War Torn

As usual, it was a very beautiful morning in the little village of Bregenz, north of the Austrian Alps. The huge mountains standing majestically with snow lines gracing their tops was an ever-pleasant scenery. Pleasant enough to make you forget that half your country is involved in a war which the chances of winning becomes slimmer day by day. It’s 1917 and the war which “will end soon” is beginning to seem like forever. Of course, everyone was excited when the war first broke out. “That scummy Serbia must pay for what they did to our prince” they all shouted in massive protest. Hopes where high, it’s a little country that could fit into Austria-Hungary seven times and still have space to accommodate another half. Unfortunately, no one could predict that Serbia wasn’t alone. In a short space of time, almost all of Europe were involved in the war and America was about having a taste of the action. The Austria-Hungary monarchy couldn’t bear the full weight so they let Germany spear-head the war. They had no experience in running wars anyway. By this time, everyone in the country was exhausted with the “cowardly” tactic of trench warfare that dominated most of the war. Food supplies where low, the economy had plummeted and even worse, they were being humiliated by the “puny Serbia”. They had asked the mighty Germany to help them take care of the “big boys” of the war such as UK, France and Russia. That left them with majorly Serbia and Italy. The plan earlier was to defeat Serbia and invade Italy, but they had not overcome the simple task of Serbia and Germany watched in disbelief. The shame probably destroyed the army faster than firepower and the overstretched German army had to intervene.

This peaceful village at the border of Germany and protected by the huge Alpine mountains however, were untouched for most of the war. A few miles nearby the village was a little shack that housed three orphaned teens. The oldest, Lukas, was 19, the responsible young boy had raised his two siblings since they lost their parents in a flu outbreak when he was 14. With no relatives he knew of, he took over the herding business of the family. Rearing three dozen stubborn goats was no easy job. Luckily, he had the equally stubborn Klaus to help him out. Klaus was two years younger but more rugged, so it was easy for Lukas to focus more on rearing and shearing sheep. The money acquired from those proceedings was what they used to cater for their youngest sister Helga. They lived mostly in isolation and Helga had to make friends with the farm animals. However, she detested having to spend time with her “friends” only to find them on the dining table the next evening. “Life is cruel” Klaus often laughed, then the gentle Lukas will take his time to explain to her the cycle of life, at least to preserve her from becoming “heartless” like Klaus. Helga being raised by these two “fathers” had a mixed personality. She had the rugged, lion-like determination and courage of Klaus as well as the calm and intellectual personality of Lukas. She was pretty contented with her life. Lukas on the other hand, kept worrying about the education of his siblings. Since mam and papa died, he had to self-educate himself with mum’s library of books. Forcing Klaus was not easy, but he managed to give them a satisfactory level of academic knowledge, but his major desire was to send them back to school. Everyday he wished for them to one day have a fulfilled life just as mum and dad had wished. Klaus enjoyed goat herding by the way, he seemed to share with them an obvious thing in common which he couldn’t point out. He had decided to remain a mountain boy for the rest of his life. Helga knew she didn’t have the best things in life but she was glad she had her brothers. With them, she was okay with whatever life may throw at them.

Like the rest of the town, all three were oblivious of the war that that was ravaging Europe. Lukas had read about it in the bits of papers that littered the village while he went to make sales at the market, but never paid much attention to it. Like the mistake everyone at that time made, he did not see a big deal in it. That was about to change.

“I have no knowledge about the law, but I am sure you have no right being here” Klaus confronted Captain Heinz of the 45^th German platoon. They were on their way from Munich to reinforce an infantry unit northwest of France. At this point of the war Germany was significantly short of men and the government knew the earlier they put an end to this war the better. Heinz had murmured to his superiors that the 125 men he had were not enough. The superiors seemed unmoved, that was all they had. After ridding the German streets of able young men 17 and above, they therefore entertained the idea of visiting nearby villages and recruiting young boys by force and the village of Bregenz, though Austrian, was not left out. Lukas came right in time, and of course began with a civilized approach rather than the demeaning welcome of his rather crude brother.

“Pardon my brother’s behavior sir. But may we know why you are here?” asked Lukas.

“I like you. You are straightforward, and I will be therefore straight with you. You and your brother here are coming with us. We need men for a challenging battle in France.”

“But we are not soldiers. And we didn’t apply for it.” Lukas said.

“Wasn’t asking” Captain Heinz interrupted. “Both of you are coming with me, your opinion doesn’t matter at this point.”

“But we are not even German.” Klaus protested.

“Austrian, German… it doesn’t matter we are on the same side. Hell, Germany has no reason to be in this war in the first place. You dragged us into this.” Heinz continued.

“What do you mean we dragged you into this” Klaus asked confused.

“He means our country” Lukas explained.

“Which means it’s an obligation to go?” Klaus asked sarcastically.

“Which means you have no choice” the captain replied.

