Meet Me in the Dark

Forbidden love between a German girl and American soldier.

The only sound that echoed on the cold, white streets of Donaueschingen that twilit evening was the gray soldiers' marching feet; the steady rhythm of their feet crunching in the snow haunted the town day and night.

Above, the windows were all covered, people hidden away behind them. Only a single, white curtain was shifted to the side, an ocean-blue eye peeking out, transfixed.

“Anneliese. Get away this moment.” A voice hissed from behind the young woman, and an arm pulled her back. A hand slapped her across her face.

Anneliese looked up at the woman's angry expression. “Yes, mama,” she murmured, her cheek stinging.

Her mother tugged on her roughly, taking her further away from the window- and her secret.

“You stay away from the windows. You might attract unwanted attention from the American's.”

Anneliese bit her lip, keeping her eyes pasted to the dark, dusty floor. “Yes, mama.”

The woman looked at her, and her face softened. She placed her hands gently on her daughter's shoulders. “I just don't want you getting hurt, darling. You are so beautiful, I couldn't stand it if...” she looked towards the window, Anneliese still avoiding to look at her mother, scared of what her eyes might give away.

“Yes, mama. I understand, mama.”

“Good, darling, good. This war has brought no good to our little town. No good. Come, darling, it's time to sleep.” Her mother led her to the small bedroom, and shut the door firmly. Anneliese crawled into the cot in the corner and pulled up the old blue blanket that did everything except shut out the cold.

And she waited.

The house had been silent for several hours by the time she crept out of the bed. Wincing at each creak in the floor and squeak of a door, Anneliese made her way down the stairs and out of the house. The dark shadows of the night hid her small frame as she walked quickly past the houses.

Her heart was a drum, and the drumsticks were made of fear and excitement. Passing the graveyard, she was sure the pounding would wake the spirits of the dead.

Once she reached the forest relief flooded her. She began running through the trees as quickly as she could go without tripping. Soon Anneliese could here the sound of the Danube river rushing over the rocks, and then it came into view. The little moonlight that had made it's way through the trees reflected on the water and lit up the creek. When she had been a child, her mother had described it as a faerie haunt. Anneliese could almost believe it every time she set foot there.

She waited, anxiety prickling at her spine. Each second was drawn into a minute, each minute into an hour, until she finally heard footsteps coming towards her. She held her breath, her heart stopping

“I didn't think you would come.” A man stepped into view, dark haired, handsome. He spoke English. Anneliese's mother had taught her a bit, so she understood most of what he was saying. “I didn't know if you could.”

“I...snuck outside, when no person.... was awake.” Anneliese spoke haltingly, trying to remember the lessons.

“I was scared you wouldn't. When I saw you on the streets, though, I knew I had to see you. I knew I had to talk to you. I knew I had to... to know you. It's hard to explain, I just... know.”

Anneliese thought he was talking very fast, and had trouble keeping up. When he paused, she nodded silently.

He looked at her, brown eyes shining. “You are so beautiful, so... I can't explain it, I just... can we meet again? I can't stay long tonight, I have night shift, but, please. Let me see you again? How about tomorrow night?”

Anneliese nodded again, the prospect of another secret rendezvous exciting her, “Yes,” she murmured, “I would like that very much.”
He grinned. “Good. I will see you tomorrow night, in this same place, then.” He leaned forward, and planted a kiss on her cheek. Anneliese jumped backwards, surprised, and, laughing, the American soldier began walking away. Before disappearing into the forest, he looked back. “Oh, and I'm John, by the way. And you are..?”

“Anneliese,” she called to him. “Anneliese Marina Neinhaus.”

John nodded, and vanished into the dark.

Standing there, shocked and numb, Anneliese placed a hand onto her cheek, and smiled.

December 1942

“Merry Christmas, Doll!” John ran up to Anneliese and pulled her into a hug.

Anneliese laughed. “Merry Christmas!” Her eyes sparked with excitement. “I have something for you!”

John tapped her nose with his finger. “You didn't need to get anything for me!”

She stepped away and walked over, to pick up a small package she had set by a rock. She turned around to see John also holding out a little box as well.
“And don't you say I didn't need to get anything for you, I did.”

Anneliese laughed. “Isn't that a bit hypocritical of you?”

“Hypocritical? Your English is improving.”

She smiled and walked over to him once more. “I have a good teacher.”

John chuckled. “I admit, I am pretty great.”

Anneliese held out his present, handing it to him. “You open mine first!” she said in childish excitement.

John laughed and took it. “Alright, then.” He opened the package and pulled out an old watch, the yellow face of it clicking away the time.

“It was my father's, before he died. It's nothing big, but...” Anneliese was quick to explain.

John shook his head. “Anneliese, I love it.” He slipped it into his pocket. “It's from you, therefore it's the best gift I could receive. Now, you open yours.”

Anneliese carefully tore off the brown paper and pulled out a box. She looked at him, laughing. “You got me a box?” she teased.

John took the box. “No, silly. Now, close your eyes.”

She did so, and soon felt a cold chain fall around her neck.

“You can open your eyes now.”

Anneliese did so, and looked down at the necklace he had put on her. It was a thin metal chain, with a single charm- a deep blue sapphire teardrop.

