Felix stepped outside, and let the warm spring air wash over him. The weather hadn't been this good for many years. Usually around this time, it was always raining. But he looked up to the sky and couldn't find a single cloud in the sea above his head. The sky was blue, not quite the blue of the ocean that calmed him down, but a friendly blue, like one that wouldn't hurt him.
Across the Yard – and separated by a line of armed guards – Violet was seated at her normal blanket, and watching the football game with rapt attention. The men were divided into two teams as usual; Team Soldier and Team Not-Soldier. A forward from Team Soldier took a pass off his chest, and nimbly weaved the ball between two Not-Soldiers. A third tried to intercept the forward, but the forward stopped the attempt with a hard shoulder block, sending the Not-Soldier sprawling into the grass.
The forward kicked the ball up, and kicked it a second time past the keeper, defending a "goal" of two empty pots. The Soldiers cheered their triumph and lifted the Forward up on their shoulders. The score was now 3-0.
Felix sat down on the blanket and watched the celebration. There was something simple about friends just having a good time together.
I didn't think I'd ever get to have those times again.
"Morning Violet. Having fun watching the game?" asked Felix.
"The Soldiers currently have a commanding lead," Violet said, keeping her gaze on the game, "But they do not appear to be playing by any normal rules. The Forward's shoulder block for instance. That should be a red card offence. But there is no official present on the field".
Felix laughed. Violet's naivety never ceased to amaze him, "This isn't exactly the Imperial Pitch. And I don't think they'd listen to a referee anyway. It's supposed to be a way to let the boys blow off some steam. Keeps us busy for a few hours while the guards clean out our cells"
Violet nodded, "Indeed. I've begun to realize that this place is almost it's own world. Things that are normal outside are considered to be strange in here."
Felix sighed, taking a minute to enjoy one last look at the friendly blue sky.
It might be the last time I ever see this.
"So, hey, about yesterday" he started, uncertainty in his voice, "I uh, I was out of line. I guess Major Bougainvillea was a friend to you. I shouldn't have called him a coward. I never heard anything about him that would say he was"
Felix turned to look at Violet, who still had her gaze on the field. The teams were lining up to start a new game, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry. I don't have any friends left, except for you. I hope we can still be friends".
Violet sighed, but kept her gaze on the field, "I accept your apology, Felix. And I'd also like to offer my own apology for striking you. It is unprofessional of an Auto-Memories Doll to become emotionally involved with her clients. If you are willing, I would like to continue being your friend"
Felix nodded, "Yeah, I'd like that"
Violet stood up, and offered a bow, "So would I. Good morning, my friend Felix. Did you sleep well last night?"
"Not really" Felix said, "But I haven't slept good since the Deli. Just something you get used to, like everything else"
Violet sat down on her knees, and opened up the picnic basket, "This may help. I have prepared six thermos of coffee today, in various strengths and flavours. I hope that will be enough. I have a feeling that our story is reaching it's climax"
Felix took one, opened the cap, and took a long sip. This one had a single sugar and no cream.
A proper soldier's coffee
"What does climax mean?" Felix asked.
"It means that we are reaching the important part of the story. The sum total of all the events that came before" Violet replied, laying out some sandwiches and sweets on the blanket.
"Climax. The important part part of the story" said Felix, echoing her words.
He reached into his pocket, and past the photograph of his squad to Violet. While she looked it over, another thought entered into his mind.
Where's that damned typewriter-turned-rifle?
"Those were my friends in the war. That picture was the last time we were all together in the same place. See those guys on my right, standing up with their rifles over their shoulders? That's Gustav and Karl, the guys with me on the mission where I lost my foot" Felix said, pointing at the picture.
Felix picked up a sandwich and continued, "I figured you needed that picture so you knew what they looked like. For our story, right?"
Violet didn't answer. She kept staring at the picture.
"What is it?" Felix asked.
"I know the faces of these two" Violet said, pointing at Gustav and Karl, "I was the one who killed them."
The entire world stopped. The sandwich fell out of his hand, and Felix could only look at Violet's deep blue eyes. They weren't as friendly as the sky.
"You...were the sniper?" Felix asked in shock.
Violet's blue eyes turned away. And from her turned away eyes, tears dropped on the faded picture, "Yes. I remember now. The attack you mentioned, where you lost your foot. The purpose of the attack was to provide a distraction for the SSB to advance behind enemy lines. But a section was also held back, to cut off the enemy's retreat"
She continued, not daring to look at Felix's eyes, "It was dark, and the snow fogged up my scope. I couldn't see clearly. We were told the enemy would be retreating from the North, so we were to fire on anyone who came from that direction"
Where is her typewriter?
