Hans Fan Fic: The Dog Tags

Sitting alone in his Billet the Captain felt alone, he’d felt that way for a long time and it was only getting stronger because of today of all days. They were getting ready to go to London and by tomorrow all of Millennium would be there. Standing up suddenly Hans reached around to grab his chair, he had his mouth open yet no sound came out. He hadn’t spoken for a long time. In truth he’d never felt the need. Looking around he observed his dingy billet. All around it then there was nothing to suggest that it was any different to a standard officer’s one. Spacious there was a bed and a chair. A small cabinet was by the bed with an uneaten steak on it. While the walls were badly white washed they were also filthy. A few empty bottles of whiskey lay on the floor, it was his only vice. But just like every other bit of him it was safely tucked away in this room. Outside of it he had nothing, or anyone. Crossing the room to sit on the bed the Captain reached over and grabbed the open book that sat alongside the uneaten food.

Opening it he ran his hand along the spine and then grabbed hold of the most important thing of all. The dog tag, it had been a present from her. She’d died the morning after the best day of his life just under 90 years ago. Tomorrow was the anniversary of her death. What would happen, he’d drink and then he’d sit on his bed and wait till he had to leave. She wouldn’t be proud of him; she would cry if she knew all the things he had done. Nonetheless he would carry her memory. For once a small piece of him was going to leave the room, and for a time he’d be a bit closer to the man he had been then. He would be closer to the women who had loved the man. Closer to the woman, who had with her death, shocked him to silence forevermore yet he would never be close to her. Nor would he ever be that man again. It was stupid to think otherwise. Throwing the plate aside he placed the dog tag carefully on the beat up table as if it would break.

Getting dressed quickly the next day he was ready to go at any moment and for the first time in years he wore the dog tag. Leaving his billet he went to go and stand alongside the major. Though he was going to look after the dog tag and things would be fine; there’d be a piece of him to be left behind after he was gone. For the first time in uncountable years though Hans Günsche left the billet, not the captain.