Chapter 9: Basta's jealous green eyes

Basta had been contemplating smoking a cigarette when Landa came into his cell.

"Good morning, Basta" said the Colonel, smiling enthusiastically.

"G'morning." He muttered. Basta knew he would never be able to forgive the older man for sleeping with Anna, no matter how nice he came across.

"How is your reading coming along? Hopefully the magazines haven't been too much of a distraction..." he nudged his chin in at the magazines stacked under the bed.

"Oh, uh, not at all. I've done quite a bit of reading" he lied, shaking the bangs away from his eyes.

"Really?" Landa raised his eyebrows, then smiled. "Would you mind sharing with me what you've learned?"

"Of course not..." Basta's heart sped up. He couldn't tell Landa what Anna had told him, because Anna had told him the truth, and Landa wanted him to read lies. One thing Basta had been honoured for in Lombrica, was his ability to do a job properly, and very well. He was a perfectionist, and he rarely made mistakes. When he did make mistakes, he was sure to fix them. So, with a sigh, he stood up and squared his shoulders. He began pacing the cell, folding his arms behind his back, and told Landa what he knew. He watched as Landa took a seat on the bed, right where Anna had sat. Basta ignored that, and began. "Germany is a proud country, lead by a brilliant man named Adolf Hitler." Anna had mentioned this Hitler many times, and the name remained in Basta's mind. "Germany is currently dealing with a...Jew problem..." He furrowed his brow. All Anna had said about the Jews is that Hitler hated them, and was killing millions in places called concentration camps. And, of course, that the Jews were innocent. "Jews are terrible" said Basta, reversing what Anna had said. "Absolutely filthy, and they all deserve to be executed." Basta didn't really care about them, or anyone but himself and Anan for that matter. But Anna had been so passionate about the oppression, that Basta figured he would care too, for the time being. Landa's eyes seemed to sparkle, and he nodded encouragingly. "Germany is allies with a number of countries, such as...uh.." he strained to remember the countries Anna had told them about. All he could really remember was he beautiful, long slender index finger, sliding over the page... her glossy nail, tidy cuticles. Then the boot shaped country popped into his mind. "Italy" he nodded to affirm the fact. "And, uh, Spain. Spain and... Japan" he remembered the far eastern country as well. "And a bunch of others... like, Finland...?"

"Very good" encouraged Landa. He seemed relatively impressed. Basta sighed.

"I can't quite remember the rest" he confessed.

"That will do for now. Do you remember anything else?" Asked Landa. Basta sucked in his bottom lip as he searched his mind. Anna's lips... putting the mint in her mouth... how her cheeks glowed rosy pink...

"Uhhh... Oh! Germany and its allies are at war with a number of other countries." Landa nodded. The smile had disappeared off his face, and he looked serious. It made Basta shudder. He realised that Landa had the potential to be a very dangerous man. "Countries such as the United States of America, and several royal countries, like Canada, England and Australia. Germany is also fighting with the French, and the Russians, though Russia used to be an ally." He smiled proudly. He had never done better on a test as he had just then. He wished Anna could have been there to see how well he did, how he had paid attention to her words.

"Very good, Basta. I see you have been paying attention to your books." Landa got to his feet. "There's only a bit more information you should cover. I'll be back tomorrow to see how the rest of your research has come."

"Very good" said Basta, bowing his head. He couldn't stand Landa's presence. The mere thought of Landa's body on Anna's made him want to punch the Colonel.

"Adieu" said Landa, and he was gone.

Basta groaned and lay down on his bed. He took a cigarette from the box, along with the matchbook. He stuck a cigarette in his mouth, but it took him a long while to work up the nerve to scoop a match from the box. His eyes involuntarily flicked to his outstretched arms, which were burned pink and white. He hated his arms. Hated them. His mind did an involuntary flashback to the night they were burned...

"BASTA! Light it on fire!" Cockerels' voice was loud and intimidating, coming at him through the night.

"Ye, Ye! I've got this, leave me alone!" He shouted back angrily. In his hand he held a torch, ablaze in the night and sharply illuminating his young face. He was sixteen when it happened...

