A Country Not Your Own

Chapter 5 Life's lessons

Chapter 5 Life's Lessons

As life goes on, one must think 'What does God do up in the sky isolated from the rest of us?' This thought has occupied most of my time, partially because I am tired of my routine: wake up, feed the dogs and give them water, tend to Nachum, report to the General to get our breakfast, clean the barracks all day, eat dinner, tend to Nachum, and go to bed. The only thing I am looking forward to is helping Paul rescue Edna. Talking to her is a difficult task because the General is going to be suspicious if I all of a sudden want to go into the women's barracks, so I decide to look for Edna as the women leave the work station. A thought in the back of my mind keeps surfacing, what if this is a test from the General to see what I would do? I have an uneasy feeling that everything will go wrong and my head will be decapitated. Who will take care of Nachum if I die? Will he be sent to the lab? Everything makes me tense. When walking to and fro, I picture the General telling the soldiers to shoot me. The General gives me food every morning in his office; I think the food is poisoned. At night I sleep peacefully, because I know Nachum will guard me.

The night of the escape eventually comes and I know my job, well. Michael will be on his nightly rounds with his dog, Huldiberaht. Unfortunately, Huldiberaht loves to chase cars so Michael will need a close fitting harness. A messenger boy will tell me exactly where to find Michael then the boy soldier will leave. On my way to find Michael, I will stop by the barracks in order to get Edna, who is already waiting for me. Then we will discreetly go to the southern wall in order for her to get outside the wall. Edna will wear a hood so the soldiers will think she is me. Then she will give Michael his harness, and he will help her escape. The only problem is that a soldier might notice that I never came out the building and Nachum will want to come with me, but he can't because his white fur will stand out. As I ponder the flaws in our plan, the General himself comes into the dog's place. I am startled because I didn't hear him come in.

"Please, don't get up for me. I'm nobody important; I remember my little Jew saying something like that once before."

For a brief moment I study his face; his eyes seem to say, I've experienced so much in my life time.

"I thought you were busy giving orders?"

"I needed a break from my office."

"So you came here in order to get a break."

"Are you always going to be mean towards me?"

"As long as you persecute my people".

"Well, I see you have been making progress in here. One can no longer smell the stench of the dogs."

"I'm glad to know that."

"Where is Jew?"

"Running around, Nachum needs to get some exercise and everyone around here knows who he is, so I know he won't get hurt."

"And exactly who is he?"

"My little Jew."

"You have your hands full with that one and before I forget, instead of sleeping here amongst the dogs you and Jew−I mean Nachum, will sleep outside the wall. Don't think about running away because you will have someone watching all the time. Your house will be ready in three days."

I watch him as he strolls out the door; he leaves as silently as he had entered. I am relieved to know that I will get the opportunity to get the zlotys and help Edna escape this wretched place. Even though Jenny is dead I will help another before it's too late. As planned the messenger boy comes to find me, so I can take Michael the harness. I appear calm even though I am nervous that the General will come to kill me. Edna is able to leave the barracks because Michael "accidentally" left his keys in the dog place. Edna is a skittish young woman, not at all what I imagined her to be. I want to start a conversation with her, but we need to be quiet and stealthy in order to not be noticed. I give Edna my shawl along with the harness and whisper, "Reise." Her reply is a half smile, but her eyes are clouded with doubt and fear. Everything went according to plan, and I am so happy I almost forget to stay in the shadows. Fortunately for me all the guards are drunk, and I have two hundred more zlotys in my pocket. Nothing could be better than this. Well, my freedom would be the best thing and maybe a family. My street smart paid off and soon I began to sleep a deep slumber.