Two days after she had seen the truck-driving sergeant of police, she was resting in her cabin, secure in Elizabeth's arms, when there was a tentative knock on the door. Ruth dragged her tired body to the door and almost screamed because of the frightful appearance of the soldier standing there.
His right arm appeared to be gone; his left eye murky with the lid half closed. He was absolutely filthy. His once blond hair now brown from dirt was matted to his head. And there was a scar running from his temple in a long sweeping curve to the tip of his chin. He reeked of sweat and sour body odor.
Ruth started to close the door without even saying to him that he had arrived during the rest period. Before she could open her mouth she heard his voice – low and familiar and pleading. She couldn't remember the person the voice belonged to, but he seemed familiar to her. She hesitated for a second, trying to drag up from the depths of her memory a face to match the voice since the one that was before her seemed mutilated beyond recognition. He took the opportunity offered by her hesitation and pushed past her into the cabin.
Elizabeth took one look at him and screamed. Ruth was furious. "Get out!" She yelled, "This is our rest time. Out or I'll call the police." She had no intention of calling the police but the threat of doing so had rid her of unwanted client a couple of times before.
The scarred apparition turned and smiled at her crookedly, then: "Ruth? Don't you remember me?"
Ruth was sure she was going to faint. She clutched the edge of the door for support. "Kurt?" She whispered.
"Yes, Kurt," he replied, sitting down on her bed.
Ruth went to him in a flash. She fell sobbing into his waiting arms. She clung to him with all her might. He stroked and soothed her with his left arm and said, over and over, "Don't cry. Please don't cry. Everything's going to be alright. Ruth, come on now, stop it." He continued, talking and massaging and calming her until she became quiet.
After a while he pushed her gently away from him and stood up. "Look, Ruth, I'm not as bad as I look actually," he said then laughed softly. He removed his torn and scarred tunic and asked the astonished Ruth to help him. Together they undid the tape that held his arm snug against his body. He had two arms, both of which he used to hold Ruth's trembling body his as she laughed and cried with relief. He then crossed the room to the small mirror and carefully removed the makeup that had been applied days earlier to make a scar. Ruth watched in fascination.
"If I can just have a bath. I'll be myself again," he told her, smiling the whole width of his dirty face, his teeth gleaming white in contrast with his soiled skin.
"Oh, Kurt," Ruth cried out, "you're still not hurt – I mean you're just you!"
"Yes. I've had a hell of a time getting here, Ruth. But I told you I'd return. Didn't I? I meant it. This war is a pot of shit and we're losing the whole thing. All of it. Just over the hill the Russians are coming. I just planned a little escape and – well, here I am." He laughed at his own success.
"Kurt, Kurt, I can't believe it. Nothing's wrong with you! Nothing!" Ruth cried out with elation.
"Yes there is. I'm filthy." He laughed.
"Kurt?" a voice asked wonderingly from Elizabeth's bed. Ruth and Kurt turned to look at Elizabeth. Ruth had completely forgotten about her. Kurt smiled broadly and strode to her bed. He reached out his hand to her but she drew back in alarm. "Elizabeth?" Kurt asked, easing himself down onto her bed. "It's me, Kurt. I came back," he said gently.
Elizabeth ignored him and whimpered, "Ruth, Ruth."
Ruth went swiftly to Elizabeth and took her in her arms. "It's all right, Elizabeth. It is Kurt. Do you remember him? Of course you do, Elizabeth."
The frightened girl looked around Ruth's head at the smiling boy. Her face broke into a tentative grin, then a wider one. "Yes, I remember. I think. Kurt? Kurt?" she said, testing the name for the sound of it.
"How did you do it, Kurt?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'll tell you why and how. It's hopeless, Ruth. I was in a forward company and it was over-run by the Russians and only one other person escaped besides me. My friend. They killed all the wounded and dying men. We watched from an exploded bunker. They didn't come in after us for some reason and when they withdrew we took off. We made it back to our own lines and a Kapitan tried to force us to go back but I wouldn't do it. I knew that if I ever did I'd never come back alive. So, my friend and I helped each other to dress so that we looked injured and unable to fight. We forged ourselves some papers and made our way back to here. I had no idea you'd be here. But you see, Ruth, there are so many deserters that unless you're injured, they just arrest you and lock you up in a box car and ship you back. That's all. They don't even have rifles to give the men. They have to pull them out of the hands of the dead soldiers." Kurt stopped talking and his eyes took on a far away haunted look.
