Of The Dark

Chapter 1

After walking a mile or so, an extravagant mansion upreared itself amidst the thick forestry. Despite being heavily guarded by several SS officers, everything about it was beautiful; from the finely detailed window frames to the stunning fountain that centred in the driveway. Huge Swastika flags were paraded at the front, hanging out of each upper floor window like lions charging forward in battle.

For a moment, I was left in pure, undeniable awe. I grew up in a very working class borough of Berlin where houses like these only existed in dreams. However, Matron didn't let my moment of admiration last for long as she tugged my arm, forcing me to follow her through to back of the house.

We ended up in front of a door in the basement of the house, where I noticed masses of maids and other help scurrying around with baskets of dirty laundry or platters of exquisite dining and whatnot, busy at work despite it being very late at night. From a bundle of keys hanging off her waist, the Matron selected one and inserted it into the rusty keyhole of the door we were standing before.

"You have fifteen minutes." She opened the door, pushed me inside and said, "Make sure you look perfect," before slamming the door shut behind her.

I turned around and took a good look at the room, taken by full surprise at its contents. My jaw dropped, astounded to see so many commodities I had missed for so long.

There was a single shower that stood at the corner of the room and when I tried the tap, it rained fresh water and not the yellowing type served in the camps. Touching the clean water made me feel numb. It was a luxury now and to watch so much fall unused made my heart wrench. I quickly turned the tap off, eager to examine everything else in the room as well.

On top of the ceramic sink, there lay small bottles of shampoo, shower gel and body cream. I was stunned; the last time I used any of the three was almost a month ago, when I was a free person. Even a razor sat benignly amidst all the other treasures. I found my fingers lacing delicately through each of the items, still finding it difficult to process my new surroundings.

There was even a knee-length dress that hung from the coat hooks on a wooden hanger. A real dress, not a dreary uniform one. It was a gorgeous sapphire blue with three buttons at the front and didn't bare the red triangle to identify me as a German political prisoner, unlike my regular uniform. It was even accessorised with a pair of polished shoes and stockings.

I didn't question why I was here and why I was told to 'look perfect'. I just showered as fast as I could, as per my time constraints, and put on the dress, admiring how well it fit in the mirror. I noticed for the first time my collar bones visibly protruded out and the shape of my face narrowed under the lighting of the bathroom, but I brushed those thoughts aside.

I knocked on the door to signal that I was done and the Matron came to open it. She quickly checked to see the razor was not missing of a blade and when she was happy with what she saw and when she nodded to approve of how I looked, she tugged my arm roughly and rushed me up the grand stairs in the lavish house until we were in a bedroom on the first floor, one probably the size of my old house!

"Don't touch anything and don't steal anything either." Matron asserted. I had never stolen a thing in my life and I wasn't intending to start now despite how deprived I was. "Don't talk back, only speak if you're spoken to, do you get the idea?" I nodded, not any less confused. "And most of all, do exactly as you're told. Understand?"

I nodded once more with no extra knowledge as to whose orders I was going to be taking. It was nearing 1am by the clock on the wall and I could only wonder what was wanted of me.

"Good. Don't leave the room, he will be here soon."

"He? Who's he?" I questioned, eager to know who this mysterious person was. However, I was left in the dark as the Matron quickly exited the room with no other word.