ch.7

--7
They threw Ed back to his cell. Ed panted.
“When I see you tomorrow, Sheffield,” Karl said. “I sure hope you’ve changed your mind,” he said. “Or what?” Ed asked between his breaths. “Or what?” Karl said. “We won’t forgive you.”
Karl left the place. “Okay, now let your body rest. We don’t want to see you dead tomorrow,” he said. “I thought I’m good as dead if I don’t tell you a thing,” Ed said. “Yes, maybe,” Karl said. “But let’s hope that won’t happen.”
Ed didn’t say anything. The rest of the Gestapo left the place.
Bloody damn… he thought. I’m running out of time.
He struggled to sit and took a deep breath. “What to do now…” he whispered. Then he remembered something. He put off his shoes and opened the heel. He took out something – a pocketknife.
“I must succeed,” he thought. He lay by the metal bars, exactly like the position the Gestapo left him earlier. He took out the knife and started to cut the bars.

0300 hours.
Ed could hear some footsteps. He quickly hid his knife and pretended to be sleeping.
A Gestapo unlocked the door. “Hey, Briton,” he said. Ed didn’t answer. The Gestapo kicked him hard to the wall.
Ed sat up as he coughed. “Finally awake, aren’t you?” the Gestapo said. “Follow us.”
Two Gestapo dragged Ed to a room. Karl was waiting outside a room. “Bring him in,” Karl said as he unlocked the door. “Leave the rest to me.”
The two Gestapo dragged Ed into the room. Karl followed them in.
“Herr…”
Karl looked back at one of his men. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You don’t have to worry,” Karl said, then he walked into the room.
“Leave, leave, leave,” he said once he got into the room. The rest of the Gestapo left the room.
Ed panted. “What do you want?” he asked. “Still the same question,” Karl said. “I’m telling you I don’t know,” Ed said. “You’re really stubborn, Sheffield,” Karl said. “Even your friends don’t work on you? Even though they say the whole thing right in front of you?” he asked. “I’m not any coward like them,” Ed said. “Tell me and you’ll join them. In freedom,” Karl said. “This is a war, bloody damn!” Ed shouted. “You think there’s such thing as freedom?”
“AAAHHH!”
“I guess you’re still kind of tired, so if you want to get some more sleep,” Karl paused. “Tell me.”
“A no is a no,” Ed said.
“GAAAHH!”
“Where is Aristide?” Karl asked. “I don’t know, isn’t that clear enough?” Ed asked. “Yes, it’s not. I want you to tell everything about this Aristide guy,” Karl said.
Ed sighed. “Why? Because he’s Jewish?” Ed asked. “No, not exactly like that…”
“Wait,” Karl said. “He’s Jewish?”
“I don’t think that single word is enough to find him,” Ed said. “This occupied French and the Free French have a lot of Jewish, and you don’t know the face, either,” Ed said. “What’s his real name?” Karl asked. “I’m not telling,” Ed said.
“GUAAAH!”
“Come on,” Karl said. “No, no, no. I don’t want to see him in Auschwitz,” Ed said. “Because actually, I hate that racism of Germans…”
“AAAAH!”
“Enough bullshit!” Karl shouted. “It’s not any bullshit, gosh damn! He’s Jew!” Ed shouted. “I know that! Where is he?” Karl asked. “I’m telling you I don’t know!” Ed said.
Karl sighed. “What should I do to make you speak, you dumm?” Karl asked. “Nothing will work,” Ed said. “Nothing?” Karl asked. “Oh, really?”
“GAAAH!”
“If it’s not hot enough, I’ll heat it for you,” Karl said. “Where is Aristide?”
“Ask Franograd, you bloody damn!” Ed shouted. “Isn’t it enough that he’s dead?” Karl asked. “No! No! Nein! Ask him!” Ed shouted.
Karl walked to the door and knocked it twice. Someone opened it from outside. “Hey, I need some help,” he said. Two Gestapo got in and untied Ed. They dragged him to a bathtub nearby.
“Whoa, you’re not scared at all, are you,” Ed said. The Gestapo dunked his head into the water. They can see traces of blood on the water, but they held him there for a few more seconds and lifted his head.
“Where is Aristide?” Karl asked. “I’m telling you I don’t know!” Ed shouted. Karl nodded and the Gestapo dunked him bank. A few more seconds later, they lifted him.
“If you’re not telling, I’ll shoot,” Karl said as he took out his revolver. “Where is Aristide?”
“I… don’t know,” Ed said between his breaths.
Karl took out a few bullets from his pocket and filled it into his revolver. Just when he’s about to aim it to Ed, something called from inside.
“Ha-ha, Karl, it hurts!”
Karl froze upon the voice.
“Come! Shoot again! If you failed, then it’s my turn!”
“What?” Ed asked suddenly. “You’re not going to shoot?”
Karl was awakened. “Damn…” he thought as he saved his revolver. He pointed at the door. “You won’t be alive in an hour, Sheffield,” he said. “Drag him away!”
The Gestapo dragged Ed back to his cell. Karl looked at the water and realized how things have really turned bad. He touched it with a hand, then he pulled back his hand.
“Boss…”
“Be back in an hour,” Karl said. “And let’s kill the agent.”
The Gestapo nodded and left. Karl sat down to catch his breath. He looked around and fell asleep a few minutes later.

Ed kept on cutting the bar and now he’s even more enthusiastic as he saw the knife got into the bar. He suddenly felt weird. He coughed out loud a few times and panted a few times. Then he continued.
“Please, please,” he said. He looked at the clock. It read 0330 hours. He sighed and took out a match. He lit it above the knife, causing it got hotter. A few minutes later, he switched it off and put it back in his shoe heel. He continued cutting as he watched out for Germans.
15 minutes later.
Karl opened his eyes. Oh, damn, I fell asleep,” he said. He looked at his pocket watch. “Now, now, 15 minutes to go before the second round,” he said. “Let me patrol around.”
Ed smiled as he could feel that his knife is no longer cutting something. He pulled the bar with all his strength, and the bar bent. Ed quickly crawled out as he looked around. He climbed to a window and prepared to jump. He looked down at the height, then he took a deep breath.
“Where are you going at this hour?”
Ed was stunned. “Don’t you dare stop me!” Ed said. “At this times? Come on accept your destiny. You’ll be dead in the next 15 minutes,” Karl said. “I don’t care. I’m not going to die here!” Ed shouted, then he quickly jumped.
“Hold on!”
Ed felt as if someone grabbed his hand. “Just tell me where Aristide is, and I’ll let you go,” Karl said. Ed thought for a while, then he sighed.
“Bloody damn.”
Ed took his knife and threw it to Karl. Karl dodged, but he let off Ed.
Ed hit the ground hard. Karl stood up again and looked out to the window, but Ed was gone.
Impossible…!
Karl stood there for a while.
Shit, Sheffield escaped.
He thought for a while, then he smiled. “Well, think about it,” he said. “I’ll meet him again, won’t I?”
He then took out his revolver and hit his head hard.