The Nurse

Chapter 5: The Germans

As the days slowly passed, they soon turned into weeks. The strength of Albert had drastically returned with the exception of slight aches and pains. As much as Eloise hated to see her newly found comrade to leave, she knew that he had to return to his post—the post where he was presumably dead.

Albert carefully observed Eloise's smooth movements as she ran the long blade of her hunting knife along a whetstone. The not knowing of what she was doing peaked his curiosity greatly.

"What are you planning on doing?" He questioned, leaning forward in his chair to better his view of her task.

She glanced up from her work, "I am going to check the snares that I set last night."

A puzzled look came over his face as he looked at the door. "But it is daylight? I thought you didn't leave your house during the day."

Eloise nodded simply as she continued running the stone over her knife. "I know I usually don't; but I don't want to risk someone stealing my prize," She paused, raising a brow. "or knowing my whereabouts."

"Then I will go with you." He suggested pridefully, letting his words take Eloise by surprise.

As she processed his request, she shook her head. "I don't think that you should." She bluntly stated, rising from where she sat. "Your strength—"

"Is back." He cut her off with his answer. "I am strong enough to go, Eloise." He readjusted his seated position, leaning back against the chair. "Anyway, it would be good for me to get out of this dark little prison that I've been in for days."

Eloise re-sheathed her knife and looked up at him. He stared at her intently, brows raised in anticipation for an answer. She thought for a second before reluctantly nodding. "I suppose that your presence wouldn't hurt anything."

A rare smile came across his stern face as he hurriedly rose from his chair. Immediately he reached for his gray uniform coat and slipped it over his white cotton shirt, straightening the many medals and pins that adorned the bland color.

Eloise took the leather satchel that hung on the mantle and placed her knife inside. She then shouldered her rifle and wasted no time at moving toward the door. Slowly, she creaked the wooden barrier open and looked outside. The brightness of the day momentarily blinded her. She stepped outward and began walking in a direction, only to stop abruptly to face Albert.

Albert halted in the doorway, lifting his square red collar upward. He began clasping the black ribbon of the medal around his neck, straightening the blue star that laid against his chest.

"Come on Albert." Eloise called out, waving for him to follow her.

Albert furrowed his brows in annoyance, ignoring the directions. He continued positioning his uniform until it met his required standards.

"All you care about is how that medal looks against your suit. I shouldn't have given it back to you." Eloise remarked, leaning against a nearby tree to watch him make minor adjustments to his appearance.

"I earned this medal with great honor," he retorted, closing the door behind him. "and there is no way that I would defy the honorable title it gives me."

"It is only you and I here in this forest." She informed confidently.

"You don't know that for certain."

Eloise sighed as he approached her, turning to face the path once again. She stepped carefully through the opening of the trees, eyes scanning along the greenery for any suspicious moving shapes. The gun hung on her shoulder, ready for use if need be. Albert walked closely beside her, taking in the fresh morning air—a sensation he had been missing. A pair of birds sat above their heads singing a melancholy song on the hot breeze. An eerie feeling came over her as she looked around the shady forest.