The Trap in the Strudel

Part 1

The last smile I had seen this night was Hans Landa's smile.

Just before that he had hit me on the head with his big wooden stick, I remembered his smile. And I was fully frightened. This man was a monster, by what I heard from the people who had been spared from the Nazi round-up. This man was the Jews Hunter. He had killed lots and lots of people. So I think I was truly right of being afraid.

Firstly after I had fell down on the dusty ground, I heard him swearing. Now, he seemed to be worried, because he was putting his hands on his head.

Then, I turned on my back, on the ground. I felt something wet on my forehead, but I couldn't move. When Landa saw me, I swear he was afraid. As me. As me who was lying on the ground, half-dead, me who tried to keep my eyes wide open because I was afraid. As he was.

Was I conscious when he took me in his arms, grumbling some words in a strange language I hadn't recognize ? I don't think so. I could only see his jaw from where I was, my cheek pushed against the leather of his jacket. My eyes where still opened, but I couldn't see if now he was afraid or angry because he was shaking, but at the same time he was still grumbling some strange words in his strange language.

Suddenly, he lowered his eyes on me. His blue-grey eyes. I said nothing. I just looked at him, as he stared at me.

I lost conscious a few seconds after this strange glance we both shared. And my dreams were dark. So dark. So dark that I suddenly woke up in what looked like a bred, and I was suffocated.

Hans Landa was sitting on a chair next to me. His face was calm, he had crossed his legs, and had put his chin in his right hand. He had took off his SS cap and his leather jacket was laying on a chair across the bed where I was. Slowly, he whispered :

- I'm sorry.

Hiding my surprise, I didn't waste time and answered with a hoarse voice, frowning :

- Man, what kind of idiot are you for having hit me like this on the head ?

He kinda smiled, maybe because of the ferocity which was in my voice, then replied :

- A stupid one, I guess.

As he had lowered his eyes on his hands because he was triturating his fingers, I declared :

- I know who you are.

- Oh, Landa sighed. You know who I am.

- Why did you hit me like this ?

- Well, I didn't expected you, in fact.

- Oh yeah ? You almost smashed my head !

- I'm sorry.

- I hope so !

We could already say that we were not on the same wavelength. Behind my fear of what Landa represented, I was terribly angry against him, and I couldn't help but look at him with ferocity. Again.

Landa, for one, was still pretty calm and relaxed. His eyes were soft, and I marvelled at this point, because I wondered how someone as violent, cruel and devious as him could looked at me like this. Suddenly he bent on me.

- What's your name ? He said.

- I don't remember, someone hit me on the head !

Landa took a desperate look, and sighed :

- Come on, be kind. I won't eat you.

God, I swear I loved so hard this Austrian accent in his voice. This made him sort of, uh, I don't know, peculiar, captivating, mysterious. But I still hated him because of my head, okay ? Landa was a full asshole, and I was ready to fuck him a slap if he had only approached me a little bit more.

My eyes flashing of lightning on him, I replied :

- Do not count on me.

He sighed again. Was I as boring as that ? I was pissed off of his yawning, really. He stood up of his chair and put on his cap and jacket, while I was looking at him, sit in the bed. Landa told me without look me :

- Well, if you chose to go this way, we'll go this way. See you.

And he left the piece by the unique door of the room. I was totally stunned, and only from now I began to ask me several questions, like "Where am I ?", "What do I make here ?", but the most important question that remained in my head was : "Holy shit, why didn't he killed me last night ?". Slowly, I quitted the bed, and when I saw my face in the mirror in front of me, I shivered. My head was fully surrounded by a white bandage slightly reddened in some places. I immediately thought : "This bastard did not miss me !"

I sighed. God, it was contagious ! I turned around to see what surrounded me and realized there were, next to the chair where Landa was sit five minutes ago, two pairs of boots. I frowned, and approached, curious. There was a wardrobe, too. Without any discomfort, I opened it. I retreated.

There was, at least, a dozen of SS uniform in front of me. I looked for civil clothes, and only found a shirt, a dark-blue jacket, black pants and shoes. And only from now I understood I was certainly in this present moment in Landa's personal private room.

