Locked Away (GerIta)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

~

Ludwig sat on the cot in his tent with the three other Obergefreiter* he worked with when it came to separating the Jews and sending them to the left or to the right. One was named Jan Krüger; 21 years old. The other was Martin König; 20 years old. Finally, Klaus Richter; 22 years old.

"We have complete immunity tonight and all we're going to do is sit here?" Jan asked, resting his chin on his fist. "Let's go out to the city."

"Let's get a whore. They're always good boredom breakers." Martin along with the others looked at each other with amused smiles and glints in their eyes while Ludwig just wrote a simple sentence I'm his army journal.

Sunday, May 2nd, 1942

I murdered someone. Again. I had too, I didn't have a choice. It was a women and she looked young; rather beautiful. I shot her right between the eyes, like I do every time.

"Come with us, Beilshmidt. They're only willing to sell themselves when you're there." Martin raised an eyebrow at the stiff German. "Bitte?*"

"Fine." He shook his head at them. "But I don't want anything to do with her. And Klaus is driving."

~

They got into the city and started wandering the streets, looking for the bar that the hookers usually hang around at. Ludwig could hear Jan, Klaus and Martin laughing at some stupid joke they'd made and wondered how they could do it.

How can they be so happy? They do what I do; send people to their death or force them to be slaves. They shoot innocent Jews who try to escape. I've forgotten how to smile.

The bar came into view and Ludwig led the way, walking inside. He could see the people in his peripheral vision straighten their backs as they walked in. People were always intimidated by their stiff uniforms and strict tones.

They strode over to the back where a group of six women sat in clothes that left little to the imagination. Ludwig noticed a few of them eyeing him, scanning their lustful gazes over him. He gave Jan a stack of bills, enough to cover a girl for the night.

"You're not staying?" He asked.

"Nein*, I'll walk back to the camp." Ludwig shrugged.

"Its far!"

"I'll be fine." The German assured him. "Give me a cigarette and you'll only have to pay half of the money back."

Jan took one out and handed it to him along with a lighter. He told him he could keep it and Ludwig nodded before walking away.

He lit it outside before walking down the road, his posture so straight that his muscles were all tense. He heard shouting from a dark alley and glanced down it, watching a silhouette pin someone to the wall of a building. Ludwig could make out the hat on the man and realized it was a soldier. He marched down there and pulled him off, pushing him away from the young man he had cornered.