"Heil Hitler!"
A rock-hard, black leather fist tunneled into Benjamin's face, separating him from the fastened grip of the uniformed secret police. He crashed onto the street pavement, his chest numb from the impact. Benjamin sucked in air, lungs burning, while his stomach threatened to shoot up what remained of his lunch.
Roast.
Lotte was going to prepare a beef roast that evening.
"We've got something to celebrate," she said, giving him a kiss at their door.
"Tell me..." he murmured. His tongue flicked against the soft, dangling earlobe before taking it all into his mouth.
"No!" She giggled and tried in vain to push him away. "I'm going to make you wait."
"Woman, you kill me."
"Never. But I promise you'll enjoy the roast and the news."
He peered at her, but her eyes gave away nothing. His shoulders slumped, and he released a defeated sigh.
Lotte rolled her eyes. "Leave so you can hurry and return."
He kissed her long and slow.
The image of Lotte's smiling face blurred. Hot tears scalded his cheeks. Had he known that would be the last time he saw her face, he would've never left. He would've insisted she tell him the news.
Benjamin grunted and clawed at the concrete, his fingers searing in pain as he tried to crawl away from his attackers. The sidewalks were eerily empty now as the people he had passed had now disappeared into their homes.
He was alone.
"Get that dog into the back!"
Benjamin felt his body lifted from the street and then hurled into the bed of the truck that had screeched to a halt in front of him, only a mere three blocks from home. The back doors had opened and at least half a dozen men had jumped out and surrounded him in seconds.
Deep down, he'd known it would always come to this. The voice of truth to be silenced by an army of thugs. His mother had always said he had a big mouth and that, one day, it would get him into trouble.
A voice yelled to proceed as the doors closed.
"Lotte..."
*****
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