Rose of Anzio - Remembrance (Volume 4): a WWII Epic Love Story

by Alexa Kang

  In the evenings, she and Ellie would take turns caring for Mathias' grandfather. Ellie tried to persuade the German doctor to give them medicines for the old man. The doctor refused at first, but in the end gave them a two-day dosage of decongestants. He would not spare anything else. They could hardly blame him. The hospital was running desperately low on supplies. As the old man's condition worsened, they wondered what would happen to Mathias if his grandfather died.

  Thankfully, they hadn't had to deal with Pfeiffer again. The ongoing battles must have been intense, as he was constantly occupied elsewhere. By the time he returned to the house each night, they were usually already locked in their rooms. He only returned early once, when Tessa and Ellie were attending to old Mr. Zegher. That time, he returned with another officer. They spoke in German, and neither Tessa nor Ellie understood what they were saying. The Nazis drank while they talked. The more they talked, the more agitated Pfeiffer looked. After the other officer left, he slumped over drunk on the table.

  Tessa checked his liquor bottle. Again, it was unfinished. "Lightweight." She laughed with Ellie.

  Those few days almost gave them the illusion of safety.

  Almost.

  The evening began as usual. While Ellie and Mathias prepared dinner, Tessa attended to Mr. Zegher. The old man was suffering and his condition was worsening, but he never complained. She helped him sit up on his bed and showed him her angel amulet. His eyes shone. His face softened as though he felt comforted. She let him hold the amulet while she gave him a glass of water. When he finished drinking, she helped him lie back down on the bed. He put the amulet next to his pillow.

  "It's pretty, isn't it?" She pulled the blanket over him.

  The door slammed open. Pfeiffer stormed in with Oskar and several of his men behind him. Tessa rushed out to the living room to see what was happening and to make sure Ellie and Mathias were okay. To her surprise, the SS guards had caught another American soldier. Oskar had his rifle pointed at him. The American soldier was shocked to see Tessa and Ellie too.

  Pfeiffer shouted something in German, and two troopers stomped upstairs. Within minutes, they had brought Tyler and the Blade down with them. Pfeiffer shouted again. One of the troopers went into Mr. Zegher's bedroom, forced him out and sat him down at the table. Mathias ran over to him.

  "This one!" Pfeiffer pointed his Luger at the newly captured American soldier. "This one killed one of ours." He stomped up to the Blade. "And now, he's going to pay for it." He glared at Tyler, and Tyler took a step back. Pfeiffer turned his eyes on the Blade. "What do you say?"

  The Blade didn't answer, but kept his face expressionless. Pfeiffer shouted a series of orders. Oskar pushed the American soldier about ten feet in front of the Blade, while another guard grabbed old Mr. Zegher and Mathias, and forced them to stand a few feet to the right of the American soldier.

  Pfeiffer turned to the Blade again. "You are going to make him pay for what he did. I'm giving you a gun. You can either kill this bastard for killing one of us," he pointed at the American soldier, "or you can kill these two imbeciles right here." He switched and pointed his gun at Mr. Zegher and Mathias.

  Ellie cried out. Distracted by her reaction, Pfeiffer shouted to a guard, "Take her upstairs." The guard took Ellie by the arm and marched her upstairs.

  "Give me a gun," Pfeiffer said to another guard after Ellie was gone. The guard handed him a handgun. Pfeiffer put it on the table. "You, Sergeant, are going to decide which one of them you want to kill. Your comrade, or these two." The guards raised their rifles and pointed them at the Blade.

  "I won't do it," the Blade said.

  "If you won't do it, I'll do it. I'll kill them all."

  The Blade looked at the three people in front of him. Tessa could see his fury rising.

  "Go on. Take the gun," Pfeiffer said, not letting him off. "But don't even think about pulling any stunts. Because if you do," he pulled Tyler against him and pointed his Luger at Tyler's head, "if you try anything, your friend here is going to die. You wouldn't want that now, would you?"

  The Blade's face turned tight as a rock. Watching Pfeiffer, Tessa felt her own fury flaring up inside her. Mathias started to cry. Struggling to stand, his grandfather put his arm around the boy's small shoulders. The American soldier looked at them, then at the Blade.

