Camp Majdanek

Chapter 6: Thomas

     I came around the corner of the barracks and he was standing there, waiting. I approached him.

"Hello Jessica," he said in a dark voice.

"How do you know my name?"I asked.

"That's a long story, but first you need to know mine, " he paused.

"My name is Thomas, and I'm an American. "

My mouth dropped open in surprise. I didn't know what to ask, so many questions ran through my head. He chuckled.

"I know what you're thinking. Let me answer your questions. I am an American but people say I look like a German. "

He really did, he had blonde hair and sky blue eyes.

"I'm eighteen years old and I work for an American agency that helps people like you, " he said.

"People like me?" I asked

"Yes, people like you. The ones the nazis are out to get" He said

"Why did you whip me yesterday?" I asked.

"To Hitler and the Nazis, I am one of them so I have to do what they do. Even if that means hurting you so they can see that I am doing my job. I'm sorry, I didn't really mean it." he replied.

"So, are you going to help us escape?" I asked.

"We are trying to find a way to, " he replied.

"Tell your family about me and no one else. I will help you along the way. Mostly give you food but I will help you guys. "

"So how do you know my name?" I asked again.

"You met Isabella last summer?" he asked. I nodded.

"She's my sister. She told you I was off in college. I was working for the agency. She told me about you and said you might be in danger. So I headed off to Germany. That was part of my mission. "

I didn't know what to say. I was stunned.

"There are a lot of secrets in the world. I am one of them. I am forced to have a secret identity. The rest of the world is blind to my real appearance, " he explained.

"I think that's all I have to tell you. You should get back to work so you don't get in trouble, " he said.

"Thank you, " I replied.

I left and continued to work, wondering what Thomas would come up with.

                                                                                           ***

That night I had a terrible dream. I didn't know where I was, but it was dark. I was sitting in a chair. It was comfortable; too comfortable. I looked down. I was cuffed to the chair. 'Why?' I thought to myself. I started to panic. I yelled for help, but no sound came out. I frantically worried to myself. 'What was happening!'

Someone came walking up to me. The man had something in his hand. A gas mask. It had a tube connected to it. He placed it over my head. I fought him but his grip was just too tight.

"Just relax and breathe, " he said.

That made me very uncomfortable. I never breathe on demand. I held my breath and tried to get free. A colored gas filled the mask.

I couldn't hold my breath any longer. I started to breathe in the gas. It smelled repulsive. Then my breath was getting shorter like my lungs were getting smaller. I coughed and coughed. I was choking. I was going to die...

I woke up, banging my head on the bunk above me.

"Oww," I yelled.

It really hurt. I looked at the clock through the darkness of the big room. It was around one o'clock in the morning. I tried to go back to sleep, but the fear of the dream continuing kept me up. After a while, I finally drifted off.

Thankfully the dream didn't follow me back into sleep this time.