The Silver Ring

The Visit

It was a little after 10:00 pm when I finally got up to my room. It had been a busy day. there was the Lempke  work party, chores are home, dinner and the regular grind. Now it was time to face the homework upstairs, in particular "the report" that was never far from my mind.

I switched on the computer and logged on. I had a strange feeling that I was being watched. I tried to think who would be watching me. If it was my parents, I would know they were there. My sister, she would not want to have anything to do with me. I am not cool according to my sister. My little brother, however, this was just up  his alley. Cause some sort of disturbance with me. Mom would comfort him, poor little darling, and I would get blasted for being nasty to the little rug rat.

There was an image I caught out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and there was this young guy in uniform standing just behind me. I said, "can I help you" (I know it should be may, but I wasn't hanging on formality at this point).  I thought to myself, how stupid, he is in my room, I never asked him what he was doing here, just may/can I help you." Yes", he replied,"I need your help, and I believe I can help you." What is this guy talking about. He looked at me, and pointed to the ring on my finger. I continued, "yeah, its pretty awesome right?" Yes", he replied," but the ring is mine." I was confused at this point. I took the ring off and handed it to him."Look man, I'm sorry. I was across the street cleaning out the house. I took  this box to the dumpster. The box broke and all sorts of things fell on the ground. This was shiny and I picked it up. It is yours, please take it." He laughed, "No, I don't want it back. I really can't use it in my dimension."

Your dimension, this is sounding weird." What is your name?" He replied" my name is Curt Hoch, and your name?"" I'm Matthew Gray", I extended my hand for a handshake. Curt gave me a tight squeeze, this was no wimpy dude! "O.K., Curt, I began, what do you want from me." He said, I want you to go to Germany. and there is an expedition looking for the remains of soldiers killed during the war. I am one of them. The ring, near the body will help identify me." Now it was totally confused. "Curt, let me get this straight. You said you are dead."" Yes,"  he replied, " since 1945". I spoke up," that was more than 70 years ago. That would make you way over 80. You don't look 20." Curt smiled, he replied, "In my dimension, we don't get old." Curt", I said," you speak great English, where did you learn all this?" He smirked at me and said," I don't speak English. Where did you learn your German" he laughed." I don't speak German", I said", "Nor do I speak English". In my dimension, we think of an item and speak to another and the words will be automatically be translated into the language the person I am trying to interact is familiar." I speak to you in German, but  you hear it in English". "How do you do this?" I protested." Very simple". he replied, that's the way it is done in Himmel". " Himmel", I stated," what is Himmel?" Curt replied "heaven".

  "O.K. Curt, let me get this straight. You are dead. You want me to help you plant this  ring so that it is found, and people will be able to identify you. You mentioned, helping me"." Yes", he smiled." You have a report to do on World War II. What good is  it getting information third hand. To talk with someone else's perspective. Yes, Matt . instead of third hand or even first hand information, you will see if with your own eyes. What a report that will make!"

"Curt, I don't mean to pry, but why after 70 years is it so important to be identified?"" It  is a good question, and that is the reason I was allowed to come back. In our family, we are from Dresden there were three children. Otto, my brother was the oldest. I was in the middle, and Katrin, my sister was the baby. At the end of the war thousands died. Katrin by this time was an orphan. She never knew if I was alive or dead. So many POW's in the east were sent to Russia. She had no what had happened to me. So finding my remains will give her closure. She is in the late 80's, and this will give her peace." " Curt, did Mr. Lempke steal the ring from you?  He always seemed like such a nice man." Curt replied," no, Matt, Mr. Lemke did not take the ring from me. A Russian soldier found me dead and cut off my finger to get the ring. His unit met the Americans at the Elbe River. The Russian  traded the ring for a pack of American cigarettes. Mr. Lempke bought the ring."" I'm curious, Curt, do you know what happened to the Russian?"" Yeah, he never made it. He sold the cigarettes for a bottle  of vodka. He got drunk and stole a truck. He crashed the truck into the river and drowned. Let me say this Matt, what goes around comes around."

"Are you ready for our adventure?" But what about my family, they are going to realize I am missing."" Matt, in my dimension we don't have time and space as you do. You will be back before the even know you are  missing. "Ready", he said," Ready", I replied.