  The Blade picked up the gun from the table as though it was a poisonous snake. His eyes moved from the American soldier to the old man to the kid.

  "Sergeant," Pfeiffer said. "We don't have all night."

  Slowly, the Blade raised the gun. His grip on the gun was loose and limp. Tessa had never seen him look so powerless. Mathias buried his face against his grandfather. The old man held on to his grandchild and closed his eyes. The American soldier raised his gaze to the Blade and nodded. It was a subtle gesture, barely noticeable, but Tessa saw it. The Blade fired several times at the American soldier, and the soldier fell to the ground.

  Mathias cried out in fright. The Blade stood frozen with his arm still out, his eyes blinking rapidly as though he was trying to wake up from a trance. A guard grabbed the gun out of his hand.

  Pfeiffer released Tyler and pushed him away. "Now, get moving," he shouted. As he passed by Mathias and Mr. Zegher, he said to his men, "Take them outside and get rid of them."

  "What did you say?" the Blade asked.

  "I said get rid of them."

  "You said I got to decide who dies."

  Pfeiffer walked back to him. "I said you got to decide who you would kill. We're leaving tonight. I have no time or patience to deal with a sick man and a child."

  "You don't have to take them. Leave them here."

  "Leave them here? Sergeant, you should know better than that. They know who we are. They've heard everything my men and I have said. I am not leaving them here for one of your people to find out anything about us."

  The Blade watched in horror as a guard dragged Mr. Zegher away. Mathias, crying, tried to hold on to him. Another guard pushed Mathias along.

  "Thank you for the fine show," Pfeiffer said to the Blade before he left the house. "I did enjoy watching a big, ugly turd like you squirm."

  Tessa and Tyler could only look on, helpless.

  A gun shot went off outside, followed by another. Tessa squeezed her eyes shut. At this moment, all she wanted was to be away. Away from here. Away from everything.

  "We're moving on," Oskar said to Tessa and Tyler. A guard brought Ellie back downstairs. She looked at the dead American soldier on the floor and covered her mouth in horror.

  "Let's go," Oskar said, leading the way. Their two guards marched them out of the house.

  Outside, Tessa turned her head away from the direction where she had heard the gunshots. She didn't want to see the Zeghers' remains. Hunching her shoulders, she put her hands into her pockets and squeezed her fists in silent anger. With her hands in her pockets, she realized something was amiss. "Wait! I left something behind."

  The guards ignored her. She pleaded with Oskar. "Please, I have to find it." Without waiting for his response, she ran back inside the house to Mr. Zegher's bedroom.

  In the bedroom, she searched for the amulet all over his bed. Last she saw, it was next to the pillow, but it was no longer there. In a panic, she flipped the blanket over. Nothing either. She pushed aside the pillow and found her angel amulet underneath. She grabbed it and let out a huge sigh of relief. As she calmed down, she noticed the barrel of a gun protruding from under the pillow where the amulet was. She lifted the pillow slightly and found a small handgun.

  She could not believe this. The Zeghers were hiding a handgun, right under the Nazis' eyes. Her heart pounding, she took the gun.

  "You need to come now!" Oskar called her from the living room. No time to think, she put the gun and the amulet into the pocket of her jacket.

  "Yes. I'm coming." She came out of the room.

  At the same time, Pfeiffer walked in. He was about to say something to Oskar when he saw her
. Her presence surprised him. He eyed her from head to toe. His stare made her nervous, but she looked back at him.

  "What do you have in your pocket?" he asked.

  She froze. Her heart was beating so fast, she felt like it would jump out of her throat.

  "I asked you a question."

  Without thinking, she took out the angel amulet. He took it, glanced at it, and gave her a derisive look. "No God or angel can save you now," he sneered. "The Führer is your only God, and I'm your only savior." Laughing, he put the amulet into his pocket. No longer interested in her, he spoke to Oskar. Tessa watched him, her fury rising. Pfeiffer paid no attention to her as though she didn't exist, but her eyes never left him. Looking at him, she felt a storm of rage.

  "Let's go," Oskar said to her when he and Pfeiffer finished talking.