Then, remembering where he was, he continued. "It took a long time to get back here. Over a month. The Russians are right behind us. They're just over the forward hill. You should be able to hear the sound of fire within a couple of days. We all have to get the hell out of here."
"Will you take us, Kurt?" Ruth asked.
"Yes. But – we'll have to work out something about papers. I don't know how…"
"I have some!" Ruth exclaimed. She jumped up from the bed and went to the place where she had hidden her papers stolen from the girl at the SS Kamp. She returned with then to the bed and held them out to Kurt. "But… we don't have any for Elizabeth."
"We'll manage," Kurt assured her. "How did you get these?" He wanted to know.
Ruth told him about the papers and all about her treatment by Nurse Hilde since her return. She did not mention the truck driver in front of Elizabeth because she was unsure what her reaction would be. Kurt listened patiently, then smiled and said, "You mean to tell me that bitch is still here? The very one who had me sent to the Eastern Front?"
"Yes. She's mean, Kurt. She does everything she can to make life miserable for me… for us."
"Well, we'll see about her later. We have to plan on a way out of here. Soon. Within the next day. Can I have a bath? Please?" He smiled.
"Of course," Ruth told him. Then to Elizabeth, "Get up and let's give Kurt a bath, Elizabeth. He's going to help us escape from here." She took the girl's hand and pulled her out of bed. She noticed that Kurt's eyes roamed hungrily over Elizabeth's body.
The two girls prepared the bath while Kurt looked on. Ruth said, "Come on, Kurt." She curtsied deeply, "Your bath is ready, Sir." Both girls giggled.
Kurt stood and removed his filthy undershirt, then his trousers. He smiled weakly and dropped his shorts. Ruth couldn't believe it. His prick was just as she had remembered it, long and thick and white and purple headed. She cried out, softly, when it was exposed to full view.
Kurt seemed to have become shy. It was almost as though he was trying to cover his dangling sex with his hands as he walked to the prepared tub and eased himself into it with a sigh. Both girls recovered themselves and set to work on him. In short order he was gleaming clean, his hair restored to his original blondness and his body red from all the rubbing and attention it had received. He stood and the girls dried him front and back. Ruth giggled when she took his large prick in her hands to massage it dry on the towel. It throbbed gently in her small hands. She lowered her eyes to keep Kurt from seeing her face, which she knew was glowing red.
Kurt walked to the bed, looked at it, then jumped in.
Kurt reached out his arms for Ruth. She fell into them willingly, finding his mouth with her own before her body rested on his. He clutched her to him and kissed her long and passionately. Ruth's body shuddered. He was the first boy or man she had ever had; the memory of his second and last time with her burned in her memory. It was just as if there had been no one else between that time and this for Ruth. "Uum… umm," she purred as he kissed her, exploring his once familiar body with her hands just as he was doing hers.
"What about me," Elizabeth whined, standing above the bed and looking down at them.
Ruth laughed when she looked up and saw the girl standing there. She had completely forgotten about her. She looked at Kurt for confirmation before she spoke and he, seeming to know what she was going to say, nodded his agreement.
"Elizabeth," Ruth said softly, taking the girl's hand in her own. "Please let me be with Kurt for awhile – all by myself? I want to very much and then… well, we can all be together. Please?"
Elizabeth looked at Ruth with hurt eyes, but she nodded her head in agreement. She moved toward her own bed, slowly, and got into it. She lay flat on her back and stared up at the ceiling.
Ruth was angry with herself for being so selfish, remembering that Kurt was the first man for Elizabeth also, then told herself that she indeed had every right to him first because she had spent most of her time looking after Elizabeth for a couple of years. "Oh, Kurt, do you think I'm selfish? Wanting you all to myself for a little while?" Ruth asked.
"Ha," he laughed, then moved her off him and moved himself on top of her. "Yes. Selfish as all hell. So you have to pay for it!" He laughed again before he covered her mouth with his.
