Author's Note: Word decided to give me the finger and freeze up on me. That's why I am getting this out so late. I will run repairs in the morning. Anyway, we decided to check in on Germany again. It's short but it came out really well. Who is the woman holding Ludwig hostage? Why can't he leave? I already know what I am doing for the next three weeks. Enjoy this week's match.
Match Twenty-One: Fegefeuer:
Ludwig looked around. He felt so cold in this place. How many times had he been in this room? No matter where he went, he ended up back in this parlor. The German man had gotten used to the dull smell of cigars. Then that humming came again. Ludwig turned around. No one was there.
"Ello?" he asked. A child's laughter filled the air. The German man looked around. He wished that he had his gun with him.
A click snapped on in the air. Ludwig turned his head. It was starting again. Old cabaret music surrounded his head. Footsteps walked into the room. Ludwig looked up. All of the fancy ladies and gents started coming through the door. They had to be from the eighteenth century. Maybe the nineteenth. He couldn't be sure. They all walked by him into the parlor. A young man looked up and tipped his hat.
"Hello again, good man," he said. Ludwig waited his hand with uneasy. How many times have they done this? It never changes. That man is always smiling at him. Always says the same thing. Why doesn't it change? Ludwig wanted so badly to scream.
But no sound came from his mouth.
Why am I here? I want to go home.
But where was home?
Everywhere he went, the room looked the same. There were no doors. No windows either. But where were these people coming from?
"Still don't get it?"
Ludwig turned his head. Where? Where was that voice coming from? He could feel his heart pounding against his chest.
I have to get home. Please… Let me go home.
"It doesn't work that way."
Ludwig froze as his heart pounded against his chest. She's behind him. He could feel her non-existent eyes on his back. She's smiling now.
"You can't leave. You are with us forever."
The German man shook his head. No… No!
"Oh yes, my dear." Her nails dug into his chest. The music starts again. Here come more people. They have no faces. Still, they talk like nothing was wrong. All of the happy chatter made Ludwig's stomach turn. How could they all be like this? Don't they see what's happening to them? Why would they wake up and realize the truth?
"They can't. They are dead. Just like you."
Ludwig shook his head. No… No!
"But yes. Don't you see it? You are dead. You will not be allowed to go home. Ever!"
The German man tried to hit her away. But he would only hit air.
"You can't touch me."
The music started up again. More people started walking into the parlor. This time, he could see through them. They didn't seem to have feet anymore. The air suddenly turned colder. Ludwig's lungs began to ache. His eyes watered. It was then he recognized the song. The lyrics were in Polish.
Gloomy Sunday…
His heart began to ache. He was trapped in this loop. Ludwig covered his head and screamed. But the silence ate up his screaming.
"Don't you see now? You can't go because you are home!" She wrapped her invisible arms around him.
"This is your home now."
No…
"Oh yes." She laughed as he broke down into tears.
Yet, it didn't have to be that way. There would be somebody to come and rescue the German man. But there would be a huge price to pay.
Sabine walked up to Feliciano's door and knocked.
