Empty Promises

Chapter 3

I was shaken awake by someone beside me.

"Hey, wake up now. We're leaving this wretched place," I heard from my bunkmate, Hans.

I woke up to see everyone in a rush, getting out of bed as Dr. Julian stood at the front of the room. "It had been overheard that some of the Germans soldiers are about to leave the camp to swim. Now is the perfect time to leave as they are lacking some numbers. Let's go home."

I can't believe it. I was leaving. I can finally live a free life with Edith. Last night, I decided that I could forgive her, I couldn't stay angry at her if I tried. I knew that deep inside, I would always love her no matter what.

We all rushed out of the chambers quietly. As we had discussed the night before, we headed out to the small shack-like building near the train tracks where are the weapons and such were supposedly stored.

My heart pumped out of fear of getting caught but I was hopeful that this would end well. I was also relieved that the women at the other side of the camp were to be retrieved once we distract the guards at the camp by lighting their buildings on fire. That would mean I could see Edith soon. Even just thinking about her brought joy and energy to me.

"Wait here," Dr. Julian quietly ordered up ahead. I watched him pull out a scratched up key made of stone and put in the slot on the side of the shack, twisting it violently before the lock gave in, opening the large door to all of the camp's arsenal.

~~~~~

I watched the large clock tower from my hiding spot as it ticked to 3:45 pm. It was time. It was time to go home.

At that moment, all the men in hiding burst from their places, all armed to the teeth with all the artillery you could think of. Bombs were thrown in the German guards' quarters and the workplaces. Everything was on fire.

"Watch where you shoot, we don't want to hit any of our own and also watch for the Germans, they're bound to shoot back anytime now," shouted Dr. Julian. "Someone go get the ladies!"

Edith. I quickly followed two other men to the women's quarters away from the fire. I barged into each building shouting, "It's time to get out of here!"

As I reached the last door, I yanked it open and again shouted—

"Klaus? Is that you?" I heard a soft voice say from across the room. Edith.

I quickly shoved through the escaping crowd of women to see the beautiful figure of Edith Fuchs standing frozen at the back of the room.

"It—it's really you? You've come back for me?" asked a teary-eyed Edith, looking at me with such hope in her eyes—

The sound of a machine gun firing relentlessly echoed through the once beautiful afternoon air. The Germans were retaliating.

"We have to get out here right now! I can't lose you again!" I shouted, running out the door and pulling her hand to lead the way. "Let's go home!"

We rush through the panicked crowd that had stopped at the German's buildings. I shoved through the crowd only to stop abruptly at the front. It can't be.

I gazed in horror at the dead bodies of at least a hundred of the men who were lighting the buildings on fire. I quickly rushed away from the burning buildings to the closest gated wall of the camp. There, I saw my bunkmate, Hans, climbing up the fence.

I quickly turned to Edith. "You go up first, I'll be following right behind you. No matter what happens, don't look back, just run. The man up ahead is Hans. You follow him if I don't make it. Promise me you'll never look back no matter what."

"You know I can't do that—"

"Promise me. Please, or I'm not moving."

"Fine, fine. I promise." Edith cried starting to climb up the fence.

"We should be fine, the guards are distracted," I said quickly trailing her and Hans quietly.

We finally jumped over the top and carefully slipped down the 10 feet tall wires, each ending up with cuts and bruises from the sharp walls.

After seeing that Hans and Edith were fine, I broke out into a run into the incoming forest, following them both.

Too soon, I heard loud footsteps pounded behind us in the forest. "There's another group trying to escape this way!" I heard a man shout.

My breathing started to quicken, we were going to get caught.

"Split up so we'll be harder to track!" Hans said up ahead. I quickly veered off to the far right of Edith, branching out farther.

I ran for what seemed like half an hour, running out of energy before I heard a loud, high pitched scream through the thick forest, what sounded like wrestling before I heard a male shout and say, "She bit me really deep!" 

Rustling and soft, swift footsteps resumed with the same booming footsteps trailing her.

Edith.

I did the only thing I could think of doing at that moment.

"Here! Here! I'm here! I surrender!"

The booming footsteps suddenly changed direction towards me.

I wanted to run. I knew I needed to run to live but I couldn't run. I couldn't run for Edith. For her future. For her future husband. For her future children. For her family. I wouldn't run.

Three men stormed towards me, gun pointed at my head.

"Where are the others! Tell us or we'll kill you!" they shouted into my ear.

I looked up, to see a crying Edith watching from behind a tree, struggling to turn away.

"No thanks," I replied as I closed my eyes waiting for my end. The last thing I heard was a quiet sob as a bang signaled a bullet soaring into my skull, knocking me into eternal sleep.