Ruth accepted his kiss willingly. She moved her lips apart and accepted his tongue in her mouth, working at it with her own, then sucking and massaging with all her strength. She felt his prick growing hard on her stomach and she wiggled under him. He kissed harder in appreciation and shoved his tongue into her throat. His strong sure hands played over her body, from her shoulders to her waist and then to her buttocks. He took her soft buttocks in to his hands and squeezed them as he forced his tongue deep into her throat.
Ruth moved her small hands over his head, his back and to his buttocks. She marveled at the familiarity of him after so long a time. Her body was on fire where he touched her – on her mouth and her stomach where his rapidly hardening and lengthening prick seemed to burn right through her.
Kurt stopped kissing her mouth and moved his hot searching tongue to her breasts. He kissed one nipple gently, then played about it with his tongue. Ruth's body heaved up to accept him. He bit tentatively at her hardening nipples, then smiled up into her face: "Delicious," he murmured, then went back to his business of kissing and sucking and drawing her body fire to her breasts.
"Oh! Oh… ooh, God, Kurt," Ruth cried, twisting and heaving under his busy mouth.
"How I've dreamed of this, Ruth," Kurt whispered to her now erect nipples, then bit each of them hard to emphasize his words.
"Oh! OH…" Ruth cried softly, then slid her hands down the length of his hard muscled body and then over his buttocks and under his stomach and took his long, hard prick in her hands. She held his burning rod in her clasp as he continued to kiss and suck and tear gently at her breasts. She felt his balls and put her palms on his hard, flat stomach, then ran her hand down the length of his rod and just for meanness dug her nails into the root of his prick.
"Aiiee…" he screamed, then bit down hard on her nipple.
They both laughed. Then Kurt looked at her very seriously. "You hurt it. If you don't kiss it, it'll start crying," he said. Not waiting for an answer he rolled over on his back. His long, white, hard prick stood straight up from his body. Ruth looked at it, then gasped. She had forgotten just how well endowed he really was. She hesitated but he lifted her gently and guided her mouth to the purple head of his hardened cock.
Ruth took the head of it into her mouth. It was so hot and throbbed so eagerly that it almost burned. She sucked gently on the head of it which completely filled her mouth. Kurt moved his hands over her back and moaned with pleasure. He then forced her head down and down until his hard, hot throbbing cock was sunk deep in her throat. He moved his hips up and pressed down gently on the back of her head.
Ruth's mouth and throat were crammed full of him and his hardness throbbed in her throat. She felt him move her hips up until she was resting on her knees with her warm, moist little cunt wavering over his face. She thought she would faint from the pleasure – that of the outward pressure of his thumbs on her cuntal lips, until she felt his hot, probing tongue touch the smooth sensitive flesh of her pulsating little cunt. "Ah… oh… ooh," she moaned around his hard prick as he penetrated her fully with his tongue, driving the hard wetness of it deep into her.
Kurt bit and sucked at her cuntal lips, causing desire to peak immediately. He probed at her clitoris until it became stiff and hard to his tongue, then moved her pink softness apart and took it between his teeth. Ruth's small body shuddered and quaked with every caress. He felt his balls tighten in readiness for their own explosion. He kissed her sweet cunt and bit and sucked and felt the joyous pleasure of her mouth tight around his prick.
Ruth hoped that she wouldn't burn up with desire. His kissing and probing and biting her was driving her to the limits of her ability. She felt his prick harden slightly and the throb there became more insistent. She quickened her motions up and down the long pole and sucked and worked hard on the head of it each time her tongue found its way there. Then she knew she was ready to cum, she couldn't help it, it was there, tearing at her insides, the fires stoked and fanned by Kurt's knowledgeable kissing and licking and sucking.
"Uh… ugh… Oooh," she moaned as Kurt thrust himself up and deep into her throat and she broke inside and came again and again as he sucked and kissed. She felt his semen bursting forth from him and accepted the constant river of hot liquid cascading down her desperately swallowing throat a she increased her motions up and down and sucked hard so that he would do the same for her.
Both of them were reluctant to desist even though both of them had been temporarily satisfied. His hard prick rested inside her mouth and she sucked at it slowly, moving over the length of it with ease; he continued to kiss and suck and nibble at her cuntal lips. Both of them quit at the same time and Kurt guided Ruth back to him, alongside him, and held her in his arms.
