𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

12. ÉCOUST

The breezing noise of a lake could be heard far away. It was, in some way, sooting. Leaving them quiet. It wasn't awkward, no one bothered to make it feel like that at least.

Jo felt an aching pain in the legs and feet but didn't say anything about it. She knew that complaining was the last thing needed. Especially from her.

-

Écoust had been nearly destroyed to the ashes. Leaving ruins of buildings and streets left. It all looked so gray and dead.

Jo furrowed her eyebrows and looked forward at the small town. She could have imagined how beautiful it must have been before the war happened. Sighing, she kept on going.

Her heartbeat was pounding in her ear even though nothing, in particular, was happening.

Yet, suddenly a voice could be heard. She could immediately recognize the rough tone and knew that it was the germans. They were talking to each other, but not clearly enough for any of the four to figure out what was being said.

It was now dark and they had yet to find the other soldiers there.

"Faisons vite." Let's make this fast.
It was too dark for Josephine to figure out who'd whispered those words, yet she stayed silent.
The voices ahead of them spoke loudly. Gibberish, according to one of the boys next to her.

They were standing behind the wall of another fallen building. Their shadows casted over their faces as Louis peeked around the corner. Almost leaning over him; were the others. Josephine looked to her side, paranoid and afraid that someone would jump forward at any moment.
Closing her eye just so slightly in an attempt to watch whatever that was in front of her. Something was moving.

With the palm of her hand, she tapped one of the boys behind her harshly on their upper arm, yet she got no response.

The thing moving was a man. His silhouette was standing maybe twenty meters in front of the nurse and he was holding onto something. He seemed drunk, walking with heavy steps and stumbling over things every now and then. Still getting closer.

"Allemands!" she whispered harshly, continuously hitting the soldier. Germans!

She heard the click of a weapon in her ears from both ways. Without the time to react, she felt her arm being grabbed and dragged away by the soldiers. She let out a shriek at the sudden move, but quickly hushed herself down while making her way from the scene, feet falling over each other.

And then they were off running. Towards the voices. She didn't know what the others were thinking, but there was no time to ask. Struggling while running, they all were falling over big pieces of rocks that were laying displayed on the uneven ground.

There were no signs of the Germans taking notice of them thus far. Yet she felt the need to get out of there very quickly.

Soon enough they were inside some sort of hall. The roof was long gone, leaving the light of the moon to shine through. Their heavy footsteps causing noises to occur.
A shot was fired. She didn't know from where which almost made it worse. She covered her mouth, breathing heavily into her own sweaty skin. It didn't take long before she was pushed inside a room, together with the others.

Phillipe and Leurent quickly pulled a table from inside from inside and put it up against the now closed wooden door they just recently had entered. They were quick to continue doing so by looking for more furniture to block the entrance.

Jo stayed frozen, her eyes the only thing moving while they carefully glanced around. The house looked abandoned with the ornaments and chairs layed fallen over on the cold floor. The only light source being the small window in the corner of the room.

Louis held his rifle close to himself while he slowly made his way towards the other rooms. Jo being left behind him, staring at his back. Waiting for him to do something, say something.

She watched as he relaxed. Her eyes traveled over to the others. Their heavy breathing continuing as they stocked against the thin door in hope the Germans couldn't get inside. At least for the moment.

Then, two loud shots were fired, something heavy falling onto the floor and then silence. A silence that felt like it lasted forever.

Her eyes widened as she jumped at the sound, her head whipped around in terror.

Oh no.

_

Hello everyone! I hope you all are hanging on the jumping between the different events happening. I also hope that things are starting to make sense haha <3

(btw we've reached 2k!)

Stay safe and healthy,
/connie