Minus: Easy!
004: -_-0
002: *sniff*
Tracey: Daijoubo desu ka, 002?
004: Where did you learn Japanese?
Tracey: Joe's teaching me!
002: *mumbles* Figures.
Tracey: Hm?
002: Nothing..
Tracey: *shrugs* Oh well. Next up: the next chapter of "Nightmare" and the action packed sequel, OR CAN YOU?
004: It's not really action packed; more like stupidity packed.
Tracey: So?
004: Never mind...
002: I could use a hug... *he whispered*