“Lets escape from this hell, Fernando, let’s get out of here,” George said.
His eyes seemed to contract as if helping Fernando to obey his command.
“But… what about your brother… and my sister?” Fernando whispered back. He was always the more thoughtful of the two as George seemed to jump to conclusions.
“Don’t worry about them, they are going to escape with us as well, but I’m going to need your help… your going to have to be strong… we’re going to do this together, Fernando,” George said in a soft voice.
Fernando smiled back in a comical way, as if he thought the escape from the prison was ridiculously impossible. But then a shower of understanding flooded his face as he began to think about it. After a couple of minutes, there was a rattling at the prison door.
“It’s time for prison industry, George. Stay close to me and we might be put in the same room,” Fernando quickly said to George as the guard came into the room, and started shouting at the two and pointing at the door.
“If you want to go to the toilet, be my guest!” George boldly said to the German pointing at the door.
The German got even angrier and pointed a rifle at Georges face threateningly.
“Just do what he says George… it’s going to be ok,” Fernando hinted to George.
“What’s prison industry?” George said with a puzzled look on his face.
“It’s when we do the dirty work for the Germans,” Fernando replied in a cheeky voice, looking eagerly for the reaction on Georges face, but it never came and they were off to another room in the miserable P.O.W camp.
The room they were in now was dark and damp like the previous one. This room also had a chair and they were alone. The constant sound of the bombs falling in the distant outside world was making the vent vibrate. George looked out of the window.
The bombs are getting closer Fernando and if we don’t get out now then the Germans will execute us before the allies can get to us,” George stated his voice steadily rising. He was now intent on getting Fernando’s Support in the escape.
Fernando kept silent but his face seemed to tense and then it loosened again as if he was thinking about the possible outcomes of the escape.
“I understand. It’s now or never, isn’t it?” Fernando said in a defeated voice.
“Yes Fernando… do you know where they are keeping my brother during prison industry?”
“He’s just around the corner from here. It will only take a few seconds to reach him,” Fernando replied.
“I doubt it will take seconds more like minutes!” George corrected Fernando as he always liked to do.
“He’s going to be surprised to see you!” Fernando joked. George showed a glimpse of a smile and then he reached for the vent that was vibrating violently. It looked as if the vent led in the same direction as his brother, to the west. The shaft came off easily, and he climbed up with the help of the chair. He started crawling like a mouse burrowing deep into the earth.
Fernando remained standing and took a photo out of his pocket. Tears started to build up in his eyes as he stared at it. Then he looked out of the window at the stars and made a silent promise to all the people he loved. That he would escape, be free and come to them soon. George stopped after a few seconds and turned round.
“Come on Fernando!” he shouted. “I know how you feel, my brothers being held as well… Trust me it’s going to be ok,”
Fernando was still staring out of the window. The gentle shuddering of the bombs was rising now.
“Trust me Fernando!” George Shouted this time in a slightly more raised voice, and then George winked as if he was implementing the words deep into Fernando heart. Fernando although now stared blankly at George.
“I know this is hard for you!” George added.
“Huh… what? Oh yeah let’s go George,” Fernando said in a voice that was lacking enthusiasm.
The two men were crawling as fast as they could along the vents. The noise from the bombs seemed to be echoing more loudly. It was as if the noise was a constant reminder of a lurking disaster. As they made their way along the vent, this noise seemed to be taking the toll on both of them. Fernando could not bare this any longer and he started shaking violently.
“Fernando stay with me, we’re nearly there!” George whispered like a serpent into the ear of Fernando. His voice seemed caring though as he added: “You’re going to be alright” over the noise of the vent shuddering.
Finally the end of the vent came and they burst out of the vent like two children being let into a toy shop. They were out of the prison, but not the camp.
Fernando stopped shaking, and gathered his wits, whilst George looked though a window he was standing near.
Fernando had said this was were his brother was being held.
George suddenly fell to the floor, unable to control himself. As if he had seen his worst nightmare staring back at him from the window.
Fernando ran over and tried to control George. Fernando looked through the window. The room was a complete mess with tables and chairs upside down. Out of the corner of his eye, Fernando saw a trickle of blood on the wall to the far left; a shiver went up his spine.