"Doesn't that ever get tired?" she laughed pointing at his still hardened prick that stood straight and tall over his body.
"Ha, ha!" Kurt laughed, "It hasn't been this way since I last saw you, Ruth," he paused then, "It'll take a lot of work to tire that to limpness." He turned sideways and pressed his hard prick into her stomach. "Lift your leg, baby," he ordered her. With a grin of anticipation on her face Ruth did as she was told.
Kurt guided the head of his prick to her open cunt and then pulled Ruth's hips around until he was able to fit the head of it inside her tight pink slit. "Aaaaah…" he gurgled pleasurably, then kissed her soft lips gently.
Ruth liked the feel of the huge spongy prick head inside her cuntal lips. She squeezed it tight inside her, ignoring the slight pain that it caused her. She felt that she had never in her life been happier than now, holding Kurt securely in her arms and feeling the pressure of his mouth on hers, his tongue probing gently into her mouth as she clamped the large hardness of his prick just inside her cunt. She could have remained like that forever, she thought, but she was not to have the opportunity.
Kurt couldn't take it. He had not lied to Ruth. Of all the girls he had fucked, of all those virgins he had split apart and pounded into, she was the one that he always dreamed about in the colds of Russia. He had watched a large Russian peasant woman, large hipped with ponderous breasts, run a bayonet through four fallen soldiers. He had watched dispassionately, wishing he could think of a way to shove his large prick into the warmth of her, all the way in until it came out her throat. Then the idea had revolted him. Looking at her had made him think of Ruth, of her young body, and he had closed his eyes and ground his teeth together from the desire for her. Now he was here – inserted inside her. He wanted to be gentle yet he wanted to be feeling her fire deep inside her, to stroke at her very heart with his prick.
Kurt rolled on top of Ruth and carefully took her legs in his hands and moved them over her shoulders. He eased his long moisture glistening cock into her, slowly, until it was all there, deep into her. He moved his hips slightly from side to side and then pushed heavily against her very core. Ruth responded by slipping her legs to his waist and clamping them about him. He kissed her fully on the mouth and ran his tongue inside, then he began a long smooth stroking of her vagina with his long, hard cock.
Much to Ruth's surprise she was ready for Kurt when he eased into her. She accepted him gratefully, pulling him snugly to her with her legs. He hurt her slightly when he ground down into her, causing her to cry, "Oh… Oh… Please Kurt." He then began to ease out of her, causing the fire to burst into flame inside her.
Kurt had to cum again. He began to move faster, dying with the heavenly heat of her vagina walls clasping warmly against his hard, throbbing prick. He rocked gently into her and then ground down and then stroked faster. He pounded and pushed and plunged and his desire began to build with a rapidity that shocked even him. He pounded and socked and rammed into her, then without being able to hold back any longer threw his head back and moved his body slightly forward and slipped a notch further into the center of her heat and his fluid was suddenly bursting for release. "Ah… ahhh… aahh…" he screamed as he shot his hot liquid deep into her little cunt. Even drained he continued to push and pound and grind into her until she came again, moving her little body violently under his with all her strength and sucking him deep into the heat of her smooth quivering belly.
They clung to each other for a long time after, each reluctant to withdraw from the other. Kurt felt that he could have fucked her a thousand times, but he did not want to over-tire Ruth. His prick remained hard and stiff inside her but he knew when she wanted him to withdraw. He did so, slowly, then lay exhausted alongside her. She put her hands on his face and into his hair and whispered, "Kurt, I'm sorry. I just can't take anymore. And I must go get us some food, anyway. I just hate to leave you even for a minute."
"That's okay. We've got a couple of days, I guess. I am hungry." He paused and looked over at Elizabeth's bed. Then hesitantly, "Maybe I could pay her a little visit while you're gone," he laughed, indicating to Ruth that it would be a joke if she wanted it to be.
"That's an idea. But… Kurt… I would like you to do it to me again later."
"Don't worry, baby, I'll be ready when you are. You'll see. I haven't seen any action for over a year. You'll see," he repeated, his eyes resting on Elizabeth.
