Daniel Pov Prisoner Of Night And Fog

Chapter 44

We both landed with a bone crunching sound. I tried to curl myself into a ball, dirt and glass getting onto my mouth, every time my left arm touched the ground, hot flames covered my arm.

I sat up, bracing my right arm in my knee, spitting out the dirt, I cursed at the taste or soil. The world was still spinning, I saw Gretchen a few feet from me, she hand her hands in the ground, looking a little sick from the fall "Are you all right?" she asked, covering her mouth, like she was about to vomit.
"Fine, you?" I asked, feeling before trying to spit some of the earth from my mouth.
"Fine" she said, looking better.

I stood up, speaking as I went over to her "How far is your grandparents' home from here?" I asked.
Gretchen looked around the field we were in, she looked slightly lost, she probably hasn't been here a while.

Gretchen point "West of the old power factory. My grandparents have a farmhouse near the church" Gretchen said.
That may not mean much to me, however it gave me an idea of an area where they were "They're not in the village proper, then" I exhaled sharply "That's a small point for us" I muttered.
Gretchen had a small smile again "There's another," she said as we started walking "my grandfather keeps a car" she said. It's nice to know we could get away.

We walked for a few minutes, as we walked, the pain in my arm was fading to a dull ache. I could take better steps, but I still cradled my arm, just incase, Gretchen looked to me, and seemed glad I was looking better.

I heard some footsteps that weren't ours, Gretchen stilled, and I joined her in being still, who is crazy enough to be here, I don't think anyone else could be doing this. I squinted, in the dim light, I saw it was Gretchens mother. I looked at the old factory, at least I thought it was, as Gretchen pointed it out, although she seemed off put by it. There was as immense wall blocking some of the star light.

"Gretchen?" Her mother said.
Her mother moved forward into a patch of moonlight, and she saw us standing motionless. Frau Müller ran to Gretchen, opening her arms for an embrace, however she seemed to change her mind. "Are you all right?" she asked, looking over Gretchen.

Gretchen ignored her mothers question "Why have you come out here, Mama? Hoping to deliver us to Röhm yourself and weasel your way back into Uncle Dolf's good favour?" she practically accused.
Her mother winced, I saw Frau Müller's eyes look to me, but she didn't comment "Two SA men drove up to my parents' door a few moments ago Your grandfather snuck me out the back, and I came straight here, hoping to intercept you on the way. You mustn't go there, Gretchen. They're waiting for you" Her mother warned her.

Gretchen hesitated, she looked at her mother, "Mama, Reinhards dead" she said, looking down.
Her mother let out a small cry, her mother had to find out some way, but maybe that wasn't the best way to go about it, she said it rather brutally. "I knew this day would come" she whispered, I didn't that she would say that.
"How did it happen?" she asked.

Gretchen didn't answer for a second "He died protecting me" she said, I didn't know how much was truth or lie. I squeezed her hand, trying to comfort her a little.
Her mother sighed "Thank God. Thank God for that" she said relieved. The mother reached into her pocket and took out a leather wallet "This is for you. It's all the money I possess in the world. I want you to have it" she said, giving it to Gretchen.

Gretchen hadn't lied when she said her mother had enough money for her to finish her schooling. Gretchen hadn't commented about it though, or even take the money "How will you live?" she asked her mother, worried.
"It doesn't matter" her mother pressed her wallet into Gretchens hand "All I care about is that you do" her mother said.

Her mother looked to me, it looked like she had unclamped her jaw "You love me daughter," her mother said to me, almost like a question.
I felt nervous to answer, but I nodded "Yes. With all my soul" I declared, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"I can't pretend to understand it" She said, her mother looked over me for a few seconds, like she was studying me "It isn't natural." Her mother said at last "Just promise" she added, reaching for me, before pulling her hand back, remember she isn't meant to touch me, since she's a supporter of Hitler, and I'm Jewish "just promise you'll treat my daughter well" she said.
I had a serious facial expression, but I'll be honest here, she wants to look out for her only living child "I will, Frau Müller" I promised, and I'll keep it, Gretchen means the world to me.

The woman pulled Gretchen into a hug "I love you, my little girl" she mummed, I didn't get a farewell like this with my family, but I can still contact them later, while she won't be able to. Her mother quickly walked off.
Gretchen waited till her mother was out of eyesight before speaking "We must go" she urged, and we walked north, following the river as we skirted Dachau's outer edges.

 The nearest village with a decent-sized train station was nearly 40 miles away, a few days hike, since we had stopped frequently to forage for berries or drink from streams.
When we got to Ingolstadt, we caught a train that carried us south-west. A few bills from Gretchens mothers wallet convinced the conductor not to ask for passports. We knew our luck couldn't last much longer, so we knew we had to find a forger to make us false papers so we could leave to England.

Dawn had lightened the sky to a pale pink when we reached Swizerland. The train curved around a hill and a small village lay beneath them, grey stone buildings tucked among towering evergreens. It looked like Germany.
But it wasn't, both Gretchen and I knew we would likely never see our home again. I remembered the streets of Berlin I was raised, the couple months I had in München. The places I had visited, even my old school and friends. My three lovely sisters, and my loving parents, and my home, the small two-story house that I've always called home.

"We may never go back" Gretchen said. I looked to Gretchen, pulled out of my daze, she had seen me sleeping on and off all night, she claimed she couldn't sleep at all the first few times I woke up. We looked better now, colour returned to our faces, our skin warmer and softer to the touch, however while in the lavatory I saw just how bad my left arms looked, I didn't want to worry Gretchen, not now, not when the worse of the danger had passed.

"No" I agreed with her earlier statement, we may never return. I leaned closer to Gretchen, brushing our lips for a second "We may not. But I think we will, Gretchen. Somehow, someday, Hitler will fail. And we'll have been part of the force that brought him to his knees" I said, trying to make light in this dark time.

Gretchen looked at me, I couldn't know what was going through her mind, but she had a up turned lip, a smile threating to break through "I'm ready" she said, referring to the dangers and life that awaits us. The train slowed at the top of the till, then slowly started going down, picking up speed.