Bernadette sat behind me as she numbed my shoulder to take out the bullet. I focused on the ground as she rubbed the cold water on my shoulder.
"He shot you at a pretty close range," she whispered as I closed my eyes. She pulled out tweeters and I looked back.
"He shot point blank," I told her as she put her hand on my shoulder to hold me still.
"That might have saved your life. The bullet doesn't seem to have explode," she said. I held still as she put the tweeters in and started digging around.
"It was a handgun. They don't explode," I told her as I looked at the water. She let out a small grunt and I felt a small tug as she pulled out the bullet. I bit my lip and she dropped the bullet on the ground.
"My God," she said as she pressed a rag to my shoulder. I looked over my shoulder and she looked back at me. "There was a lot of blood coming out. I didn't want you to bleed out."
"I trust you, Bernadette," I said and she placed her lips on my shoulder above the wound. I looked at her and she closed her green eyes. I let the silence surround us.
***
"You never explained why you didn't run away from the war," Bernadette stated after she wrapped my shoulder and we just sat, her laying on my lap, looking at the river.
"There is no single thing that kept me from running," I said thinking about Adalwolf and Heiko. She looked up at me and one side of her mouth pulled up.
"You can tell me anything. I'm not reporting to Germany. I don't even report to France," she said. I sighed and nodded.
"My family needs the money and not the problems that come with me running away," I said, which wasn't a lie.
"I've seen the look that you always have since I first laid eyes on you," she said. I raised an eyebrow.
"What look is that?" I asked. She sat up and looked into my eyes.
"Someone you love did something and you have to figure out why," she said. I shook my head.
"Not someone," I said. She cocked her head at me.
"Germany? What has Germany done?" she asked.
"Jews and suspected gays have been disappearing from the streets. It's..." I realised regardless of who she was I had to watch what I said, "what must be done." I said it thinking of all my classes since the Numberg Law came into effect.
"You don't believe that, do you Alaric?" she asked. I stayed silent, not wanting to lie but not wanting to tell the truth either. "Who is gay? Or who is Jewish?"
"My brother and my ex boss," I admitted. She sat up and rubbed my hands that were in her lap.
"I will help you figure it out. We will find your ex boss and your brother," she whispered.
"My brother should be in America with his boyfriend. At least there are openly gay communities there," I stated and she nodded.
"Well then, your ex boss because that's not fair that they took him just because he is Jewish," she said.
"Most of Germany believes that the Jews are the reason for the Depression. No one cares where they go as long as it isn't near them," I told her as I stood up trying not to lean on my shoulder as I stood.
"That's sad. They should accept that the Jewish population-" she started.
"That's not how Hitler runs the country though. And everyone will listen to him since we got out of the Depression while everyone else was struggling," I commented and she stood as I walked to the edge of the water.
"I think that's the only good thing Hitler did," she said.
"How far do you think we could make it?" I asked. She looked up at me and cocked her head.
"What do you mean?" she asked. I looked down the river.
"On this river. How far do you think we can make it before someone finds us?" I asked. She shrugged.
"We might make it to the sea then if we could find a boat, make it to Sweden or Norway," she said as she knelt down next to the water.
"This is our backup plan. If things go to hell, we follow the river to the ocean. Then you decide if you want to go to Norway or Sweden," I said as I pointed to everything beyond.
"You are insane. Everywhere is either going to hate France or Germany," she said. I shrugged.
"Not if we tell them that we are together," I said and she leaned on my chest.
"I guess that you would be correct," she said. I ran my hand through her hair and she sighed.
"The guys will probably be worried about us soon," I said but neither of us made a move to leave.
"They will be worried about you. No one truly worries about me except you," she said. I rubbed her arm and she moved a little closer.
"I am sure that you are worried about," I told her and she laughed a little.
"My family told Abella to go after you after I told them that I wanted to get your attention," she said as she walked towards the water. It was the first time I realised that her dress was cut to be shorter.
"Alaric. We need to move. Bernadette, we need a French translator and Booya said to bring you with us," Butch said and I looked at Bernadette who looked shocked.
"But I'm French," she said. He took a deep breath.
"None of us can speak French and as long as you won't leak information, you will be okay," he said and she looked at me.
"I have no choice but you do," I whispered, hoping she would say no. I was begging her with my eyes.
"I want to go. I want to stop the fighting," she said. I nodded and Butch led the back. At least I could protect her.