"Ha!" Ruth laughed, a tinge of jealousy tearing at her heart, "You have been gone a long time." She paused, hating herself for feeling so possessive of him, then, "I'll get dressed – you go ahead, Kurt. But be gentle. She's been hurt."
Ruth got off the bed and began to dress. Kurt watched her with hungry eyes, his prick still hard and erect. When she was dressed and ready to leave she went to the bed and leaned over and kissed him. Before she was through the door Kurt was on his way to Elizabeth. Ruth gave the door an angry slam and stepped out into the brisk air.
Ruth was more than disappointed at the base store. The shelves were almost bare. There was a little stale bread and a few withered vegetables. All the tinned meat and other edible food was priced far beyond her reach. She wondered whoever would be able to purchase such luxury items since one small tin was priced in coupons amounting to a weeks work for both herself and Elizabeth. It occurred to her that most of her coupons were probably stolen before they were issued to the soldiers. And, even if they weren't, the food would have a hard time reaching the shelves anyway.
"Hurry up, Jew, I wanna close the place," a disgruntled voice told her.
Ruth colored instantly as she always did when she heard herself called a Jew. She turned to look at the person from whom the voice came. She couldn't believe the look of him. He was fat beyond imagination. He had a large bag on the counter, filled to overflowing with food. Ruth looked at him, hating his obesity and his gathering of food that she was sure was intended for the girls.
Ruth took a deep breath and laid her meager purchase on the counter alongside his bulging shopping bag. "Is there anything in there that I can afford?" she asked, using almost all her reserve energy just to put the question.
The fat soldier smiled cruelly. "Depends," he said, looking her over slowly. "What could you do to earn it, Jew?"
Ruth backed off a couple of steps, then recovered herself and plunged ahead. "I have about three extra coupons. I thought that maybe there was a bargain there…" she peered into the bag.
The fat soldier pulled the top of the bag closed with both fat hands, but not before Ruth had seen that it contained almost all tinned goods. "You fucking Jews are all alike," he sneered, "Always wanting something for nothing. You're not worth a God-damned can of beans. The Russians will feed ya," he laughed.
Ruth's legs trembled. Suddenly, all she wanted was out and away from the sight of him. She threw her coupons down on the counter top and, picking up her purchases, almost ran through the door. She leaned against the wall of the building in order to steady herself. She seemed to be growing weaker each day, she told herself, then decided that it was from lack of food and rest. She decided to stand a few minutes longer, just as she was, until she felt like moving on.
Ruth was standing in the shadow of the building, yet close to the door from which she had just exited. She was not surprised to see a truck pull up to the front of the building. Her curiosity was not aroused until Nurse Hilde jumped down from the cab of the truck. She watched the nurse enter the store and decided to wait until she came out. She didn't have long. The driver of the truck jumped down from the other side and came around to the opposite one and held out his hands for the large bundle of tinned goods that the fat man handed him. Nurse Hilde stood by, watching the two men closely.
"Ach," the fat one said, in a loud whisper, "when we leave here tomorrow we'll have enough food to take us all the way to Switzerland."
"Shut up, you idiot!" Nurse Hilde hissed, "You want us all arrested?"
"You think the walls of the buildings have ears?" He demanded of her. "You just get the papers fixed up, that's all I ask of you, slut."
"I have the papers and the maps, so shut your fucking face," the other soldier replied.
Ruth's ears pricked up immediately. It was the voice of the truck-driver turned police sergeant. She couldn't believe what she had heard. These three were planing on leaving the next day together. She thought it ironic that they were taking most of the supply of food with them. She eased her way along the building until she came to the end of it, then slipped quietly around the corner and ran back to her cabin.
Pushing open the door, she turned away immediately. Kurt was moaning: "Uh… Uh… Uh…" as he pushed slowly into Elizabeth's tight clasping pussy. "Ah… Ah… Ah…" she answered him in turn. Ruth tried to ignore them and was successful at doing so. It was only seconds until Kurt roared out in pleasure completed and then the bed ground twice and Ruth knew that he had gotten off her and was lying on his back.
"You're back," he said.
"Yes," Ruth replied, her back turned to the two of them. "I'll… I'll make something to eat." She busied herself at the task she started, her eyes blinded by tears of jealously. She failed to hear Kurt approach her. Suddenly she felt his arms sliding around her and his strong hands cupping her breasts. His still stiff rod pressed against her back.
