Berlin blood

Lina arrived at the office on time, so no one noticed her short walk, so to speak. She entered and, under Walter’s gaze, sat down at her place to work. Walter was extremely surprised by what was happening. He rarely saw Lina in such a mood, which meant one thing: she had done something. “Lina,” he walked up to her desk, “come into my office.” — Fine. Without waiting for her, Walter quickly walked back into the office. Lina put aside her work and followed him. — What have you done? — from the threshold he glared at her with a question. — What do you mean? — Lina, did you go to August? “No,” she didn’t know how to lie, Walter understood that. He wanted to hit her, but restrained himself. “Lina, if I find out that you did anything,” he looked at her and grabbed her lower jaw. Their conversation was interrupted by a call. Walter, without looking up, picked up the phone. “I’m listening,” he said coldly. Lina could observe a hundred shades of emotions on his face. But he also looked into her eyes. “Really, what a disaster, but I think everything will be fine,” he hung up and almost growled in despair. — You didn’t go, then? Was not there. August Scholz is unwell, the meeting is postponed. “I’m sorry, I wanted to save you,” she looked like a little puppy. She looked at him with such devotion. He slowly let her go and walked away. My head was spinning. Lord, what should I do now? — Lina, remember I told you that I would marry you? “Yes, I remember,” she looked at him with curiosity, she was all lit up. — It will be today. — But the matter is not finished yet. — Yes, but why should we wait? Here you go, here’s some money, get yourself the most beautiful dress. And put it on, today we will be signed. — Is it true? — the happiness she experienced was incomparable. “Yes, really,” she ran up to him and hugged him. — I love you, Walter Sachs. “I love you… too,” they stood and hugged. Walter definitely decided that today would be the most suitable day. It doesn’t matter now when. He realized that she could make him happy, but he realized it too late. He looked at her, happy, leaving the office and realized that today he would have to kill her. He must fulfill her last request for her boundless loyalty. *** Augustus was laid on a stretcher, his numb arms dangling limply at the edges, the doctors were in a hurry — the patient was on the verge. August did not distinguish anything, he saw fragments — her face, her blouse covered in blood, her thin hand squeezing his fingers. It wasn’t thoughts that were running through his head, but sensations, the feeling of an enemy who had once again somehow disrupted the course of his life, a feeling of confidence in imminent retribution, danger and imminent deliverance at the same time. His strength was slowly leaving him, he could no longer cough up blood and would have suffocated long ago, but the doctors turned him on his side in time so that the red clots would slide onto the fabric of the stretcher. The circles in her eyes grew dark, but her image appeared through them, and through the cotton wool and ringing in her ears, her high, broken voice. August could still see her face after she had been gone for several minutes. Charlotte, in a state of severe shock, was detained halfway to the manipulation room; it seems that she screamed, maybe cried, but the girl did not remember anything, having lost all contact with reality. They sat her down somewhere and she stared at one point, unable to think anything meaningful. Lina! She’ll shove poison down this witch’s throat right from the jar! Anger consumed Charlotte in bouts of pulsating heat. If Augustus dies… It is impossible to imagine even for a second. Charlotte tried to breathe, but from time to time she began to choke, her cheeks were burning, her eyes felt like sand was crunching, and it was painful to close them. She didn’t understand how long she sat there. An uncontrollable thirst for destruction made her jump up and immediately fall back, because her weak, shaking legs could not support her. Still, the rage overpowered, Charlotte grabbed some object and threw it on the floor. Next is another one. And further. Glass flasks flew apart, a mangled typewriter made a rather large dent in the floor, chairs and a table were overturned before several people flew into the office, attracted by the roar and a terrible scream that almost turned into a screech. Charlotte smashed the office for another minute in front of the stunned observers. The girl flew at full speed into what she had been running from all these years — she could die for Augustus, she loved him so much. But he! He couldn’t die. She was carefully immobilized as much as possible and taken to the ward, where she was given a strong sedative. Charlotte, trembling nervously, fell asleep with a distorted face. **** Heinrich walked into Himmler’s office with some excitement. The news of Augustus’s poisoning seriously frightened him, and not only him. The trial is postponed, which means only one thing, they did it on purpose. This was starting to make him angry, and not only him. He went to the reception area, learning from the secretary that they were already waiting for him. He knocked on the office door and entered. — Heinrich Wenger, what news did you come to me with today? — Himmler put on his glasses. — With the bad