Troy walked toward the well a few yards away, gesturing for Moffitt to follow, "I wouldn't get too attached." he said quietly while cranking the bucket up from deep inside the well. "This is only a temporary camp, heard they're moving them out soon." The dark haired non-com poured a ladle of cool water from the hanging bucket over his head then filling another dipper full took a long drink, offering the dipper to the tall Englishman beside him
Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 57 Location: North Africa
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:52 am Post subject:
Jack managed to sneak the ball from Thomas for a few seconds before the other got it back. "That should work well" he replied with a grin.
When Thomas introduced himself, he couldn't believe that he'd forgotten to do the same. "I'm Jack."
He nodded and followed Troy over to the well. "I'm not getting attached. Honest, Troy" he replied softly. "Just having a football match." Jack took the dipper and dumped some water into his beret before slapping it back on his head. Then he took a drink and handed it back. _________________ "Shall we spread a little alarm and despondency?" ~S2:E9
Dropping the dipper back into the bucket Troy nodded, and flashed a half smile at his second, "Sure you're not, he doesn't remind you at all of how it could be at home, just like he doesn't remind me of David and playin' ball in a back lot. Trust me Moffitt, it doesn't pay to get too close to anyone, you'll only regret it later." there was a haunted look in Troy's eyes, his voice shaded with bitter anger
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:29 am Post subject:
Thomas beamed when Moffitt addressed himself by firstname. There was no longer the war, only this. Youth seemed to sprout like the first flowers of spring in his eyes and his smile. What war? This was making friends over a shared interest!
This jubliation was lost the moment Thomas returned to his barracks where he was immediately confronted by two older German soldiers, who grabbed him by the shirt and cornered him against the barrack wall.
"Getting really chummy with them, are you?" asked the one known as Karlstrom.
"Nee..." Thomas stammered. "It's just a game."
"He's British and the other's a Yank. You're a German, or have you forgotten that already?"
Thomas looked from Karlstrom to the other soldier, Eckers. "I am German, yes, but we're only playing."
"You're a traitor and you're too dim to even notice that," snarled Eckers. "I say we fix him proper for his little trip out of this camp."
"Nein, nein," replied Karlstrom with a sly smirk. "That time will come. Best run along Kleines... you don't want to keep your new friends waiting, do you?"
"I was going to see if Johannes wanted to..."
"He's busy." Karlstrom grabbed Thomas by the collar and shoved him out the door. "Get lost!" And then slammed the door shut.
Frowning, Thomas slowly walked away from his barracks and back towards Moffitt. As he drew closer, he saw Troy and came to a stop. The American didn't look happy, though the Englander, Jack... he seemed still content. But what was he doing, really? Wasn't there a war going on? Wasn't he a prisoner? Such lines were not meant to be crossed. It just wasn't done!
"This is just football," Thomas whispered. "Please, don't ruin the only fun I might have in years."
Coming back over, Thomas tried to smile at Moffitt but his gaze kept going to the American. "Johannes was unavailable. Perhaps we can just, pass the ball around?"
Again his eyes went to Troy and Thomas felt like he was under Karlstrom's glare again. "It's just a little friendly practice. This isn't war. You are not my enemy, well, unless you have the ball..."
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy looked at the hopeful face of the young German, and then turned to gaze around the camp. There was an air of defeat that hung over the place like a grey haze. Most of the prisoners were resigned to their fate here, their spirit broken, but there were still a few that liked to cause problems, stirring up trouble. He looked back to the German soldier, really hardly more than a boy, and then at the Englishman that stood talking with him.
The boy should be at home, where ever that was, courting the pretty girl down the street, Moffitt should be following in his father's footsteps, and he...what should he be doing? He really didn't know anymore, youth had been stolen from him, leaving behind a man with hard eyes, and a cynical nature. Maybe for just a few hours he could steal a piece of that innocence back.
Looking at Moffitt, he laughed and shook his head. "Well you gonna teach me this game or what""
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 5:01 pm Post subject:
Though Thomas didn't fully understand all of what Troy had said, the smile had spoken volumes and a smile replaced the distress in Thomas's face.
"Fantastisch!" Thomas exclaimed. He took up the ball and began juggling it, passing it from his knee to his opposing foot which sent it up in the air a few feet. He butted it lightly with his head and then caught it with his foot.
This carried on for only a few minutes until at last Thomas dropped the ball right at Troy's feet. "It is easy, like cake." He tapped the ball into Troy's feet. "Foot... ball... you kick at me oder Jack... verstehen Sie?"
The urge to show off was mounting, but Thomas knew that Moffitt wasn't a footballer, and the American, even less so. If he had any hope of being able to play any further with them, he knew he had to resist the temptation to show off.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy didnt try to supress the grin at the younger man's antics as he showed off his athletic skill and eye-hand...err.. foot coordination. That the kid was proud of his ability was nothing to be ashamed of, but if he expected the American show anything even close he was sadly mistaken. Carefully he watched as the POW demonstrated and then immatated his actions, the first few attempts were fumble footed and well off the mark but over the next half hour Troy's skill gradually increased so that there was a flow betwee the three men. For a little while the war faded away. That is until they were rudely interupted. . .
