Page 181 - Musings 2020
P. 181

25

                                                     The   Escape

                                                                    Siddhant   Khandelwal 2017A7PS0127P

               Isaac,  Lionel,  and  Sebastian  made  their  way  to  the  camp.  The  prisoners  lined  up  in  a  straight
               line  that  led  to  the  small  warehouse.  Isaac  entered  first  and  was  mistreated  by  a  Nazi  guard.
               Lionel   followed   as   well   as   Sebastian.   The   prisoners   were   tattooed   with   a   number   for
               identification.  They  were  then  brought  to  a  small  room  where  their  heads  were  shaved.  "Take
               off   your  clothes!".  A  Nazi  guard  protested  to  Sebastian.  Sebastian  then  removed  all  of  his
               clothes   as   well   as   the   others,   who   were   stacked   naked,  embarrassed  of  the  situation.  The
               guards  then  handed  them  blue  vertical  striped  sleeves  and  pajamas.  Afterward,  the  process
               was   done.   Every   prisoner   looked   the   same.   Lionel   then   signaled   Isaac   and   Sebastian   to
               proceed.

               "Stick   together.   Don't   let   anyone   know   we   know   each   other."   Murmured   Lionel.   The
               prisoners  were  told  to  form  a  straight  line  and  get  into  rows.  "You  will  never  get  out  of  this
               camp!  You  will  work  every  day  with  bare  time  to  rest  to  suffer  the  consequences!"  Lectured
               one  Nazi  lieutenant.  After  the  lecture  was  done,  the  prisoners  were  commanded  to  go  inside
               their  worn-out  cabins.  A  month  has  passed,  Lionel,  Isaac,  and  Sebastian  are  getting  weaker
               every  second.  The  dirty  place  and  pollution  worsened  the  situation.  Sebastian  was  transferred
               to  a  different  section  to  work  in.  Nonstop  work  caused  Isaac  and  Lionel  to  get  stiffly  weak.
               Sebastian  was  approaching  the  point  of  collapsing  due  to  the  harsh  conditions.  "You  know  I
               feel  like  we're  stuck  here.  I  feel  like  I'm  going  to  rot  in  here  and  die."  Lionel  rasped  out  of
               breath.  "Don't  say  that,  have  hope.  You  know,  to  cure  our  boredom,  let's  talk  about  food  we're
               going  to  eat  when  we  get  home  someday."  Isaac  suggested  from  a  sick  voice.  "Our  only  hope
               is   the   food   parcels   that   come   here   weekly,"   Lionel   uttered   in   a   feeble   voice.

               One  night,  Isaac  was  peeking  through  the  tiny  holes  of  the  cabin.  "Look  who's  that!"  Isaac
               exclaimed  shocked.  Lionel  stood  up  from  his  bunker  peeking  through  the  tiny  hole.  He  might
               get  caught!"  Lionel  replied  back.  A  prisoner  was  digging  a  hole  beneath  the  electric,  barbed
               fence  and  was  making  an  escape.  A  few  minutes  had  passed  and  the  prisoner  was  halfway
               out.  The  prisoner  escaped  and  left  a  trace  for  the  Germans  to  find  out.  The  next  day,  the  Nazi
               guards  were  trying  to  track  the  escapee  that  fled  during  the  night.  A  Nazi  guard  proclaimed
               everyone  in  their  bunkers  to  wake  up.  "I  think  we're  in  trouble.  They're  going  to  interrogate
               us."  Isaac  fretted.  "Yes,  I  think  we’re  in  trouble  Isaac."  Lionel  muttered  back.  The  prisoners
               were  one  by  one  investigated.  The  ones  who  were  nearby  the  site  were  the  ones  who  were
               interrogated  the  most.  A  voice  called  out  and  caught  Isaac's  attention.  The  guards  held  Isaac
               on  both  arms  which  forced  him  to  follow  orders.  They  walked  through  the  mud  path  for  a
               mile  and  then  reached  a  dark  green  cabin  that  was  clean  as  brand  new.  Isaac  made  his  way  to
               the  steps.  One  guard  let  loose  of  Isaac's  arm  and  opened  the  cabin  door  carefully.  The  guards
               escorted   Isaac   and   demanded   him   to   sit   on   the   cushioned   chair.   Lieutenant   Victor   Neil
               ordered   the   two   guards,   Jorgen   Carl   and   Tommy   Collin   to   let   go   of   Isaac.

               Victor   Neil   flipped   through   the   profile   book  that  listed  information  on  when  the  prisoner,
               Jorgen   (spoke   in   German)   mentioning   Isaac's   tattoo   number,   said   "I   think   he   knows
               something.  Try  your  best  Mr.  Neil".  "You  may  be  right.  The  look  on  his  face  has  a  lot  to  tell
               us."  Isaac  understood  a  few  German  words.  He  was  half-German  and  half-Jew.  Victor  then



                                                                                                      181
   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186