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Hugo Himmel Blog Entry |
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September 13, 2024, 12:04:14 AM 9/13/24: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's characters from my anthro WWII storyline are Otto Himmel's adopted children: Simon, Anneliese, Elka, Erna, Hugo, Monika, and Alwin. Himmel and his wife Dagmar always wanted a large family but she died giving birth to their only son Kolten; after the war, Himmel adopts a handful of orphans and with Johanna Wolfstein raises them as their own. There'll be more about them later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se. Regarding their design, Elka and Erna are twins, while Hugo, Monika, and Alwin are siblings, so I gave them all distinctive lighter colored ears. Simon is the oldest of them, Anneliese the youngest. TUMBLR EDIT: Whoo a bunch this week! For starters, please see Johanna Wolfstein's entry for how she and Himmel end up together after the war and how their family begins. Himmel's beloved wife, Dagmar, died of blood loss following Kolten's birth years ago, dashing Himmel's hopes of having a big family (during the war he envied his boss's, Jäger's, large brood, spoiling them whenever he had the chance, and was heartbroken following their deaths in the Alpine Fortress); he and Johanna, who'd also wanted kids yet couldn't have any, decide they can patch together a family together, following an orphanage visit. This entry will afterward be individualized for each child though I haven't much to share yet so these should be short. Here we go! I'll just cover the siblings together. I don't know much about Hugo and his younger siblings, Monika and Alwin, just yet, except that the youngest, Alwin, is disabled in some way, similar to Kolten (Kolten almost surely has some sort of moderate autism) only more severe (Kolten has the intellectual capacity of approximately a five year old, and can't read or write, but can do simple repetitive chores such as chopping wood and basic self care, while Alwin is unable to speak, and needs help tending to himself). Their family has to go into hiding because of Alwin, who would be targeted by the Nazis for extermination otherwise. For some reason, they live while their parents don't, but manage to stay together--the oldest child, practical Hugo, taking charge--and survive long enough to end up in the orphanage...where no one wishes to adopt all three as a group (especially not Alwin), so nobody will adopt them at all. Hugo always speaks for the shy, fretful Monika and the voiceless Alwin, insisting that he won't leave them behind. He's loyal and stubborn that way. The administrator decides to ask Himmel, who's already adopted a few difficult cases--SS child Anneliese, and twins Elka and Erna--if he'd be willing to adopt another set of siblings, including the disabled Alwin. It's the knowledge of Himmel's son, Kolten, that prompts her to try; Himmel's already proven he knows how to handle such things, so perhaps he'll be able to handle Alwin's challenges as well. Himmel agrees to meet the trio. Hugo is polite, yet standoffish; he's used to people showing interest, then moving on the moment they find out the three are a package deal with a special needs child. Himmel doesn't seem fazed by this, however; he's cordial to Monika as well, and greets Alwin even after Hugo tells him Alwin can't respond. They're offered the chance to stay overnight at his house and see how they fit in. Hugo doesn't get his hopes up, though Monika is definitely hopeful. The drive there is over an hour, much of it along bumpy country roads. Alwin takes as much as he can stand before the truck hits one bump too many and he starts squalling. His cries are so piercing they startle Himmel and he nearly drives them off the road; he pulls aside and asks what's wrong. Hugo and Monika have to explain that the ride is just too much for Alwin to take all at once; loud noises, jarring sensations, even something like a scratchy blanket or a lumpy pillow can bring on a lengthy series of shrieks. Himmel asks what can he do to settle Alwin down long enough to finish the ride; Hugo says he needs time to squall himself out first, but the moment they get back on the road he's likely to just start anew. He figures this will be enough to convince Himmel to turn around and take them back...yet Himmel asks if Alwin will tolerate being picked up and handled. He will, that doesn't bother him, though Hugo is puzzled by the question. Himmel says that when his son