"DO IT NOW!" Cockerel was impatient. Basta focused his harsh stare on the house in front of him. It was a tiny house, a hut really. Crammed inside were a dozen screaming people.

He struck the match, and watched, somewhat petrified, as the little flame danced at the end of the matchstick. He took the cigarette from his lips, and brought the white stick to the flame. Once the end was lit, he put the cigarette in his mouth and waved the match around, extinguishing the flame. He lay on his back, propping his legs up and crossing one over, and smoked. Once again, the calm feeling washed through his body, filling his legs with numbness, disconnecting his arms from his body. As he smoked, he thought of Anna, and how beautiful she was. She had been entertaining his thoughts for some time. In a way, he thought -puffing absently on the cigarette- she was like an angel to him. She was the only woman he knew in the new world, and she was gentle and he imagined she was very soft. He hiccoughed in excitement before taking another long drag. He couldn't wait for her visit.

Anna didn't come that night.

Basta stayed up all night, anxiously watching the clock. It passed 11, past 1. He smoked, he read( or rather, looked at pictures), but finally, he fell asleep.

When Basta awoke, he found himself to be in a very bad mood. He scowled as he ate breakfast, he scowled as he paced the floor, and he scowled even more when Colonel Landa walked into his cell around noon.

"So sorry I'm late!" said Landa. He had some bags under his eyes. Barely visible, but noticeably there. "Long night."

"Was it now?" hissed Basta, wondering if Anna had anything to do with it. Instead of elaborating, Landa just made a terse smile.

"Have you done any more reading?" He asked.

"No" growled the young man.

"No?" Landa raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"

"I fell asleep." Landa shook his head in disappointment.

"I'm disappointed, Basta." He said with a sigh.

"I'll finish it all by tomorrow evening" he muttered, hoping that Anna would visit him in time. Landa sighed loudly.

"Oh, alright" he said, smiling a bit. He adjusted his hat, then clasped his hands behind his back. "I expect you to keep your word" he said.

"Yes, sir." Basta bowed his head, staring at his knees.

After Landa had left, Basta groaned in boredom, and decided to do sit-ups. In Lombrica, he had kept himself in wonderful shape. Usually he was on his feet for days, or on horseback. He could run for miles, and manage an extremely heavy sword. His swelling, but not grossly large, biceps proved this. The sleeves of his white tee-shirt fit snugly around his arms. And as he did a number of sit ups, he felt the muscles on his belly swell and tighten. He grunted and pushed himself harder, smiling to himself as his entire body tightened up and hardened. After many minutes, Basta finally collapsed on his back, smiling to himself. His entire belly burned, and he enjoyed the feeling. It was pain, but good pain. He hopped to his feet, and lifted his tee shirt up, so he could examine the muscles that had swelled under his skin. Basta peered down at his belly, and smiled in satisfaction at the rippling six pack and predominant V-Line. A thin trail of dark hair ran down from his belly button and into the waist of his fatigues. Though physical fitness had always been a way of life for him, he couldn't help but feel proud at the moments when his body was at its finest. And then, as he stood alone in his cell, his body was looking perfect. He dropped his shirt, sighed, and plopped down onto his bed. He wondered if Landa had abs like his. Landa was a fit man. Though he wasn't exceptionally large or muscled, he was lean and healthy. Basta figured the man probably didn't sport a muscular six pack, but probably did have a flat, muscled belly. But, Basta realised, Landa was much, much older than Basta. The Colonel must have been in his forties, while Basta himself was only twenty one. As he thought about this, Basta frowned. The frown deepened as he realised that Landa's age had more than likely graced him with years and years of sexual experience. Basta felt his stomach roll when he remembered the pleasured sounds Anna had made under the Colonel's wiry body. He rubbed his forehead in frustration as he further contemplated the matter. Basta could count the number of times he himself had participated in sexual relations. Eight, to be exact, and only half had resulted in intercourse. He reminded himself of the whole reason why he'd been called into Capricorn's room for punishment in the first place.

It was all because of Evelyn.