  She ignored him. Her eyes remained on Pfeiffer, who was leaving the house. "I want it back," she said to the Nazi commander.

  Pfeiffer stopped, surprised she dared to talk to him, let alone make a demand of him.

  "I want it back," she repeated, her voice firmer than before.

  Unused to being challenged, he looked at her with renewed interest. "You mean this?" He took the amulet out of his pocket and dangled it in front of her.

  "Give it back to me."

  "Why? Why is it so important?" he taunted her. "Did your boyfriend give it to you?"

  She only looked at him, her eyes as icy as his were steely. They stood glaring at each other. She refused to back down.

  He smiled. The sinister smile that disgusted her from the start. But then, a flicker of unease appeared on his face. The amulet seemed to make him uncomfortable. He shifted his eyes away from her to the amulet, then tossed it back to her. She caught it and wrapped her hands tightly around it.

  "Cheap piece of junk," he muttered and walked out of the house. She held the amulet to her cheek. Tears of relief rushed out of her eyes as she caressed it with her face.

  VIII

  Part Eight - O Holy Night

  25

  In the early morning, the SS truck came to a stop. "Auf! Auf!" the guards yelled. Tessa opened her eyes. They had come to another village, and the sky was barely lit.

  The guards hustled them out. Following their orders, Tessa got out of the truck. Her mind still groggy from the few hours of miserable sleep during the ride. She didn't know what time it was or where they had taken her, but she was too tired to care. She walked with her friends by her side. The SS guards followed closely behind them. The frosty air stung the skin on her face. White fog escaped her mouth every time she breathed. She licked her lips. She could really use a glass of water.

  They came to a medieval looking church surrounded by a stone wall about four feet high. The guards told them to stop. One of them went inside and returned with a nun.

  "I'm Sister Margaux," the nun said to Tessa and Ellie. "This is our convent. You'll be staying with us the next three days."

  "What about my friends?" Tessa moved closer to Tyler and the Blade.

  "This is a convent. The men can't stay here."

  "Where will they go?"

  "I don't know."

  "No." Tessa took a step back. The Blade stepped forward next to her and Ellie. The guards immediately raised their rifles and stopped him.

  "Please, Sister. Don't separate us," Tessa begged Sister Margaux. "Please ask the guards not to separate us." The nun only lowered her head.

  "They'll be fine." Oskar approached and spoke from behind them. "Don't worry. They'll be quartered in another building." He spoke to one of the guards. The guard signaled Tyler and the Blade to move on. Reluctantly, they continued walking.

  "Let us go with them," Tessa said to Oskar.

  "You'll be more comfortable in the convent," Oskar said. "The sisters will take good care of you." Tyler, the Blade, and the guard turned the corner of the street and disappeared from sight. "The day after tomorrow is Christmas. I'll bring them back here then. You can spend Christmas Day together," Oskar reassured her.

  "Please. Come this way." Sister Margaux said and began walking back to the convent. The SS guard signaled for them to move. Ellie followed them, but Tessa turned to Oskar once again. "What will you do with us? Where are you planning to take us?"

  "When we arrive at the next town, there will be a train station. From there, you will be taken by train to a prison camp for Americans."

  "A prison camp?" Ellie stopped.

  "There are injured American soldiers there. You can assist with treating them."

  Ellie relaxed, but Tessa remained suspicious.

  "Follow me, please," Sister Margaux requested again and led them toward the entrance of the convent. Tessa stared back at Oskar one more time. His face betrayed no emotion. He looked like the perfect soldier. Once they went inside the gate, he turned around and walked away.

  When they reached the entrance of the convent, the SS guard left. Sister Margaux took Tessa and Ellie through a narrow corridor to the kitchen, where a girl of about seventeen was cooking a pot of soup on the stove. The nun invited Tessa and Ellie to sit down, and the girl served them each a bowl of hot soup and bread. Tessa took a seat. A pang of hunger hit her stomach when the smell of the soup filled her nose.

  "Go ahead. Eat. You must be hungry," Sister Margaux said.

  Unable to hold back any longer, Tessa picked up the spoon and devoured the food. Ellie, too, could not resist. Despite her apprehension, Tessa was glad for the meal. The soup was the best thing she had eaten since they were captured. She wondered where the Nazis had taken the Blade and Tyler. She hoped they were given a decent meal too.