Kolten was a baby, his temper tantrums could sometimes be soothed by carrying him around and rocking him. Alwin isn't a baby, though he's relatively small; everyone but him gets out of the truck, and Himmel picks him up, balancing him on his arm, and starts walking around the vehicle. He bounces him lightly at first, which Alwin doesn't seem to like, so then he starts swaying as he walks instead, a slow rocking motion. Hugo and Monika look on, skeptical...yet then, wonder of wonders, Alwin's cries gradually become not so strident, dying down to just regular crying. Himmel continues walking Alwin around until he's merely whimpering and sniffling before saying, "All right, we're not too far. Back in the truck, bitte!--we'll be there in no time." Hugo warns him that Alwin will surely start screaming as soon as they get going again; Himmel tells him not to worry, they'll figure it out and get there soon. He doesn't put Alwin back between his siblings like before, but places him on his lap; Alwin just continues sniffling when the big truck roars and creaks back to life and pulls into the road, though soon enough it hits a rock and he whimpers. A second bump, his mouth opens wide--Himmel grasps the wheel and starts swaying back and forth and humming loudly, a song Hugo and Monika recognize as a lullaby. Alwin's attempted scream fades into another whimper and he does nothing more than snuffle and whine softly the entire rest of the ride, Himmel rocking him and humming the entire way. Himmel is obviously tired and sore by the time they finally pull up to the country mansion, his limp a bit more noticeable after he sets Alwin aside and slowly climbs out to stretch his back, so Hugo carries his whimpering brother. A woman carrying a little girl, older twin girls following them curiously, comes out to greet them as Himmel introduces them by name (Hugo had expected him to forget their names). The other three children are also adopted, it turns out; Hugo and Monika seem to vaguely remember the twins at least, though they never really interacted. "Johanna, fetch Kolten, bitte...?" Himmel says, gesturing toward Hugo; "This little one here, I think Kolten might like to meet him." Hugo has no idea who Kolten is or why he should meet Alwin specifically; after Johanna disappears then returns, he hugs Alwin to him tighter, feeling anxious. Kolten is HUGE, and he's scary. Hugo is just small but he does his best to look as big and intimidating as he can, Monika shrinking back behind him; and something strange happens--Kolten, who'd been approaching after Himmel gestured him forward, seems to mirror Monika, or else do the opposite of Hugo, head lowering, body shrinking in, making himself smaller. Obviously he can't ACTUALLY make himself small, but the illusion is effective; although Hugo tries to maintain his stance, Monika relaxes somewhat. Himmel introduces his son. Hugo is surprised--he has his own son?--why take in other people's kids? It's also surprising that his son is so much bigger and taller than the rather slight Himmel, even though they share the same facial expressions and physical mannerisms. "Kolten, this little one here is Alwin," Himmel says--"Hallo," Kolten promptly says to Alwin--at which Himmel adds, "Alwin has some challenges, Kolten, I think he may be a little like you," and Kolten looks at Alwin curiously. "Does he like to play?" Himmel asks Hugo; Hugo replies that Alwin doesn't so much play, as pick things up and move them around in his hands. "He doesn't know how to play," Monika pipes up, "he just likes feeling and moving things around. But not scratchy things." Himmel looks at Kolten--"You hear, Kolten...?" and Kolten nods and approaches--"He's all right to be carried," Himmel says, but Hugo refuses to hand Alwin over when he holds out his arms. Kolten seems nonplussed and unsure what to do until Hugo murmurs, "I...I'd like to carry him, bitte." He worries about offending him, but Kolten simply withdraws and says, "I have blocks, they're wood, wood is not scratchy, nein...?" Hugo, perplexed, says he doesn't think so. Himmel tells them to follow Kolten inside and he'll show Alwin his things while he and Johanna prepare rooms for them. Kolten has a repurposed playroom in the house, a large side parlor with shelves for blocks and books; Hugo stares in awe at a huge, unfinished building upon one shelf, and wanders toward it; "Bitte, look but do not touch my building...?" Kolten says in a plaintive voice, then as if in apology for the request, "You can touch these blocks if