Star Crossed Enemies

Chapter 12

 Mark woke up half an hour before dawn. He stood up and peeked through the cracks of the boarded window. Snow covered the dark ground, and the shadows of trees made the scene seem eerie. He stood up and buttoned up his white shirt. After making sure everything was packed, he tiptoed out of his room and into the living room. He sat on the couch and stared into the darkness. 

Never did he imagine he would find himself in the situation he was in now. Saving a Jew from her family and his own Reich. Something came over him. All he could think of now was making sure Hazel was safe. The feeling to protect her consumed him more with each passing day. He sighed, trying to think back to what started it all. 

All he could think of was her fear-stricken eyes when he attempted to leave the cottage and her plea to give her time to prepare for her ultimate death. That shook him to his core. But something told him that his "old" self wouldn't have blinked an eye with such a plea. This was more complicated than a change of heart. 

A few minutes before dawn, he heard a bedroom door open and close. Hazel's dark figure walked in the living room. He listened to her gasp as she walked in.

"Sorry, it's just me," he murmured.

She put a hand on her chest and put her bag on the floor. 

"I want to apologize if I seemed a bit edgy last night. So much was happening at one time," she whispered.

"There's no need to apologize. I was in my uniform yesterday. You had every right to be frightened. It's now packed away in my bag."

"Why do you have to take it?"

"If the Germans searched the home and found my uniform, they would suspect that your family killed a German officer. If anything, I will also have more leverage with this uniform."

Hazel pulled the curtain back on the window, revealing beams of sunlight and the glittering snow-covered ground. She turned around and said hurriedly, "I'm going to say goodbye to Helen."

Mark nodded and watched Hazel retreat back to the hallway. Helen's soft snoring came to a stop as he heard their conversation with one another.

"Wh–What?" asked Helen sleepily.

"We're about to go."

"Oh, yes. Take care, okay? Try to keep in touch after the war. It will eventually end."

"I will. Watch over Mama, will you?" 

"Sure, honey? Let me talk to Mark for a moment."

Hazel walked back in the living room and whispered, "Mark, she wants to talk to you."

Mark stood up and walked past Hazel. He stepped to Helen's dark room and stood at the doorway. 

"Shut the door, please," said Helen.

Mark did as he was told and walked closer to Helen's bed, seeing her dark figure sitting up facing him.

"I appreciate all that you've done for Hazel. But, if I find out this is all a hoax and that something horrendous happened to her, I will find you. I will kill you myself. Understand?" she hissed.

Mark stared at her shadowed face and nodded amused by her boldness. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I hope everything turns out okay."

Mark nodded and left the room. He knew the older woman meant every word she said. He put on a thick brown coat over his white shirt before picking up his bag. He watched Hazel put on her gloves glancing around the room as if she was trying to remember every little detail before she left. She picked up her bag and nodded to him that she was ready. He opened the front door letting the cold morning air hit his face. He shivered and held the door wider for Hazel to step through the door first. 

"Which way?" she asked, crunching through the freshly fallen snow.

"Straight ahead," he said as he shut the door.

"To the road?" 

He nodded and led the way. He walked out on the empty street and turned to the right as he did yesterday.

"I found you in this exact spot," said Hazel behind him.

Mark turned around and saw Hazel had stopped on the side of the road. She was staring at the ground as if he was still there. 

"I never expected my life to turn upside down by a split second decision," she mumbled, keeping her eyes downcast.

Mark felt a pang of guilt with her words. He sighed and replied, hoping to relieve the tension in the air, "I was thinking yesterday how much has changed since then. I am leaving a different person."

Hazel looked up and nodded in agreement to Mark's surprise. He turned back around and started to walk again with Hazel right behind him. It was time to leave all that behind him. After ten minutes of walking in silence, a car drove by and stopped a few feet from them. An old man stuck his head out.

"Do both of you need a ride?" 

"If you don't mind," answered Mark.

"You're going to have to ride in the back. I have a package for the missus that takes up all the room up here."

"That's fine."

Mark opened the back door for Hazel to step in first. 

"Thanks so much," said Mark, sliding in next to Hazel.

"No problem. I'm stopping at Bremen."

"Perfect," answered Mark.

"So, where are you two heading?"

"France, to see our parents."

The man looked at them again and stared at Hazel. She looked down, knowing her dark hair and hazel eyes were extremely different from Mark's very light features. 

"Well, if you must know, my mother was not the most faithful wife. My sister's father was from Spain," said Mark as he ruffled Hazel's locks. 

The man nodded in embarrassment and continued to drive.

"I have to stop by the town coming up and get a few things. It won't take long."

Mark saw Hazel's hands clench into fists from fear. The town soon came to view. The same town he visited yesterday. The man parked the car at the building on the far end and slowly walked inside. Mark glanced at Hazel noticing her breaths were coming in choppy. 

"Hazel, don't hyperventilate."

"Something isn't right. He knows something isn't right. What if we get caught? What will happen to me? What will happen to you?"

Mark grabbed his bag and dug towards the bottom. He pulled out a brown package and ripped it open, revealing his gray uniform inside. 

"What are you doing?"

"Changing," he said as he threw his coat off and started to put on the uniform.

Hazel turned her face away, feeling her cheeks flame. As she heard his belt buckle, the heat rose over her face intensely. 

"Change of plans. You are coming with me," said Mark as he threw his other clothes in the bag. 

"What?!?!"

"You are too afraid of being captured, and I fear for both of us if I don't get more information about the current state of travel from my friend here. You are coming with me to the Nazi headquarters as my girlfriend."

Mark watched as her eyes widened in panic-stricken fear. The little color to her cheeks started to fade by the millisecond.

"No, no, no. I cannot possibly....."

"Yes, you will. Remain calm. Put on that gorgeous smile and follow me. No one will question me. Everyone thinks the world of me because of this," said Mark as he pointed at the Knight's Cross.

Mark took Hazel's shaky hand and led her out of the car. He looked through the windows of the brick building to see the driver was speaking to a Nazi soldier while pointing to the car. Before she could freeze in fear, Mark grabbed her hand and led her into the building.