Then, I arched an eyebrow. Why ? He could have very well put me in a cell, or worst, he could have left me while I was unconscious instead of saving me, but no. I was here. Standing in his room.

I had goose-bumps. The entire place makes me afraid, now, and I didn't wanted to be here anymore. Alas for me there were no one windows, and the only door had been closed by Landa himself.

Shit. I was definitely out of any escape tentative. I didn't want to make me angry, so I decided to observe the room. Among the bed, there was a desk, and a chair. On the desk, some blank pages, a pen, some black ink – if I had to believe the label written in German indeed, but written in black letters. The drawers being already opened, I looked at them. I found lots and lots of folders which were concerning people. Pictures were illustrating the folders. Some of them, which were portraits of people, had been crossed by a big bold red cross. That's when I found a folder with my picture ! Intrigued, I immediately took the folder. My name, my birth, my physical aspect and lots of informations concerning myself were written on the pages.

But there was something extremely strange. There was a second page, upon which my name had been changed... According to the folder, I was Loha Faszler. What the heck was going on ? My name was Mia Dools ! I knew my name, alright, and it was certainly not Loha Faszler ! I was sure it was not it. Landa did not hit me as strong as this for making me forget my real name - even if he had hit me pretty strong.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Landa appeared. What did he do during this time ? The SS looked at me holding the folder, but didn't react, as if it was normal. Then, realizing the wardrobe was opened, he closed it and threw me a very strange glance before to say :

- I doubt that you found anything interesting observing my clothes. Anyway... As I see, you've made yourself comfortable. That's good.

I turned on him and let loose the folder I had in my hands, which fell on the parquet. He observed it, the face very neutral, then put his dark-blue eyes on me and said :

- Well ?

- What the heck is this ? That's not my name !

- You said it yourself a few minutes ago, specifying you didn't remember you name because I had hit you on the head, which's not false, I must admit.

I stared at him as my eyes were revolvers and I was shooting him. He supported my glance with some arrogance that made me even more frustrated. I pointed the folder on the ground with my finger.

- What are that bullshits ?

Landa didn't answer immediately. He took his time, as if he wanted to require my whole attention. It was the case. I was hanging on the edge of his lips until he deigns to answer, and it was really, really embarrassing. He saw my confusion and slightly smiled, enjoying his victory on me who couldn't wait anymore. Seeing that I was about to freak out, he said calmly :

- Well, Loha, what don't you understand ?

My face broke down. Had I misheard ? How did he call me ? Did he just call me Loha, the name that was written on he folder... ? I shook my head.

- Alright, stop it. I'm done with all this stories.

- But Loha, where do you wanna go ? You're hurt, you must rest.

- First, stop fucking call me Loha, and then, I am perfectly fine !

I had made few steps toward to door still opened when suddenly, Landa pulled out his gun and pointed it at me. I forthwith fixed. Landa, who's face had considerably changed and showed now some hardness and cruelty, said with a voice that was not kind anymore :

- Be gentle of closing the door, please.

I had no choice, and he was taunting me as the asshole he was. In the sound of his voice I recognized the monster, the Jews Hunter, the military that disliked that someone contradicted him. Then I walked until the door and closed it reluctantly, under pressure from the gun on me. Landa's face softened a little.

- Good girl. Now, Loha, you're hurt, you must rest.

I clenched my fists without moving, while Landa, seeing that I did not obey, repeated raising his voice :

- You must rest.

Taking my troubles patiently, I sat on the bed, while realizing that it was his bed. It was horrible. I felt not to be at my place. And above all, I felt like he was going to jump on me to kill me, as a predator. I was terrified.

Landa lowered his gun, and finally put it away. He sighed. (God noooo, he was doing it again !) and sat on the chair on which he was when I woke up. The story seemed to repeat, in a certain way.

While he remained silent, I said :

- What do you want ?

Landa's face was all of a sudden illuminated by a huge smile.

- You begin to ask the good questions, that's good !

I swear, this guy was really playing with my nerves. I said nothing yet. Once again, he had the answers, and I was desperately waiting for him. And Landa really seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully, he decided to not make me wait any longer.