ones, Mr. Reichsführer. — What do you mean, with the bad ones? — He looked at him questioningly. — Someone poisoned August Scholz. In the cell during a meeting with Charlotte Brown. — What? How was it poisoned? Who? — Himmler bombarded him with questions. “We don’t know, but we think it’s someone close to Walter Sachs and Friedrich Lehmann.” — Arrest them today! — Himmler was furious. This means that his intuition did not let him down. Walter will be responsible for everything. He definitely decided. Nobody dares lie to him. Nobody! **** Walter was putting on his uniform, which he had recently cleaned. He had to do everything perfectly. On her last day, she must be with the one she wanted to be with. Walter decided that he would kill her with potassium cyanide. A quick and easy death. He got dressed and, taking the poison, walked through the night streets of Berlin. They agreed to meet near a small abandoned church, where he agreed to have them painted. He bribed the woman and she agreed. It was all a circus, but it was for her. Walter knew that this would be his first and last wedding, he did not want to get married and did it for her sake. She’s been waiting for this for so long that she has to get hers. He walked and remembered everything: how they met for the first time, how they first ran into each other in the waiting room and how she looked at him then. How happy and lit I was when I realized that they would work together. And how upset she was when he, in the presence of her friends, shook hands with someone other than her. How every year I received chocolate from her for my birthday. She was the only one who sent him gifts and remembered him. He realized that he had lost too much. He realized this when, standing on the pavement, waiting for her and, noticing from afar, he realized how beautiful she was. She really was running in a white dress and with a veil on her head, in white short gloves, with her hair down, but the most beautiful thing at that moment was her soul. She was glowing. Walter even thought about dying with her today, but then rejected this thought. She ran up to him, out of breath. — Sorry, I’m late, how long have you been waiting? — She smiled from ear to ear. — No, not for long, take a breath. “I’m so worried,” she began to adjust her dress. If only she knew how worried he was. Lina was flying on wings today, when she entered the salon, where she stayed for three hours, she still couldn’t decide on a dress, she imagined their happy future. Which is unlikely to come true. They would be together for three days until Walter was taken into custody, just like her, and she was going to take all the blame on herself, because she was ready to do anything for him. He saved her. When they first met, Walter seemed like an emperor to her. She was from a poor family and could not always afford anything. Lina’s mother owned a hotel, but the business brought in almost no income, and Lina often found her providing special services. She didn’t want such a life, so the girl ran away from home at sixteen and worked wherever she was hired, often doing labor that was not at all female. Before Hitler came to power, Lina worked as a nurse, and happily left a place where everything seemed to be saturated with blood and pus. Working as a secretary turned out to be much cleaner, and on one of the very first evenings, in the light of the lanterns, pale in comparison with the fading sunset, she saw him. His appearance hypnotized the girl, she could not look away and froze. The next day she found out that this man was her immediate boss and almost went crazy with happiness. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” Walter brought her back to reality, grabbing her by the arm. Now it was not the same Walter in front of her, but she still loved him just the same. Today will be the darkest day for Walter. He walked and felt like an executioner. He wanted to give up everything, to say that he would kill her today. He didn’t care now whether he was imprisoned or not. He spent too much time on the one he hated and ignored the one who loved him. They entered and people were already waiting for them. Lina clutched his jacket a little tighter and looked at him with a smile. Oh, dear Lina, if you only knew what a monster he is, that he is leading you to your death. Would she, if she knew everything about him, look at him the same way, would she begin to sacrifice for him in the same way? Of course. Love is suffering that makes you feel alive. — Walter Sachs, do you agree to take Lina Schmidt as your wife? “Yes, I agree,” for the first time in his life, looking into her eyes, he spoke the truth. But it’s too late. — Do you agree, Lina Schmidt, to take Walter Sachs as your husband? “Yes, I agree,” she was the happiest in the world. — I pronounce you husband and wife. Groom, you can kiss the bride,” after these words, he threw back her veil and, leaning over, kissed her. It was the most tender kiss he had ever given her. This was their last kiss. They exchanged rings. After the ceremony, they bought champagne and walked around Berlin. They were everywhere. She was happy, he wanted to see her happy and he succeeded. — Walter, do you really love me? — asked a slightly drunk Lina at dawn, when the sun was just beginning to rise. “Yes, I do,” he handed her a bottle of champagne that