Berlin blood

They sat like that for about five minutes. Charlotte was the first to come to her senses. She lightly touched August’s shoulder to bring him back to his senses. The man sat like a stone, hypnotizing the name printed on the piece of paper. Now everything has been turned upside down. August clutched at delusional thoughts: maybe it’s another girl, his namesake, maybe a mistake has been made? However, logic suggested the opposite. He tilted his head back, placing the paper on the table. “August,” Charlotte called. “Yes, I didn’t think that everything would turn out like this,” he responded thoughtfully and seemingly indifferently. — When should you remove them? — Evening and night of the first of July. New workers will be brought in early on the second morning. “I see,” he sighed. Today is the thirtieth of June, which means he has one night to finally accept this fact. He will have to kill his sister. And no matter how hard it may be, you need to do it. “Then I’ll leave you alone, you need to think about everything,” Charlotte gently took her hand off his shoulder and was about to leave, but Augustus, who intercepted her, stopped her. “Wait…” a plea could be read throughout the man’s appearance. “Please tell me again that I’m not a murderer, I won’t become as cold and calculating as those who give such orders in dozens, tell me that this execution won’t make me…” he wanted to say “a bad person,” but he felt that he was being a hypocrite. Charlotte once again recently gathered her will into a fist and lifted it by her chin, trying to look as convincing as possible. — You won’t become one. August, you must fight, your weakness will destroy you! I’ll be there no matter what. “Okay,” he hugged her waist and buried his forehead in the blouse at the girl’s solar plexus, exhaling slowly. She stroked his head, calming him down. *** On the morning of the first, as planned, August and Charlotte arrived at one of the concentration camps. There was a lot of work to be done, so we had to leave almost dark. The workers only knew about the inspection, but rumors about the impending purge had clearly penetrated their ranks, so excited whispers kept rolling among the people standing in long columns. Charlotte, dressed and made up unusually modestly, was scribbling into a tablet, holding the paper with her left thumb. The edges of the leaves were bent by the wind. The man who, in the confident voice of a gymnasium teacher, presents to them the results of his work should also be executed, and Augustus cannot help but think that he almost respects his ideological enemy. Maybe that’s why, killing sympathy in himself, he did not stand on ceremony with the prisoner: he asked harshly, found fault, and did not allow an extra word to be inserted. Noticing the obviously unfinished frame of the barracks, August walked over and kicked the protruding beam. Part of the structure collapsed, part hung at the joints. An eloquent silence swept through the ranks. They hated him. August turned around and walked towards the boss with a casual look. — How do you explain this? “August literally loomed over him. It seems this was the last straw. The man hissed, looking for excuses. — These are builders. They built it wrong. Even Augustus knew that the man was lying. Everything was built correctly, the prisoners simply did not have time. The injustice of the situation, which he himself created, brought Augustus ambivalent feelings. Fear of one’s own power and impunity and pleasure. He continued: — Are you shifting responsibility? You should have checked everything before my arrival! “I… well…” August didn’t even bother to listen to him further. He didn’t have time for this, he would die early today. “Charlotte, write it down as the reason why the workers will have to rebuild this barracks.” The girl, drowning out the strange feeling of hostility, nodded. She understood what was driving August, but it was still difficult to come to terms with such behavior. — Yes, sure. They turned around and disappeared into the room where Augustus was to be shown reports on building materials, as well as on nutrition. After long and tedious proceedings, he ordered lunch to be brought, deciding that there was no point in going to his personal office. Charlotte refused to join him and try the local “cuisine” — she was disdainful. However, the girl took out an apple so that Augustus would not find himself in an awkward position, dining alone with the lady. We didn’t have to wait long; the food that arrived seemed quite appetizing: the baked potatoes were steaming hot, and juice was dripping from the chicken cutlets. August was so hungry that he could have swallowed the entire plate without looking, but family upbringing won out, which saved his life. August took the utensils in his hands, cut the cutlet and froze warily. A slight creak that shouldn’t have happened made him bring his ear closer to the plate and repeat his actions. Glass? Charlotte watched his behavior in surprise. The man continued to crumble the suspicious cutlet and eventually came across a large piece of glass. The discovery made him lose all self-control. He jumped up, grabbed a plate and quickly walked towards the prisoners in the dining room. — How do you explain this? — he almost shouted from the threshold. What did they hope for, ruin his stomach? — I ask how it happened that there is glass in my plate? He knew that they did it all together, SA members also work in the kitchen, which means it was their doing. However, ordinary prisoners would not have had the courage. This means that the one who is above them allowed it. The outburst of anger passed. Augustus suppressed the urge to throw food into the crowd of people, slammed the plate with a delicious but dangerous dish, and left. He didn’t want to make a scandal. Today many of them will die. Most