"I-i...I am so sorry Felix. I, I didn't know" Violet said, quitely and softly through tears.
Felix didn't know what to say. Or do.
So he went back to the only thing that made sense. He drank the coffee, and ate the roast beef on rye sandwich, and looked back up at the friendly blue sky.
After a long time, he finally looked back down again. While waiting, Team Soldier had scored another three goals, and the boys were cheering loudly once again.
"I guess, it doesn't really matter who killed them. They died years ago anyway. And it doesn't change what happened next. Lets just, let's just get the story finished. I don't have a lot of time left" Felix said, opening the second thermos.
Violet nodded, and opened her eyes again.
Felix looked at her with a curious eye, "But how are we supposed to finish without your typewriter?"
She reached into her basket, and pulled out a stack of blank paper, a clipboard, and an ink pen, "You seem to be disturbed by the sounds of my typing. I thought that perhaps writing it down with a pen might make you more comfortable"
"It will. But can you keep up? Like I said, there isn't much time left" Felix said.
"I will do my best. Whatever I fail to capture on paper will be committed to my memory. May I ask though, why are we short on time? My contract with the prison is open ended, which means I can decide when my work is complete" Violet said, readying her pen.
"It's the princess's birthday on Friday. So my hearing, which was supposed be that day, got moved to Monday. And the Warden told me that the Magistrate already made his choice. I'm going to be executed on Wednesday. So my story needs to be finished by Tuesday" Felix said, not sad, but just his normal self.
"I see" said Violet, "That is, unfortunate. I wish we could have more time"
"So do I, Violet" said Felix.
"Then I should ask what is the most important question. What was the crime that brought you to this place?" asked Violet.
Felix smiled, despite it all, "Cowardice before the Enemy. That Fat Colonel I mentioned? He came to see me in the field hospital after my foot got blown off by a mine. He yelled and ranted at me, said he never ordered me to retreat. I stood up on the good foot, knocked him out cold on the tent floor, and that was the last time I saw him. After the doctors put on my metal foot, I walked as far as I could, until I finally reached the sea"
Felix finished the second thermos, and opened the third. Violet was scribbling madly, but it wasn't making any noise at all.
Why didn't we just do this from the start?
"It was only a matter of time before the Fat Colonel came back for me. So I got as far away as I could. I got on a ship from the Leiden Navy, paid the Captain all the coin I had to transfer for me to the Western Front, and rode on the ship for two weeks. I spent every day just looking out at the ocean. It's so beautiful. The blue goes deep all the way down, and the only noise around you is the wind and the waves. No guns, no bombs. Katrin's singing might be nicer, but that can't happen again. So put me on a ship and take me away, and I'll be the happiest person in this country" said Felix, looking back up to the sky.
"It sounds very peaceful. I'm looking forward to my trip on Northern Starlight. I will make an effort to listen to the sea. May I ask, did the Fat Colonel catch you?" Violet asked, scribbling away.
"Not until after the war. I stayed on the Western Front until the final ceasefire. I had a squad there too, but we weren't as close as my old squad. I don't even remember their names. And we didn't do anything exciting either, just guard a fort that the enemy never attacked. When the war was over, we got put back on a ship, and eventually dropped off at the docks in between Schalcten and Kristall. And, that's pretty much it. I went back to stealing for a while, but I was older and slower, and I almost got caught more times than I got away clean" Felix said, taking another bite of the sandwich.
"And then one night, I ended up in that tavern, that young kid decided to test me, and you know the rest. That's it, we reached the end of the story. And I still have five days left" said Felix.
"I will need to add these pages to the ones we have already completed. And I will need another day to edit them, checking for spelling and grammar mistakes. And-" Violet said, trailing off.
"And what?" Felix asked.
"Somehow, I feel...guilty. I am the cause of your imprisonment, indirectly or not. And now, that will lead to your death in a few days. In effect, I have killed you, Felix" Violet said.
Felix thought again for a long time, and then laughed and laid down, staring up at the friendly blue sky, "Hey, don't feel bad. Of all the ways I should have died Violet, that wouldn't be the worst way to go"
Violet set her clipboard down, "It seems we have finished our work early today. Would you like me to leave?"
"Do you have to leave?" Felix asked.
"That is your choice" Violet said.
Felix sat back up, reached into the basket, and passed her a sandwich, "Well, I see it like this. We're friends. We've got food, we've got coffee, and it's sports day today. Lets pretend we're both normal, and just relax and watch the game"
"I would like that" Violet said.
And so the two friends ate the food, drank the coffee, and watched the games for the rest of the day. Out of a series of six, Team Soldier lost only one game.
So this is what a normal life feels like
