Rain splashed against the windows and thunder kept rumbling above, waking up the three. The grandfather clock on the far side of the living room ticked. Albert got up from the bed and went over to see the time on it.
"3:25am" it read
Ernst sighed and went back to bed. He laid there and got under the worn-blankets. He closed his eyes, fell back to sleep, and began to dream.
**********************
Lightning spread through the sky as machine guns were fired and yelling spread about in the battlefield. One soldier after another, falling to the ground next to Albert, dead by Soviet machine gunners hiding in a tree line. There was almost no cover except for big rocks and small unfinished ditches. The next thing he knew, Albert was down on the ground while rain fell on his face and his uniform was soaking wet. He screamed and grabbed the left side of his chest. Lightning struck through the sky and reflected what was on is hand, blood, running down his arm with rain mixing into it. His face became cold with fear. The muscles in his face tightened and his eyes squinted, noticing this would be the end.
A medic had quickly come over until he was shot, trying to get Albert to safety. Albert continued screaming until the vision of his soldiers in the light of the lightning suddenly became blurry and dark. He raised his hand to the sky and everything was black and stayed that way. But then, the sound of Kurt's voice came in but the words were unclear.
**********************
Albert jolted up, covering his mouth with his eyes starting to water. He screamed, wondering if he was still in the same pain he was just in, during his dream. Charlotte came running in, calming down Albert that had broken into a sweat. Charlotte started to shake, wondering what had happened.
"I......I at least hope it was a dream!" Albert said, shaking his hands.
"I believe that it was, Albert," she said, rubbing her hand on his.
He looked down at her hand and smiled in relief. Albert raised his head up to the ceiling and sighed, then looked back at Charlotte's face that lit up from the lightning.
"Thank you for coming in here, Charlotte."
Charlotte nodded and she got up from the bed and sat next to Albert. She rested her head on his shoulder. Albert smiled and he twirled his fingers through her hair.
"What was it about?" Charlotte asked.
"What was what about?
"Your dream?"
"Oh....this war, I don't want to explain all of the details."
Charlotte shook her head and patted Albert's back. She understood there were things she had not seen with her eyes, what Albert has gone through, everyday of this war so far. Everyday, seeing close friends and other soldiers around you turn into the fallen. Images of what she thought Albert had seen ran through her mind.
"I will go get you a glass of water."
Charlotte left the room and went into the kitchen. There were small metal jugs filled with rain water on the porch of her house. She opened the door and grabbed them and poured them into a small glass. She went back and handed it to Albert. He drank it all in one.
"Thank you, Charlotte."
She nodded and kissed him on the forehead. Albert laid back down and smiled.
"If you need anything, I will be down the hall."
Albert shook his head and closed his eyes but peeked them open to faintly watch Charlotte leave the room and close the door. He noticed that the storm had stopped and the rain slowed down. There was a window right above the bed which he looked out and opened. The fresh scent of rain filled the room. He relaxed and rested his arms on the windowsill. Lightning was visible in the distance to the East. Albert listened to the soft rumbles of thunder. He thought it was oddly quiet out at night during a war. Where were the sounds of artillery, gunshots, screaming and airplanes? Albert had almost forgotten the war because of those missing sounds, the sounds forever locked in his mind.