'52

Knowledge is power

I was still working at the library on the market square. It had nearly a million books all in order. Every single book except one. One that i had taken after the incident in the warehouse a day before. This book was a copy of the one Mario had written and had a red cover with leather binding. I stuffed it in my draw and read it in just a few hours that night. It explained a lot.

America had never entered the war suprisingly and held a relationship with the allies and axis. Germany had failed to take Britain in 1940 and instead attacked Russia and succeded when they captured Moscow in 1943 while the Imperial Japanese army has captured east asia and some of russia. Italy had also captured North Africa from the British, who now focused on defending the island and canceled all exports to Germany and the Axis. This meant by the end of the war in 1945 Germany was the worlds biggest superpower. The fighting stopped but had never formally ended.

Britain still trained rebels and spies. On any Berlin morning you could see an execution of a traitor or sympathiser for the allies. Luckily, Britain hadn't been invaded.

This was the universal story of the war. Acceptable on either side. But heres the disturbing truth:

Millions were unlawfully killed in the holocaust. The Japanese empire had Allied soldiers working as slaves and 60 million Russians were killed for being communist in just 7 years after the war. That figure was still rolling. Famine had also crippled Europe and although new developments in science was building us railways and pipelines oil was still abundant and petrol was a rare commodity.

Anyway, Every week a group of SS officers would scour the library looking for illegal books on the shelves. And that particular morning they took 43 books from the library. These included "the jungle book" and "The Communist's guide to modern warfare." And a few copies of Mario's book that had been smuggled onto the shelves.

I clutched the book in my jacket. I did not expect the officers so early. I thought id be safe if i walked past as if nothing was happening, darting into a row of shelves. I had come early to fetch other copies of the book to hide in the brown saddle bag on my side and bring them back to the warehouse. This would not happen though.

"Du, da drübben!" He walked after me as i went into the library. I kept my head down as my heart beat faster and faster while my mouth was drier than the rural economy.
"Halt! Komm her!" He smiled as i turn back to look. I picked up the pace and so did he when i realise.

Three red books lay on the floor as my bag catches on a protuding shelf.

"Hans! Schnell!" He shouts at his colleague as i stare at them panicing. Run or fight. Run or fight. Its a question that you can never get right. I leg it towards the door as SS officers fall to their feet and i make a dash for the bandstand where a Swazticka flag waves.

The air was cooler outside and the coolness wiped the sweat off my face. I was really doing this now. I was really an outlaw. It was exciting and adrenaline filled for the next 5 minutes as i sprint through the streets knocking over vendors and stands while the officers make chase.

I trip on a curb just as i reach the houses by the docks and one of the smartly dressed men grabs my leg. Trying to shake him off i get the feeling that this could be the end. Was this it? Was that all? Over 5 books, two of which i still have with me. All that for a
Some books?

Suddenly i get a blunt force hit my face and i am unconcious.i had been hit with a stick over the back of my head. This was definately it.

To my suprise. A single person starts to make conflict with the officers exchanging blows. My vision was still blurry though i could tell they were in the lead.

"Mario?" I leaned up just to fall back on the floor into a pile on the cobblestone.

The sun came to night and the night was cold. It seemed i was alone on an open street that was strangely quiet. The crickets click. The clock ticks and after a while the heavens open to a scene of a wet street and streetlights.

I feel hands touch my arms and i cannot fight any longer. This was it. Whoever was dragging me could take me. I am done.