Camp Majdanek

Chapter 10: Faking It

     There I was, crying. For no reason. It was late at night and I was just bawling. It was only later I realized I had started the grieving cycle. Flashbacks and echoes were my only gate to remembering her. Six years was never enough. Working became a cure for grieving because thinking wouldn't help. It wasn't until Monday that things got better. You would probably think that was impossible but it wasn't. That day went like any other. The sickening meals, the painful work, and the grieving. That night I was lying in bed just thinking of how my life could possibly get worse.

Someone walked up to me, I couldn't see the person's face but I knew who it was.

"Go to bed John, " I said.

The voice that responded was definitely not John's.

"I don't know what your reaction will be but don't panic, " said a low calm voice.

I shot up.

"Thomas?!" I asked, shocked but unsure.

"Yes, it's me-, " he started.

"But how? " I asked, still bewildered.

He lifted up his shirt. There on his chest was a thick slab of metal.

"A bulletproof vest? " I asked.

"They supplied us with them just in case, " he said.

"I heard you crying over me," he chuckled.

"That's not funny! " I whined. "You are a really nice person, and how did you make it look like you were dead? " I asked.

"Acting classes, " he said.

"It was part of my courses, "

"That was really good, you should be a professional, "I replied.

"Thank you, " he said with a big smirk.

We paused for a second.

"Have you found out anything more about my father? " I asked.

"We're still researching, but we have found more information about your father. We have narrowed the possibilities down to two places. Auschwitz and Dachau concentration camps, " he said.

This worried me, I had heard of those camps, they were the deadliest.

"I tried to escape on my own before I thought you died, " I said. After I told him he looked shocked and angry.

"Do you know what those Nazis can do to you! " he yelled.

"I'm sorry, "I said and started bawling. Through sobs I said,

"I am- the reason- for- almost killing you, "I finished.

He rubbed his hand in his face then looked up at me.

"That situation could have been a lot worse if it weren't for me, " he said.

"I'm really sorry," I said again.

"It's ok, I shouldn't have raised my voice, " he said.

We stood in silence for a few minutes then Thomas said.

"I'd better leave you now, " he said quietly.

He started out before I interrupted him,

"Thomas wait!'

"What is it?" he said as he turned around

"Thank you for what you did for me, you saved me," I said softly

"Your welcome, I wouldn't let anything happen to you Jessica, never," he said with reassurance in his voice.

He smiled at me and walked out of the hut into the night.

I had a restless sleep that night thinking about how wrong that action was, but how lucky I was that he saved me. But most of all I couldn't stop thinking about Father. I tossed and turned, wondering what he was doing right now.

                                                                                         ***

The next morning began like any other. Going through the motions that have become second nature by now. We would do a roll call and be served a little breakfast. It was after we got our bread rations and I was out in the field building a barrack. My brother and mother were by my side. Thomas came up to me and wanted to talk. He said something about setting off a false alarm that will deter the guards from their job and he would try to get us out. Soon a loud alarm went off that scared me. Sure enough, guards were running towards the sound. Thomas grabbed my arm and got my mother and brother out of there. We jumped the fence and kept running for our lives.

The sound of the alarm and the people yelling faded away as I ran through the trees, branches hitting my face. My shoes were breaking and getting wet. They had reached the end of what they could endure. I tripped and fell into the dirty snow in front of me. Thomas grabbed me and helped me along. It felt like we were running forever when the sun started to set. Thomas decided it was time to stop. Relieved, I collapsed, out of breath. We took a breather and looked at each other wondering what to do now that we've escaped.