contained poison. He added it as they walked. She took the bottle and drank the contents without the slightest doubt. Walter took the bottle from her hands and hugged it, holding it. “Walter,” she hugged him, “I love you, thank you for everything.” You know, you are the only one who made me so happy, I knew, I knew everything perfectly and still went. Even if you decided to shoot the whole world, I would stand next to you and give you… cartridges. “Lina, forgive me,” she lowered her hands and completely relaxed. Walter hugged her close. The first rays fell on his face. Six hours and thirty-five minutes — that’s how long Lina Schmidt, the faded shadow of her lover, was Lina Zaks. He hated Augustus, because of him he had to kill his love. He cursed him forever. And he shouted that there were relics, holding it in his hands. Before he knew it, someone slammed him into the road from behind. “Walter Sachs, you are accused of murder,” Heinrich was very glad that they had finally tracked him down. They drove around the city all night to figure out where he went. “I could at least not spoil the wedding,” Walter spat out the blood that gushed from his lip when he was pressed against the road. — A wedding? “At first Henry didn’t even understand what he was talking about, but when he saw the bride nearby, he understood everything. He approached the girl, it was Lina. Henry put his fingers to the carotid artery, but did not feel a beating. She is dead? Lord, poor girl, she was unarmed against all this, against the crazy Zaks, who finally killed her and dared to call it a wedding. Heinrich barely knew this young woman, but the love she had for Walter would be hard to ignore. They had already visited her apartment and found nothing there, practically nothing at all, since Lina lived modestly, and apparently spent her last things and savings yesterday. Heinrich ordered the body to be taken away, Walter was put in the car. They were taking him, but he didn’t care, now he couldn’t escape. **** Charlotte did not leave Augustus for the second day. He was not getting better, his temperature only subsided. If she could take half the pain for herself, she would do it without a second thought. However, she couldn’t do that. All that was left to do was wait. Heinrich entered the room, and she walked away a short distance. “Hello,” he extended his hand to her for a handshake. “Hello,” she shook his hand. — How is he? — Heinrich looked at August. “It could have been worse; he was given first aid on time.” — I think everything will be fine. I came to tell you that the trial has been set for Thursday, we think he will come to his senses and be better and will be able to appear in court. — Have you found the criminal? — this question worried me the most. — Yes, we took Walter Sachs, now we are looking for Friedrich Lehmann. It was not possible to take Lina… She died, having previously married Walter. — Lina died? How did this happen? — Charlotte was not ready to hear this news. — And married Walter? — She knew that Lina felt love for him, but to decide on this… “We ourselves are a little perplexed by the circumstances revealed.” He poisoned her. — Something else? — Yes, sure. We think another friend of yours is involved. — Which? — Eva Bauman, do you know anything about her? — He handed over a sheet with Eva’s data. “Nothing, she never talked about herself, the only thing I know is that she didn’t have parents, that’s all.” “She is suspected of spying on August Scholz and having connections with the NKVD,” Heinrich looked at August. — Eva? No, she couldn’t, she’s my friend,” Charlotte couldn’t believe it. This can’t be true. — I’m really sorry. But the court will sort everything out. — He left Charlotte standing there, looking at Augustus. She couldn’t believe Eve was spying. But why? Why does she need this? She didn’t know anything, she sat down on a chair next to August and, kissing him on the forehead, said: — August, please don’t leave me. **** Walter Sachs walked into the cell, his shoulder straps were torn off, his pistol was taken away, and now he felt like August. He was crushed and destroyed. Now there will be an interrogation, or maybe he will be in court. He didn’t know for sure, but that ignorance no longer frightened him. He will be shot, and if not, then when he gets out he will continue to frame August Scholz. But now for Lina’s death. But what about the fourth player who invited him to cooperate? Will they find him? Or maybe this is the same person as with Friedrich. Walter thought, thought a lot, and, looking at the sun, which so burned his spiritual wounds, he burned like a vampire from the sunlight. Henry was given the task of catching and detaining Frederick. According to the data, he should have been in the office. Heinrich walked with a pistol. Two soldiers walked ahead. He was very worried. You can’t screw it up. Two soldiers broke the door and burst into the office. However, nothing followed. Heinrich was very surprised. Entering the office, he saw a corpse with a bullet in the head. — Crap! — Heinrich swore. — Will there be any orders? — Call and say that this idiot is dead. — Yes! — the soldier ran to the phone. And Heinrich decided to search the office and not in vain; a huge amount of poison was found in the first box. So it’s him. — You to the phone. “I’m coming,” he