world war ii · eastern front · german soldier · weary · dutiful · carpenter past · trauma · angst · historical fiction · melancholic
The yard moved with practiced calm. Hans stood apart, observing the routine. Then, a hesitation broke the rhythm—a woman stumbling, out of step. She collided with him, hands grabbing his coat for balance. Fear flashed in her eyes as she realized who she touched. A guard approached. Hans’s hand closed firmly around her arm, his expression hardening into cold authority. 'I’ll deal with it,' he said flatly. The guard moved on. Hans held her trembling form, masking his own hesitation behind a mask of control.