Immolation: Chapter 5

He wanted to cry, he wanted to scream, but Poland only glared, eyes brimming with tears of rage, at the sight of his nearly empty bedroom. Clothes were littered across the floor but formalwear along with velvet and furs were nowhere in sight. His drawers and nightstand were knocked over, completely empty. The drawers once held precious artifacts that had been given to him by his previous rulers, including a brooch from Queen Jadwiga. To many it may have been a simple silver cross but to Feliks, it was a generous gift from his queen and he had always treasured it and wore it with pride. A nail in the wall above where his bed had been flipped over was the location where a painting of the Polish coat of arms had been hung with a frame made of very fine gold.

Downstairs, all antique décor and furniture had been confiscated. A tea set, six paintings, three vases, four statues of Polish historical figures, and the shelves had been cleared of all books. But the most valuable item he kept downstairs had been on a shelf in the dining room behind a glass case. It was a silver cup that had been given to Feliks by Kazimierz III the Great. The glass had been smashed and the cup was gone.

Poland's gaze turned to his window where he could see the Konick household right across from his. His anger turned into fear when he noticed Liora's window had been broken. Questions flooded through his mind as Feliks hurried downstairs and out of his house. Had the Nazis plundered the Konicks? It seemed very likely, but were they at home when it happened? Did the Germans attack them?

Once he had made it to the Konick's front door, Poland knocked rapidly. No answer. He tried a second time. Still no response.

Worried, Feliks ran to his next neighbor's house, hoping they might be able to explain what had happened while he was away. A man named Bernard Jaskolski lived further down the street from Feliks with his family. Mr. Jaskolski was a friendly man and they had engaged in brief conversations on occasion.

Feliks didn't need to knock twice once he reached the Jaskolski residence. Mr. Jaskolski looked both shocked and relieved to see Feliks at his door. The man's eyes widened at his neighbor's appearance. Bruised face, split lip, disheveled hair, and tattered clothes. Not to mention he was very skinny and pale.

"Feliks?" He gasped. "Good Lord! What happened to you?!"

"I...I was captured." Feliks spoke, softly. Mr. Jaskolski then ushered him into the house and lead him to the dining room. Mr. Jaskolski's wife gasped and nearly dropped the basket of laundry she was carrying. She rushed out of the room and came back a few minutes later with a bowl of water and a washcloth. She tenderly washed the dirt and dried blood off his face.

"What happened?" Feliks asked, once Mrs. Jaskolski finished. "Where are the Konicks?"

The Jaskolski's expressions became somber and Feliks felt his heart start to beat frantically with anxiety.

"It was horrible." Mr. Jaskolski said, gazing in the direction of where their Jewish neighbors lived. "The Germans rounded up all the Jews three days ago."

"What?" Poland asked in disbelief. "Where are they taking them?"

"I don't know." The man replied.

Fear for the Konicks gripped him once more as Poland processed this new information. What had the Germans done with them and the other Jews? While anti-Semitism was not a rare thing in his country, the Polish Jews were still his people and whatever happens to them will also have an effect on himself. His heart clenched at the thought of what had occurred three days ago, picturing the terror on the Konicks faces as the Germans forced their way into their house. His thoughts then drifted to Liora and how scared she and her little brother must have been.

One thing was for sure though, Feliks was going to find out what was going on but he had to keep a low profile and avoid any confrontations with the Germans.

…...

Hungary listened intently, never taking her eyes off of Poland, who was now fighting to stay awake. The alcohol was beginning to make him delirious.

"Hic! Why them?" Feliks hiccupped, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "They were so-hic-good and-and...innocent!"

Elizabeta jumped when Feliks threw the glass bottle at the wall which shattered on impact. Poland tried to stand up but collapsed before he could take another step. Hungary barely caught him on time. She felt a surge of pity for her friend as she helped Feliks stand. It was late anyway. She would have to help him get upstairs to his bedroom.

There was no way Elizabeta was going to keep doing this. Tomorrow, she will not allow Poland to drink himself into an emotional stupor. She was still going to help him stop the alcohol abuse, but not without difficulty. Feliks's health was going to deteriorate if she left him alone.

"Hic! Ela..." Poland then started giggling like a child, leaning his head on her shoulder. "Your-hic-hair smells soooo good."

Hungary sighed when they reached the stairs. "Thank you. Come on then, you need to lie down."

Poland stumbled a couple times while climbing the steps as Hungary supported him, letting out the occasional giggle or incomprehensible Polish. When they reached the top of the stairs, Feliks began to lose his balance.

"Ugh...zmęczony." He mumbled before going limp.

"Feliks, Feliks!" Elizabeta tried to shake him awake but to no avail. Feliks had passed out. Sighing again, she half-dragged Feliks to his room and laid him on his bed, the same way she had the night before. After removing his shoes and making sure he was comfortable, Elizabeta went to the guestroom to prepare for bed. Her friend was going to have another hangover in the morning and she had to be up early to care for him.

Poor Feliks. Hungary thought to herself as she pulled the covers over herself. Just what had traumatized him so much to resort to this?

AN: I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been so busy with college and focusing on another story. Please accept this new chapter as an apology, since it's all I can offer. In the meantime, please read and review! The reviews give me inspiration!