you want," he indicates the loose blocks sitting in a bin and upon another shelf, then hurries to grab a triangular one, clutching it close--"Except this one," and he makes gestures for them to help themselves. Hugo sees how anxious he is, and can tell he's uncomfortable sharing his blocks but is doing so anyway...he's seen Alwin get upset when other people handle whatever he's currently interested in, and recognizes that reaction here. Kolten may not be as profoundly disabled as Alwin is, but there are similarities. Hugo refrains from touching the blocks himself, yet sets Alwin down near some; Alwin notices a particular block immediately, picks it up, and starts turning it around and around in his hands, fascinated; he even puts his mouth on it. Kolten blinks and looks at Hugo. "He won't try to eat it, promise," Hugo insists anxiously; Kolten responds by picking up a block, peering at it, putting it in his mouth a moment, then taking it back out, giving a puzzled shrug. "Maybe a different shape tastes better," he says doubtfully. "May I, may I...?" Monika exclaims, hopping from foot to foot and pointing--she's noticed the shelf of drawing pads and crayons and pencils. Kolten nods--"Ja"--and she helps herself, happily getting lost in making drawings. "You want to play with anything...?" Kolten asks Hugo; when Hugo just looks lost--he's so used to protecting his siblings that now that they're both content and preoccupied doing other things, he has no idea what to do--Kolten ventures, "If you don't like to play with blocks or books or drawings, what do you like...?" And Hugo just says, "I...I don't know." Honestly, he's not even sure he knows how to play anymore. Kolten seems equally perplexed. Himmel appears in the doorway and inquires how things are going. He's pleased that Alwin is absorbed in the blocks, cooing and turning them around and around, while Monika hums and colors in a drawing; "He does not know what to play," Kolten says of Hugo, who blushes. "Oh...?" says Himmel, frowning; "Well...if you're not interested in Kolten's things...would you like to help Johanna? She's in the kitchen right now, cutting up some snacks for you and the others to eat. And when you're done eating if you'd like you can help me in the garden, I can always use another pair of hands." There it is--this sparks Hugo's interest. Helping. He's gotten rusty at playing, what with protecting and keeping his family together--but helping, he knows how to do. Playing feels frivolous, something smaller children do; helping feels useful, something older kids like him do. Himmel advises Kolten to keep a close eye on Alwin and Monika--"Ja, Papa"--and gestures for Hugo to follow him. Hugo is soon busy in the kitchen washing, cutting, and arranging fruit slices with Johanna and one of the twins, then after everyone eats, he helps Himmel pull weeds and prune twigs as the other twin chases a giggling Anneliese around. "Your nails are filthy," Himmel says once they're done, "that's how you know you did a good job," and Hugo beams from ear to ear. Everyone washes up for supper--a raucous meal with everyone talking and yelling at once, Himmel swaying Alwin on his knee to distract him from the noise--then sits in the den, by the fire, for Himmel to read them a story from one of Kolten's books--then gets ready for bed, everyone scurrying to their rooms. "I thought you three might want to stay together tonight," Himmel tells Hugo and Monika as he shows them and Alwin to their room, "though if you decide to stay longer, you can have your own rooms." The implication is clear: He'll take them in if they wish him to, and he won't split the family up. "If..." Hugo says, falters, starts anew at an encouraging look from Himmel, "if we stay...could Alwin stay in my room?" He knows Monika will be fine, but can't bear the thought of Alwin being on his own. "Of course," Himmel says; "Of course he can stay with you. Whatever makes you all most comfortable." He steps to the door, fingers on the lamp chain; "Keep it on, bitte...?" Monika murmurs, she's always been a little scared of the dark. Himmel smiles faintly; "Of course," and slips out the door. "Schlaf gut," he says, and leaves the door a crack open when he departs, without Hugo needing to ask. Needless to say, by the next day everyone is pretty much decided. Hugo, Monika, and Alwin won't be remaining at the orphanage. Please see Hugo's siblings' entries: Kolten, Simon, Anneliese, Elka and Erna, Monika and Alwin. [Hugo Himmel 2024 [Friday, September 13, 2024, 12:04:14 AM]] |