Then I hear it, Gong! The bell from the cathedral tower rings, breaking the silence. Oh no! We were supposed to be back by way before now. I have to find Obrinski and Kurtz! I head down the steps and rush to the bar in the hopes that I at least find Obrenski there. I step on the oak wooden floor through the open door and find the bar to be packed with a full house of patrons. The noise of chattering and the clinking of glasses fill my ears.The heavy scent of alcohol fills my nostrils. I try to search for Obrenski among the multitude of people who gleefully go about their drinking among the many tables and at the bar counter. I quickly examine the many faces in my desperate attempt to find him. There he is! And Kurtz is with him. I watch as Obrenski in a barstool at the counter about to hand a large glass of the yellow foaming liquid down to a wide eyed excited Kurtz. Oh my God, he is actually giving him a beer. "Obrenski!" I try to shout above the noise. They both pause and look at me. I point to my watch and Obrenski's eyes widen. He quickly snatches the beverage from the minor and downs it in a large swig before slamming money on the counter. Kurtz looks incredibly disappointed as Obrenski drags him over to me. "We need to get back!" I try to shout above the many voices. We all hurry outside and make a dash for the kubelwagen still sitting haphazardly out in the road.

I jump in the driver's seat and start the vehicle, it roars to life with the turn of a key. Obrenski drunkenly stumbles into the passenger seat while Kurtz takes his place in the back. I step on the gas and away we go. We are in so much trouble, the Lieutenant is going to be so angry.

The evening light has left us and the black out has begun. We now have to drive slow through the darkened city. The stragglers of today's debauchery can be seen slowly making their way back to their homes as though the were trying to feel their way through the dark. The stop signs and turns are difficult to spot in the darkness and that is even without blackout lights on our vehicle which are small caps that go over the headlights. We managed to make our way out of the city by careful driving.

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We pass on to the dirt road and Obrenski shouts, " Step on it Franz!" as though speed is going to save us from the scolding we are sure to receive. As we arrive in the dark, his silhouette is back lit by the trenches dark red blackout lights, there he stands with arms crossed. I swallow hard for the berating I am about to get. We stop the vehicle and file out, Obrenski stumbles out in a disordered manner. "Atten-tion!" shouts the Lieutenant. We all freeze and snap to attention. He walks up to us, I sweat nervously. He looks at all three of us lined in a row and says in his calm demeanor, " Obrenski, I expected this from you. Kurtz is too young but Franz, I am disappointed in you." I bow my head in shame, my stomach feels in knots. He speaks again calmly, "Had you been here earlier you would have known that command has decided, in order to boost morale, that each week an assigned gun crew in our battery will take a day leave. The crews are on rotation so that only one gun is down for each day. Our assigned day is Saturday." Leave? Leave each weekend oh boy I would be able to see Irina. My heart flutters with excitement. Oh no! I never got Irina's address. How am I going to see her again?

He continues, "With that said I am revoking your leave for two weeks." I feel shocked as though I were just punched in the stomach. And I look over to Obrenski to witness his fist tighten, Kurtz looks incredibly confused. "And because of this infraction, you are going to clean the gun spotless tomorrow." He continues. "Now wait just a minute Sprieg!" shouts a defiant Obrenski. The Lieutenant looks to him, " And you Obrenski come with me. Kurtz, Franz you are dismissed." Obrenski follows the Lieutenant to the barracks and closes the door. In there I can hear the muffled shouts of Obrenski which are then suddenly silenced. After a few minutes the Lieutenant walks out leaving a sulking Obrenski in the doorway. Lieutenant Sprieg walks past us and orders, " Franz, Kurtz, lights out in ten."

With that warning we race to our cots, past the still sulking Obrenski who lays on his cot. Even though it is not very late in the night, I am too terrified of making my matters worse by rebuking the Lieutenants orders. I cover myself in my cot and think of how wonderful my first day with Irina was and I hope I get to see her again. Then I think of how much I am going to dread tomorrow, the Lieutenant always wants everything impossibly cleaned. With that I end up drifting off to sleep.