That night, after my session with Alucard, I clung tightly to Seras. Hugging her and fussing over her until she jokingly said, “God, at least buy me dinner first!”
Normally, I would have laughed and teased her back about redheads but instead I just released her and said, “Oh, OK. Sorry. I just... It’s just that....” But, what could I say? ‘Please always be my friend and don’t ever decide to kill me and eat me.’? Damn Walter for putting those thoughts in my head and damn Alucard for picking up on them and reinforcing those thoughts tonight. Telling me that one day she would tire of playing with her food and simply kill me if I didn’t kill her first. I must have looked strange because she asked what was wrong.
“It’s just that, you’re my friend and I don’t care about the other stuff but Alucard he’s so” I choked a little “he’s so...but your not, your...I’m sorry I guess I’m just a little tired that’s all.”
“No, I’m sorry.” She said. She grabbed me and hugged me tight. “He can be so awful and he’s twice as bad to you than he even is to me and he’s horrible to me! I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I wish you had just said no.”
“I made a promise.” I whispered.
“I don’t care!” She said, squeezing me tighter. “I don’t want him hurting you anymore. I hate it!”
She was half choking me at this point but I didn’t care. Seras was my friend. The were wrong about her. She would not go bad. Not my Seras. I would not let it happen. I hugged her back fiercely and whispered, “I won’t let it happen!”
“Ow!” She squeaked, pushing me away so suddenly she scratched my arm.
“Ow!” I complained.
“Are you alright?” We both asked at the same time.
“Something bit me.” She said rubbing her neck. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” I said, dashing those stupid tears from my eyes (I really need to get some Kleenex). “Just a scratch.” I said. “I think you need to trim your nails.”
“But, your bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.” I said poking my arm. “Just a scratch.”
She blanched slightly and pointedly looked away. Poor baby, she hadn’t eaten for awhile. I hurriedly wiped the small beads of blood off my arm then reached out to examine the spot on her neck. Her nostrils flared slightly but she held still for my ministrations. It was red but not swollen. “Can’t tell what that is” I said “but it doesn’t look too bad. I think we’ll both live.”
This earned me a small sarcastic smile and a slight push.
“Oh sure, attack me when I’m wounded.” I protested.
This earned me a grin and a pinch.
“Come on.” I said taking her arm.
“Where?”
“To the bathroom to tend our wounds then...”
“Then?”
I picked up my latest invitation to visit the barracks and waived it at her. She made a face.
“Come on,” I said “it will be fun and Corp. Stewart said he’d play his new guitar for us if we came.”
She continued to frown.
“Aw, come on.” I said dragging her towards the bathroom. “If Capt. Burnadett gives you any trouble, I promise to hit him for you.”
“So what? You hit like a girl.”
“Do not!”
“Totally wimpy.”
“Shut up!”
“Make me.” ....
When we arrived at the barracks, I displayed my grievous wound demanding sympathy and Fresca. The medic snorted with disgust and left the room while Sgt. Marks clucked over my arm sympathetically.
“Seras is wounded too. Give her a soda.”
“Ah yes?” Asked Capt. Burnadett. “What happened to you?”
We told our harrowing tale of killer bees in the basement.
“I was collateral damage.” I said, accepting my soda.”
“I was bitten.” Said Seras.
“Bees don’t bite.” Said Capt. Burnadett.
“Stung then.” She snapped.
“Where?”
“My neck.”
“Really?” He said with a grin. “Let me see!” He began reaching for her neck.
“No. I’m fine. Stop it!”
“Don’t worry my petit, I am not the one who bites necks around here.”
“Corrine!”
“Captain.” I said. He turned towards me.
“I meant the bees.”
“Bees don’t bite.” I said. “They sting, remember?”
“Fine.” He said turning back to Seras with an wicked gleam. “I promise not to sting you then.”
“Corrine.”
“What?”
“You promised to hit him.”
“Yes, but apparently, I hit like a girl.”
“Corrine!” She said again stepping back from him and stumbling against a table.
“Fine. Captain Burnadett, leave her be.”
“No, my lady love is wounded. I must lend aid.”
“Piffle.” I said. “Leave her be.”
“No, truly!” He had backed her completely up against the table now and was scrutinizing the mark on her neck. “Ah, to mar such a thing of beauty.” He said poking her with a finger. “Such a crime! Lend us your soda no?”
“Stop it!” She said “Corrine!”