- What do I want ? I want you to be my eyes, Loha, I want you to be my eyes where I wouldn't be. And you are the perfect person for that. I chose you, Loha. I chose you because I knew you were the one I was looking for.

I was lost. He wanted me to be his second pair of eyes ? What did he really want ? I replied :

- I don't understand, Sir...

I saw he liked it when I called him "Sir". He smiled again and retorted :

- You will follow me everywhere I go, Loha. You will do whatever I'll ask you to do without discuss because I am always right on everything.

"Well ! It was not modesty that would stifle him !" I thought. I couldn't resist but say with a certain aggression in my voice :

- You want me to be your personal slave, aren't you ?

He slightly smirked, then replied :

- There is a little of it, that's true. But my point of view is very different, in fact, you know. I think that slavery had been fully useless, because everyone in this world already knew his proper place. The whites as the blacks. Everybody knows that a white man worth better than a black man, both in attendance and in reputation. Do you follow me, Loha ?

I nodded, in spite of my total disagree on his opinion. Landa continued.

- Good. Then, Loha, as we can see, you're not a black person, and hopefully if I may say so ! That makes you almost my equal, excluding my grade and my rank and my reputation. Do you agree ?

- Yeah, I sighed.

Landa joined his hands on his kneels, sitting up a little on his chair. I repeated in my head everything he had said, and I couldn't help but think that Landa was really a monster. That's when I said :

- You said you didn't expected me, just now.

- Yes I did.

- Why ?

- I meant that I didn't expect to hit you. Let's say that I... I had been misled. I'm sorry.

- You already said that.

I really couldn't understand how this man was working. He could very well be very calm and kind, and all of a sudden, be animated by a soft violence and say harsh words.

I was thinking about something to say when Landa said, a seducing smile on his face :

- Do you like Strudels ?

I frowned, because his last word had sound very strange to me. Slowly, he repeated, as if he already knew that I was going to ask him to say it again :

- Do you like Strudels ?

- I don't know what it is, I replied.

Seeming to be satisfied, Landa put a leg over the other, and declared :

- This is a German cake, an Austrian, in fact. I really enjoy of eating it, and not just because I'm Austrian, believe me. So, I was simply wondering if you liked it too. But as you seem to not even know what it is, I suggest that you should taste it, don't you ?

I couldn't resist but start to laugh softly. Landa stared at me a moment, smiling, whereas I was thinking : "Shit, just now he was threatening me, now he's offering me a piece of cake ? What's his problem ?

As if he had read in my thoughts, Landa said :

- What's the problem, Loha ?

Ordering the words in my head – because he took me by surprise, I whispered :

- I'm not hungry that much, Sir.

In spite of being disappointed, I saw that Landa once again liked the "Sir" that got out of my mouth at the end of my sentence. Once again, and because of this very word, he was put a step higher than me, and the distance between us was gradually growing. He was gaining the upper hand on me, as usual since the beginning of this very strange adventure.

Then, he replied with a calm voice :

- Well, we've got all our time to talk about it later, I guess. Now, you have to be ready, Loha. I want you to come with me. We'll meet someone very important, tonight, and I want you to be perfect.

Landa stood from his chair, and opened the door. Instantly, someone gave him a sort of suitcase, and he whispered something in German before to close the door. He smiled to me, and opened the suitcase in front of me. I discovered a red silk dress, which smelled and exquisite scent. I didn't matter his intentions, I just thought that this man knew how to deal with women. Very well, even.

"You silver penned devil, you."

Seeing the surprise but the excitement in my eyes, Landa decided to play a little more further with me.

- I don't know why, I was pretty sure you'd like it. Don't you like it ?

My throat was tightened.

- … This is splendid.

A huge smile grew on Landa's face. He swept the air with his hand as if to show me that it was useless to thank him, and then he retreated to the door with a light step.

- I'm going to let you a moment, just the time that you put that wonderful thing on you, and then we... Well, we'll remove this awful bandage from your head.

He put the suitcase on the bed, and left the room.

