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Dracula: World of War- Part 18
🕑 Added 2022-12-29 04:06:51 +0000 UTCI left a few nights after my conversation with Captain Lance. I was taken by jeep to the nearest safe town and caught a train. A few of the men saw me off, some wished me a swift recovery and others asked me to mail letters for them when I got back. I agreed and said my goodbyes. In the end I was dropped of back at London because that was where I joined the army from. I did as I told my comrades I would and mailed the letters for their families that they gave me, then tried to stop at my old apartment, but it was reduced to rubble in the air raids. I was still wearing my uniform, and now that my apartment was destroyed that meant all of my things were gone too. I was irritated, but only mildly; there wasn’t much in the apartment anyway. I had enough money to afford new clothes and tickets for passage to get me as close to Russia as I could. After that I would figure it out as I went.
I walked down London’s streets, currently filled with debris from destroyed buildings, and looked in what remained of the clothing shops. I found one shop, which was in complete ruin, glass from the broken windows were on the floor and a wall was caved inward splaying bricks and mortar everywhere. But still the shop was open; I knew this from a little hand made sign outside that read, “We are still open, just a bit more open than usual.” I actually laughed when I read that. The British were famous for being able to keep a stiff upper lip, but this was remarkable.
“Ah hello, welcome sir. How can I help you today?” An elderly man behind a counter asked.
“I am in need of new clothes. Something less… militaristic, and it needs to cover much of my body. I’m afraid the sun is rather unkind to my skin.” I told the man.
“Fresh home from the front, are you? I’m glad you were able to make it home safe and thank you for your brave service.” He shook my hand and led me to a more intact part of the shop. Along the walls and on shelves were many fine clothes, hats, and shoes. “As I always say sir: a fine suit makes a fine gentleman. May I ask, how much are you willing to spend today?”
I pulled out a few pounds and handed it to him, “this much.” He looked as if I had just given him a gold bar and a stiff drink.
“I… I think we have just the thing for you sir.” He quickly walked over to a large door and pulled out a key, unlocking it and motioning me to join him. Beyond the door was a room filled with mannequin wearing exquisite suits and fine dresses. “This is a room reserved for our more… lavish cliental. I think it will fit you much better.”
“How many can I afford with what I gave you?”
“Three or four full outfits, I should think sir, and I would be happy to throw in a rather dapper hat on the house for such a lofty purchase.” He began measuring me from head to toe, then he brought out several different trousers and shirts for me to try on. After we had decided on three shirts, jackets, and pants to match, we moved on to shoes and socks.
In total I spent nearly two hours in his shop, but I must admit to looking quite debonair when I left. And true to his word he gave me a bowler’s hat to match the suit that I wore out of the store. I had bought, and was currently wearing, black trousers, a fitted long sleeved white shirt, a black vest, and my bowler’s hat. In my bag, I had similar outfits, some with coats of varying colors, but mostly darker shades such as deep blues and greys. Now that I looked like any other well-dressed man, I would be able to blend in without drawing suspicion. If I had tried to cross borders dressed like a soldier I most likely would have been shot, captured, tortured, or generally mistreated. As much as the men and women of Russia may dislike the wealthy, they might dislike foreign soldiers even more.
I picked up my bag, that held what amounted to all of my worldly possessions, left the shopping district, and headed to the docks to get passage on a ship heading to the main European continent. Travel was dangerous due to the war, but a few trains still ran, so after a two-day boat ride, I hopped on a train for as far as it would take me. I got a few hundred miles from the Russian border, but no one would take me any further. My only options seemed to be either walking, finding an automobile, or ride a horse, which was a fairly common method of transportation in this area.
I looked around as I stepped of the train. I was used to major cities, large crowds, and tall buildings… not this. I felt as if I had stepped back in time by a century. The tallest thing in the whole town was the train, and it was leaving in fifteen minutes. I had arrived at night, so the town was quiet, and very dark. Not a single streetlamp as far as the eye could see. I was very thankful for my superior eyesight, or I would have been in a very bad way. The air smelt of cattle and grass, aside from the train station there was no one around. I felt my hunger rise in my throat and quelled it; I knew places like this had no criminals to satiate my thirst with. I doubted they had doctors… let alone drug dealers. There were open fields as far as I could make out in the moonlit distance. The only sounds came from the station and the animals. Some crickets chirped, a few bats flittered about, and a howl of some kind echoed, but nothing man-made even let out a peep.
I had spent centuries navigating by the stars, so I was able to get my baring without delay and headed for the border, which was to my North-East. I walked all night, and when the sun rose, I simply covered up and kept on. I walked for days, only stopping to feed or take a break from the Sun in the blessed shade, but these breaks never lasted long. I only allowed myself time enough to shake off the effects of the sunlight then I continued my march. My territory… my hometown… was hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometers away. Between us was the German army, and the poor unfortunate souls that made up their ranks… and my next meals for a while.
