A Spark full of Hope (War or Love 3)

Chapter 7: Reunited

I'm slowly becoming aware of the freezing cold around me. I freeze and curl up on the floor. Why is it so cold here? I should try to sleep again, maybe when I wake up everything will be warmer. Unfortunately, I feel that I'm still soaking wet. I didn't get a blanket or even a towel. The injury on my right arm burns so badly it feels like someone is grabbing my wound. Suddenly I feel someone rub my side with a warm hand. The hand feels really warm compared to my skin. "Andreas, what are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be home by now?", someone asks.

I wince at the loud voice. Andreas answers: "She hasn't woken up yet and is freezing cold, I'll take care of her because if she dies to us we'll have trouble with NGU because this Countryhuman is the daughter of Third Reich and Soviet Union which makes her the most precious Countryhuman of them all." "Yes, yes, you're only doing it because of your father.", the man says. Andreas complains: "Do I have to throw a few dozen books at you to make you see I'm right?" "All right! How is she doing?", the man asks him. To which he replies: "Not a bit better! Finally bring Joseph over here! I want to talk to him about her condition."

"I'll get him, but don't be surprised if he's pissed off because he was woken up in the middle of the night.", says the man. Andreas says: "I'll take the risk." Then the man leaves. "Ich weiß, dass du wach wirst. Ich habe deinen Bruder und deiner Schwester ihr Essen gebracht und habe sie beruhigt. Jetzt versuche ich dir zu helfen. (I know you're awaken. I brought your brother and sister their food and calmed them down. Now I'm trying to help you.)", comes from him. "Da-Danke! (Tha-thank you!)", I choke out and smile slightly. He chuckles in relief before he runs both hands over my side, warming me up a bit. He says: "Ich würde dich gerne besser aufwärmen, aber man hat es mir verboten, deswegen habe ich jemanden gerufen, der dir besser helfen kann. (I would like to warm you up better, but I was forbidden to do so, so I called someone who can help you better.)"

I nod to that and pull myself together a little more, but I feel even more how cold I am and that I warmed the floor a little. I open my eyes a little and see a dark room with only a small window that allows me to look into another room where light shines in. I see my arm with the long cut and puff at the sight. "Wie hast du dich so verletzt? (How did you hurt yourself like that?)", Andreas asks me confused. I keep staring at the poorly healing wound as I reply: "Ich hatte vor einer Woche einen Albtraum, wo mich ein schwarzes Monster angegriffen hat und mir den Arm aufgeschnitten hat und als ich aufgewacht bin hatte ich ein und dieselbe Verletzung. (I had a nightmare a week ago where a black monster attacked me and cut my arm open and when I woke up I had the same injury.)"

"Echt merkwürdig. (Really strange.)", he thinks. "Mich hat es auch überrascht, als ich diese Wunde dann gesehen habe. (I was also surprised when I saw this wound.)", I say. We are quiet for a short time until Andreas takes his hands from me and very carefully puts something warm over me. "Ich ignoriere die Regeln und sorge dafür, dass es dir zu mindestens wärmer ist, weil du durch das Wasser schon genug unterkühlt bist. (I'll ignore the rules and make sure you're at least warmer because you're already hypothermic enough from the water.)", he says. Now I feel the wet cold, even more clearly than before, due to the warmth of the blanket he puts over me. It won't do anything about the cold inside me, but I do feel a little better and I like him taking care of me. Is this something that friends do?

Back then, as a Countryhuman, I had almost no contact with other Countryhumans or people and never in a way that made a friendship, so how do you actually make a friendship? What conditions do you have to meet? "Ab wann ist man mit jemanden befreundet? (When do you become friends with someone?)", I ask him. Surely Andreas knows an answer, as nice as he is. He ponders for a moment before replying: "Freunde helfen einander und muntern einander auf. Sie verbringen Zeit miteinander, um einander kennen zu lehren und neues auszuprobieren. Freunde hören einander zu und unterstützen einander. Ich habe einige Freunde und habe Glück, dass wir uns fantastisch verstehen. Warum fragst du mich, ab wann man mit jemanden befreundet ist?