I was alone, in front of this wonderful dress. Mother of God, was he buying me ? Because it was working, and pretty well ! More the time was passing, and more I was seeing Landa as a very seducing asshole. Seducing, admittedly, but an asshole. He still had hit me on the head, and I was not going to forgive him any time soon.

And now I was going to have a sort of... party with him ? Shit, what have I become ? I was going to offer me literally to this monster, I just couldn't ! I immediately thought to all the persons that was dead because of him, and realized that I was betraying myself.

And yet I found myself wanting to continue to play with him, to meet his piles, to provoke him. I was torn between the desire to tear this sumptuous dress and the desire to put it on and join Landa.

Three knocks at the door made me come back to the reality.

- Are you ready, dear ? Landa's voice said.

- Wait a minute, please ! I replied.

I took the dress out of the suitcase, embarrassed. It was really beautiful... I sighed. (When it was not him, it was me ! God !)

A few minutes later, Landa, on the other side of the door, heard three knocks on his side. He opened the door, and found me dressed with the red silk dress. I had found some shoes under the latter in the suitcase, and had been surprised that they were at my size.

The Austrian looked at me with some charm and I saw in his eyes that he was a bit impressed. But by what ? By me ? Landa held out his hand to me. I couldn't do anything but take it. When his hand held mine, I had goose-bumps. I don't know why. He kissed the back of my hand in a very elegant way, and did two steps on the side.

- Loha, dear, you are divine. I've chosen wisely, don't you think ?

I nodded without speak. My throat was still tightened. The fact that he was continuously calling me "Loha" whereas my real name was Mia didn't seem to disturb me anymore. As if I got used of it...

Landa, my hand still in his, made me sign to get out. I obeyed, because I was under his very whole control, now.

I couldn't help but say, however, with provocation :

- I thought I should rather rest... Don't you said that ?

Landa appreciated the remark with one of his mysterious smiles. He probably liked the fact that I was resisting to him. The latter replied, then :

- I did.

He pulled my hand to keep me going, and I did so without flinching. Leaving out, a warm breeze greeted me. Then, I looked around me.

I was in the forest, which strongly looked like a military camp. The room in which I had woke up was actually a kind of chalet. Nazis flags floated on each side of it, and it was the same for every single chalet built, aligned so as to create a large driveway for cars, tanks and motorcycles who were passing by there.

I was still observing around me when Landa let go of my hand. He rather put his hands on each side of my temples and gently unrolled the bandage from my head. I immediately thought that his hands were extremely soft for someone that had killed as much people. Landa touched my forehead still a bit reddened with his thumb, and said :

- Let's go, Loha. We must not retard our hosts.

At the end of these words, a car stopped next to us and the Austrian invited me to get in. I executed his indirect order and sat in the back seat. He joined me. I was intimidated by him, I must admitted it. This man was a sphinx, and each of his words sounded like puzzles to me. I didn't know if he would be king and attentive with me or if he would talk to me all of a sudden with some harsh words and be very strict and frightening like just now. This man was very, very, very whimsical. Both charming and calculating, both a gentleman and a monster.

The car was on his way, and I had kept silent until now when I said :

- I have two questions, if I may ask so.

- Please, go ahead.

- Who the fuck will we meet, and why the heck do you call me "Loha" since I woke up ?

Landa took his time before to answer. He slightly smiled, and I had to take my troubles patiently, because he answered at least five minutes later. And during this five minutes, which seemed hours to me, I felt my blood pounding in my veins.

- We're gonna meet the one who really can have an influence on me, and that's not a compliment, believe me. I'd prefer have a wide range of diverse and varied opportunities in my profession, because I'm a detective, a damn good detective. But even the best detectives may be hindered in their objectives. Whatever they are.

I had listened him looking at him, and I was realizing that there was really someone that could control him, someone that could make Landa make whatever he wanted to do. And I was pretty reassured, because it meant that there was, at least, someone reasonable in this fucking place... or someone even worst than Landa himselft.

Landa, who had seen that he had captured my attention, continued :

- Concerning your name... Well, Loha, I don't understand your question, because, this is your name.