"Don't be mad, Ruth. Please? I've just been gone a long damned time. Please?" He asked, turning her about and kissing her gently.
Ruth looked into his face with tear drenched eyes, and replied: "I'm not mad, Kurt. I'm just jealous, I guess. I have something I must tell you."
Ruth recounted the events in the store and what she had heard on the outside of it. When she mentioned Nurse Hilde's name, Kurt's smile took on a sadistic twist. "You're sure they plan to leave tomorrow? At what time? It will have to be before dawn."
"I don't know what time," Ruth started.
"It doesn't matter. Let's get something to eat. I have a hell of a lot of work to do tonight." Kurt rubbed his hands together and smiled at Ruth.
Ruth looked at his ever-hard prick and laughed. "That'll slow you down," she told him.
Kurt blushed. He turned from her after grinning sheepishly and put on his dirty uniform.
Ruth arranged the bits of food on a plate and then made Elizabeth get up and put on a robe so that she could eat with them. Kurt munched away at his food, then asked: "Do you know where they might keep the truck? It has to be stolen so that no one on the base would miss it. Was it a new one or an old one?"
"I don't know. They all look alike to me," Ruth replied. "Do you drive, Kurt?"
"No, but my friend does. I have to find him. What was the other guy – the one working in the store? A sergeant?" He wanted to know.
"I don't know… I didn't notice," Ruth said, disappointment showing in her voice.
"It doesn't matter. Look. They stole the truck. So, they can't report it missing. Right? They couldn't explain it. So, we'll steal it from them. They probably put all the food under the boards on the bed of it. We'll be all right there. You have papers, but Elizabeth doesn't have, right? Can we use Nurse Hilde's?" He wanted to know of Ruth, ignoring Elizabeth.
"I don't think so. Her hair is black, Hilde's is blond. She's much smaller than the nurse, too." Ruth looked despondent over the turn of the conversation.
"It doesn't matter. Look. I have to make out some new ones for myself and my friend, so it'll be nothing to make out some for her, too. We'll take Nurse Hilde's, too, just in case. She won't get far without them. I want you two to be ready to leave here in three hours. I'll need that much time to arrange everything. O.K.?" He waited for a nod from Ruth, then, "Wear all the clothes you have. It might be a long cold journey. Real long," he emphasized.
"Kurt… I… is it really possible to leave here? I mean," Ruth started, then broke into tears. Kurt was by her side in a second. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close to him.
"It's not going to be easy, but I think it's possible, Ruth," he said, stroking her head with his large hand. "Just trust me, O.K.?"
Ruth bobbed her head up and down to indicate her agreement.
"I have to trust you, too. Look. Make sure that she's ready." He nodded his head in Elizabeth's direction. "I won't come here in the truck, but I'll come back and get you two. Just be ready. Got it?" he asked.
"Yes. Oh, God, will I be ready. I can't believe leaving here. I haven't been able to think about it at all. At first I did – but so long ago," Ruth added, thoughtfully.
"O.K. I have to go now. Don't let anyone in. Take everything that you can get into a small bag. Bring the blankets. Not a word to anyone. Just be ready." He went to the door and stopped there and threw her a kiss. Then he opened the door and was lost to the blackness of the night.
"Ruth?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, Elizabeth. We're getting out of here. We're leaving Kamp East. Oh, God, Elizabeth do you know what that means? No more of this!" Ruth cried out passionately, taking Elizabeth's hand in hers.
"Ruth, let's get in bed together and be warm," she asked, her eyes taking on the haunting look that had become all to familiar to her.
"Elizabeth, we're leaving. Kurt's going to take us away from here. Don't you understand that?" Ruth pleaded.
"I don't want to see a truck driver, Ruth," Elizabeth said softly as tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Oh, Elizabeth," Ruth wailed, moving swiftly around the table to her and taking her in her arms. "This truck driver will be different, you'll see. He's a friend of Kurt's. Kurt won't let him bother you. No. He won't be like that other one. Maybe you'll like him, Elizabeth. Maybe well even go to Vienna. Don't be afraid."
Elizabeth drew away from Ruth and went to her bed. She crawled into it and looked forlornly at the ceiling.