“HILFE” a voice shouted in German, out of the darkness. Fernando jumped five ft into the air, whilst George closed his eyes feeling the game was up.
They both turned around and were astonished to see that the guard in charge of George’s brother was lying on the floor out cold.
A tall handsome man with a dark complexion stepped out of the shadows over the guard.
“I can’t believe its you… George!” Michael, George’s brother, said in a surprised voice. The two brothers embraced.
“I was just coming to get you!” George said.
“I know” Michael said, his voice was full of understanding, “I would have done the same thing if I was in your position… let’s get out of here,” he added.
“Where are we going to go?” Fernando said in a confused but steady voice.
“After we’ve gotten out of the camp we’ll head south west towards the allies… they’ll help up back into Britain.” George stated in a bold voice.
The two brothers were busy counselling each other in the looming darkness. Fernando was looking unbelievingly at George, as if he was left out or something worse.
“I can’t go with you,” Fernando finally blurted out, the two brothers turned around and their was a look of great concern on Georges face.
“Why?” George and Michael both said at the same time.
“My sister’s back their… I’ll meet you back in Britain George!” Fernando silently whispered into the darkness.
“No, don’t be stupid!” Shouted George, for a moment he paused and then declared that Fernando was right to go and save his sister, but he was not going to escape alone – it was too dangerous.
“Then how will we arrange it?” Fernando croaked out in a dry voice as if he was a gladiator awaiting the thumbs up from the king.
“I have to do this George, I promised her.” Fernando added.
“I’ll be back George before you know it, like old times…” Fernando added once again.
George and Fernando embraced each other and then Fernando ran off into the dark night. George shouted at him as he ran into the darkness:
“I’ll meet you at midnight, in the shed next to the fence, towards the west!”
Fernando smiled and waved his hand as he ran off like a child, who didn’t know anything about the true and cruel nature of life.
The full moon spread its rays over the shed like a mother protecting her baby. The shed was tiny and George and Michael barely fitted inside it. It was more like a broom cupboard rather than a shed. There was a tiny window to the east of the shed. It was past midnight now. George looked out into the night through the window and he felt trapped, and confined. Not by evil but by his loyalty. He was happy in this confinement as well. Proud that he was protecting his friend.
“George… looks like Fernando isn’t going to come back… let’s get out of here while we still can.” Michael advised George.
“No… he’s going to come… I know he is!” George said in a calm voice.
Although he was concerned he did not want Michael to think he was panicking.
“Look… he’s coming!” George said in a relieved voice to Michael.
Fernando was stumbling towards the shed, and swaying a little. George and Michael stepped out of the shed. George started walking towards Fernando, but Michael grabbed his arm.
“No George, Something’s wrong, I can feel it,” Michael cautioned him.
Sure enough Fernando collapsed at that very moment.
“Noooooooooo Fernadoooo!” George shouted out in a confused, angry voice full off emotions he wanted to express at once.
In the blink of an eye the whole plan was ruined. Bullets started to fly, the alarm went up, and muffled shouts were springing up in the distance.
Even the walls seemed alive now and mocking George: Mocking him for his plan that was never destined to become reality.
Michael grabbed George’s arm and started pulling him away, but George seemed reluctant to go. He was transfixed. Almost glued to the ground. George was feeling empty, shocked, and disappointed at what his arrogance had led him to. He was the person who had made the wrong move not the Germans. He had destroyed everything loyal to him.
The moon lifted its rays off the shed, off of the brothers. It was as if the moon pitied George. This was their chance: they were in complete darkness and invisible to the Germans. The bullets started to fly by them, and the horrible shouts of the Germans sent shivers down the spines of the brothers. They helped each other over the fence, to freedom. Although George did not feel proud of the last few hours, he felt strangely empty and a feeling of disappointment at himself. The Germans jumped over the fence and were gaining ground fast. He ran like their was no tomorrow with his brother, away from the Germans, the camp… his friend. Carrying defeat and shame on the shoulders that should have been proud… of the great escape. He felt he had betrayed his friend.
