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✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲
Adolf Hitler was already squeezing the trigger when the pistol was knocked from his hand. Somehow, it still discharged.
The bullet struck the wall somewhere behind me.
My ears began ringing again as the gunshot echoed through the cramped room. Through the haze of dust, I barely made out several soldiers helping their leader escape outside, while my captor—machine gun in hand—dragged me down behind the table for cover.
I collapsed onto the floor, unable to remain standing, and covered my face with my hands, unwilling to witness what was happening around me.
Suddenly, my hands were pulled away, and an automatic rifle was thrust into them.
The soldier fastened a belt around my waist.
Three cloth pouches hung from it, each secured with drawstrings.
"Each of these contains three boxes of spare ammunition," he explained. "Don't waste it."
He then attached a larger pouch to the same belt and pointed toward it.
"These are grenades. Do you know how to use them?"
"I do," I answered with a quick nod. "I completed all the military drills. Pull the pin, throw the grenade, and run as far away as possible."
"Good," he replied, studying me carefully. "Like I said, conserve your ammunition."
His voice became lower.
"Because I'm about to get you out of here."
"You'll run west until you reach a town called Mateur. Don't go into the town. Just before it, you'll see a large lake out in the open. Beside it stands a wooden house painted red."
"Before you reach it, you'll cross open desert. Every fifty feet you'll find a foxhole. Hide in every one of them and remain there for two to five minutes. Count the seconds so you don't lose track of time."
"Wait," I interrupted. "How am I supposed to hide in foxholes? Aren't they usually occupied by soldiers?"
"Exactly why I told you to run west," he answered. "There are no German troops or soldiers of any other nation left in that sector."
"You must run without ever looking back."
"I'm giving you these weapons as a precaution. You may encounter armed deserters or partisans. They aren't properly trained, so wounding them should be easy enough."
"But don't let them get too close."
"They'll be carrying more than firearms, and in hand-to-hand combat they'll have the advantage."
"Don't make mistakes."
"I won't be there to save you."
Before he finished speaking, another wave of gunfire erupted.
