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Luckily, Oscar’s
reaction was as good as ever. The same time the soldier shot his rifle,
Oscar shot hers and managed to throw herself to the side at the same
time. The soldier fell.
ALAIN Commander! Andre is shot!
Oscar
turned around in disbelief. The little bit of information spread slowly
in her mind until she could imagine its full meaning and consequences.
Even in Andre’s face she could see the astonishment about it. She
couldn’t move for she felt her heart would stop when this
situation turned out to be real… Why- why did he always have to
be so close to her? If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been
injured, she thought. But Oscar knew that nobody could have been blamed for it. It came too sudden.
Tears
slowly made their way to her eyes while she still couldn’t move.
She watched him how he made some steps towards her, still with this
surprise in his eyes, and then fell on his knees. Finally, Oscar
kneeled down before him, to help him up, but how could she? She would
have given everything to save him, to take this pain away, but it was
impossible. Her helplessness hit her hard and it made her furious.
Andre
was taken on top of a horse and they broke the siege with Oscar, who
didn’t fear anything or anyone with Andre’s life being in
danger. Her determination impressed even her men, who shot the soldiers
one after another without any hesitation or fear. Oscar ran through a shower of bullets. She wouldn’t let Andre die right now!
When they arrived at Tuileries Square,
where people had built up barriers, the hope had left her. The only
thing she felt was a great sadness although she still couldn’t
believe that all this happened to them and she recognized that she
yielded to despair.
The
doctors gave him up soon as they recognized that the bullet had passed
straight through his heart. They weren’t able to do anything for
him. For Oscar it
wasn’t a wonder that he was still alive, but a mercy that she
could talk to him a last time… Tears ran down her cheeks.
Andre reached out for her to wipe off her tears, but felt a strange weakness. Oscar
took his hand, which began to tremble slightly. He remembered being
wounded, but the pain had become less and had almost disappeared. He
couldn’t see much, but Oscar
was near him and so he knew everything would be fine. She was the only
one he could see, a tall figure with a golden ray/gleam around her.
Nobody was there anymore but Oscar and he could feel her presence with all his senses. It made him happy to have her near him, but…
ANDRE What's wrong, Oscar? Why do you cry?
Oscar tried hard to sound as calm as ever, but the tears nearly choked her. Still she wanted to keep Andre
calm. He should forget about the pain. She sobbed unwillingly. He was
going to die and she couldn’t do anything but wait.
OSCAR I don’t cry, these are rather tears of joy you see. I have only one wish, Andre.
When this battle is over, I wish you to take me to a small church
somewhere in the countryside and marry me. And promise before God that
you make me your wife.
ANDRE Of course. I'll do that, Oscar. I will. But...Oscar, why- Why are you crying? Am I... dying now?
OSCAR What are you saying, Andre!? You won’t die. Not yet.
ANDRE That's right. It can't be. Everything is starting now. The love between you and me...
And the dawn of the new age... Everything begins... I can't die at a time like this! Not now and not some when later…
Andre realized he was going to die. His childhood dream to save Oscar’s
life for his own had become true and therefore he wasn’t sad at
all. But there was still so much he wanted to tell Oscar,
that he had had no chance to say yet… He feared to leave her
behind. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but then his body
resisted. A single tear escaped from his eye when Andre felt his heart stop.
OSCAR When we were in Arras, we saw a sunrise together. Let's see that sunrise again, Andre. That beautiful sunshine...together...
Feeling the blessing of being born, to meet each other, and to live for each other…
Then
Oscar realized that he was dead, his eyes both opened wide, as if he
was looking far away, as if his soul had left this world… His smile was forever gone.
Stars were falling at the sky which had turned darker, but there was nothing Oscar desired anymore. Every wish, every single thought of hope had disappeared with the man she loved.
OSCAR Andre!!! Are you leaving me behind?
She
fell down on her knees and wished to turn mad. She thought her heart
would burst into pieces, but still she was alive and had to bear a life
without him…
Andre's
body was placed in a small church near the square along with the bodies
of the companymen and citizens who died in the battle during the day.
Oscar still sat in front of the little church when Alain looked for her. He wrapped her in his cape.
ALAIN It's getting cold tonight. Commander, I'm not saying this just to comfort you, but Andre was a lucky guy. You at least returned his love. Cheer up!
OSCAR Alain, wait. You take command of our troop from now on. I... I don't think I'll be able to lead everyone.
ALAIN Stop that, Oscar!
Alain got ordering. He remembered well his sadness when his sister and mother had died, but he wouldn’t let Oscar give up right now. If he could manage all this, Oscar could also. His voice sounded cold when he spoke, but tears were in his eyes. It was the first time he called her by her name.
ALAIN Nothing
might be comparable to your deep grief, but you're not the only one
whose heart bleeds. But life goes on. Please show up in front of
everybody by the morning.
Choices:
Alain leaves fast for not
seeing her tears…
Alain leaves slowly... |
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