“Oh for Pete’s sake!” I said trying not to laugh. “Will you please do something?” I asked the Sgt.
“Your wish is my command.” He said and hurled my unopened can of soda directly at the Captain’s head.
Before anyone else could react, Seras’ hand shot up and caught it mid air, just inches from impact. I gasped. Captain Burnadett didn’t even blink.
“Merci.” He said, removing the can from her from her nerveless fingers, then carefully pressed it against the mark on her neck. “There petit. Does that feel better?”
“Um, yes. I guess...thank you.”
“Just hold it there” He gently took her hand and placed it on the can.
There was a moment of awkward silence then the wicked gleam returned to his eye. “You see how she protected me? Mon Deiu! She must truly love me, no? To defend me like this?”
“I....I...” She sputtered. “did not defend you. It was just a reflex.”
“No. It was true love.”
“It was NOT!”
“Captain. You really must stop.”
He turned to Marks and me. “She protests but her true feelings show through. How you say, the action speaks louder than the word?”
“You know," I said, watching Seras pour the contents of the can over his head, “I think you might be right.” Then fell off my chair laughing.
“You owe me a soda.” I said handing him some paper towels.
“What is that smell?” He said.
“Citrus.”
“Stupid American drink.”
“Just be glad I drink diet,” I said “or you would be all sticky and the bees might bite you too.”
“Perhaps the bees will be on a diet.” Chirped Seras sweetly.
“You see how cruel she is to me? She wounds me so.”
“I think you’ll live. Now stop teasing her or I will whack you on the head for real.”
“Hmm, yes.” He said. “This reminds me.” He wheeled on Sgt. Marks. “Why did you throw that can at my head?”
“I was aiming for your hat.”
“I am not wearing my hat.”
“Hard to tell it is so ugly and floppy.”
“My hat or my head?”
“Both.”
“You call my hat ugly? You stupid uncultured oaf!”
“Just so.”
The Captain then let out a long stream of profanity which earned several amused chuckles and turned Seras bright red. Fortunately, I do not speak French and so was spared what was apparently a graphic lesson in Sgt. Marks’ anatomy and genealogy . It was obviously a good one, several of the men were taking notes.
The Sgt. Calmly listened to the diatribe even adding the occasional suggested revision. He had apparently heard this lecture before. When they began shifting into German, I laughed and begged Corp. Stewart to fetch his guitar.
“I’ll play if you sing.” He said, tuning up.
“Oh no.” I said. “Please just play.”
“Oh yes, please sing for us.” Said Seras. “I love to hear you sing.” She turned to the others. “She has a lovely voice.”
“Is this so?” Said Sgt. Marks. “Then we must hear it.”
“No, please, really.” I said embarrassed.
“Guitars are meant to be sung with. I shan’t play unless you sing.”
“No, really. I’m not that good.”
“Yes you are. Come on. You sing for me all the time. It’s lovely, please don’t be embarrassed.”
I looked down at my feet. I hadn’t sung in front of people for a long time. The last time I had sung publicly was for ghouls. I shook my head sadly. As a girl and a young woman, I used to love to sing. Any time, anywhere...but now...
“She sings beautifully.” Said a voice quietly from the doorway.
I looked up, it was the medic. He was standing in the hallway just outside the door. When he saw me looking at him, he turned his head away.
“What was that Anders?” Asked Captain Burnadett.
“I’ve heard her singing in her room. I was dropping off a sample for the lab and I heard it.”
We were all staring at him dumbfounded.
“Her voice, it was like listening to an Angel.”
I flinched at his choice of the word ‘Angel’. He must have seen me because he kicked the door frame a couple of times before continuing. “You should sing for them.” He still would not look at me. “Then maybe they will understand.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away. I started to go after him but was stopped by Captain Burnadett.
“No joli, don’t.”
“But he’s obviously upset.”
“We all have our burdens. Demons we must fight. He is struggling with his.”
“But,”
“Give him time. Give him time.”
I looked at the door uncertainly.
“If you wish to help him, sing for us as he asks. He is not far, he will hear you."
“What should I sing?”
“Barbara Allen!” Said Seras that being her favourite.
“Too sad.” Said Corp. Stewart. “No songs about death right now.”
“Yes, something happy.” Said one of the others.
“Something pretty and sentimental.” Said Sgt. Marks.
“Something French.” said Captain Burnadett.