"GET UP! Elizabeth! Get out of the bed. We've got work to do," Ruth told her, pulling the girl from the bed.
Elizabeth continued to cry silently. The tears gushed from her eyes and spilled over her cheeks. Ruth could think of nothing to say to her. She just insisted that she keep busy and help her arrange the things they would need according to Kurt's instructions.
Ruth worked diligently for two hours, pulling and tugging at Elizabeth and talking her into doing what she was supposed to. Then she made a bit of food for the two of them and insisted that Elizabeth eat. Sitting down to wait for Kurt was the worst part of the whole thing for Ruth. She tried to keep her mind occupied so that thoughts of defeat would not crowd in upon her, but it was almost hopeless. She was in such a nervous state that when a light tapping came at the door she was frightened beyond reason.
Ruth went cautiously to the door and whispered, "Kurt?" Receiving an affirmative answer, Ruth pulled open the door; she wanted to fall into his arms and be made to feel safe. Instead, she gasped in horror at what faced her.
Two of the dirtiest, meanest looking soldiers she had ever seen stood before her. She got out a partial scream before her mouth was covered by a strong hand.
"Ruth, shut up! God-dammit, it's me, Kurt," he told her, keeping her mouth firmly closed and supporting her sagging body in his arms.
Ruth could have cried. She let herself relax against him, her head resting on his shoulder. Small sobs still escaped her but she forced herself under control within seconds. She looked at the other soldier.
"This is Rainer. Ruth, Elizabeth," Kurt introduced him. Then, "Look, we've got to hurry. It's dark as hell outside, so all we have to do is get to the truck and get through the gate." He motioned for Rainer to take charge of Elizabeth and he led Ruth through the door, having slung their meager possessions over his back.
Ruth thought she would faint as the truck drew up to the gate. She was standing in the back of the truck, with a black blanket completely covering her. Her legs were trembling so much she feared they were knocking together and making a noise like a drum. But they were only at the gate a short two minutes, while Kurt exchanged words with the guards, then the truck was moving again. After a half mile the truck stopped and Kurt joined Ruth in the back. He took her trembling body and held it tightly to himself.
"How did you do it, Kurt? It seemed so simple." Ruth said, her teeth chattering yet from the icy fear that had gripped her body for the last hour or so.
"Easy, Ruth. We made out orders for the Eastern Front. No gate guard is ever going to question those. Not likely. He just felt sorry for us." Kurt laughed and kissed her on the mouth. "That's why he didn't bother to look in back of here."
"But what about them – that sergeant and Nurse Hilde and that fat one?" Ruth had to know.
"That was easy, Ruth. You gave me the idea. Remember when you said all trucks looked alike to you? Well, it stood to reason that they had somehow taken this one without it ever being registered to the base. No one is ever going to put out a call for it or report it stolen. We stole one from the motor pool and left it there for them. We even left enough of their stolen loot to get them shot, maybe." Kurt laughed easily and kissed her neck. "And," he continued, "In the dark of the early morning, they'll never notice the difference. But the best part of all is Rainer. He left word that they were planning an escape. They'll be apprehended at the gate. Pretty good, huh? Somehow Rainer was able to give the license number of the truck, its number registration and the probable occupants." He laughed at their cleverness.
"But are we headed for the Eastern Front, Kurt?" Ruth asked seriously.
"Ha!" He laughed, cupping her breasts in his hands, "Don't you know that we made out several sets of orders? If you can make out one, you can make out many. We have a whole box of them. We're going…" Kurt stopped speaking abruptly and pulled Ruth roughly down to the bed of the truck.
Then she heard a noise. She didn't know what it was, but somehow it indicated battle and death and destruction with its very scream. "Looks like we just made it," Kurt told her. "That was a Russian shell. They must be starting their advance. Let's get the shit out of here, Rainer," he bellowed at the small window that opened to the driver's cab.
"I got ears for those things. I heard it long before you did." Rainer answered.
"Kurt," Ruth spoke softly. "Are we really out of Kamp East? I can hardly believe it."
"We are. Let's celebrate," he said, moving atop her body and clamping his mouth wetly onto hers as the truck thundered through the night toward what, they didn't know… or at that moment care…