ernst+josef original character sketch, 361 words
"Did it get very cold in Africa?"
Ernst barked out a laugh, cigarette smoke exploding into the air. "Haven't heard that one before. What's your name again?"
"Josef. Josef Richter." The kid was pale, but not the dainty kind of pale where you could see the blood rushing to his cheeks or anything faggy like that. More like a slab of limestone, all shades of white and grey and blue. Next to him, Ernst, with his blond hair, fine German nose, and sandblown skin, looked dark and boorish. Maybe even degenerate.
With a shake of his head Ernst dismissed these dangerous thoughts and brought the cigarette back to his mouth.
"You're serious."
Josef rocked back and forth on his heels; his version of a shrug, Ernst guessed. "They're calling it the Western Desert Campaign, right?" He pronounced the English words carefully, sharpening the consonants. "And you've got quite the tan. Don't see what the point is in asking about the heat."
Ernst looked him over. Nothing really distinctive about the kid other than the 3rd Army badge he still wore and the way he'd glance around every now and then like he was waiting for someone. But then, weren't they all?
"Yeah. Didn't have a patch on Russia, but still. Even saved my CO from frostbite after some bad nights. Got decorated for that, God knows why. Won't be doing that here." Ernst spat, then tugged his coat shut as the evening wind cut the clouds open again. Josef just stood there, listening to the moaning of the open windows of the granary and church.
"Doesn't it sound like they're crying inside?" Josef's voice was quiet.
"If you're trying to get in trouble with Julie, that's the way to do it."
The kid chuckled at this-Finally, Ernst thought-and looked over at the officers' quarters. "Don't let him hear you call him that. He's pissed off enough about having a foreign name as it is," Josef said.
With a flick of the wrist, Ernst extinguished his cigarette and put the remains in his pouch. "What's he going to do, report me to Bothmann?" He winked at Josef. "I'm former 5th Light Division. Untouchable."
Ernst barked out a laugh, cigarette smoke exploding into the air. "Haven't heard that one before. What's your name again?"
"Josef. Josef Richter." The kid was pale, but not the dainty kind of pale where you could see the blood rushing to his cheeks or anything faggy like that. More like a slab of limestone, all shades of white and grey and blue. Next to him, Ernst, with his blond hair, fine German nose, and sandblown skin, looked dark and boorish. Maybe even degenerate.
With a shake of his head Ernst dismissed these dangerous thoughts and brought the cigarette back to his mouth.
"You're serious."
Josef rocked back and forth on his heels; his version of a shrug, Ernst guessed. "They're calling it the Western Desert Campaign, right?" He pronounced the English words carefully, sharpening the consonants. "And you've got quite the tan. Don't see what the point is in asking about the heat."
Ernst looked him over. Nothing really distinctive about the kid other than the 3rd Army badge he still wore and the way he'd glance around every now and then like he was waiting for someone. But then, weren't they all?
"Yeah. Didn't have a patch on Russia, but still. Even saved my CO from frostbite after some bad nights. Got decorated for that, God knows why. Won't be doing that here." Ernst spat, then tugged his coat shut as the evening wind cut the clouds open again. Josef just stood there, listening to the moaning of the open windows of the granary and church.
"Doesn't it sound like they're crying inside?" Josef's voice was quiet.
"If you're trying to get in trouble with Julie, that's the way to do it."
The kid chuckled at this-Finally, Ernst thought-and looked over at the officers' quarters. "Don't let him hear you call him that. He's pissed off enough about having a foreign name as it is," Josef said.
With a flick of the wrist, Ernst extinguished his cigarette and put the remains in his pouch. "What's he going to do, report me to Bothmann?" He winked at Josef. "I'm former 5th Light Division. Untouchable."