picked up the phone. — What do you mean, corpse? — Himmler was dumbfounded. — It’s true, Reichsfuehrer. Poison was found in his desk drawer, which means he poisoned those workers. He shot himself, there is no doubt about that. — Take the corpse for examination, and prepare a report yourself, the trial will soon. “Yes, yes,” he hung up and looked into Friedrich’s eyes, they were open. The spectacle was not for the faint of heart. He continued the search. **** The trial is due to take place today. Everyone is waiting for this day with trepidation, especially August. If his innocence is proven, he will be released and he will be able to look at her again. Charlotte hoped so too. She knew that Walter would not argue, he was already backed into a corner, he would just have to lay it all out clean. August was put in order. He was cut, although he never wanted to cut his hair, which had grown to his shoulders and he really liked. However, for ten kisses, August agreed to do it. They also washed him and dressed him in clean clothes. He was as happy as a child. He only began to appreciate it when he went to prison. Still, life brought him down and broke him, but he did not give up. He entered and sat down in his place, next to him, as always, was Charlotte. Today they were dressed the same. Black jackets, white shirts, black trousers. The gloves are leather, Charlotte has red lipstick on her lips, August has a black handkerchief in his pocket. They made it clear with their entire appearance that they were a couple. Also present in the hall were: Eva Bauman, Heinrich Wenger, Walter Sachs. They were on opposite sides of the barricades. They looked at each other, and Charlotte couldn’t believe that this was actually the reality they were in. The trial began, and everyone expected that justice would finally prevail today. The judge entered and the hearing began. The first person called was Heinrich. — Heinrich Wenger, you handled this case after Walter Sachs. — Yes, your honor. — Tell me, have you found out much? — Yes, sure. According to my assumptions, Walter Sachs framed August Scholz and committed the murder of workers in the concentration camp. We also managed to find out that he did not act alone. They helped him. Lina Zaks — she became his wife before her death. — Did she die or was she killed? “He killed her, we don’t know the motives.” There was also Friedrich Lehmann, from whom we found poison. And Eva Bauman, who was blackmailed by Friedrich. She is suspected of espionage and connections with the Russians. — Excuse me, but who does she work for? — the judge was interested. “Approximately, to the NKVD,” the judge was surprised. How does a person who worked in a German organization work for the Russians, and why wasn’t this found out earlier? “Okay, Heinrich, you can sit down,” the man sat down and the next person they asked was Walter. He was called. He stood up and looked at the judge and began to wait for his questions. — Walter Sachs, you are accused of murder. — Yes, I know, your honor. I accept the charges. — Tell me how it all happened. I know there are still some members who are not here. — Yes. This is true. We wanted to get rid of August Scholz because of personal animosity. We agreed with Friedrich that everything would be halved. We thought that if we ordered his murder, it would be too obvious. We decided to set him up. Friedrich learned that his late sister was working in the opposition, this happened on the night of the long knives. We paid her a tidy sum to kill him. And she helped us. However, we didn’t think that August… would kill her first. After this failure, we began to think about how else we could do this. And then we came up with the idea of ​​killing the workers. On the appointed day, we arrived at the construction site and, using forged documents, we were allowed inside; we said that August had sent us to monitor how the construction was going. They even forged a power of attorney, breaking into the office of his secretary Charlotte. They let us in. Then Friedrich distracted the boss, and I added poison. One of the workers saw this. At first we tried to come to an agreement with him, but later we realized that we couldn’t do it. They strangled him with a rope. — Where did you put the poison? — In a container with food, it was lunch just then. — Why did you kill your wife? “I didn’t want her to suffer under investigation, she said many times that she wanted to die, I fulfilled her request. — Continue. “When the workers were dead, we shot everyone and strangled everyone who was still alive and resisted. After everyone was dead, the soldiers pulled the bodies into one pile and we left. We burned the rope. — Okay, but what does Lina Zaks and Eva Bauman have to do with it then? — Eva Bauman. Friedrich blackmailed her with stories that everyone would know that she was from the USSR. She planted the drug on August, and Lina… She completed her mission, she poisoned him. That’s all I wanted to say. “Okay, sit down, Walter,” the judge looked at the documents, sighed, rubbed his forehead and called August next. He stood up and, walking slowly, stood in front of the judge. — August Scholz, tell me, what kind of relationship did you have with Walter and Friedrich? — Bad, we immediately disliked each other. Friedrich envied me because everyone knew his