  While they ate, the girl poured them each a glass of water. "This is Tilda, my helper," Sister Margaux said. The girl smiled. "When you're done eating, she will take you for your baths."

  "A bath?" Tessa asked, her voice guarded.

  "We want you to be comfortable. That's why you were brought here. It's highly unusual for the soldiers to capture female prisoners. They don't mean to mistreat you. We'll give you a clean change of clothing to wear while we wash your uniforms."

  Remembering the gun, Tessa slid her hand below the table into her pocket. "I want to keep my jacket." The curtness of her voice stumped the Sister.

  Nonetheless, the nun smiled. "Of course. Our winters are cold. American-made outerwear must be very warm."

  Tessa returned to the food and avoided her eyes.

  "Please don't worry," Sister Margaux said. "You're safe here with us."

  After they had eaten, Sister Margaux took them to their room. The room had nothing except a desk, a chair, and a small table between the two beds. A jug of water with two cups and a lamp had been left on top of the desk. There was no item of luxury or convenience, but Oskar was right. This place was comfortable compared to the straw mattresses back at the Zeghers.

  Remembering the Zeghers, Tessa bowed her head and said a silent prayer for Mathias and his grandfather. She was in a convent. If God was out there, maybe He could hear her.

  Afterward, Sister Margaux let them take turns for their baths. Tessa had been worried that her ring and the gun would become exposed. Luckily, Tilda left her to her privacy after showing her to the washroom. Tessa took the gun out of her pocket to see if it was loaded. Two bullets.

  She wondered if she should hold on to the gun. When she took it at the Zegher's, she had acted on the spur of the moment. She had no idea what she meant to do with it. Here in the washroom, there was no place for her to dispose of it without anyone finding out. She could not risk anyone discovering that she had a gun.

  Quickly, she closed the cylinder, and put it back into her jacket. As she did, her fingers brushed against her angel amulet. Poor Mr. Zegher. He adored the amulet. And Mathias. That endearing child. Anger seized her again. The scene of their last moments remained fresh in her mind.

  Pfeiffer. He was a monster.

  She had not forgotten what Tyler had said. Pfeiffer killed Tyler's entire company.

 
She decided she would keep the gun. Neither the Blade nor Tyler was with them. In the worst-case scenario, she would use it to defend herself and Ellie. There was no telling what Pfeiffer might do. If their situation worsened, having a gun to protect themselves might be worth the risk.

  In the convent, Tessa felt more like a prisoner than she had in the Zeghers' house. All day long, she and Ellie were locked in their room with nothing to do. Sister Margaux and Tilda had come twice to bring them their meals. Beyond that, the Spartan details of the dark room were all that occupied them.

  "I wish they would let us go take care of patients," Ellie said. When the Nazis made them work at the enemy hospital, they actually had a semblance of freedom of movement and also something to keep them busy.

  Sitting on her bed, Tessa closed her eyes and tried to pass the time by playing all nine of Beethoven's symphonies in her head. She was up to Symphony No. 6 when the heavy thud of a man's footsteps, accompanied by the shuffling sounds of Sister Margaux's habit, interrupted her. Their door unlocked. The nun let Oskar in, then quietly withdrew from the room. Tessa and Ellie sat up on the edge of their beds, waiting for him to speak.

  "How are you?" he asked. "Did you sleep well last night?"

  Tessa didn't answer. What a strange question to ask his hostages.

  "Yes. Thank you." Dear, sweet Ellie. Even now, she could not help but be nice.

  "I'm glad to hear that, Fräulein. The Oberst doesn't want you to be uncomfortable." His comment made Ellie uneasy, and her face flushed. What he said next, though, surprised them. "If you want to write a letter home to your families, I can help you send it." He put a stationery pad and a pen on the desk. "I can deliver it to the Red Cross. They can send it for you. You can send one letter each."

  She could write a letter home? Tessa could not be sure if his offer was for real.

  "It will be censored, of course," Oskar said. "But you can let them know you're safe. We'll be leaving for the next town the day after tomorrow. Our headquarters are based there. I will send your letters for you when we arrive."