“I really don’t know any French songs.”
“Something German then.” Said Sgt. Marks
“Ha! There is no such thing as a pretty German song!”
“OK, OK. Stop.” I said.
The Corporal and I whispered back and forth a bit and landed on a simple tune we both knew.
‘Alright Anders,’ I thought, ‘here we go.’ I closed my eyes and sang “Edelweiss” .
When I finished there was dead silence. I opened my eyes and they were all staring at me. I felt horribly embarrassed and wanted to run from the room.
“Oh,” Seras breathed, “that was beautiful.”
“Wonderful.” Said Stewart.
I blushed and looked at my hands. “Your very kind.” I said.
“No. It was beautiful.” Said Captain Burnadett. “It felt like...” He tapped his head once or twice. “Like being somewhere warm and comfortable. Like, like..”
“Like coming home.” Said Seras.
The others nodded and smiled.
“Yes, like coming home.” Marks said. “Very wonderful and a German song to boot!”
There was a snort from Captain Burnadett and a giggle from Seras. I relaxed a little.
“Sing us a another.” Said Corp. Bulls, tossing sodas to Seras and Sgt. Marks.
I was about to demure when Corp. Stewart said, “Just one more love, then we’ll all join in OK? Make it a proper party.”
“An excellent idea.” Said Private. Zelig plopping down on the couch next to Seras.
I realized then that we were no longer guests but had somehow been accepted by these men, for better or for worse, as one of their own. I was being adopted by a bunch of scary, burly professional killers and was thrilled about it. I smiled and nodded to Corp. Stewart.
After several drinking songs, a couple of more show tunes and even a few old hymns I was almost falling over with exhaustion but I was so happy I just did not want it to stop. Finally, it was time for my phone call to my son. I had just enough time to kiss each scruffy cheek before Seras dragged me off back to the house. It would be several days before I thought about Anders again.
Normally, I would have laughed and teased her back about redheads but instead I just released her and said, “Oh, OK. Sorry. I just... It’s just that....” But, what could I say? ‘Please always be my friend and don’t ever decide to kill me and eat me.’? Damn Walter for putting those thoughts in my head and damn Alucard for picking up on them and reinforcing those thoughts tonight. Telling me that one day she would tire of playing with her food and simply kill me if I didn’t kill her first. I must have looked strange because she asked what was wrong.
“It’s just that, you’re my friend and I don’t care about the other stuff but Alucard he’s so” I choked a little “he’s so...but your not, your...I’m sorry I guess I’m just a little tired that’s all.”
“No, I’m sorry.” She said. She grabbed me and hugged me tight. “He can be so awful and he’s twice as bad to you than he even is to me and he’s horrible to me! I’m so sorry you have to go through this. I wish you had just said no.”
“I made a promise.” I whispered.
“I don’t care!” She said, squeezing me tighter. “I don’t want him hurting you anymore. I hate it!”
She was half choking me at this point but I didn’t care. Seras was my friend. The were wrong about her. She would not go bad. Not my Seras. I would not let it happen. I hugged her back fiercely and whispered, “I won’t let it happen!”
“Ow!” She squeaked, pushing me away so suddenly she scratched my arm.
“Ow!” I complained.
“Are you alright?” We both asked at the same time.
“Something bit me.” She said rubbing her neck. “Did I hurt you?”
“No.” I said, dashing those stupid tears from my eyes (I really need to get some Kleenex). “Just a scratch.” I said. “I think you need to trim your nails.”
“But, your bleeding.”
“It’s nothing.” I said poking my arm. “Just a scratch.”
She blanched slightly and pointedly looked away. Poor baby, she hadn’t eaten for awhile. I hurriedly wiped the small beads of blood off my arm then reached out to examine the spot on her neck. Her nostrils flared slightly but she held still for my ministrations. It was red but not swollen. “Can’t tell what that is” I said “but it doesn’t look too bad. I think we’ll both live.”
This earned me a small sarcastic smile and a slight push.
“Oh sure, attack me when I’m wounded.” I protested.
This earned me a grin and a pinch.
“Come on.” I said taking her arm.
“Where?”
“To the bathroom to tend our wounds then...”
“Then?”
I picked up my latest invitation to visit the barracks and waived it at her. She made a face.
“Come on,” I said “it will be fun and Corp. Stewart said he’d play his new guitar for us if we came.”
She continued to frown.