“It’s either you come with us or we burn this shed to the ground. We are authorized to do what we are doing.” He continued.

“Sir our sister is just 13, she can’t stay on her own” begged Lukas.

“Leave her with her mother or someone”

“We are orphans and we have no relatives” Klaus replied almost angrily.

“Well, am sorry, life is cruel” replied Captain Heinz. For the first time Klaus knew what it meant to be on the receiving end of that statement.

“Better still, I’ll go only so my brother can take care of our sister” Lukas said selflessly. As much as Klaus hated to be portrayed as the wimp, he can’t help but agree with such a reasonable suggestion, at least for Helga’s sake.

“It’s two of you and we need more if we can find. Your sister will be fine. You’ll return after the battle. But both of you must come with us now.” Captain Heinz insisted.

“We don’t even know how to use that stick in your hand” Klaus said pointing at the rifle in the captain’s hand.

“Oh…the rifle? It’s in every man’s instinct. You will know when you are in the battlefield.” Heinz replied.

All Helga could do was watch in tears as her brothers bid her farewell promising her their return. She knew she might probably not see them again. Lukas and Klaus packed up a few clothes and some food. One thing was clear in their minds. They were not fighting because they cared about the country or it’s monarchs, but for the well being of their sister. They couldn’t imagine Helga’s life without them.

Helga sat down crying as she watched the two people she ever knew slip out of her life, possibly forever. Where do I go on from here? What about the herd? Are they ever coming back? All were questions she had no answer to. After much deliberation, she decided to take the most drastic action she had ever taken. She would follow them. Immediately, she ran towards their route chasing after their convoy, she knew the mountains like the back of her hand, it was the shortest way to get to them. At the back of the convoy a truck followed closely with food supplies and ammunition. The perfect place to hide. The first step however, was to create a distraction. The Alpine mountains were common for avalanches, a little distortion can cause great destruction. Helga was able to carry out her plan successfully. As the platoon had to spend time clearing the path for their heavy vehicles, it was enough for Helga to sneak into one of the trucks. Soon enough the truck continued its journey to its destination.

It was going to be long ride so Helga should probably enjoy it. She kept wondering why humans will develop such sophisticated weaponry to destroy fellow men. “Can’t they just talk it out?” she wondered. By her leg was a heavy M2 machine gun, capable of firing bullets larger than her head, she thought. She kept exploring the truck and finally stumbled on a crate containing gas masks. She played with it for a while, but then a fascinating product caught her eye. It was an aerosol containing a liquid. “Could it be water?” There was only one way to find out. A few sprays and she felt a nauseous feeling and passed out.

Helga awoke with vibrating sounds and loud blazes. She took a leap out of the truck and there she was, at no man’s land caught in heavy fire between two trenches. Horrified, she hid herself under the truck. It wasn’t definitely a relief for her. Explosions rocked everywhere in no man’s land, bullets blazing around from left to right. The opposing trenches surrounded their trenches with barbed wire. Germany was meant to be on the offensive. Captain Heinz had reasoned a ridiculous idea of overrunning the trenches with his supply trucks. He had to think out of the box, since he was low on live bodies. The plan failed woefully however, and the inevitable challenge of running over the enemy trench stared them in the face.

“Charge!” Heinz ordered. The first wave easily got decimated by the opposing enemy. The second wave went and it was even worse. Heinz, not ready to risk any more lives ordered a retreat. As they prepared to run out of the trenches, Klaus received the most unbelievable shock of his life.

“What is Helga doing here?” he wondered in horror. The enemy soldiers seeing the Germans fleeing their trenches decided to charge. Klaus had no choice but to run in opposite direction. He had to save his sister at all cost. Lukas being very observant noticed Klaus abnormal sense of direction and he too found out the horrible reason why. With all his speed, Klaus ran towards the truck to meet Helga. In front of them was the emerging army about to crush them any minute. They both couldn’t run back; they wouldn’t make it. The only way Klaus knew was to buy Helga a time of escape by mounting the machine gun at the beside the truck and opening fire.

“Helga run; I’ll hold them off.”

“I am not going without you” Helga cried.

“Only one of us can make it out of here, and it has to be you” Klaus pleaded.

After much persuasion and a tearful goodbye, she made for it. Klaus opened fire and kept the enemy at bay for a short period of time, before being overrun by the enemy forces.

Lukas grabbed the slow-paced Helga in his arms and began fleeing for their life. Luckily, Heinz wasn’t stupid enough to make use of all the supply trucks. The heavily depleted soldiers got on the truck. But before Lukas could get in, he received fire from the back. Two deep shots at his spine and it was clear he wasn’t going to make it. Guilt couldn’t allow Captain Heinz leave without at least rescuing the injured Helga. He succeeded and they drove out of the battlefield.

Heinz felt very bad at what his selfishness had done to a 13-year-old girl and the only family she had. He decided to make it his responsibility in ensuring that Helga lives a better life afterwards.