The booming of the cannons sounded like distant thunder, reverberating through the air without rain. Enduring the anxious wait until the moment of returning quietness felt like passing through a century for Lynn. Looking back in the direction they came from, the burning sky gradually faded. Although the outcome of the battle remained unknown, after the fierce fighting, those who survived could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Not everyone shared Lynn's mindset. The civilians and soldiers around naturally speculated about the outcome of the battle. Hearing their discussions, Lynn wanted to comfort them with a phrase his middle school English teacher once taught him: "No news is good news." As long as there were no fleeing troops from the rear and no "fire brigades" appearing in the direction of Königsberg, the situation wouldn't be too bad. Thus, he continued to steady himself, carrying the little girl with determination, occasionally adjusting the leather suitcase in his right hand.
Young bodies naturally had their advantages, but the accompanying elderly and children grew increasingly weary. More and more people stopped to rest alone or in small groups, causing the length of the queue to gradually stretch out. Despite a considerable number of German soldiers assigned to escort the civilians, most of them were injured, carrying luggage for the civilians, and burdened with their own weapons. Apart from occasional support, they couldn't offer much help to the civilians. As the moonlight grew sparse, the sergeant in charge finally ordered a rest, but without specifying the duration.
Whether it was a quarter of an hour or two to three hours, Lynn felt it did little to alleviate the current plight. Most civilians lacked military training, and their physical and mental stamina couldn't compare to those of soldiers who had endured the trials of war. Temporary encouragement and motivation couldn't last long, even if Rommel himself were present!
"Daddy... Daddy..."
Despite sleeping soundly amidst the booming of the cannons, the little girl woke up now. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, her first instinct wasn't to look for her mother or grandfather, but to lightly tap Lynn's stubbly cheek with her small hand. Seeing that "Daddy" hadn't disappeared, she smiled sweetly, making a gurgling sound in her mouth – the candy was still there, what a sweet moment for her!
As someone who had never been a father, Lynn felt both happy and sad at this moment. Fatherly love was so important for this little girl; it would have an immeasurable impact on her upbringing, even determining whether her mental world would be normal or not. In such a situation, the best choice for a single mother would be to find a father for her, one who could be as competent as possible. Whether he was fit to be a husband was probably an insignificant criterion in comparison.
No wonder the woman just now...
Thinking of this, Lynn felt somewhat relieved, yet also somewhat melancholic. In this period of Germany, soldiers were no longer the ideal candidates for both father and husband. With the defeat inevitable, most of them would face either a terrible or a terribly miserable life as prisoners of war. Even if they managed to return alive, their mental state would suffer great damage, and regaining confidence wasn't something everyone could achieve.
Looking back at the history he was familiar with, as the edifice of the Third Reich was about to collapse, the once influential officials either followed the Führer to the end or became prisoners of the Allies. However, there were also many cunning individuals who fled Germany with their families, settling in South American countries with a large German immigrant population such as Argentina or in politically significant countries like Spain and Switzerland. Except for those unlucky ones who were discovered and hunted down by Israeli agents, the rest either lived ordinary lives under false identities or lived luxuriously by using the wealth hidden during the Third Reich era. Could he follow this path?
Evacuating besieged East Prussia, heading to the southern border near Switzerland, then finding a way to cross the border... After formulating a preliminary "escape" route, Lynn suddenly realized that this plan was extremely difficult for a lowly soldier like him who had neither power nor money. It might be more practical to flee back to Denmark with this small family. But would returning to Denmark guarantee a peaceful life? As someone who had researched the history of World War II to some extent, Lynn also knew about Denmark's situation during the war. The extreme shortage of resources made civilian life very difficult, and in the later stages of the war, they inevitably suffered from the ravages of war again. Moreover, Lynn might not be able to conceal his experience serving in the Waffen-SS foreign units in Denmark after the war. It was difficult to say whether he would be punished or sought after by the local residents.
If that were the case, would he be subjecting this small family to even more hardships by returning to Denmark? Lynn found it hard to bear the thought.
Seeing that the elderly and the woman had found a birch tree to lean against for rest, Lynn temporarily set aside these random thoughts, approached with the little girl in his arms, put down the suitcase, and then sat down quietly beside the woman.
"Mommy... Mommy..."
The little girl happily nestled in Lynn's arms, and the woman slightly adjusted her shawl, then turned to give her child a faint smile. In Lynn's eyes, this expression was like a delicate flower blooming in the cold wind, so beautiful it was heartwarming.
"Come to Mommy!" The woman's voice was soft, and she reached out her hands, but the little girl shook her head vigorously, clinging to Lynn.
"Be good, Carly, let Daddy rest for a while, just a little while!" The woman coaxed.
Hearing the word "Daddy" uttered by the woman, Lynn felt an indescribable flutter in his heart. He could imagine the scene of a handsome soldier standing together with a woman in a white dress, accompanied by a cute and beautiful little girl, and a kind and knowledgeable old man. How enviable it must be!
After the woman's words, the little girl hesitated for a moment, looked at Lynn, then at the woman, and finally reluctantly opened her arms. Both Lynn and the woman picked her up, but the woman's posture seemed a bit strained - if Lynn hadn't held her, the little girl would probably have been exhausted on the way.
Although Lynn noticed that the woman probably had no ulterior motives, his youthful heart couldn't help but flutter at this small gesture.