“Aw, come on.” I said dragging her towards the bathroom. “If Capt. Burnadett gives you any trouble, I promise to hit him for you.”
“So what? You hit like a girl.”
“Do not!”
“Totally wimpy.”
“Shut up!”
“Make me.” ....
When we arrived at the barracks, I displayed my grievous wound demanding sympathy and Fresca. The medic snorted with disgust and left the room while Sgt. Marks clucked over my arm sympathetically.
“Seras is wounded too. Give her a soda.”
“Ah yes?” Asked Capt. Burnadett. “What happened to you?”
We told our harrowing tale of killer bees in the basement.
“I was collateral damage.” I said, accepting my soda.”
“I was bitten.” Said Seras.
“Bees don’t bite.” Said Capt. Burnadett.
“Stung then.” She snapped.
“Where?”
“My neck.”
“Really?” He said with a grin. “Let me see!” He began reaching for her neck.
“No. I’m fine. Stop it!”
“Don’t worry my petit, I am not the one who bites necks around here.”
“Corrine!”
“Captain.” I said. He turned towards me.
“I meant the bees.”
“Bees don’t bite.” I said. “They sting, remember?”
“Fine.” He said turning back to Seras with an wicked gleam. “I promise not to sting you then.”
“Corrine.”
“What?”
“You promised to hit him.”
“Yes, but apparently, I hit like a girl.”
“Corrine!” She said again stepping back from him and stumbling against a table.
“Fine. Captain Burnadett, leave her be.”
“No, my lady love is wounded. I must lend aid.”
“Piffle.” I said. “Leave her be.”
“No, truly!” He had backed her completely up against the table now and was scrutinizing the mark on her neck. “Ah, to mar such a thing of beauty.” He said poking her with a finger. “Such a crime! Lend us your soda no?”
“Stop it!” She said “Corrine!”
“Oh for Pete’s sake!” I said trying not to laugh. “Will you please do something?” I asked the Sgt.
“Your wish is my command.” He said and hurled my unopened can of soda directly at the Captain’s head.
Before anyone else could react, Seras’ hand shot up and caught it mid air, just inches from impact. I gasped. Captain Burnadett didn’t even blink.
“Merci.” He said, removing the can from her from her nerveless fingers, then carefully pressed it against the mark on her neck. “There petit. Does that feel better?”
“Um, yes. I guess...thank you.”
“Just hold it there” He gently took her hand and placed it on the can.
There was a moment of awkward silence then the wicked gleam returned to his eye. “You see how she protected me? Mon Deiu! She must truly love me, no? To defend me like this?”
“I....I...” She sputtered. “did not defend you. It was just a reflex.”
“No. It was true love.”
“It was NOT!”
“Captain. You really must stop.”
He turned to Marks and me. “She protests but her true feelings show through. How you say, the action speaks louder than the word?”
“You know," I said, watching Seras pour the contents of the can over his head, “I think you might be right.” Then fell off my chair laughing.
“You owe me a soda.” I said handing him some paper towels.
“What is that smell?” He said.
“Citrus.”
“Stupid American drink.”
“Just be glad I drink diet,” I said “or you would be all sticky and the bees might bite you too.”
“Perhaps the bees will be on a diet.” Chirped Seras sweetly.
“You see how cruel she is to me? She wounds me so.”
“I think you’ll live. Now stop teasing her or I will whack you on the head for real.”
“Hmm, yes.” He said. “This reminds me.” He wheeled on Sgt. Marks. “Why did you throw that can at my head?”
“I was aiming for your hat.”
“I am not wearing my hat.”
“Hard to tell it is so ugly and floppy.”
“My hat or my head?”
“Both.”
“You call my hat ugly? You stupid uncultured oaf!”
“Just so.”
The Captain then let out a long stream of profanity which earned several amused chuckles and turned Seras bright red. Fortunately, I do not speak French and so was spared what was apparently a graphic lesson in Sgt. Marks’ anatomy and genealogy . It was obviously a good one, several of the men were taking notes.
The Sgt. Calmly listened to the diatribe even adding the occasional suggested revision. He had apparently heard this lecture before. When they began shifting into German, I laughed and begged Corp. Stewart to fetch his guitar.
“I’ll play if you sing.” He said, tuning up.
“Oh no.” I said. “Please just play.”
“Oh yes, please sing for us.” Said Seras. “I love to hear you sing.” She turned to the others. “She has a lovely voice.”
