Solitary Broken

1

"I, was the knight in shining armor in your movie, would put your lips on mine..." The song repeatedly buzzed through my head. I sat on the porch in my wheelchair enjoying the fading sunshine, waiting. I had put on my favorite pair of clothes today, my uniform from the First World War to remind them, that I too was a decorated soldier. If it had not been for that bullet in my spine, I would have been an officer in charge of a squad in the Schutzstaffel. Lost in my thoughts I didn't not notice the brown truck until it had parked itself on the driveway.

Two corporals dressed in a full black uniform with a rifle slung on their backs, jumped out and marched up to me. Without uttering a single word one walked right behind me and started pushing my wheelchair towards the truck while the other kept his rifle aimed for my head. I knew resistance was futile so I didn't show any signs of it. They opened the back of the truck, lifted me and threw me right in. A few seconds later, the engine roared and the truck was on its way.

I turned and forced myself to sit upright against the metallic wall of the truck. Opposite me on the other wall sat an elderly couple, leaning heads together with their hands clasped. Beside them on the left corner sat a young woman with two babies in her arms. She looked about 25 years old, with a hard face showing a life of struggle but with gentle blue eyes. I guess the babies were twins as they looked identical and didn't look even a year old. I figured she was Jewish as only old or handicapped Germans were tagged along. I didn't make any move to interact with either of them as it would be pointless and short-lived.

I stared up at the sky changing color as it was being dominated by a dark orange glow. Pondering over the situation, I realized how the six of us from different backgrounds with different experiences and memories but still ending with the same fate. The couple had lived their lives and had almost reached their destination. The young woman had just begun maternity while the twins had barely even begun their journey. Then there was me. A decorated soldier who had lost his ability to walk while battling for his country. But now he was worth nothing, instead he was "a waste to the economy". Propaganda had ruined the lives of millions by brainwashing the rest to support the inhuman acts.

As the truck bounced along a rough track it hit me hard, how humans all talk about social welfare but in reality are all self-centered and egocentric. I still clearly remember the day I went to register to become part of the army. I remember the young and gullible 18 years old me being promised luxuries

beyond imagination. All I had to do is fight till the war was over. When the time came no one was given a single extra coin as excuses started raining down. I was put in a small room, alone, simply told that my life was over. I had so many dreams, all shot down by a single bullet. All these years spent in solitude. Now the come, and take me on a trip that may as well be my last.

The back tire hit a pothole. I was launched forward and slammed my face on the opposite wall. None of the others reacted nor did they try and help me up. They simply looked at me with indifference. I used my hands to get back to my place as my legs lay lifeless. Time went by in silence with only the truck showing any signs of life. It kept getting darker, shadows stretching and a cool wind set in. A few minutes later and the truck jerked to a stop.

The two corporals opened the back of the truck and ordered everyone out. I crawled till the edge, and then one of the soldiers carried me on his shoulder. My view was upside down but I knew without doubt where I was. The Auschwitz concentration camp on the outskirts of Poland. It looked like a rundown city with mostly old gray high-rise buildings. There was a lot of activity going on. It was crowded with Jews, elderlies, children, handicapped and many more, all being managed by armed soldiers. There was a foul stench in the air, a mix of rotting bodies and burning flesh. I almost puked my stomach out.

They took us directly to the north end of the camp. The sights that came in between made me wish someone please stab my eyes. We were heading towards a low cubic building which had on two windows on top of the entrance. The door was shut as a group of people waited outside. What struck to be very strange was that they were all completely naked that is not even a single piece of clothing on them. When we reached them, the soldier put me in a creaking wheelchair. He ordered us to strip till we were bare skinned before entering. We were told that we were all going for a bath together before proceeding to the residential areas.

The doors opened and a pungent smell hit my nose. We all knew that 'taking a bath' was just a scam. I was really pained to see the young naked children enter the room with me, ignorant of the fate that lie before them. The room only consisted of four wall and nothing else as we all crammed ourselves in. the door shut behind, leaving us in the dark with only a little illumination from the two windows above.

I closed my eyes. Waiting for the gas to be released. One deep breath and the poison would kill me before I could even say my own name. The hydrogen cyanide would shut down my lungs and choke me as all respiration would cease. I heard a soft his sound over the murmuring of the crowd. A few seconds later, a faint acidic smell made its way through my nostrils. I heard a few coughs from the others but I didn't dare to open my eyes.

I believe that 'life flashes before your eyes at the time of death' is only half true. I say this because I never saw anything but I did hear a lot of gunfire and explosions which was a major part of my life as a soldier. The violent sounds got louder and louder as the stench slowly grew stronger and my breathing got harder. I cleared my head of everything, and started taking a deep breath...