Chapter 29: Raining Bombs

BOOM! Loud and strong, the sound caused Basta and Anna to jolt awake at the same moment, wide eyed and hearts racing.

"What was that?" Whispered Basta, but his voice was drowned out by the second hit. Louder than thunder, the boom jarred Basta's skeleton, and the hotel room seemed to shake. For a moment, Anna was stalk still and terrified, unmoving as if she were just trapped in a nightmare. But when it happened a third time, louder and stronger than the first two, Anna screamed and flew out of bed.

"WE'RE BEING BOMBED!" she screamed, her voice alone scaring Basta more than the thunder sound.

"Whats that?" He asked, but Anna just stood there, white as a ghost, staring wide eyed at the window. As Basta turned, and his eyes set on the city that had suddenly caught fire, the air raid siren went off.

Every hair on Basta's body stood on end.

It was easily the most terrifyingly eerie sound the man had ever heard. His skin grew cold and the hairs on his arms and neck stood straight up. Over the sound of the siren and the second boom, Basta heard commotion in the hotel hallways.

"RUN!" Screamed Anna, her voice shrill and very nearly animal-like. Basta, who had been sleeping in his pants, quickly grabbed a shirt off the end of the bed. Anna didn't bother to throw anything overtop her night slip, she just careened towards the door, flinging it open and revealing a hallway full of screaming people.

"Anna!" He called, trying to soothe her. When she didn't respond, he raised his voice to a jarring, harsh tone. "ANNA!" She stopped suddenly as he grabbed hold of her arm. He passed her his sweater jacket, and calmly ushered her into the hallway. People were yelling to get to the basement, when the hotel shuddered as another loud boom erupted from the world outside. This one was louder, and the floor rattled. Basta clenched his teeth and put a hand to his ear. He felt the inside getting wet, and he knew it was only a matter of time before fluid dripped out. Anna's entire body was shaking and she could barely walk straight. As people shoved past, Basta grew irritated and scooped up the trembling woman in his arms. He carried her through the crowd, and down a flight of stairs. People's frightened cries echoed in the stairwell, another jarring boom shook the building. Anna squeaked and buried her face in Basta's shoulder. He made sure to keep his balance as he carried the woman down the stairs. The height difference between the two was slight, and the weight difference was only slightly greater. Basta feared that he would tumble ass over end down the stairs, bonking Anna's head and taking out several other panicked people. But he kept a steadied pace, and it wasn't long before the crowd found themselves in the lobby. A bellhop, young and frightened looking, was directing people towards the cellar. Basta jogged with the weeping Anna in the direction the young brunette was pointing, but there were too many people in the lobby. All of them pushing, the crowd seemed to swell. Helpless, Basta found himself being pushed outside the hotel's revolving doors. He roared in protest, when suddenly, a loud ripping sound, the propeller of a plane, roared overtop the hotel. Anna screamed. Only moments later were the lobby alight. Basta found himself falling forward, and the world was very, very quiet. With a great flash, his back felt hot and thousands of hard objects were falling atop his body...

The sun was up, and the sky was a mixture of pink, pale blue, and washed out orange. Basta flexed his jaw, briefly confused as to where he was. But as he wiped ashy debris out of his eyelashes and opened his eyes, he suddenly remembered what had happened. He was laying on his belly, covered in a blanket of ash and rubble. His entire body ached, and the world was surprisingly quiet. Too quiet. As a matter of fact, Basta couldn't hear anything, not even his own shallow breaths. Feeling a crink in his neck, Basta flexed his neck to the side. As his spine readjusted, a hot rush of fluid spilled from his ear. He winced, as it was a terribly uncomfortable sensation, and tilted his head to the other side. Only a small bit of blood dripped from the other ear. He raised his head, expecting to see the lobby charred and burnt. Instead, he found himself looking at a massive heap of debris, with a fresh layer of snow lightly falling atop the mess. He gasped, and although no sound came out, a great cloud burst from his lips.