“It's beautiful...” she whispered, looking at him.
“So you like it? I got it because I thought it went with your eyes... I'm not an expert in jewelry...”

“Oh, John, I love it,” she insisted, letting go of the sapphire to put her hands around his neck, and kiss him.

“But not as much as I love you.”

January 1943

“I think my mother suspects something...” Anneliese whispered as she met John's arms.

He looked at her. “You didn't say anything, did you?”

“No, no, I did not.” she shook her head. “But she knows I'm hiding something from her.”

John thought for a moment. “I think my unit is suspicious as well. They...” he grinned sheepishly. “They caught me looking up at your window. And then saw me looking at you when you were at the market.”

Anneliese frowned, worried. “You can't bring attention to this.” She pulled him closer to her, scared to let go. “Please, if they took you away...I'd... I'd...”

“Shhh, Doll. You don't need to worry. If they ask me if I know you, I'll deny any relationship to you.” He placed a finger on her chin. “I'd lie to my own Captain for you. I'd lie to my parents. I'd lie to anyone.”

Anneliese sighed. “We can't do this forever. Someone will find out and-”

“The war won't go on forever, dear. But for now we just need to keep our eyes down and not tell a soul of this. It will be over soon, and everything will be all right,” John comforted her.

Anneliese nodded, but still remained looking worried and hopeless.

John grinned suddenly. “What about taking a dip in the river? Sound fun?” He released her and stepped towards the water.

“John, John! We'll freeze to death!” Anneliese's voice was filled with laughter, John having been successful in cheering her up.

John grinned as he pulled his shirt over his shoulders, tossing it onto the melting snow. He looked at Anneliese. “Correction, only I will freeze to death. You don't have to jump in the water if you don't want to.”

She crossed her arms. “No, because I'll have to jump in to save you, and we'll both be stuck.”

John soon stood there in only his shorts. He looked at Anneliese. “Don't worry, Doll. I won't let you drown.” He walked towards the river, the moonlight shining on his well-defined stomach. Anneliese ran after him. “John, please!”

He looked at her, a wolfish grin meeting his lips. “Please? Alright, then.” He stepped towards her, and wrapped his bare arms around her. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek against his chest. “Thank you.”

“Oh, you are very welcome.” Suddenly, John bent down and swept her off her feet, picking her up. He dashed towards the river, and jumped in. The dark, freezing water of the Danube, only made colder by the night, swirled around them. Anneliese let go of John in shock, and the current caught her and pulled her away. Her head emerged for a moment, enough time for her call out “John,” before going under again. The water became darker than black, and she could no longer feel the coldness.

Arms wrapped around her, and brought her up. She huddled in John's grasp, shivering, wet.

John stroked his fingers through her light hair. “Shhh, Doll. It's alright.”

She clasped her hands around him. “Never let me go.”

He pressed his lips against her forehead. “Anneliese. Darling, I will never let you go.”

February 1943

Anneliese stepped into the clearing by the river, surprised to see John, as she was always the first there. The expression on his face panicked her, and she ran towards him. He enveloped her in his hold and kissed her.

“Something is wrong,” breathed Anneliese, her forehead touching his.

“Yes, Doll. There is.” John forced a smiled onto his face. “But it's not that bad. Things will be all right, I promise.”

“What is it?” she whispered, intertwining her fingers into his. “Please, tell me.”

“I have to go fight. The German army is coming down here to try and win over the town. But I'll return, Doll.”

“John, you will come back.” Anneliese looked at him. “Listen to me, I've been saving my money. I think in a month I'll have enough for a boat ride to America.”

John smiled, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “Doll, that's great! I think the war will soon be over, and I'll come for you, and then you can live with me, and...” he looked at her. “Anneliese, will you marry me?”

She stopped breathing, caught by surprise. But then, slowly, she nodded. “Yes. Yes!” She laughed, and reached up on her toes to kiss him.

“Then we will leave, and never look back,” he murmured. “We will go to America and get married and have a family.”

Anneliese looked him in the eye. “Promise? Do you promise that we will be together?”

He pushed away a few strands of her straw hair. “I promise.”

March 1943

Anneliese stared into the river's dark waves, her heart feeling dead and heavy.

The American soldiers had returned that morning, tired, less numerous, but victorious. Anneliese had searched them once, twice, three times. Maybe he was playing a trick, she thought, Maybe he is waiting by the river, ready to sweep me away from this dreadful place, she thought.

No.

He was not there.

He was nowhere.

It was a new moon; the river held none of the enchanting glow it had during her secret meetings with John. The magic had left with John.

Why is it so dark? She shivered in her nightgown. She hadn't bothered to change- no one would be here to see her. To hold her. And why is it so cold?

Does this always happen when someone dies?

He had promised they would be together, and Anneliese knew they would be. She would not let him break the promise he had made, and it was in her hands to help him keep it.

Anneliese slid off her shoes, setting them by the shore.

“Meet me in the dark,” she whispered, closing her eyes, holding the sapphire tightly in one hand. She stepped into the black water, and let the waves wash her back to John.

Reviews

[Marie]

Oh dear, how sad. I was so hoping there would be a happy ending, but war always brings tragedy. This is well written, but you need to check your apostrophes