Krystallnacht
Chapter 12: Horrors Ahead
Larry was hunched over Amita's shoulder, both hands on either side of his face and an expression of sheer dismay plainly evident. "Oh, no, no. This is not optimal. This is simply unacceptable."
Don re-entered the War Room just in time to hear that eruption from his brother's long time friend. "What's the problem, Larry?"
"We deciphered the link," Amita hurried to explain. "It is a website, with streaming video. Oh, God…" The images were highly disturbing. A man slumped on his knees on a wooden floor, his wrists encased in manacles, with heavy chains leading up to the paneling behind his head, before another man with his back to the camera. The standing man was continuously striking the victim with the butt of an old-fashioned rifle about the head and shoulders.
"Amita," Larry hastened to assure her. "That can't be Charles. Even on his knees, he's almost as tall as Charlie is standing on his feet…"
Don frowned at the remark, as he quickly crossed the room and rounded the table the two were working at.
Larry Fleinhardt could hardly infer that his younger brother was short. He wasn't of towering stature himself. Okay…even thinking that was inane at a time like this. He studied the grainy visuals on the computer.
"Fleinhardt is right, Amita. This guy is too emaciated to be Charlie – my brother's only been gone just over 24 hours. I'd say this guy has been seriously food deprived way longer." His eyes widened at the damage that was being inflicted on the hapless recipient of the abuse. "This looks like the end of the story…not the beginning. What does it say at the top of this web page?"
Amita gulped, reluctant to put the answer into words.
Larry saw her discomfort and intervened. "So die all the Juden scum who lord it over decent Aryans in commerce, education and banking. They will die in front of their friends for sullying our cities and towns with the accursed presence. Purify yourselves, before it is too late. The Aryan Purity Movement"
"Okay. " David let out a breath, he didn't even realize he had been holding. The professors and Don were currently unaware he had put what those three were watching, up on the large plasma screen on the wall. "In other words, the typical racsist bilge this kind of group generally would be expected to spew forth…"
The words were scrolling on the screen. New words were appearing. "This man will be returned to his family tomorrow. No word on what condition he will be in." The video insert where the video had been showing faded to black, as the last words -- all in caps came up. "Check back tomorrow for video of the capture of our latest guest. His education and training will commence soon! Heil the greatest leader this world has ever known, de Fuhrer!"
Don fought to keep down the bile that rose in the back of his throat, as Amita suddenly leapt to her feet and sprinted out of the room in the general direction of the ladies' bathroom. Charlie's big brother watched her departure silently. He could hear Megan…as if from very far away,
"I'll check on her." She, left the war room, fast in Amita's wake.
Unable to resist the gentle tug at his elbow, Don allowed Larry to gently encourage him to sit down in the the seat the female professor had just left unoccupied. He just stared at the computer screen, thankful Charlie had evidently not made his initial appearance on the website, but wondering what state he would be in, when the live display of his torment began to air. It was not a pleasant image that scrolled forward in his mind's eye. He wasn't aware he spoke aloud as he whispered. "Hang on Charlie…we're looking for you. Just hang on…."
For those who have expressed their ire and dismay over the long time between postings of this story, please be aware – I suffer from multiple auto-immune diseases and all of them have been in a state of FLARE since last November….in the past 5 weeks I have been to the Emergency Room over 6 times…plus had several tests that I reacted to with severe anaphlyaxsis (that is an extremely life threatening allergic reation for those not well informed medically). So I have literally come very close to dying a number of times in just these past few weeks.
Additionally, my 2nd oldest brother teaches on the campus at Virginia Tech and one of my grandnieces goes to school and lives in one of the dorms there. Dean was part of the rapid response team (he is a US Marshall) dealing with trying to track the shooter down and rescue students and faculty. Lisa is okay, but two of her friends in her dorm are among the dead.
I know all three people (shooter, victim and duct taped woman) in the Johnson space center shooting incident…and the pilot we lost today from the Blue Angels was also a personal friend and I know his family. These are difficult and trying days for myself and my family. I now have full connectivity and even though I am about to leave for the ER AGAIN (something I really did NOT want to have to do) – I can work on my stories while I am in the waiting room at the hospital and while I am being treated…so I am gradually catching up. A little patience and understanding from my readers? Would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Sylvia Mohr Bartlett aka Hemel Lassie aka Lady Lochinvar
