The two soldiers walked for hours. Wilhelm was exhausted from carrying Ernst's body for miles. They stopped and rest only a couple of times. They were heading southwest, where they were supposed to meet up with their other comrades.
"What's that we are approaching?" asked Albert
Trucks with AA guns connected to them, flak guns, armored cars, tanks, and bunches of soldiers. All of the soldiers were at attention with their commanding officer walking in front of each one. Why were they not retreating with the others?
"Hey!" yelled Wilhelm.
He got all of the soldiers at attention. Wilhelm and Albert ran over to them while the officer and the other soldiers stared.
"Who are you and why are you coming from the Northeast?"
"We were stopped in a Russian town. Why are you guys not retreating?"
"We are getting ready to." the officer replied. "How long have you been......."
"Ernst?" a small high pitched voice said.
There was a young boy, about Ernst's age, that stared at his body hanging on Wilhelm's broad shoulders. Everyone was now looking at the boy who was slowly walking towards Wilhelm.
"Ernst?" the officer said. "Is that Ernst Schwarz you are carrying?"
"Yes sir."
The officers emotions changed. He knew Ernst and was a part of his unit. The boy and the officer slowly walked over to Ernst's dead body.
"How did he die?"
"I knife was thrown into his main artery in his lower abdomen, just this morning by a man that was scared of us. We tried to save him but it was too late. He lost more blood than we thought. He was a brilliant young boy." Wilhelm said as his eyes started to water.
"Put him on the ground, soldier. August, get the typewriter ready."
"Jawohl, Hauptmann Schulz!" a soldier named August said as he saluted the officer.
Clicking sounds came from inside the tent while paper hit against the table. Officer Schluz kneeled down and looked at Ernst's body, same with the boy next to him that cried.
"He was his best friend, wasn't he Lutz?"
The boy nodded and walked away into a foxhole, not to be seen until the retreat started for this unit.
"At ease!" commanded Officer Schulz.
His soldiers broke out of formation and went to their foxholes and tents to relax.
"Come into the tent if you would like, soldiers."
"Yes sir."
"Bring Ernst's body also."
Wilhelm put Ernst over his shoulders and carried him into the tent. Officer Schulz was sitting at the table the typewriter was on. He took a deep breath and started typing.
Dear Schwarz family,
Your beloved young son, Ernst A. Schwarz was killed not in action but from an innocent frightened Russian man in a town in Southwest Russia on the morning of June 27th, 1944. He now lays peacefully, not seeing anymore of the horrors of this war.
We enjoyed having your son here, he served this war gratefully and with his heart full of bravery for being this young and fighting in a war as big as this. Although, he sometimes was not sure what was happening around him, he still had a way to have fun. Everyone in the camp knew him well. He showed compassion and respect to the fellow soldiers around him. He made them feel better every time they were down. We will surely miss him and he will forever live in our hearts.
Ernst A. Schwarz will be buried at the next German cemetery here in Russia while we are on retreat. Lastly, I will promise that we will give you a train ticket to Russia after the war, to visit Ernst's final resting place, whether the war is won or not.
Truly,
Haupt. Schulz
There was a final ding when Officer Schulz pulled the paper out of the typewriter about twenty minutes later, thoughtfully thinking through each word. He lastly got out a stamp and stamped it hard on the front of the top of the paper, a black eagle was on it now. He grabbed an envelope and gently put the letter in with care. He grabbed a red stamp with the Führer's face on it and stuck it on the top. A fountain pen was used by Schulz to write words on the front of the envelope. He sealed it up and gently placed it into a sack with other Death Letters.