likely they know about it. Only this could motivate the cowardly masses to such a reckless, idiotic act. August realized that he was glad of this childish prank, before it he lacked anger, the most insignificant reason to carry out the order, but now it was as if they had given him permission. Exactly at eleven, several detachments will be sent to him, and at his command they will kill everyone here, and he will take care of his sister. Augustus definitely decided: he would find and kill her himself. Charlotte, frightened by his sudden movements, was already standing by the car. He covered the distance to the car with a nervous, heated step, almost slammed the girl’s heel, closing the door behind her and, sitting in the front seat, ordered her to go to the office. Charlotte, as soon as the fear of the aggressive man passed, felt not the expected anger — after all, she was a proud girl — but tenderness. She regretted that she was sitting behind and could not touch August’s tense palms and soften his heart. She reached out to the man’s elbow and squeezed slightly. This really had an immediate effect on August. He came to his senses. The rage receded as soon as he looked into her eyes. There was only silent understanding, excitement, sympathy — no resentment, no condemnation. August simply could not continue to cultivate dark feelings within himself. — Everything is fine? she asked softly. — What happened to the food? “It’s okay,” he breathed. — Glass. I don’t know what they wanted to achieve… The driver couldn’t help himself and looked questioningly at Charlotte through the rear view window. She shook her head slightly. “I’m glad you’re unharmed,” she said emphatically. Black clouds hung over Berlin, promising rain. *** The first thing August asked for upon returning to the office was documents about his sister. If she really works there, he should look into her personnel file. I wonder how she was received? He nervously shuffled through the papers and looked at his watch. How long has it been since the officer left with his order? He could not find a place for himself, inside he rushed about like an animal in a cage, but outwardly he was calm as a rock. The only thing that gave him away was a look that literally killed. About thirty minutes later there was a knock on his door, and Charlotte, as his secretary, accepted the folder extended from behind the door. She handed it to August with caution. She was afraid that what August saw might disappoint him. Although he said that he was indifferent to his sister, she understood perfectly well that this was not so. He took the folder, hurriedly opened it and read through it. Charlotte did not dare sit down, she knew how important it was to be here with him, next to him, and to feel him. After reading the entire report, he looked at her, then at the ceiling, and again at Charlotte, rubbing his temples. “She still escaped prison,” Augustus summed up sadly. He stood up and lit a cigarette; it was clear that he was having a hard time. “I didn’t even know that she really did such a thing, she, of course, has always been a fool, but to that extent,” Charlotte felt that August was beginning to get lost in space, he was starting to talk to himself, so that at least somehow calm your thoughts. “August, I don’t think she did it just to save her own skin.” Yes, that was her main message, but perhaps she also wanted to take revenge on you? — She gave out this thought before she had time to think about it, August turned to her and began to think. “But you’re right, she couldn’t help but know where I’d go.” This is not such hidden information, perhaps she went into opposition to take revenge on me, or to destroy me,” he remembered today’s glass in food. If it’s really her, and it looks a lot like her, then she’s in trouble. August looked at the clock that hung on the wall. It’s five o’clock exactly, which means he’ll have time for everything. He walked smoothly to the table and sat down at it. Charlotte, of course, was surprised by this behavior, but she did not say anything. As the moon rose high above Berlin, Charlotte brought her last reports. It was about nine thirty, she was terribly tired of sitting at the typewriter, and constantly counting something, this situation also did not allow her. However, she understood that Augustus had to deal with his sister himself, so all she could do was mentally wish him luck. — Oberscharführer? — She quietly called him, he sat on a chair and looked at one point. “Oberscharführer,” she came up and, touching his shoulder, brought him out of his trance. — Yes, Charlotte, what do you have there? — He turned around curiously. — These reports are the last, I can go home, or… “I’ll accompany you,” he stood up and, grabbing her by the waist, led her out of the building. Both felt the need for eye contact after a long hard day, so they caught each other’s fleeting glances. They walked in complete silence, the only thing that distinguished today’s walk from all previous ones was that Augustus held her hand for the first time. Charlotte did not put on gloves: contact with his skin, a little rough and unkempt, made Charlotte tremble. They reached her house, it was clear that he did not want to let her go. She herself did not want to part with him, she wanted to remember exactly this Augustus — still a little boy. Perhaps today he will be different. In parting, August kissed her forehead and, wishing her good night, hugged her tightly. She came in, he watched her go, and when the door slammed, he walked away from her house. August walked through the night streets of Berlin and realized that there would soon be a lot of blood. The SA will not give up just like that, they will fight, but most likely they will be destroyed in disgrace. He urgently needed to go to the office, he, having taken a short route to it, did