Ashes to Burn (Work In Progress)

Ashes to Burn - Chapter Eighteen

***This story is intended for mature audiences, as it contains graphic violence, gore, coarse language and some sexual content. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. 

December 21st, 2015

23:00 hours

Nazi Concentration Camp, Dnieper River

“Fuck!” I screamed as another lash of Nycki’s blade connected to my back. I clenched my teeth as sweat dripped from my forehead. My back was slick with blood and stung like crazy. Nycki rolled her eyes and threw her bloody blade down on the table. She glared at me and Sarge, her eyes laced with fury.

“Tell me, Julie. What made you believe that you’re a hero?” She laughed hysterically, slapping the table, causing the weapons to jump a little. I breathed in and out, trying to ignore the searing pain in my back.

“Better yet, what do you think you are? A soldier? A noble guard protecting her country? You’re nothing, Julie. Nothing!” She snarled, grabbed the whip. She walked over to Sarge. She smiled sickly and twirled the whip.

“And you, bitch. You thought that we could’ve gone in here and saved the day? You’ve obviously spent too much of your time around her because you’ve gone soft, Jennifer. You disgust me.” She spat, cracking her whip. Sarge avoided her gaze and frowned.

“No, Nycki, you disgust me. You betrayed us.”

“Wrong!” Nycki screamed, whipping Sarge in the side. Her skin cracked and blood splattered against the floor. Sarge howled in pain as the whip met her front, this time harder. Nycki backed away a little, out of breath.

“You betrayed us.” Nycki hissed, pointing her finger at Sarge. I growled.

“We didn’t kill innocent people and destroy a continent.” I retorted. Nycki spun on her heels to stare at me. She dropped the whip on the table. It shattered against the wood, causing an echo in the silent room. She then stepped forward slightly.

“If your people hadn’t decided to wage a war and invade the country, maybe it could have been prevented. You bloody American soldiers. All you do is start wars with others. All you want to do is take control over everything. Even things that aren’t yours.” She spoke in a low voice, her eyes watering. Sarge looked up at her.

“You’re American. How could you say that?” Sarge asked, her voice shaky. I watched as Nycki reached for a sack underneath the table and hoist it upon the wooden shelf. She opened the bag and reached in. She clenched her fist tight as strands of white powder fell from her hands. She looked up at Sarge.

“When we split up, we captured a bunch of pro-Nazi soldiers. We tortured them for information, killed their families in front of them. We are the enemy. We caused this war. How can you stand and watch children die before your eyes, Jennifer?” Nycki’s voice was raspy now as she walked towards Sarge. My jaw dropped.

“We’d never do that!” I protested, struggling in my chains. Nycki glared at me.

“How would you know? You weren’t there! Pike knew how to handle it. When he died and Bauer became captain, he ruined everything. He made this war worse. Where were you then, when we needed you? When we needed an actual captain?!” Nycki snarled, clenching her fist tighter. Sarge looked at her desperately.

“Nycki, Andy banished him. He and James are gone. She’s captain now, she can-”

“Help us? Stop this war?” Nycki shouted, whipping her head around to glare at Sarge. I squirmed around, trying to get free.

“Nycki, she can do this. We can do this.” I whispered, trying to get her to listen. Nycki closed her eyes. 

“No, you don’t understand. You don’t understand how bad it was. They killed the children. Innocent children. They killed him, Sarge. They killed Parker!” She cried, looking at Sarge. I watched as her jaw dropped in horror and tears filled her eyes.