Coming Home

[Spartan-117]

Originally Posted by spookysock

Caroline laughs a little at that. "Yeah, I suppose not. I'm Caroline, by the way. It's spelled C-A-R-O-L-I-N-E, but pronounced like Carolyn for some reason. What's your name?"

"Wilhelm Hans. W-I-L-H-E-L-M." He says, unable to hide the small smile that cracks out of his usually emotionless demeanor.

[sock]

Originally Posted by soldier

"Wilhelm Hans. W-I-L-H-E-L-M." He says, unable to hide the small smile that cracks out of his usually emotionless demeanor.

"That's actually an awesome name," she said with a smile. "I'm guessing you're... German?"

[Spartan-117]

Originally Posted by spookysock

"That's actually an awesome name," she said with a smile. "I'm guessing you're... German?"

"...Ja..." He admits, prepared for her to hate him. He looks at the ground before looking at her. Face rejection like a man, coward. He notices that some of the other people around them watch him with disgust - and he knows it's because he's a German soldier. They're currently everyone's enemy.

[sock]

Originally Posted by soldier

"...Ja..." He admits, prepared for her to hate him. He looks at the ground before looking at her. Face rejection like a man, coward. He notices that some of the other people around them watch him with disgust - and he knows it's because he's a German soldier. They're currently everyone's enemy.

Caroline was oblivious to most of the war. She had no idea what was going on, who was fighting who, who everybody hated - and her brother refused to tell her. "It must be cool having a whole other language to talk in, other than English. All I have is an accent. Apparently, my mum is American, and I was born in upper Michigan, but we moved back to Europe because of my dad."

[Spartan-117]

Originally Posted by spookysock

Caroline was oblivious to most of the war. She had no idea what was going on, who was fighting who, who everybody hated - and her brother refused to tell her. "It must be cool having a whole other language to talk in, other than English. All I have is an accent. Apparently, my mum is American, and I was born in upper Michigan, but we moved back to Europe because of my dad."

Wilhelm has been part of the war for... About a year. So had Gunther, but he had died right before they had to come home. His breathing halts for a moment before he continues to breathe as he offers another smile Caroline. "I was born and raised in Dresden - here."

[sock]

Originally Posted by soldier

Wilhelm has been part of the war for... About a year. So had Gunther, but he had died right before they had to come home. His breathing halts for a moment before he continues to breathe as he offers another smile Caroline. "I was born and raised in Dresden - here."

Caroline glanced around, then moved her blue gaze to the wreckage of the house. "I suppose this was your house?" she asked.

[Spartan-117]

Originally Posted by spookysock

Caroline glanced around, then moved her blue gaze to the wreckage of the house. "I suppose this was your house?" she asked.

"My mother's." He whispers, looking at the rubble. It can no longer be classified as a house - or even the remnants of one.

[sock]

Originally Posted by soldier

"My mother's." He whispers, looking at the rubble. It can no longer be classified as a house - or even the remnants of one.

She nodded slowly, solemnly. "It looks pretty bad," she said with a frown.

[Spartan-117]

Originally Posted by spookysock

She nodded slowly, solemnly. "It looks pretty bad," she said with a frown.

"It is... They said that they f-found two corpses..." He murmurs in broken English before he looks at her for a moment. He does not want to talk for a moment, so he motions her to talk.

[sock]

Originally Posted by soldier

"It is... They said that they f-found two corpses..." He murmurs in broken English before he looks at her for a moment. He does not want to talk for a moment, so he motions her to talk.

Well, she didn't know how to respond to that, but talking was definitely something she could do. "Oh, well... When I was little, my dog Max died. I was just in second grade, so it was awful when I heard... and my dad did everything he could to cheer me up. He bought me a little goldfish... which I immediately flushed down the toilet. I remember being really mad at dad for trying to replace Max, so I didn't talk to him for a long time... but it's hard to stay mad at him." Caroline smiled, and took off her glasses. She wiped them on her shirt, then put them back on.

"I think I really hurt his feelings, back then. Mum told me about how every night he'd go on and on about his plans to make me happy; and she told me how she barely got any sleep on those nights, because dad can go on for... a long time."