Chapter 7: Wulfburg
Helmut showed Ruby Wulfburg. First stop was the Boathouse. “It smells of fish.”
“I know Ruby. The local fishermen use this to unload their catch, which is why it constantly smells of fish.”
At the docks they saw Bernd and Hans. “Bernd, Hans didn’t expect to see you here.“
“After the American escaped, we were transferred here. Hello Ruby, how are you?” Bernd kneeled down to her.
“I am doing great. Helmut shows me the village.”
Bernd smiled, “Glad to hear it. These are the docks of Wulfburg. Wulfburg thrives on its fishing industry. The neighboring villages, however, have not been as fortunate. Vicious rumors attribute the Wulfburg fishermen’s unnatural success to the worshipping of some pagan underwater deity. But we don’t believe this.”
“And what is this?” Ruby looked with curiosity at the pump house.
“This is the pump house. It was built in 1822, but it burned down in 1853 due an unfortunate smelting accident. It was rebuilt the next year but burned down again in 1884 when a worker dropped a lantern during routine maintenance. After being rebuilt it was destroyed in a large fire in 1915 due a lighting strike. Locals prefer to it as the cursed pumping station since it seems to burn down every 31 years,” Helmut explained it.
“Looks like your Village isn’t very lucky with their buildings,” Ruby said.
Bernd had an Idea. He putted his cap on Ruby’s head. Helmet gave her a piggy ride. “Awaiting orders, Commander Ruby.”
“Show me more of the village!” She commanded happy.
“As you wish, Commander.”
They came to the Canal. “This is the Wulfburg canal. Wulfburg is a city made up of dozens of smaller islands separated by canals. It’s located where the Paderborn River flows out into the clear and clean waters of Wulfsee, a big alpine lake southeast of Castle Wolfenstein abutting the Austrian border.”
“Interesting.”
All Soldiers that saw Ruby just smiled and commented how cute her “Costume” was.
Now they were in the old Town. “This is the old town. It dated from the 11th century when the town was rebuilt after the great fire.”
“That’s sad.”
“I know. Nobody knows why it was burned down.”
“And what is this?” Ruby could saw the Church ruins from the distance.
“This is the old Church ruins of Wulfburg. They have been shunned by the superstitious locals ever since the great fire that consumed the whole village centuries ago.”
“O-okay. Then we should stay away from it.”
“If only it was so simple. I already told you that the excavation is here. I don’t know what Helga von Schabbs is searching in there, but I don’t care and I am glad when it is over.”
“Hey you! Stop right there!” A Soldier shouted. Helmut turned around to see a Heavy Soldier.
“Easy there, this is my daughter.“
“Sorry. But after the American broke out, we can’t be careful enough.”
“What are you?” Ruby looked at him with curiosity.
“I am a Heavy Soldier. Heavily armed and heavily armored, we have traded mobility for protection and superior firepower. Armed with combat shotguns, we wear sealed and armored suits that have an integrated closed respiratory which draws oxygen from pressurized tanks worn on the back. This is the Schockhammer. A heavy but very powerful double barreled semi-automatic combat-shotgun. It fires from alternating barrels for increased rate of fire. It has a magazine of 10 rounds.”
“Your armor reminds me of an old diving suit.”
“Yes, we are the frogmen of the Kriegsmarine. If we are not needed in the water, we are fighting with the ground forces.”
Then, Ruby spotted two children. A boy and a girl. The girl had brown hair and green eyes, the boy blue eyes and blond hair. Helmut knew them.
“Julian, Laura, how’s it going?”
“Great, Helmut!” Julian replied. Their parents were good friends of his mother.
“Who’s this?” Laura asked. As the Heavy Soldier left, Helmut explained who Ruby was. The kids understood that they should keep this secret.
“Sorry about you. But do you want to play with us?”
"With pleasure, Laura!” Ruby exclaimed as she hadn’t many friends back then, apart from Apple Bloom. They were drawing on the ground, played tag and other games. Helmut smiled as she had found some friends around her age when she died. After a while, he looked on his watch.
“Oh, look at the time. We should go home.” Helmut said as it was getting late. Ruby gave Bernd his cap back and said goodbye to everyone. Bernd gave Ruby a Scho-Ka-Kola, which she enjoyed.
On the Way home, Helmut told her more about Wulfburg, “It’s a nice place to life. But this is a city of secrets. Beset through history by death and destruction.”
“And some secrets should be never discovered.”
“Yes, Ruby, you’re right.”
Ruby spotted a man with torn clothes, broken glasses and a flower on his right ear.
“It’s the undead, I tell you. They’re coming. Helga will wake them. They will haunt us all down and tear us to pieces. Warmongering, hateful jerks!” the man talked to himself and a bottle he was holding in his right hand. He looked at the filly.
“Hey! Kid! Spare a couple of coins?” Ruby looked at him in pity then at Helmut. He gave her some coins.
She threw them into a cup. “For soup.”
He grabbed her leg. “Beware the undead, kind child. Kind child.”
“I don’t understand.”
He pulled her closer. “Do you not hear their screams?” He let her go. “The undead will devour us all, if we do nothing.” He hugged his bottle. “Well, as long as I got you nothing bad will ever happen.” He fell asleep.
“Who is that man?”
“The Village Drunkard. He usually hangs out around the market square in Paderborn where he rambles about whatever occupies his drunken mind for the day. Sometimes he’s in Wulfburg just like now. But even I feel sorry for him. I always give him some coins when I see him,” Helmut explained.
At home, Heike had already made Dinner for them. It was only bread but still Ruby enjoyed it. “I will be in the Living room if you need me.” She said before she left. Helmut helped his mother with the cleaning.
After that he looked after Ruby. She was asleep. She had drawn a picture. Helmut and Heike shed both a Tear. On the picture was a mare. She had a light grey coat and a dark red mane. Under her were the words “Mother” and “I miss you so much.”
Heike hang up the picture on the fridge, while Helmut brought Ruby to bed.
“I enjoy every minute with her. But her mother must be worried about her.” He looked sad at her.
“Don’t worry, my Son. I’m sure that she will be soon at home again. I can feel it,” His mother said to him before both went into their bed.