Last edited by AgilePawz on Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 57 Location: North Africa
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:08 pm Post subject:
The thought of home made Jack sigh. The real reason he wanted to keep busy was to forget about home. It was less of a chance of him getting lost in memories that could get him distracted from matters at hand. "Sometimes it does" Jack remarked softly. He knew what Troy was saying was just the same thoughts that he had running through his mind.
When Thomas came back he could tell that something was wrong from the way he kept looking at Troy. "Sorry to hear that, but passing the ball is fine" he assured him.
Jack chuckled and nodded to Troy. "He's right. It's simple. Just pass the ball." He watched Thomas bouncing it around and his grin widened. He was very talented. _________________ "Shall we spread a little alarm and despondency?" ~S2:E9
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:47 pm Post subject:
Watching Troy attempt to handle the ball made Thomas grin on a number of occasions but Thomas was very patient and willingly chased any balls that got away from Troy. After passing the ball to Moffitt, Thomas came up to Troy and patted him on the shoulder as though he was part of his old squad.
"You do good! Sehr gut! Is this fun?"
Thomas then trotted out an even greater distance to help give them a wider playing area. He kept the ball on the ground as much as he could and played off of both of Moffitt and Troy's strength. Once though, Thomas was so interested in watching the ball go between Troy and Moffitt that when the ball came towards him, he chipped it towards Troy's head.
Totally in his element, Thomas was unaware of anything unexpected.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy eyed the two German soldiers that were walking toward the threesome, he didn't like the look of the two seasoned warriors, there was something in the way they walked that bothered him but he couldn't quite figure out what. . . SLAM! . . . Something smacked Troy in the side of the head snapping it back painfully, causing him to stagger for a moment, "What the Hell!" he exclaimed angrily as he threw a hand to catch himself on the low wall. His vision blurred for a moment and then cleared, the soccer ball which had richocet high into the air hit the ground a few feet away and then rolled away
Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 57 Location: North Africa
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:53 am Post subject:
Jack was getting more involved in just kicking the ball than he usually did. He wasn't terribly good yet he did have a decent aim. When Thomas patted Troy on the back, he couldn't help but grin.
As the time went by he noticed the same thing as his NCO. This didn't look good. If they chose to fight and Thomas went with them then Jack and Troy would be out numbered. He saw the ball but couldn't shout a warning in time.
"Troy!" he yelled, running over. "Are you alright?" _________________ "Shall we spread a little alarm and despondency?" ~S2:E9
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:15 am Post subject:
"Es tut mir so leid!" Thomas shouted as he ran over to Troy and put his hand instinctively on his shoulder to help steady him. He didn't know what Troy had just exclaimed but he knew from the anger that Troy wasn't happy. "I am sorry, very sorry! Entschuldigung, entschuldigung!"
Thomas didn't know what else to do. On the pitch, if he accidentally collided with another player, if he could, he would help him up. Most of the time however, accidents happened and then fouls also happened. Had this been a proper match with a proper ref, Thomas knew he wouldn't have been followed for it, however, that knowledge did little to soothe Thomas's nerves.
This wasn't the way to welcome someone into the game and hope that they'd love it too. Thomas pushed on Troy's shoulder a little, directing him to sit.
"Sit, hier," said Thomas. He frowned and looked to Moffitt as he spoke in German, "Last summer I was playing in a match and a ball struck me in the back of the head. I staggered around, thinking I was fine, but finally I was made to sit because I would have fallen over. I am so sorry, I didn't mean to do that."
More concerned about Troy's well-being than anything, Thomas didn't see the other Germans approaching them.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Troy looked up quickly at Moffitt's shouted question and instantly regreted it as sharp bolts of pain sparked behind his eyes. Who would have thought a simple ball could hurt like that. Pressing the thumb and index finger of his right hand on his right hand on either side of the bridge of his nose he shut his eyes for a moment. Raising his left hand up in a wait gesture he forestalled Moffitts approach
"I'm okay...I'm okay. It was just a ball for cryin' out loud, but I think we're about to have company and they don't look too happy about something. Tell the boy I'm fine, it was an accident...guess that's what i get for not paying attention." he chuckled and groaned pressing the heels of his hands against his eyelids "Anybody got an asprin?"
Joined: 30 Aug 2011 Posts: 94 Location: North Africa
Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:17 am Post subject:
Thomas understood only "I'm okay.," and "I'm fine.," but it did nothing to soothe him. Still worried, Thomas again tried to push Troy into sitting down.
"Sit down... you will not fall."
Thomas sighed and looked to Moffitt for help. "Es tut mir so leid. This was a bad idea and I am so sorry."
Watching where the ball had gone, Thomas immediately went for it, still oblivious to the Germans coming towards them. As with before, his concentration was entirely on football and the war, for all Thomas knew, was over for him.
~ _________________ Characters: Hauptmann Dietrich, Pvt Thomas Hartmann, Hauptsturmführer Erich Wiesenland, Hauptmann Arnulf Rosenthal, and Rudy the lizard.
Joined: 29 Aug 2011 Posts: 57 Location: North Africa
Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 6:52 pm Post subject:
Jack turned to Thomas. "He's alright. It's not your fault and it certainly was not a bad idea."
He sighed with relief, but then stopped and glanced back. There were two soldiers coming their way.
"Sorry, I'm fresh out" he remarked when Troy asked for aspirin. "You'll have to check with the camp medic." _________________ "Shall we spread a little alarm and despondency?" ~S2:E9
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