Berlin blood

The man sat with glassy eyes and now looked at the corpse of his friend. Now only in memories will he remain so alive and so young. Paul covered his eyes and sat down in his place. The clock showed half past two. Dawn is coming soon. He looks at Wilke and Julian. Now we need to deal with them. Grab your pistol and move to the side. He can try this option, but Julian is faster than him and sits in a more advantageous position — Paul will not have time. — What do you say now, gentlemen? — Paul leans back and lights a cigarette, his head spinning. “I have no reason to be here anymore.” I completed the task, but I can’t just pick up and go home: the roads are dug up, there’s fighting everywhere, and I don’t want to get under open fire, and you won’t want to leave me alive, and it’s unlikely that you, Mr. Wilke, occupy a high position to the Gestapo, you can leave here. It’s a matter of time. We have lured ourselves into a trap. No one will be alive today. — Julian, tell me what they promised you? You are similar to Moritz: both are the same naive people who believe in the justice of this world. — To me? Yes, I admit, I am also corrupt. I’m a traitor. I am a sailor who escaped from a ship. — And how exactly did you do it? I’m just curious. Paul and Wilke look with interest. “I opened the hatch of the boat when we were just going down, and it sank. — Tell me, why did you need this? Well, I would only drown myself, why drag along people who were also drawn into this out of ignorance? “I didn’t want there to be survivors.” They would blame me for this. I didn’t want witnesses. I wanted to get out of the game, I just wanted to get out of the war and that’s all. I would not have been given a resignation just like that, only posthumously, and I decided that it would be better for everyone. But everyone died except me. — And then they promised you sweet gingerbread? Like, if you kill Moritz, you will have life? What a fool. — Paul lets out steam from his mouth. “You were promised something completely different from what will happen.” You go back to Germany and show Moritz’s picture, and they’ll put you back behind bars. How old are you? — Twenty two. — Twenty-two… You are so young and should enjoy life. How did you get stuck in this darkness? Do you know what will happen next? — he leans towards the guy and, looking into his eyes, utters the bitter truth: — They will kill you with a bullet in the forehead, before you even have time to show them a photo, because there are plenty of people like you. Do you think that one wanted to get out of the war and end it at least for himself? No, there are thousands like you and they are all in the next world. I am alive—for now—an example of what happens when you want to quit the game. Do you know why they are chasing me? You both wondered this question. “Because you know valuable information,” Wilke interrupted. — No, that’s far from why. I only know what the captain needs to know. I’m in good standing with the top guys, and they’ve told me some secrets. I am an enemy and a persecuted soldier. I have no homeland and I don’t know what I’m fighting for. And do you know when this happened? When I’m lost. The information was needed when Germany did not completely lose the war, but now it has no meaning, nothing will happen from its disclosure. — He points to Moritz. -After losing him… What’s the point of fighting if you’re alone? What to fight for? For illusions or for everything that we humans have come up with? — Why not? “Everything we came up with — money, diamonds, weapons, diplomacy — was invented only to protect those we love. When a person cannot do this and his love is killed, he becomes a monster. This is where wars and bloodshed come from, this is why people kill each other. And, of course, politics. Where would we be without her? “So you ran away,” Wilke enters into the conversation again. — Yes, I ran away. Think what you want, but this is the honest truth: I ran away, damn it, I just ran away and, without telling anyone, I found my love. That’s all. What’s the point? Don’t you both understand where this is going? — We understand, but… — What is the “but”? Don’t tell me that you are going to defend the rotten regime that is in the country now, a man who will meet death in a little more time? — Do not say that. If it comes down to it, we’re all traitors here. — And you too, Wilke? — Yes, me too. I just served in the Gestapo and solved cases, but the last time it seemed worse than death to me. So cold and dark, in my heart I am for peace, but not at such a price. It cannot be built by the bloodshed of normal people. Peace is possible only if the crazy people who harm society are disadvantaged, even though they are the balance, and everything in this world is for a reason, but still… “Maybe you’re right, but the question is different: will we live to see that time?” What will the world be like, and will an even more brutal government take their place? — No, he won’t come. — Julian pulled up a chair. “Humanity will enter a new era, and everything will be different, but we will no longer decide anything: we will watch out this life and, perhaps, rejoice in the fact that we live at this particular time.” “Perhaps you’re right, and now, sitting here in France, on the outskirts of this church, we are simply watching life without participating in it,” Wilke reflected. — So who has less to lose in this life? — Paul asked. — What a fool… we are the same, right? — Wilke asked. — Oh, Wilke, you won’t be allowed into the Gestapo again. How can you not understand? — And why is that? “They sent you as a scapegoat,” Julian took out a pistol and aimed at his head, and Paul did the same. Plans have changed. Since no one comes out alive, then he is no exception. He is the same abandoned person as Paul and Wilke. “Gentlemen, I wouldn’t rush so much, after all, we haven’t finished,” Wilke tried to gain time. — Now it’s time. Sorry, Wilke. I think it will be better for you. Before he could say a word, Wilke received a bullet in the head from Julian, but Paul did not even remove the safety.