Thanks Master Of The Phoenix, it really warms my heart. Yes, I got the idea this fic doing a project about the conditions during WWII. It will get even more dirty and bloody, and therefore the PG-13 rating.
Well, here's chapter 3. Enjoy!
And don't mind the title of this chapter, it makes no sense, I was in desperate need of one...
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-The Heart Of Snow-
Chapter 3: Don't Wake The Lion
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Jasper and Olaf entered a large, no, gigantic yard. It was large as maybe two, or even three full-scale football fields, and surrounded by walls and fences which must've been at least thirty meters high.
Four towers with machine guns were strategically placed, and guards patrolled everywhere.
Olaf sighed. There wasn't a chance in the world that he could escape.
Jasper, who seemed to have read his mind, smiled and said with a gesture:
"No one has ever escaped from here. The man who's holding the record, I believe, managed to touch the walls right before he was shot in the back."
Once I'm out of here, I'll break your back, bastard. Olaf thought, as they kept on walking. His arm hurted, and he felt exhausted.
He noticed that maybe a dozen Blue Moon-soldiers were cleaning one of the walls, but other than that, the whole yard was empty.
"Place yourself here, Olaf" Jasper said, and pointed on a bench. "We have the best seats possible."
"I'll stand" Olaf said through clenched teeths.
Jasper smiled and lit a cigarrete.
"Hehe, lighten up old man." he said and smiled. "I'll explain to you what we do here."
"Besides of killing my soldiers, and pissing me off?"
"Heh, don't push it, old man. I'll explain what we do to our prisoners."
Olaf could suddenly see how a long line of Blue Moon soldiers came marching in a row, surrounded by guards. Almost all of them was staring on the ground, some cried, and some could barely walk.
"This is the remaining prisoners" Jasper said, and nodded as an officer saluted him as the long line of Blue Moon soldiers walked by.
"Get us out of here, Olaf!" Many yelled, and Olaf felt a sting in his heart.
He couldn't do a thing. Not a single thing.
"About half of the men that we captured at Raftel is still in Blue Moon, cleaning up bodies and testing roads for mines, under pistol threats of course, and the other, weaker half is here. Or at least was here."
Jasper smiled, and threw away his cigarette as he leaned back on the bench. The Blue Moon- soldiers lined up with their backs against the wall. White Meteor soldiers lined up twenty meters in front of each one of them.
"Are you executing them?!" Olaf roared. "No! That's against the law! According to the laws set up for..."
"Shut up, Olaf. No laws or rules apply here. Those of your soldiers who wasn't strong enough to stay at the front, were sent here to be killed... Well, not all of them. Some will we send back to Blue Moon, broken and devastated of course to report of...the things that we do here."
"What are you talking about?"
Olaf tried to catch a glimpse of his soldiers eyes. They were desperate, many cried and others just stared in the ground, already settled with their faith.
"I'll explain" Jasper said and lit another cigarette. "Oh, look, there's commander Colin."
Colin was the last one to place himself against the wall. His uniform was dirty, his head was bandaged, and he held his cap in his hand. He was crying, wet tears fell down his cheeks.
"I can't let you kill him, Jasper" Olaf said, struggling to keep the tears from falling. "Take me instead. He's too young... Too young..."
"No, Olaf." Jasper shook his head. "Colin's faith will be decided. Here and now. Officer, tell the soldiers to prepare"
Olaf clenched his fists, watched things pass him in slow-motion.
No... Can't let it happen... I must stop this.. This madness...
"Jasper..." Olaf said.
"Yes, commander?"
"Go to hell."
And then he ran.
I'm coming, Colin
Ignoring the pain in his back, and in his arm, Olaf ran.
I can't let you die...
He ran faster than his legs could carry him, flinged himself forward and punched down the closest soldier and made his way towards Colin.
Little boys don't belong to war...
Jasper yelled panically to the soldiers not to shoot, and they had to throw themselves over Olaf to stop him.
Olaf hit the ground hard and almost lost his conscious as they locked his arms and legs.
Colin cried, but he didn't move. He just stood there, holding his dirty cap with his small hands.
"Colin!!!" Olaf yelled and tried to get to him, but he was held down by several strong arms. He was pulled on his feets and dragged back to Jasper, whose smile had died out.
"Fool!" He spat out. "You can't save him, Olaf! Or any other of your soldiers!"
"I'm going to kill you, Jasper." Olaf yelled, trying to free his arm so that he could punch him. "I'm going to strangle you with my bare hands!"
"I think not, Olaf. Now, calm down and I'll explain how we do things here."
The soldier's released their grip of Olaf, and he noticed that his injured arm was bleeding.
"Colin has a fair chance of survival" Jasper said, and ordered the soldiers the prepare. They all drew a revolver, very much like the one Grit used to carry around. "As you can see, the execution patrols is armed with revolvers. There is six slots in a revolver, but they only load it with three. So your soldiers roughly has a 1/2 chance of surviving. Pretty good odds, isn't it?"
"Why?" Olaf said, staring on Colin, who met his eyes. So young...
"Why? Heh, that's a good question, with an even better answer... We do it to break them. Tear them apart, destroy them physically and mentally..."
Jasper drew his own revolver, and loaded it with three bullets.
"How would you feel, Olaf, is someone held a gun against your forehead and told you that you had a 50 % chance of survival? Let's say that Lady Luck smiles against you, and the revolver clicks when fired... Imagine going through the process the next day... And the day after that... They get no rest, Olaf. Every day that they walk out on this yard, could be their last. And that, my friend, is what tears them down and turns them into mental wrecks."
"I can promise you, here and now, that I'll kill you, Jasper." Olaf said, thinking over and over if it would be worth it to throw himself over Jasper and break his neck.
Jasper smiled and gave his gun to Olaf.
"I'll give you the same chance as your soldiers have. It's loaded with three bullets. Your chance of killing me, is roughly 1/2. You have the chance, take it."
Olaf didn't hesitate a second. With a quick gesture, he put the gun against Jasper's forehead, and pulled the trigger.
It clicked. The revolver clicked, and Jasper smiled and took the gun from Olaf.
"Aw, too bad." He said and put it away. "Too bad that you won't get another chance tomorrow. Now, let's look at the executions. Let's see how many will fall today."
Olaf looked at Colin, wondered for a moment what he would say to his parents if he got out of here...
"Jasper, take me instead.."
"No. Quiet now, they will fire in twelve seconds..."
The soldier in front of Colin raised his revolver.
Colin
The sun was shining, and the sweat was pouring on the foreheads of the Blue Moon soldiers...
Don't die... Not now... You're too young...
Jasper lit another cigarette, and besides from his silent humming of a terribly jolly tune, everything was quiet. Not a single bird was singing.
Still nothing but a child
Six seconds...
Please... Don't take him away..
Three seconds...
Please let the revolver click. Please...
Two seconds...
Colin, don't die... Don't die...
One second...
Olaf buried his old face in his gloved hands, clenched his teeths...
Colin.... Stay alive...
BAM!
Olaf looked up. Dozens of Blue Moon-soldiers had fallen to the ground, crimson blood was pouring down the wall.
Olaf looked at Colin. At first, Colins face showed no expression, and he didn't move.
But then he slowly began to sink to the ground, his hands lost their grip of his cap... He still had his eyes open.
It didn't click. The revolver didn't click.
Colin was dead.
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Well, there goes chapter 3, hope ya enjoyed it. From now on, the chapters will be a bit shorter though, so now you know...
-DW