Dangerous Territory

The Lost Women in Our Lives

Of course, that was pointless. How many Jews would he meet while in France? What his platoon needed was someone fluent in the local language.

Eren did not feel the awkwardness of the first time he brought the Jews here to bathe. Maybe it was everything that had happened that week. He had even helped in an operation to repair a tear to Levi's colon, monitoring the gas that kept Levi asleep through the procedure, and sometimes holding a utensil for the surgeon. Now, as he saw Levi's backside, he thought darkly of that attack, how horrendous it was, how painful it must have been, how he must still be in pain.

Yet, here he was, bruises still on his body, horrifically tortured over just one week, yet looking like he was as strong as ever.

Eren had to admit, it was admirable.

Jean called out in annoyance, "Beeil' dich!" Hurry up!

Eren glared over at him. He felt at peace watching Levi bathe.

Levi humphed. "Is that long-faced idiot telling me to hurry?"

"Yes. He's eager to get back."

"Like a horse eager to return to the stables. Tell him to go take a long shit. I'll be done by the time he wipes the crap off his arse."

Eren burst out in a laugh. Obviously, he could not tell Jean that. "Er entschuldigt sich und sagt, dass er sich beeilen wird." He apologizes and says he will hurry.

Jean looked satisfied, and Eren was truly glad none of his men spoke English.

Levi sighed as the water rushed past him. He wished he could just float away on this river. He wondered where it went. Probably to the sea. He could float out to the Atlantic, just float along, and maybe he would end up on American shores. He wanted to just flow along with the river...

"Schnell! Beeilung!" Fast! Hurry!

Levi closed his eyes. He could imagine a France without Germans always barking orders, always threatening them, always sneering. He could imagine owning a peaceful vineyard, lazy days strolling the rows, checking the grapes. He liked southern France. He remembered a trip there in his youth.

"Was tut er?" What's he doing?

Levi opened his eyes and saw blasted stone walls that used to pen sheep. Maybe the sheep fled. Likely, they were all eaten by Germans.

This land was losing so much! Could France even be saved at this point? Could it ever return to being the land he knew and loved?

He turned and walked back to shore before he got into trouble. At least Eren was quietly watching him. Their group headed back, and Eren escorted the Jews to the castle. It was lunchtime, so they got their bowls of soup from the kitchen and settled around a table that had once been used for the castle's servants.

Eren turned to his men. "You can eat here or elsewhere. Dismissed."

"The soup actually smells good," Thomas muttered, edging toward the kitchens and sniffing.

Jean glared at the table full of Jews. "It doesn't have dog meat, does it?"

"I would say even dog meat is a good treat at this point," Eren admitted. "Supplies are low. A train was supposed to bring more, but the Resistance blew up the rail line."

"Damn terrorists," Jean grumbled. He glanced over at the prisoners eating the soup. "Well, the Jews aren't dying, so I guess it's not poisonous. I'm starving!"

Eren went with them to get a bowl of soup. They ate in the main dining hall, a once-glamorous place, now weary from war and dirty from soldiers using the grounds.