Corporal Nathan Thorn
December 27, 1944
German Airbase, Ardennes Forest, Belgium
Everything is dark. I can't see but I hear muffled voices. Fuck, they sound like Krauts. Where's Zussman?
My eyes flutter open to see Zussman coughing on the ground, but also German soldiers loading men onto a truck. My eyes widen at that and panic sets in. No, I'm not gonna get captured. No, no, no I need to get back to her.
Zussman: Nathan! This is bad. Jewish POW's don't get off easy.
Nathan: Stay calm, it'll be alright.
I say, not sure if I'm trying to convince him, myself, or us both? The Krauts point their guns at us and grab both of us, shoving us toward the truck. They load Zussman on first and they're about to put me on when both Krauts get shot.
The truck starts peeling off, and Zussman screams for me.
Zussman: Nathan!
Nathan: Zussman, no!
The truck drives off and I see something on the ground. I stumble towards it an it's Turner's pistol. I quickly put it back in my shoulder holster but then my eye catches another object. I quickly snatch it to see it's Zussman's pendent. Ol' Saint Michael.
I quickly turn around to see Howard.
Howard: Are you okay?
Nathan: They captured Zussman!
I say breathlessly, pushing past him. Piersn arrives in the Jeep and quickly gets out. I run to the Jeep but he grabs me.
Pierson: No, no, no you're not going anywhere!
Nathan: Zussman was captured!
Pierson: Mission comes first!
Nathan: Fuck the mission and Fuck YOU!
I scream, sending a right hook to his jaw, sending him to the ground. I climb into the Jeep and take off after Zussman. I see the truck up ahead and I floor it.
Several Kraut infantry try blocking my path.
Nathan: Get the fuck outta my way!
I shout, running them over and other barriers. The Krauts in the truck start firing at me.
Nathan: Fuck!
Other Jeeps chase after me and I ram them with the Jeep, sending the crashing of the road. We're long past the airbase.
Nathan: Zussman! Hang on!
Before I could do anything, a Kraut driving another jeep rams right into my side, sending me and his Jeep flying. I watch his Jeep get thrown through the air, hitting the truck and stopping it. I hit the ground hard and keep tumbling, the snow doing absolutely nothing to help soften the landing. I feel Ike my ribs are broken and my vision is blurred.
I see a Kraut try to crawl to a revolver. Turner's revolver. I weakly crawl to it, trying to get to the gun first. I reach the gun but the Kraut grabs me and starts choking me. I grab his chin, trying to gain any kind of grip at all as I try to move the revolver up. I fire it, the bullet goes right through the Krauts head, killing him.
I get up, and stumble towards the truck. I fire at it, missing almost every shot due to me being of balance.
Nathan: Zussman!
I shout in desperation. A Kraut gets out of the truck and fires one shot. One shot and I fall on my knees in defeat and exhaustion. The bullet just grazed my side but I can feel it burn. I watch as they drive away with Zussman.
-------------
I shiver in the cold, unable to move. I see a figure appraching and the fire from the wrecked Jeeps show who it is.
Pierson.
Pierson: You disobeyed a direct order.
Nathan: Then I guess you better court-martial me.
He steps closer.
Pierson: Dissertation is a capital offense.
He reaches for his pistol in his shoulder holster, never taking his eyes off me.
Pierson: So maybe I should just do us all a favor..and finish the job.
Stiles: Sergeant!
He lets go of his pistol and crouches down in front of me.
Pierson: It's over. You got no place in my platoon.
He stands up as Aiello, Daniels and Stiles arrive to see me laying on the cold ground.
Pierson: Get him out of my face.
He storms off and Daniels, and Aiello wrap my arms around their shoulders and begin carrying me.
Aiello: It's gonna be okay. We'll get you patched up.
Daniels: You did everything you could.
They say, trying to comfort me as they carry m. But I don't listen. All I can think about now is Zussman and all the pain he's going through right now.
---------
12 Hours later
Bad Orb, Germany
The noise in the yard next to the train is mixed. Kraut soldiers shout orders while the prisoners remain silent, fearing what will happen to them if they even utter a word. Zussman stands amongst his commrades, watching the commander with a scar across from his cheek speak to another Kraut.
Metz: Ich suche Arbeiter. Trenne die juden.
(I'm looking for workers. Separate the Jews.)
Zussman listens in, being the only one to actually understand what he's saying.
Zussman: Lose the tags. Lose them. They're after Jews.
He whispers to his commrades as he takes off his dog tags discreetly, crunching the snow over them. A few of his commrades do the same.
The Nazi officer moves to question one of the POW's.
Metz: Zeig mir die Juden.
(Show me the Jews.)
The prisoner does not answer because he does not understand. He doesn't understand what's happening and he feels he hasn't done anything wrong yet.
The Nazi office pulls out his Luger pistol, aiming it at the head of the prisoner. One last chance.
Metz: Die Juden.
(The Jews.)
The prisoner once again does not answer. He doesn't understand but he's afraid. His fear is silenced while the other's grow as the Nazi officer fires a single bullet into the head of the unarmed prisoner of war.
Zussman watches with fear. He doesn't want any of his commrades to die. But he does not know it yet, but being killed here by a bullet is a far nicer fate than what he and so many others would meet.
The Nazi officer moves to the next prisoner.
Metz: Zeig mir wer die Juden sind.
(Show me who are the Jews.)
Zussman makes his move of defiance.
Zussman: Frag mich, du Nazi-Scheiße.
(Ask me you Nazi piece of shit.)
The Nazi officer turns to Zussman and smiles, seemingly impressed at this show of defiance.
Metz: Du sprichst Deutsch. Perfekt.
(You speak German. Perfect.)
He makes his way over to Zussman. Zussman doesn't look the Nazi in the eyes, instead opting to look straight ahead, but holding his chin high and chest puffed with defiance.
Metz: Wer sind die Juden?
(Who are the Jews?)
Zussman: Fick dich.
(Fuck you.)
The officer is angry from the response and raises his gun.
Metz: Zeigen Sie mir!
(Show me!)
Zussman turns, finally meeting the eyes of evil with rebelliousness and defiance.
Zussman: We're Americans. Period.
The Nazi officer has never had this show of defiance given to him. He always inspired fear and obedience. Never has this happened. He would be impressed if he wasn't so angry.
The Nazi officer clocks Zussman in the side of the head with his pistol, sending him to the ground. Zussman grunts in pain but is met with another blow, this time from a kick. And another. Then one more.
Metz: Bring sie alle in den Zug!
(Put them all on the train!)
The officer shouts and the yard goes loud with noise. German shepards bark and German soldiers shout. Some American, who decided to display some kind of rebellion, immediately put back in there place through force. Two German soldiers carry Zussman and throw him into the train car as if he and the dozens of others were nothing more than cattle or sheep.
Zussman: Wohin führst du uns?
(Where are you taking us?)
Metz: Du wurdest hierher geschickt, um zu arbeiten und das wirst du tun!
(You were sent here to work and that's what you'll do!)
Zussman glares at the evil man but can do nothing to stop it. He can only watch as his brothers in arms get herded into the train car, destination unknown to him. The only thing h knows is that his whole world will never be the same.
But he doesn't know just how much will change. Nobody would.