"Anna?" He tried to speak the woman's name, but no sound came from his lips. Confused, he spoke louder. "Anna?" Nothing. He screamed it: "ANNA?" he could only faintly hear a muffled sound. Basta felt hot tears spring to his eyes. I'm deaf! He thought, feeling distraught. Oh goodness this is terrible. He fought the urge to cry, and instead channelled his energy into finding Anna. He didn't have to look far; she was sprawled out about five feet away, covered in a thin, dusty blanket of snowflakes. Basta suddenly couldn't breathe. He felt his stomach twisting into a tight, hot knot. He suddenly saw her in his mind's eye: warm and clean, standing behind the bars of his cell, two months ago at the embassy. "Anna" He said her name, he had too, because at that moment he was sure she was dead and the only thing that could bring her to life was his voice. But what good was his voice when not even he could hear it? He crawled on his hands and knees to the crumpled figure wearing a night slip and his sweater jacket. "Anna?" He held back tears as he gently brushed her brunette curls off her porcelain white face. She was too pale... her skin seemed a bit bluish. Basta could scarcely breathe as he grazed the back of his hand over her icy cold cheek. As his eyes wandered over her still body, to her stark white calves, he expected her to be dead. He returned his attention to her face, and again ran his fingers over her cheek. He nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise when he saw a tiny little cloud puff out from her nose. He nearly whooped for joy. Anna was alive! Wasting no time, he pulled her still, cold body onto his lap. He cradled the woman in his arms, bringing his face to her chest and breathing his hot, damp breath on the base of her throat. At that moment, he could have kissed every inch of her body he was so joyful to see her breathing. He was so joyful in fact, that he didn't feel the icy chill of winter bite through his thin tee shirt. Instead he proceeded to huff his hot breath all over his skin while rubbing her legs in his hands. He was pleased to see one of her toes twitch. "Anna" he dared speak her name, and was disappointed when he found his hearing had not improved. But the woman's eyelashes fluttered and for a brief moment she looked upon his face. But her eyes closed again and her head turned into his chest. Basta quickly put her hands up under his shirt (her fingers were cold as blocks of ice, so he shivered thoroughly), and clasped her bare feet in his hands. He rose to his feet, cradling her in his arms, and began looking around the ruined city. Basta felt his heart sink. The city seemed to have been flattened. Buildings were reduced to piles of rubble, and great charred pits filled the streets. Streetcars were derailed, and here and there low fires burnt smouldering orange over piles of ruined lumber. There didn't seem to be a soul in sight. He felt so very alone at that moment- a single person left on a cold, destroyed planet. At that moment, as he stood there with Anna cradled in his arms, Basta wished with every fibre of his being that he was back in Ombra. The thought was so glorious Basta clenched his eyes shut for several moments, then opened them again, half expecting to see warm, green forests surrounding him. But alas, when he opened his green eyes all he saw was the cold, bitter morning, ashy snow, and ruined buildings. It was at that moment the tears finally fell. He let out a sob that he himself could not hear. Spittle flew from his lips as he stood, helpless and exhausted, before a ruined hotel with a half dead woman in his quivering arms. He sobbed until his knees shook and wobbled, and he swayed on his feet. It was only before he nearly collapsed that he pulled himself together and suddenly stopped his tears. He sniffed back his runny nose and took a great, shaking breath. He walked forward, not knowing where he was headed. He walked in the direction of a fire burning across the street. Though scared as he was of the open flames, he craved heat and wanted to warm Anna's stony body. But truth be told, he was exhausted and ill. He hadn't eaten a proper meal in quite some time, and from lack of sleep he could barely hold Anna's body. He stopped walking, and paused on the street. He swayed and his knees gave a small wobble, and he thought he would fall over. His ears were itchy from the blood drying in them, and the ashes irritated his eyes.

As he tried to blink ashes from his tangled eyelashes, he thought he saw figures coming up the street. Normally he would have frozen in fear at the prospect of yet another Nazi capture, but not today. He was far too tired. The figures ahead, dressed in army green, headed straight their way. Basta couldn't stand any longer, and fell to his knees on his street, Anna spilling from his arms and rolling on the cracked pavement. And once again, the world went black.

Laughter. Basta slowly awoke to the warm sound of two women laughing and talking amongst themselves. They were speaking, he knew it, but their voices sounded like hushed whispers. As he came to, and started opening his eyes, the voices of the women became clearer, and he could start to make out what they were saying. He yawned and finally opened his eyes. He saw blurry lights, merely golden champagne bokeh to his eyes. But as he began to adjust he could see that he was looking up at a warm light. He turned his stiff neck as he yawned a second time, and noted that he was in some sort of hospital. The two women stopped talking and suddenly Basta heard a warm, friendly voice.

"Good Evening" she said, and Basta looked around to see where the soft voice was coming from. A young woman with light brown hair smiled at him. She was dressed in a white nurse's dress. She spoke fine English and wore a cute folded cap on her head. Her hair, which was light brown in color, was styled in soft curls. Her warm appearance put Basta at immediate ease.

"Where am I?" He asked, surprised at the hoarseness of his own voice. He didn't recall ever sounding so husky or haggard. The nurse knelt down next to his bed, so she could look him evenly in the eye.

"You're in a hospital in St Mere Eglise" she said softly, smiling nicely. "You were very badly injured, and quite sick. You were rescued by Canadian troops a week ago."

"A week ago?" Basta frowned. And where is St. Mere Eglise? Then suddenly he remembered Anna. "Where's Anna?" He asked, his stomach suddenly feeling tight. "The brunette lady I was with." The nurse's eyes flicked away for a moment.

"The German lady" said the nurse, "she's in another room."

"Is she alright?" Basta was terrified of the answer. The nurse offered a little smile and made a slight nod.

"Yes she is fine."

"Oh thank God." He realized then that his body was tense. He let himself relax into the soft bed. The second nurse, the one the brunette had been talking to, came to the bedside.

"How are you?" She asked. Basta opened his eyes and saw that she had raid hair.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"So what part of England are you from? We were sure you were German." Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. Basta really hated that question. England. HA! What a bloody joke.

"A very small town" he said, trying to keep his temper.

"Well it doesn't matter where you're from I guess, we're just happy you're awake and well." The brunette nurse smiled.

"Can I see Anna?" He asked, his forehead puckering in a slight frown. He realized now that they had serious matters to discuss. He was a wee bit homesick. And although there were things he loved about the modern world, he missed the familiarity of Lombrica. Though, he reasoned, the pros and cons of both worlds weighed even. It would be up to Anna to decide if they were to stay in the World at war, or try to find a way to Lombrica.

A/N:

H I S T O R Y

For those of you who love history, you will know that St. Mere Eglise (a town in Normandie, France) wasn't liberated until 1944. I'M USING IT IN MY STORY ANYWAYS. Because most of you would have been clueless if I didn't write this anyways.

Inkhearties! I am so sorry for not updating for so long! My life has been crazy hell for the past months. Math! Hockey (Way to go, Boston! YAH BRAD MARCHAND!)! And... Trips to the hospital! Yes that's right. Good Ol CaptainMajor has been in the ER on account of... abdominal trauma... YAH INTERNAL BLEEDING! Anyways, this story has been dragging out for faaar too long (Since November, I recall) and I've lost my lust for this story. It went away with the Snow, I guess. Thank you all for dropping reviews and encouraging me! I promise to repay you by sticking this story out till the end. Xx