I: Playing God
Rating: T
Disclaimer: The movie is not mine (Obviously ^^). I only borrow the characters from the MGM and the real life persons and events belong to themselves.
Author notes:
*This is the first chapter of a series of short fics about the 1963 movie "The Great Escape". In eachof them, i will change a detail from the original movie, making different alternate endings ( like in Marvel's "What if?" series)*
*contain spoilers
* I do not have a beta reader for the moment, so forgive me for any mistakes and please tell me of them in the reviews, since English is not my first language, so, yeah, sorry for the mistakes.
Summary: What if Roger had forbidden Colin to go?
"Colin is not a blind man as long as he is with me. And he is coming with me." Spat Hendley .
A few seconds passed before Roger answered:
"No. He is not. I am the one who makes decisions here, and this is my final word."
Hendley opened his mouth to protest, but before he could speak, Roger had locked his icy blue eyes on him, making him choke on his words. They glared at each other for a few seconds, before Colin interrupted them:
"I think he is right you know." He looked at the two men: "I really shouldn't go at all. My eyes have been getting worse and worse lately. I can see things up here, close to me. But you two are just blurs."
"You sure?" asked Hendley, incredulous.
"Yes…" answered Colin, head bowed.
"Well, it's settled then. I'm glad we came to an understanding. Good night gentlemen." Said Roger curtly, leaving the room. Hendley didn't know what to do, so he just sat down quietly beside his friend, the silence heavy in the small room.
A few days later, when Hendley walked into the camp with the ten other prisoners, he was met halfway by the SBO, who seemed ten years older.
"Glad to see you're all safe." His eyes were tired and he seemed to lean more on his cane.
"Thank you sir. How many have been brought back?" answered Hendley, scanning the crowd for a familiar face.
"You're the first," said Ramsey.
"Do you know how many got away sir?" asked one of the other prisoners.
"Not yet" answered Ramsey –and was it sadness in his voice?- "You know…"
Finally finding the man he was searching for, - a little figure hidden in the middle of the other men, big blue eyes lost somewhere far away- Hendley looked back at the SBO and said:
"I think I'm glad Colin didn't come. He wouldn't have made it. Roger was right."
Ramsey briefly dropped his gaze to the floor, took a breath and said:
"I'm afraid Roger didn't make it. I just posted the list. They shot… fifty. The Gestapo murdered them."
He couldn't believe it. Behind him, he could hear the men gasp and whisper in surprise. Fifty. Fifty…
The names Ramsey gave him made his head spin in a mixture of grief and relief. Eric was so young… but Colin could have been one of them. Mac was so warm, open, friendly with everybody… butHis friend was here, safe…Alive. Alive.
As the crowd was dismissed, Hendley walked to his room, and was met at the door by Colin who smiled broadly at him.
Maybe now, thought Hendley, they would grieve the dead together, and sit out the war. Maybe, they would make it out alive.
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