Chapter 3

"Alright, love. Just come with me and we can get this straightened out," Newkirk whispered. His hostile tone gone for the moment, but I knew one wrong move and that would be back. A fifteen-year-old girl showing up in the middle of Germany with a British name and an American accent did not happen every day for the Heroes.

As we were walking back to what I knew would be Stalag 13, I tried to make small-talk with Newkirk but finding it to be increasingly difficult. He was not the same person as he was on TV. "So, Newkirk, you wouldn't happen to know what day it is. Would you?" I said in as much of a casual whisper I could muster.

"Tuesday. Why? Running late for something, love?" Newkirk replied.

I let out a shaky laugh that sounded like I was guilty for doing something. I replied back," No just wondering. Hey, you wouldn't happen to know the date either?"

This time Newkirk didn't offer anything else but what was. "It's August 11."

This next part of information I would have to try to get would really make me look suspicious so I would have to play this carefully. Saying the wrong thing, or saying too much would surely get me looked up in one of the tunnels to be sent to England for physiological examination. I asked him," So, Newkirk, this war has been going on for years now. Things have been going so fast that it's hard to keep track of things. You know, I don't quite remember the year. Care to inform me of that?"

I tried to play it cool, but Newkirk stopped abruptly almost causing me to slam into him. He turned around and gave me a look that if I wasn't so scared out of my life right now, would have been funny. He looked at me like I had dropped from a different planet and didn't know what grass was or something stupid like that. I gave him a little reassuring smile for him to answer, and hoping against hope that I would continue to be considered functioning normally through the night. Sensing my uneasiness, he finally spoke," It's 1943."

That lone statement hit me like a ton of brick and then a herd of elephants walked over me for good measure. I knew the moment I saw Newkirk that I would be stuck somewhere in World War II, but I never thought about how real it was until now. If I was scared before, I would be in an R rated, scary movie with the killer standing five feet in front of me. The only thing that kept me from bolting and saying to myself that this was all a bad dream was the promise of safety as I saw Stalag 13's guard towers in the distance.

A small clearing opened up to show several tree stumps up a hill from the perimeter wire. Newkirk opened the stump like I had seen so many times on the show. This might have been one of the squee moments I have read about before. As he ushered me inside, I was surprised as to how warm the tunnels were. I mean sure outside wasn't too cold but I would not want to spend any more time out there then necessary. Newkirk climbed in second and started to lead me down the down to the main branch. I think I had another squee moment when I saw the actual radio used by Kinch, and seeing Kinch sitting there, waiting for messages from London, the Underground, or anyone else. That wasn't the best part, though. The best part was seeing Carter, Lebeau, and Colonel Hogan all standing there waiting for Newkirk to return.

I am terrible at making eye contact so of course I had to look down at myself. What I saw was not pretty or anything resembling 1940's apparel from anywhere in the world. What I had on was my baggy pajama pants that were blue plaid and an oversized t-shirt with D.A.R.E (1) written on it. Luckily I always sleep in a sports bra so I didn't have to worry about showing anything off. I looked more like a homeless person with my hair probably full of twigs and all knotted. All eyes turned to me the instant I walked into the too small room. "Mon ami, why do you always bring back a girl," asked Lebeau.

Colonel Hogan walked up to me and after giving me the once over asked," Who are you?" The unfortunate part about this was he asked me in German. So naturally I squeaked without knowing what to say.

Hogan gave Newkirk a confused look before answering for me," She said her name was Heather Harris. But, sir, she has a very American accent for a very British name." I don't know what was fully said because he finished with the last sentence in German. All I picked out was American and I think British but I had never really heard German before. Even on the TV show where the Germans were suppose to always be speaking German together.

Hogan looked at me again before saying," Where are you from, Heather." Thankfully for me, he addressed me this time in English.

I was still scared and in awe so I squeaked out," 'Merica." I said the version my friends say to each other whenever we talk about America by saying it without the A.

"Well geez, why did you say it like that, miss. It sounds like you can't say A or something like. I mean even Americans say American like America like its spelled. I remember one time, though, that my friend said if it would be funny if…" Carter started to say but was effectively cut off by Colonel Hogan's look.

I giggled a little at that, happy that not everything about the Heroes was made up on the show like how Carter loved to go on and on about nothing and everything. Hogan looked at me again so that was enough for me to shut up. Again he tried," I can see you're an American, but where are you from?"

I slowed my breathing before answering because I didn't want to sound all rushed when talking. Finally calmed down somewhat I replied," I'm from Michigan."

I think he was trying to test me to see if I really lived there because he asked what town I was from. I replied," Kingsford."

This time Kinch stepped in and said," I don't know where that is. Can you show me?" And he held up his right hand, palm facing me.

I knew at that moment I would pass the test because that's an old Michigan trick to show where you live. Michigan looks like a glove so we use our hands to show where we live. Instead, though, I held up my left hand sideways to show I lived in the U.P., or northern Michigan. And I replied," Actually, I live in the U.P. I'm a Yooper (2), eh" I added in the eh because everyone thinks we are from Canada. I also pointed to the bottom edge of my palm, toward the middle to show that Kingsford was there.

Kinch smiled at me and said to Hogan," She's fine, Colonel." I smiled back, relieved that I wouldn't be mistaken for a German spy or something like that.

Unfortunately, my relief came too soon because they looked at my clothes. There was no way I would be able to explain those. I held my breath as I saw his hand start to drift down to his gun on the table.

Author's Notes:

(1) D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. I have several of those shirts that I sleep in.

(2) Yooper is the term people from northern Michigan use for ourselves. We also don't call our part of Michigan the northern part. We always refer to it as the U.P. meaning the Upper Peninsula.