Wunderhein Academy: Book 1- Awakening

“Sniff.”

Aleksei woke up in the middle of the night, immediately noticing the familiar acidic smell in the room and soft sniffing sound.

The soft glow that came under their dorm door outlined Boris standing next to his bunker opposite Aleksei. He stood up and softly walked to the youngster, placing a hand on Boris’s shoulder.

“Did you wet your bed again?” He asked in a lowered voice, so he wouldn’t wake the others.

At first Boris looked up at him afraid of a reprimand but then nodded his tear-stained face. “I’m sorry.”

Aleksei should be firmer about this he supposed. But the kid was just that. A kid. One that had been hurt before coming here like most of them were. Boris would get out of it one day. If he was lucky enough that is.

“Go to the bathroom and clean up. I’ll sort out the bed.” Aleksei ran his hands through the youngsters’ course, bristled hair. “You can sleep in my bed when you get back all right?”

“Yes sir.” Boris nodded before wiping his sleeve under his nose. Aleksei’s hands clenched. He should have reprimanded Boris for it but decided against it.

Boris hurried to obey his captain, running out the door in his wet outfit.

Aleksei heard a yawn from the corner.

“Kid mess again?” Dmitri asked sleepily, stretching as he walked towards Aleksei.

“Go back to bed Dimi.” Aleksei ordered

“Why? Cause ya the Captain?” Dmitri’s glare was ruined by him yawning. “Come on, I’ll take that end. We can move it faster.”

Aleksei didn’t argue as he watched Dmitri rip off the bedding with practiced ease. Aleksei’s hand went to his neck for a moment, rubbing it as whimpers began to cloud his memory.

“Hey.” Dmitri whispered. “Forget it. This wasn’t ya. Let ghosts sleep.”

“It was once.” Aleksei shook his head and bent over, grabbing a pillow that was soaked. “He dreams about his family. I heard him once.”

“Finding them dead.” Dmitri replied as he tossed the remains of the bedding onto the ground. “Yeah. I heard him a few times too. Stops me from sleeping.”

“What did I dream of?” Aleksei wasn’t sure why he wanted to know. Some things were best remained buried in the past. He felt a suffocating darkness begin to grip him.

“Now?” Dmitri huffed as he pressed against the mattress. “Ya wanna do this now?”

“I don’t dream anymore.” Aleksei took a deep breath as he looked at the mattress, not meeting his friends eye. “How can I tell Boris it gets better when I don’t know myself if it does?”

Dmitri sighed.

“Ya dreamt about ya ma sometimes.” He began, standing up and crossing his arms. “Mostly the old Captain though. Ya still do, ya just don’t remember but I hear it.”

“I do?” Aleksei asked in surprise. A laughing face with a pale eye flashed through his mind.

“Thems ya worst days. Not remembering is a good thing.” Dmitri shrugged before leaning back over the bed, grabbing the bottom corners. “Now can we move this thing?”

Aleksei nodded and grabbed his own corners. Together they managed to shift the bed out of the room and into the courtyard. Dmitri released his side, leaving Aleksei with the weight of the bed. He let it go and it fell onto the ground.

“There.” Dmitri grinned, stretching. “Done.”

“Your good deed for the day.” Aleksei grinned, sitting on the grass next to the wet cot.

“My only good deed.” Dmitri corrected, lighting a cigarette and in haling it deeply.

At that moment, some Grunts that were on patrol walked past, glaring at them.

“What are you kids doing here?” One of the patrol men inquired. “You’re past curfew.”

“I’m Captain Cassonov.” Aleksei stood up, saluting along with Dmitri at the adults. “This is my Second in Command, Lieutenant Petrov. We’re allowed out past curfew.”

From the look on his face, one of the grunts seemed to recognize the names. He stepped forward and studied them closely for a moment. “Ranks?”

Aleksei pointed to the Captains markings that had been stitched into his clothing. Dmitri followed suite, pointing to his own stitched in rank. The adult nodded after inspecting the marks. “As you were.”

Aleksei stayed standing as they left, not trusting that they wouldn’t turn around again.

Alpha rules – Never trust a grown up.

“O Father Frost,” Dmitri began singing softly, pulling Aleksei’s attention from where the adults had vanished. Dmitri had his head thrown back, taking drags from his cigarette in-between his song. “Protect this cot from ya frost, its owner is waiting for it back home.”

“If you’re going to sing something, then sing it right Dmitri.” Aleksei sighed before reaching out for the cigarette. Dmitri handed it over without even dropping his head from searching the sky. Aleksei inhaled on the stick, closing his eyes for a moment as he savoured the harsh taste. “You already insult Father Frost with your singing voice. You shouldn’t do it further by mocking his song.”

“I’m just reminding him to look after Boris. The man has so many children to remember.” Dmitri pointed out with a sharp grin. “And we’re stuck out here. Kitten too now. You and me, he forgot long ago.”

“We stopped believing long ago.” Aleksei’s eyes narrowed as they jumped to the lone window not far from where they were standing. Aleksei recognized Kitten’s window instantly. For a moment, he could swear he could even hear her breathing in her room. Annoyed he took another drag. “Blyad Dmitri, what are we meant to do with her?”

“I have a few suggestions.” Dmitri replied, taking back the cigarette. “Ya may not like them though.”

“I’m serious. She’s a girl.” Aleksei began walking back and forth on the grass. “Their different from us.”

“That what makes them so better.” Dmitri agreed in a dreamy voice that made Aleksei look at him and shake his head.

“Focus, she’s not one of the nurses.” Aleksei grabbed the cigarette again, this time sucking on it as if it held the answers he was looking for. “She’s still off limits.”

“Says the one that handed her his knife.” Dmitri chuckled.

“You heard her,” Aleksei glared at him. “She didn’t have one. As her Captain it’s my job to make she’s equipped.”

“Yeah, I heard her.”

“You think she was lying?”

“Who knows? Anything’s possible in this place.” Dmitri frowned for a moment as he took back the cigarette and found it finished. Shrugging, he threw it to the ground. “Relax Lexie, this is gonna be fun having a kitten running around.”

“I hope your right Dimi.” Aleksei glanced at her room once more, as a bad feeling swept over him. “I really hope your right.”