character. And Walter, he was unrequitedly in love with Charlotte and, apparently, this prompted him to do this act. — Tell me, August, have you ever wished death on your sister or them? — No, of course not. I understood that all this was punishable and did not want death. “During my life,” he sighed, “my sister and I were on bad terms, however, I never wished her death.” At all. Never. — The report says you took pills. — Yes, I started taking them exactly when my sister died, because I didn’t think that I would kill her, however, this was my first order. “I see, yes, August, you have become a victim.” And this is sad, sit down. Next and last was Eve. Charlotte could not believe the truth that she was destined to hear, now about her ex-friend. They looked at each other and Charlotte was afraid of what else she might find out about her friends. — Eva Bauman, you are the most mysterious of those here, tell me, what was the use of this and is it true that you work for the Russians? “Eve had never felt the breath of death so close to her, but she frantically tried to pull herself together and start saying at least something. — I was blackmailed. Friedrich Lehmann said that if I followed his orders, no one would know anything, I really thought that would be the case. I… didn’t know that everything would turn out like this. — Do you really work for the Russians? — I …. I …. yes, it’s true,” the whole room was shocked by such a confession. — Tell me, Eva, why did you need August Scholz? — He was responsible for the concentration camps. I had to convey information about this, as well as about Himmler’s actions, they communicated. — So what does Russian intelligence care about this? — the judge tried to extract information from her. The tension was enormous. “They wanted to find out why the Germans were doing this and who was imprisoned there. “You can sit down, everyone else can wait for the court’s verdict.” Eva sat down in her place, and everyone began to wait for the court to make a decision. The judge carefully studied everything for about an hour. After this time, he signed the document that was brought to him. And everyone began to wait for the verdict. — Oberscharführer August Scholz is found not guilty! He is also reinstated in rank and position, while retaining his awards. — Walter Sachs is sentenced to imprisonment in a concentration camp for a period of fifteen years. — Eva Bauman is removed from all posts and must leave the country within three days and sign an undertaking not to return to Germany. For failure to comply with the rules, she faces life imprisonment in a concentration camp. The verdict cannot be appealed, the trial is over! — the judge stood up and left the room. — August, is this true? “I’m free,” Augustus couldn’t believe his ears, he really was freed. “Charlotte, I’m free,” he kissed her. Heinrich approached them. — Congratulations! — He shook hands. — Thank you very much. — You say “thank you” to the management, apparently you are a truly valuable employee. — When can you start work? — I think in a couple of days. “Thank you,” they shook hands again. They walked out of the courtroom, and Charlotte caught Eve, who stood to the side, not believing what was happening. She immediately recoiled when she saw her. - Eva, I came to talk. — You, you ruined our lives with your Augustus. Happy? Well, be with him. “Eve,” Charlotte shouted to her fleeing friend. — Leave her, she chose this path herself. Let’s go, let’s celebrate my exit and return. — Let’s go to. They went downstairs, and Augustus smelled life for the first time in a long time. — Do you mind if I drive? You haven’t driven for a year. “No, I don’t mind,” they sat down and drove off. — Charlotte, tell me, has much changed during the time when I was gone? — I would not say. I heard that new branches of the Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe have now appeared. They are now recruiting there and dividing who will go where. — Seriously? — Yes. “I’ll have to call Jens and Rudolf and ask if they still remained in the SS or if they transferred, and if so, where.” — You will do everything, only, I ask you, after you eat and sleep. “Okay, okay, just, please, don’t fatten me up.” — You’ve lost some weight. “Very funny,” they arrived at her house amid laughter. And entering the entrance, August began to pester. — August, what are you doing, no, you can’t. — Charlotte, tell me, you were waiting for me, weren’t you? “I waited and waited, let’s go home,” they went up the stairs, and upon entering the apartment, Charlotte immediately led him to the kitchen, where the food was already prepared. “Okay, sit down,” she began putting down plates with different foods. August’s eyes widened. He ate everything he saw or whatever seemed more appetizing to him. The sound of a door slamming was heard, which meant that the sister had arrived. — Charlotte, do we have guests? — Agnet walked into the living room and saw August. — August! Have you been released? — Yes, I was released and found innocent. — I’m very happy. — Agnet, can he stay with us today? — Yes, of course you can, have fun. Today I was going to go to my parents, and Franz is having another fun evening, so the apartment is at your disposal. “Thank you,” Augustus looked at Charlotte suggestively. “Fool,” Charlotte threw a towel at him. “Youth” was