“Is this so?” Said Sgt. Marks. “Then we must hear it.”
“No, please, really.” I said embarrassed.
“Guitars are meant to be sung with. I shan’t play unless you sing.”
“No, really. I’m not that good.”
“Yes you are. Come on. You sing for me all the time. It’s lovely, please don’t be embarrassed.”
I looked down at my feet. I hadn’t sung in front of people for a long time. The last time I had sung publicly was for ghouls. I shook my head sadly. As a girl and a young woman, I used to love to sing. Any time, anywhere...but now...
“She sings beautifully.” Said a voice quietly from the doorway.
I looked up, it was the medic. He was standing in the hallway just outside the door. When he saw me looking at him, he turned his head away.
“What was that Anders?” Asked Captain Burnadett.
“I’ve heard her singing in her room. I was dropping off a sample for the lab and I heard it.”
We were all staring at him dumbfounded.
“Her voice, it was like listening to an Angel.”
I flinched at his choice of the word ‘Angel’. He must have seen me because he kicked the door frame a couple of times before continuing. “You should sing for them.” He still would not look at me. “Then maybe they will understand.”
Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away. I started to go after him but was stopped by Captain Burnadett.
“No joli, don’t.”
“But he’s obviously upset.”
“We all have our burdens. Demons we must fight. He is struggling with his.”
“But,”
“Give him time. Give him time.”
I looked at the door uncertainly.
“If you wish to help him, sing for us as he asks. He is not far, he will hear you."
“What should I sing?”
“Barbara Allen!” Said Seras that being her favourite.
“Too sad.” Said Corp. Stewart. “No songs about death right now.”
“Yes, something happy.” Said one of the others.
“Something pretty and sentimental.” Said Sgt. Marks.
“Something French.” said Captain Burnadett.
“I really don’t know any French songs.”
“Something German then.” Said Sgt. Marks
“Ha! There is no such thing as a pretty German song!”
“OK, OK. Stop.” I said.
The Corporal and I whispered back and forth a bit and landed on a simple tune we both knew.
‘Alright Anders,’ I thought, ‘here we go.’ I closed my eyes and sang “Edelweiss” .
When I finished there was dead silence. I opened my eyes and they were all staring at me. I felt horribly embarrassed and wanted to run from the room.
“Oh,” Seras breathed, “that was beautiful.”
“Wonderful.” Said Stewart.
I blushed and looked at my hands. “Your very kind.” I said.
“No. It was beautiful.” Said Captain Burnadett. “It felt like...” He tapped his head once or twice. “Like being somewhere warm and comfortable. Like, like..”
“Like coming home.” Said Seras.
The others nodded and smiled.
“Yes, like coming home.” Marks said. “Very wonderful and a German song to boot!”
There was a snort from Captain Burnadett and a giggle from Seras. I relaxed a little.
“Sing us a another.” Said Corp. Bulls, tossing sodas to Seras and Sgt. Marks.
I was about to demure when Corp. Stewart said, “Just one more love, then we’ll all join in OK? Make it a proper party.”
“An excellent idea.” Said Private. Zelig plopping down on the couch next to Seras.
I realized then that we were no longer guests but had somehow been accepted by these men, for better or for worse, as one of their own. I was being adopted by a bunch of scary, burly professional killers and was thrilled about it. I smiled and nodded to Corp. Stewart.
After several drinking songs, a couple of more show tunes and even a few old hymns I was almost falling over with exhaustion but I was so happy I just did not want it to stop. Finally, it was time for my phone call to my son. I had just enough time to kiss each scruffy cheek before Seras dragged me off back to the house. It would be several days before I thought about Anders again.
5 comments:
The French vs German thing reminds me of a joke: A Spaniard, a Frenchman, and a German are arguing about whose language is the most beautiful.
"Clearly it is Spanish! Just take our word for butterfly, 'mariposa'; what could be more poetic?"
"But of course it is French, my friend. 'Papillion' all but flies on its own!"
The German, obviously indignant, responds,"And vat is wrong mit 'schmetterling'?"
The line about "Eidelweiss' feeling like coming home... isn't that from 'Sound of Music'?
It takes a brave soul to perform Rogers and Hammerstein in front of trained killers. That, or you should have very nice legs and wear something really skimpy.
Sooo.... is she brave or does she have nice legs? Or both?
I'd like to think both.
Post a Comment