not even turn around when someone called him. He turned around only when he was hit on the shoulder. August turned around and saw Jens and Rudolf, both of them standing armed to the teeth, and in their fine uniform. How black suited them. Augustus always considered it the color of nobility. — August, are you completely deaf?! “Jens literally shook him by the shoulder. “Guys,” he hugged them, not believing his eyes. “I thought I wouldn’t see you today.” — No, we will fight here, you will go to the camps, won’t you? — Rudolph asked this question quite calmly, although he was worried about his friend. “Yes, I’ll go there, and this,” he looked behind them, where the soldiers were being brought up and unloaded. “Yes, these are part of your soldiers, they are under your command,” they all hugged again and dispersed. August saw the Rottenführer approaching him. — Oberscharführer August Scholz. The soldiers have arrived to complete the mission! — Fine. Come on, I’ll explain to you what needs to be done. He unfolded the mission plan in front of him and began to explain in detail. He just agreed. They arrived at the scene and the two sides clashed. As Augustus thought, the SA stormtroopers did not want to give up, the soldiers marched and died, because they realized that they were left without superiors, all the top leadership had already been captured and sent to prison to be executed. August watched as three thousand people died because they did not agree with the policies of the Fuhrer and his laws. They also wanted a place in power, perhaps they would have survived if they had not wanted too much. Seeing how people were being shot with a machine gun, August stood motionless. Yes, he didn’t like the sight of murdered bodies, but his friends were right, it’s time to accept life as it is. He stood and watched them being killed, and although nausea came to his throat, he suppressed it, he drank and smoked. Of course I smoked more. He came more and more to the conclusion that in this world the strongest survive and he must become one. He headed to where he assumed his sister would be. Today should be their last battle. The building turned out to be old — dark, smelled of dusty smoke, the clicking of heels was drowned in the softness of the floorboards, the plaster was crumbling in some places, the ceiling was threatening to fall off. He listened to every rustle; when he saw the light, he went into the room where his sister was supposed to be sitting. “You came after all,” she began first. August would have been amazed by her appearance if not for the dossier. The hair has grown and is tangled, falling below the shoulders in loose strands, the suit is worn and clearly from someone else’s shoulder, the face is gray from fatigue and a bad life. — And can you guess why? “Yes, I know, I didn’t think that such work would be entrusted to you, my dear brother,” she lit a cigarette and moved closer to the table to see him again. “I didn’t think I’d see you again,” Augustus began to slowly approach, putting his hand on the holster of his pistol. “Thought I was in jail, right?” — She laughed hoarsely. “I could have ended up there, but a kind gentleman saved me.” It was obvious that she was not herself. — Is it true? And what did he promise you that you agreed to do? Although… you were always a whore, you couldn’t save anything, not even your pride. All she knew how to do was hide behind her mother’s skirt,” August looked at her with contempt. — You say she was hiding?! Do you even know that being a perfect daughter was not easy, you did everything you wanted, and every time I had to look at you and envy you, because you were not smothered with love and care, because you were never treated like a little child, who has no choice. “Maybe it’s for the best, my sister, but you knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this deal,” she arched an eyebrow. “You knew about me, about the SS, about everything, and you decided to add glass to my lunch today,” he took out a pistol and pointed it at her. — Oh, you’re not so stupid. Yes, I really did it. I was hoping to get by with little bloodshed. I see you are not empty-handed, brother. “You know how well I shoot,” he took aim. Just pull the trigger and he’ll cross that line and become a murderer. “Oh, come on, have you learned to be a man?” — She also raised the pistol, which she clearly hid in her lap. Now they looked at each other through the sights. — Yes, imagine. You do understand that you will die first, right? — Is not a fact. You could never shoot living creatures, Augustus, you have always been and remain a spineless boy. Do you want to know who helped me? Walter Sachs. He then invited me to cooperate with him, in return he closed all debts. It turns out that we have a common enemy. He wanted to get what’s her name…Charlotte, and I wanted your head. As you can see, everything is in the black. — And you believed him? He will survive and will not be involved in any way. And you ruined yourself,” with these words he took aim and fired. Of course he got it. She grabbed her neck and a stain of scarlet blood spread across her snow-white shirt, she fell and was conscious for another two minutes. He did not dare to approach her while his sister was writhing in agony. Only when he realized that she was not breathing, Augustus came up, squatted down and looked into her glassy eyes. — Mia Scholz, good night. He left her there, staring motionless at the ceiling, while he walked out, taking a drag from his cigarette. Dawn was coming in Berlin. Augustus felt as if the night had been lying on his shoulders until that moment, and now it had slipped off like a cloak. The sun was just shining on the roofs of the houses. August was reborn. He walked through completely empty streets, wanting only one thing — to look into living eyes — Charlotte’s eyes.