all Agnet could answer. Eh, I wish she could do the same. After saying goodbye to her sister, Charlotte sat on his lap and hugged him. It seemed barely noticeable to her. She didn’t want to let him go, the hug dragged on, but both felt comfortable. It seemed to her that she would never see him again. August understood that they had no time for sex now, they would have more time. “August, tell me that all this won’t happen again, tell me that now you won’t leave me.” “I can’t promise you, Charlotte, but I can say that I will try.” I don’t know what will happen next, but I think that you will always be with me. But right now it’s too dangerous to be with me, can I ask you to leave for a while? — She pulled away from him. “What do you mean, you think I’ll always be there, you’re not sure about that?” And what does it mean to be dangerous? — Charlotte, it always seems to me that you can leave me, you are like a shadow, it seems to be there, but it is not visible. I’m afraid that one day I might see her dead when I wake up in the morning next to you. Please don’t overreact to this. — August, tell me, don’t you love me? Am I not the most important thing for you? “You are the most important thing to me, I just don’t want to think about the fact that someday we will both fight each other’s demons and lose ourselves.” I do not want to lose you. Today I realized that it is still dangerous with me. And I cannot find myself, and so that our love does not become the subject of my destruction, I ask you to leave. — August, are you asking to leave? I’ve been by your side all this time and this is your gratitude? — No. You can leave here somewhere. I will be near. Always and everywhere, and I don’t want to put you in danger. When I stand on my feet, and not a single enemy of mine dares to look at me, then we can be together,” she stood up and walked away from him. “August, I won’t leave,” she screamed. — Charlotte, understand, until I deal with them all, I ask you. “No,” she began to cry. — no no no. “Charlotte, I love you, that’s why I ask you to leave,” August was at the limit, he was afraid, very much afraid for her. He began to approach her. However, she backed away. She went to her room, finally saying: — If you want me to leave, I will leave. But I’m unlikely to return as early as you think. — Understand, I love you, that’s why I want to save your life. — And if you die, have you thought what it will be like for me?! — No. — That’s right, you didn’t think about me. “Charlotte,” he grabbed her by the shoulders, looked into her eyes and kissed her, hugging her. She resisted, but realized that it would be difficult to convince him. She pushed him away and went to her room. He didn’t even try to stop her, he stood in the middle of the room and thought, did he do the right thing and did he have to do this to save the two of them and their love? Out of despair, he sat down to write her a letter, which he intended to deliver tomorrow. It was night, the time and thoughts were most suitable. He sat down and began to write a lot. Everything that was on his soul this year. “Dear Charlotte, I know that you will probably read this letter while on the train, but I want to tell you one thing: no matter what you do and no matter what decision you make, I still love you. And I will love. I realized one thing while sitting in prison: our life is like a dream. Good and evil, love and hate, over time all this disappears without a trace. We are accustomed to the fact that everything always stands firmly on its feet and nothing disappears or breaks. We were taught from childhood that good triumphs over evil. However, in this life everything turned out to be far from being like in fairy tales. Dear Charlotte, I love you and I want to say that I will always wait for you in Germany, all my life. I will be true to you, I will be true to my choice. I realized one thing, I am an angry person. But I’m your man. Only you can tame me and at least somehow keep me within limits. And, no matter how monster I am, for you I will always be different. Perhaps your love makes me like this. And I’m glad about it. I am unarmed against you and do not have the slightest chance of winning. I hate everything about myself and drown in hatred, but you are beautiful, like a dream that I fell into by accident. I’ll be waiting for you. There’s a gift inside for you, Charlotte Scholz. Happy birthday. Your August.” Having written a letter, he lit a cigarette and began to remember the kindest and brightest memories with her. **** Charlotte was standing at the station, about to leave for France. How long she would be there and when she would be ready to show herself to August again, she did not know. She knew one thing, she would not stop loving him. Perhaps he is right and they really have a lot to understand? And in order not to expose herself to danger, she needs to leave. They said goodbye in a hurry, he handed her a letter and told her to open it for her birthday, after which he left without looking back. She stood and looked after him. It was raining today. She, hearing that the train was leaving, ran to him. She hoped that he would see her off. She looked for him with her eyes, but never found him, however, she did not know that he was standing in the rain and looking after her. And his heart was bleeding from separation.