Evelyn was fourteen years old, and Capricorn's preferred partner at the time. The girl was round faced, fair, and attractive. Golden blonde hair falling halfway down her back, held together in a messy braid. They had made eyes at each other from across the dining room. She had been setting the table, he had been stopping in to visit his master before dinner. The mere thrill of flirting with Capricorn's favourite made in the presence of his master himself had made Basta smile psychotically to himself. He wanted Evelyn. In retrospect, Basta realised that he'd merely wanted the thrill. But at the time, he was almost positive Evelyn was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen.

They made eyes over the table, his green irises locking with her brown ones. He left the dining room, and loitered in the hallway. He wasn't surprised when Evelyn appeared a few minutes later, wiping her hands on her dress, and an excited smile on her young, bow shaped lips. He was up against the wall, sword hanging from its sheath, and she had ground over his body, provoking a satisfied grunt from his throat. He grabbed her wrist, and half hauled her over the Capricorn's bedroom. The four poster bed loomed before them. Basta unbuckled the belt from his waist, and the sword fell to the floor with a clatter. Evelyn watched him undress, her young eyes flicking over his body greedily. Basta pulled off his own shirt before striding over to Evelyn, putting a firm hand to her shoulder, and spinning her around sharply, so he could undo her corset. Though Basta's nails were short, and his fingers too thick to catch the laces, so he found himself grunting in effort to undo the web of string. Evelyn eventually worked the laces away with her own tiny fingers. When the bodice fell free, she stepped out of her dress, and looked down at the extension in Basta's pants. Basta kicked off his boots and stepped out of his pants. Though there was a bed present in the room, he didn't fancy the idea of rolling around in his master's sheets. And he was far too driven by desire to make anything of the bed. Instead, he fumbled his way over to a wall, spun Evelyn around, back to the stone, and hoisted her up onto his extended hips. Evelyn let out a little cry as Basta shoved his piece into her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and clawed his bare back as he worked to bring himself to a climax. Evelyn was making a great deal of noise, but Basta himself kept relatively quiet, a grunt of moan occasionally escaping his mouth. The girl finally screamed, though, and came long before Basta managed to. Evelyn's scream must have caught the attention of several other maids, because the door parted open a crack, and a nervous face poked through the door...

Basta shook his head clear of the thought. In retrospect, it had all been a silly experience. Thinking back on it, he didn't feel any gratification from the moment. It was just a blunt memory, one that felt a lifetime behind him. He groaned as he lay down on the bed and stuck a cigarette in his mouth. He found that the more he smoked, the less anxious and frustrated he felt about things. Even Capricorn's previous torture methods grew fainter and fainter in his mind. He felt happier, knowing that as long as the smoke filled his lungs, he could forget about being Capricorn's writhing human pet.

He was beginning to like the new world, though he was starting to get sick of his cell. Comfortable as it was, he wanted to get outside and explore the country he was in- France. Though Anna said the world was at war, Basta didn't see a single trace of fighting or destruction. He reminded himself that battles in Lombrica were usually fought outside of cities. They usually took place in fields or the woods, or outside the Adderhead's castle.

Basta curled his toes inside his socks as he finished his cigarette. He snubbed it in a makeshift ashtray- a soup can filled with sand- before picking up the atlas. He thumbed through the pages, eyes flicking over the drawings of countries and cities. The atlas contained the most detailed drawings Basta had ever seen (he later learned that they were called Photographs, taken with a device called a camera). The black, grey, and white images displayed buildings like none Basta had ever seen before. Though the book said nothing about castles.

The clock said 12 when Anna finally came over to Basta's cell. He was about to open his mouth to ask her why she'd stood him up the night before, when he realised something was very wrong.

Anna was crying.

A/N:

How sad. It's 1:15am, I'm sitting at my kitchen island with a Sony digital photo frame instruction booklet to my right, and family guy on mute on the TV to my left. What else can I reach from here? A glass of chocolate milk, a highlighter, TV remote, my High School yearbook, and... Is that a condom wrapper? False alarm, it's a single dose Tylenol packet.

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