𝕊𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕣 (𝕊𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕀𝕞𝕞𝕚𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪)

𝒜 𝒩𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝒮𝓊𝓇𝓅𝓇𝒾𝓈𝑒

Alexei and I became very quick friends. As much as I hated to say it, but maybe not all Russians were bad. Most of the Russians thought that Alexei was quite strange and annoying, so they didn't hang out with him. But I thought they were very wrong; Alexei was actually a very fun person to be around. We played Russian games and I finally found out what Koldunchiki meant, we annoyed most Russians around us, attempted to talk to girls (It was Alexei's idea), and were very lucky to be in most groups together. Except this one.

There were three of us, me, a man called Vladimir, and the girl I saw on my first day who I found out was called Anastasia. A very pretty name for a very pretty girl. Every time I had thoughts like that, I would have to mentally remind myself not to make friends. Alexei was the only exception. Our job today was to sweep the leaves as they were getting in the way when the Russians were in the training grounds. Vladimir was assigned to sweep one side of the training grounds, while Anastasia and I were told to sweep the larger area near the storage room.

While I was sweeping, I couldn't keep my eyes off the girl. I was in the perfect place where her hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. Her eyes filled with concentration were like two pools of oceans, and I sure was drowning. I really needed to stop staring at her. I was only here to survive. She looked at me and flashed me a furious look. "Stop staring at me you creep" she said angrily. Wow, she was beautiful and had an attitude. This keeps getting better and better. I continued sweeping the grass when suddenly I heard a crash. I look back at Anastasia who is now staring at the broken fragments of one of the lanterns on the ground. She curses, but it's a familiar curse word. "What did you just say?" I said suddenly, focusing back to her. That word was most certainly not Russian. "Nothing" she mumbles, sweeping the broken glass onto the grass. "Tell me, please" I added because I was not going to get anywhere being rude. "Stop it, leave me alone!" she growls angrily. I drop the broom, refusing to give up. "That was German wasn't it" I told her. She shakes her head, the fire in her eyes replaced by fear. "No it wasn't" she says quickly but I notice the catch in her voice. I think of doing something very risky, that could even risk my survival. "Are you German?" I speak to her, but not in Russian. Her eyes glow. She looks at me differently. "You're German too?" She asks me in my language, and for the first time. She smiled.

"Whats your name then Dmitry?" She asks in German, obviously not needing to know my Russian name. "Ludwig." I told her waiting for her to tell me hers. "Well Ludwig, my name is Anneliese and I hope us German's can stick together."

I smile and nod immediately. Annelise? What an angelic name. And I thought Anastasia was pretty.

Alexei, Annaliese, and I hung out a lot together. We played lots of traditional Russian games and made sure to keep out German secrets to ourselves. It's not that I didn't trust Alexei, it's just that.... I didn't really know him enough yet. With Anneliese its very different, she's German so I can trust her. But Alexei is another story. We had a game night with me and Alexei, much to my enjoyment Anneliese joined halfway through. She was very annoyingly good at the games, but not as annoying as when she went to the bathroom and Alexei told me some very ... interesting news. "I think... I think I like Anneliese." Alexei told me while it was my go. I nodded, rolling the dice. "I like her too, she's a good friend." In the corner of my eye I notice Alexei shaking his head. "No, I don't mean as friends Dmitry, I think I actually like her. As in love."

I drop the dice. It rolled to a stop. 3. I lost. My heart stops.

Alexei likes Anneliese. "Uh... That great!" I tell him, smiling through the pain I was experiencing. He smiles, his shoulders dropping in relief. "That's good I thought you liked her; guess I was too paranoid hey?" He punches my shoulder lightly like the other times when he makes a joke, except this time it isn't funny.

I tried to smile, looking happy for him but it was more like a grimace. But luckily Alexei was too busy rolling the dice for him to notice.

As much as I hated to think it, I needed to get closer to Anneliese. Alexei was a great friend, one of my best even. But I couldn't let him take her from me.

As I got to hang more with Anneliese, I learnt that we are in very similar situations. We had both lost a family member during the bomb raid a week back, hers being her mother. With nothing but the letter she was given by her mum, she left and ran away to the army; pretending to be a Russian girl called Anastasia. The more I got to know her, the more I seemed to like her... But every time I thought that I felt guilty for lying to Alexei, he really didn't deserve this.

But I have had enough trouble in my life. Why can't a few good things happen to me for once?

But something was really keeping my up at night, and the next day I got up the courage to ask her. "So what was in that letter?" I asked her, in Russian because there were soldiers around us. She looked at me curiously, not knowing why I was asking. She seemed to be discussing with herself whether she should tell me or not, but then eventually nodded to herself. Coming to a conclusion, to trust me. She sat down on the grass, patting the soft patch next to her. I sat down beside her, suddenly feeling hot because this was the closest, I had ever been to her. "As a child, my mother told me stories about this magical safe place called Sweden. She said that it was safe enough for kids to play outside, and there was no need to worry about all the war and bombs because there wasn't any. In the letter, she tells me about a man she was friends with who has a boat. And that If I found him, he would take me across the ocean to Sweden. The problem is, she mentions a place here, but I don't know where it is. She pulls out the letter from her pocket and opens it up. There is a piece of a map stuck onto the paper, clearly cut out from a large map of Germany. The place looked familiar. Then it struck me. "I know that place!" I exclaimed, pointing to the river in the middle. "Really?" She said hope in her voice. "Yes, that's the Oden River! If you go down it eventually, you'll reach the open sea!" She smiles brightly and hugs me. I freeze, my face burning hotly as she wrapped her hands around me. "Thank you so much" she whispered into my army coat, the scent of lavender and sage lingered on her. Once she pulled away, I noticed that her face was red too, and she giggled awkwardly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to invade your space... It's just I-"

"I understand, I'm just glad I was able to help you" I added a grin to make her feel relaxed, because I really didn't mind the hug. Then her face fell. "But sadly, I woudn't be able to go because I don't know the way" She mumbles. A bomb went off in my head. "I could always come along and help show the way" I said, because going to Sweden would be much better than looking over my shoulder every day and avoiding everyone. She looks hesitant. "Are you sure Ludwig? It's a big ask" I nod. "It would be my pleasure, and besides I want to get away from here."

"So... When do we leave?"

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