Note from Khebidecia: Here it is, the latest Guess Who challenge compilation! We have ten stories from nine authors. Your job is to see if you can tell who wrote which story. Readers can guess who wrote what either in Ffnet Private Messages or in Reviews. A week after publication, (Saturday, September 2nd) we will reveal the correct answers. The participating authors are (listed in alphabetical order):

Abracadebra
Cardinal Rose
Deepbluethinking
FearOfTheCold
GrrraceUnderfire
Khebidecia
Sierra Sutherwind
TheSailingRabbit
Tuttle4077

Good luck and happy guessing!

A Brief Moment

The air had turned cold and dry. The dryness was apparent in how the browning leaves crunched like eggshells when stepped on and scratched against the pavement when the chilled breeze carried them along. It didn't feel pleasant, but if one could withstand the dry cold, they were rewarded with a marvelous array of colors when sitting atop a hill overlooking the unassuming town of Hammelburg and the woods surrounding it.

Corporal Langenscheidt's hands were cold. He had given his gloves to the lovely young dark-haired woman seated next to him. He was fortunate to have been issued a pair of gloves. Amalia owned a pair that was ragged from years of use. About as good as nothing. So, Langenscheidt let her borrow his while they enjoyed their time together.

Amalia shifted closer to him when another icy breeze came through. Several trees at the base of the hill were already bare from dropping their leaves earlier in the season, making it easy to see the crows crowding the branches as they called to one another with their harsh voices.

"Is it too cold for you?" Langenscheidt asked, whispering so as not to disrupt the silence too much.

"No. Not yet," Amalia replied. "This place is exactly as I remember it when I was a little girl. Well, almost." She smiled. "Some trees have been taken down by storms, and… most significantly… this year is the first that I am sharing this place with someone."

"It certainly feels special." A calm and peaceful place. It feels like the stresses of Stalag 13 and the war no longer exist. Langenscheidt was tempted to say that out loud, but the last thing he wanted was for Amalia to worry. Stories and rumors about Stalag 13 had certainly made their rounds. Instead, Langenscheidt gently pulled her as close as possible, rested his head on her shoulder, and nuzzled her. "If this is how I spend my leave, I can go back happy, but it would be preferable if… this were forever."

"I was a little worried you would think this is boring."

"Oh, no. Not boring at all."

"Good. This place… means a lot to me."

"You mentioned that before we took the walk up here. I would never say something that you enjoy is boring." Langenscheidt squeezed both of Amalia's hands, trying to keep her hands and his warm.

"I appreciate that." Amalia's green eyes shifted from the forest below to Langenscheidt's shaking hands. "Are you too cold, Karl? Be honest."

"A… A little. Keep those gloves, though. I can get another pair."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Keep them. I insist."

"Okay." Amalia looked down at her knees, hiding her smile and blushing. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. You deserve nice things."

Things fell silent for a few moments. Amalia's smile faded. "Karl? May I… be completely honest with you?"

"Of course you may." Langenscheidt tilted his head, concern dampening his mood. "What is it?"

"Have you ever thought about… running away?"

Langenscheidt shrugged. "It has crossed my mind on occasion. Why?"

"Would it not make you happier to be somewhere else entirely? Away from Stalag 13?"

"I do have friends there, and family here in Germany. I could never run away from them. Are… Are you thinking about running away?"

"Not unless you are. I worry whenever you go back to Stalag 13."

"Oh. I… take it you have heard rumors?"

"Many rumors. Between the Gestapo arresting people at random and the Underground destroying everything, I go to bed at night wondering if you will be alive the next day."

"I worry about you for the same reasons." Langenscheidt thought for a moment. Running away seemed drastic. He didn't want to abandon his family and friends, nor his own hope that the war would end someday and Germany could be a good place to live again.

"Your friends and family mean that much?" Amalia asked.

"They do. Besides…" Langenscheidt gestured to the autumn landscape spread before them, "this place is special to you for a reason. You will not find it anywhere else."

Amalia nodded a little. "You make a good point." She went back to squeezing Langenscheidt's hands. "I would like to keep coming back here for as long as possible."

"We can certainly do that." Langenscheidt fell silent, trying to think of a way to alleviate Amalia's fears. "If I hear of anything disastrous, I will stop at nothing to make sure you are alright."

"I would do the same for you."

"I think… for now… we just have to live with what we have been given. This will all be over soon." A small grin tugged at the edges of Langenscheidt's lips. "It is funny to think how simple this would have been many years ago. We could see each other and not worry that the other has been killed or arrested."

"I look forward to that day."

"As do I." Langenscheidt sighed quietly, wishing their conversation hadn't gone in such a dark direction. Worrying about Amalia's safety had already taken many nights of sleep from him. He didn't want to add fearing that she ran away to a safer country to his anxiety.

They took a walk around the woods when it became too cold to sit anymore. Langenscheidt kept Amalia close, both for comfort and to keep her warm. Their time together for that day was drawing to a close, and they planned to part ways near the end of an old trail, nearest to Hammelburg. They stood with their arms around each other for a few long minutes, and found each other leaning in closer for a kiss. The first kiss was brief. The second was a little longer, more passionate. Pulling away was difficult, and the two took their time. When they finally did, Langenscheidt kept looking over his shoulder. Red and gold autumn leaves gusted around Amalia at the end of the trail, then she turned to head back into Hammelburg.