A thousand thoughts flashed through Jonathan´s mind during the ride to the city center.
What would it be like when he saw Alexandra again, what should he tell her? How would she react when she saw him again? Would she be happy to see him? Did she still feel the same, feel like he felt about her?
But how can you even doubt that, Jonathan Crane?´, he thought You know, what she feels for you!´.
Jonathan knew he was more than willing to do everything that had to be done.
He would stay with her in Germany, if Alexandra wanted. He would care for her, he would live together with her. He would marry her if Alexandra wanted to marry him, too. Jonathan would be 18 in five months and he would persuade Alexandra´s parents to give their permisson for her to marry him before she came of age. And if Alexandra didn´t want to stay in Germany, he would start a new life with her somewhere else.
And if she wanted to, he would have children with her. Oh, there couldn´t be anything more beautiful in the world to him than marrying Alexandra and raising a family with her! They had some funds. It wasn´t a lot, but at least, it was enough for them to start. Everything else would fall into place!
Jonathan was so lost in this thoughts that he didn´t realize the jeep was moving deeper and deeper into the city, towards its center. At first, he didn´t notice the smashed streets and the destroyed buildings. He didn´t notice the people rushing through the streets, he didn´t notice the soldiers. Jonathan was terrified by this sight and was suddenly torn from his thoughts. He hadn´t expect to see something like this.
„It´s getting better now.", the soldier said „It looked even worse a few weeks ago."
„Where are we going?", Jonathan asked, looking at the soldier.
„I have orders to escort you to the City Hall, boy. Maybe you´ll find what you´re looking for there.", the G.I. said and turned onto a wide street called Wilhelmstrasse.
There were ruins and shattered glass everywhere. Although the weather was fine, the air was smoggy, caused by the swirling dust and smoke, coming out of the ruins. The soldier stopped the jeep.
„The City Hall is over there.", he said, pointing at the big market-place right next to them.
Jonathan looked at the building located on the market-place. „Don´t expect too much, boy.", the soldier said „But I wish you luck though."
„Thank you.", Jonathan said, looking at the soldier for a brief moment.
Then he gripped his sea-bag and stepped out of the jeep. The soldier nooded good-bye, then he stepped on the gas and drove off down the street. Jonathan gazed after him.
Suddenly he realized that he was all alone – alone in a strange country, where he didn´t even know the language, without knowing where he was and where he had to go. He was now in war zone, among all the destruction, among all the misery, among all the despair and the only glimmer of hope Jonathan had was to find the person again he loved so much, with all his heart.
Jonathan sighed and crossed the market-place, in the direction of the City Hall.