World War Against Two Men

The rotten smell covered my face with a black mist and infuriated my blood to boil to the rim. After being for 3 months the mornings are always the same. Same view, same smell, crying children. Hell. The sun never shines here. It’s as if the whole population of humans have forgotten about everyone that has walked through the thick iron gates. "Work makes one free". Some people believed we came here to be free. That work made us free. Shame we all have one thing in comman and nobody noticed until it was too late and the smell of decaying lives and rotten bodies covered our skin with a thick layer of death.

A reproduction of bodies walked around working their empty stomachs off to make sure they wont get killed. There’s not winning. You either work to death and hope they don’t kill you at nights, or slowly give up and they shoot you in the head without a second notion. They’ve all been killed since I’ve been here except for David. He’s still here. He’s been looking after me.

If you’re on your own here, you’re a walking dead man already.

“ Put your backs into it you lazy scum!”

Cracking of a whip was the harmony of the camp. I slowly picked up my shovel and began digging the same hole I had been digging for the past two days. Digging a grave for the people I have been sleeping next to. Burnt alive. Gassed. Poisoned. Shot. Stabbed. Tortured. They all get piled into graves.

I knew Gerard wouldn’t have been able to stand this. I yearn the touch of his skin so much sometimes I have to distract myself from doing anything against the rules. This is the new way of living now. Gerard is keeping me through this. He’ll help me. Working through the days is only bearable knowing I’ll dream of my angel at nights.

“It’s our blocks turn to take a shower today”

I looked towards David in utter shock. Shower? We never take showers. The last person to take a shower never came back.

Death. I can smell it again.

“ David? Isn’t the war ending soon?”

“ It was just rumour.”

“Before we take a shower? Think the war will end before we take a shower?

David’s shoulders shook and I think this was a small sign that he almost laughed. Laughing is a disease here. Once you start it has to be sorted with. You never laugh. You work and pray to God you live.

I hope Gerard wasn’t caught. I don’t think he can cope with the short hair. My hair is growing back. My ribs now look like hungry piano keys. Nobody cares for you here like your true loved ones do. The world you used to live in seems like a distant dream. The world I used to live in is my dream.

Another crack of a whip got me back to digging the grave. The deeper the grave got the more slaves that passed out and got dragged away, never to be seen again. Merciless devils walk around this camp with their guns waiting to kill.

Hell.

I know it sound absurd but I feel like a good cup of tea. I just want the little comforts back. Late nights out with friends and Gerard, God I just miss the touch of his skin. I even miss his bad morning breath that’s just made me laugh some times. Mums cooking. I wish I could have more food. Anything. Right now I’d take anything into consideration as food.

“Officer, urgent call for you from the head!”

“What is it about?”

“ Officer, it’s about the army.”

Everybody stopped working and looked towards the young soldier and the security guard. They never get phone calls about the army or the war; it’s usually the office.

The other guards turned to face us and to my utter shock they didn’t crack their whips. They didn’t shout abuse or bring out their guns, they stared at us with the same look we were giving them, surprise.

The feeling of hunger loss worry and threat disappeared as this deadly silence washed over the imprisonment of love.
What’s happenig?

“Germany has lost the war.”

Lost the war.

“FIRE AT WILL”

Soon rifles were getting shot everywhere, screaming woman and men were heard from the heavens and a blur of people were forming in front of me. I dropped my shovel and stared at everyone running.

We lost the war.

So close to surviving.

” Come on Frank move!”

David grabbed my arm and made a run for it through the forest of bullets.

I forgot I could run. My legs didn’t know what they were doing but they were doing what was needed right now. David was leading us towards the gates. The gates of freedom. I never thought I’d walk through those gates alive again.

Soon we were trembling over dead bodies. Not just prisoners but the guards as well. Pale faces stared back at me with fear still in their eyes. David held a tight grip on me the whole time. I didn’t think of where we were going and that a bullet could pierce my aching body at any time.

The camp was now its own war.

“Frank hurry! We’re almost there!”

“ They’re all dead David”

“Keep on running Frank. Almost there!”

My feet were beginning to tremble as the symphony of screaming got louder and louder. I didn’t see people run I only saw the ground.

I wish Gerard were here. I want Gerard to be here. I was crazy thinking I could save anyone by coming here. I am no God, God doesn’t exist here. I hope Hitler dies a painful death for doing this to everyone.

“That gate Frank. We’ve made it.”

I finally look up and I see a sea of people already running out of the gate.

“David. My chest hurts”

“Come on.”

“Why are you helping me?”

“Because Gerard will be waiting!”

“How do you …”

“Not the time Frank!”

We ran further and further and I felt as if we would never make it through the gates. The bullets started to fly over the skies and cover the sky with black tears. It was one huge balck blanket across the sky. I thought things couldn’t get worse around us but right now I think we’re about to die.

I’m never going to see Gerard.

“Frank stop running! We’re out!”

I stopped where I was and looked back. The gates are nowhere to be seen. My legs gave way and I feel into a heap on the floor. David crawled up to me and began to laugh. I looked over and found blood sprayed all over his face. Not his blood. He wasn’t hurt.

I don’t want to know what’s on my face.

“Your in love with Gerard. You talk in your sleep Frank. I’m Jewish. I may not understand why you love men Frank but I’m not going to question God’s wishes. Please find Gerard and get well.”

That was it.

I had to find Gerard.