Soldier

My mind reeled, to me this was enough to prove what I feared. In german he asked if I was the master of the house. I remember dumbly making a gesture that must have interpreted as a no, because he asked to see him. I went to fetch Jakub and went quickly back to my room. I heard them speaking through the floor. I didnt know slavic, but both Jakub and Michaela knew german so that was how we communicated. I heard them say a few things, and then Jakub offered the man the floor beside the fire instead of the bitter cold and snow. I swear when he shut the door it sounded like thunder to me. I tried to fight off sleep, in case my enemy came for me, but I failed, and awoke a few hours later to the sound of the splitting maul rising and falling. I sat bolt upright, to my waking mind, I heard gunfire, I was used to hearing it in the nightmares I had every evening, but to acutally be hearing something after waking up..that scared me. I moved the curtains enough to look, and I saw the german standing at the chopping block splitting pine for the stoves. My last remaining chore. I went downstairs in my bedclothes and found Michaela sitting at the kitchen table, I think she was knitting, or sewing something, all I do remember is that when she looked up she seemed in higher spirits then normal. I must have looked even crazier than I knew I was because when I demanded to know why the german was still here she seemed surprised and more than alittle confused. "He says he stays to speak with you, Russell, he asked me to send you out to him when you woke." I remember that exactly because of what I felt when she said it. Like an animal caged. I ran back up to my room, grabbed my 1903 springfield and loaded it, I jerked back the curtains and took aim, I would have shot him too, were it not for Jakub. He came walking out of the barn just as I leveled on the german's head, and came right between us. I remember having a moment of clarity just then, I had to reason with this man, or try to, and if need be..give up without a fight, for their sake. I heard Michaela gasp from the doorway, she was frightenend and confused. After assuring her that everything was fine, and setting down the rifle, I resigned myself to this fate, and dressed to meet the man. I walked out to meet him and I as I did his rhythm with the axe slowed as I grew closer, until when I stood next to him he had stopped altogether and was leaning on it, they way people lean on fences. He spoke to me in english, and it took me a moment to digest it, I hadnt spoken a word of it in what seemed like an eternity, he had a very thick accent too which made it alittle harder. "Do you mind giving this a try for alittle while, after the whole morning of it, my arms are cramping." I stood stock still, and must have looked terrified, but when he offered me the axe, I took it. After painfully few minutes my breath was coming in gasps and I was breathing large gusts of steam into the air.