Pain seared through her limbs. Since the first of light dawn was showing, she and the others had worked. Moving heavy sacks, sweeping the porch of the buildings, leveling the ground, and digging ditches. Ditches large enough for a body. For a while Christine didn't understand why they were building them. A few days after she heard a gunshot. Turning quickly she saw a girl, around her age, on the ground...dead with a bullet through her head. Looking at the SS soldier who shot her she felt her eyes water. Poor girl! Christine thought she did nothing wrong! She carried her weight...wasn't faster or slower than anyone else...But she did not dare to say a word to the soldier. As the days went on there was always the sound of a gunshot...even if it wasn't where Christine was, it was where the adults were. Oh Papa I pray you're alright. Christine became more and more afraid of the soldiers and what they would do to her and the others. Every once and a while one of the children (most who were around 5 or 8) they would drop a bag or stop. Christine would quickly dig or pick the bag up while the solider's back's were to them. It made her heart ache to see one of the children fall over or work to much. The food barley helped, a small of soup and some bread was there daily diet. One night Christine awakened by a small voice.
"Chrissy? Chrissy please wake up."
Lazily opening her eyes she sees little Isabel. Just turning 7 the girl was shaking and her eyes were dark red from what Christine could guess crying.
"Oh dear what's wrong sweetie?" Christine choked out as sweetly as she could manage.
"I-I miss m-my mommy!" she sobbed
Christine opened her arms and Isabel jumped into them. Christine rubbed her back slowly as cried on her shoulder. "pleah hing" was all Christine heard under Isabel's muffled sob.
"Okay..." Christine responded. How could she say no? After a few moments of thinking up some words she sang.
"There is a castle on a cloud, I like to go there in my sleep, aren't any floors for me to sweep. Not in my castle on a cloud." Her angelic soprano immediatly soothed the little girl. "There is a room thats full of toys, there are a hundred boys and girls." Slightly moving positions Chrisrtine moved Isabel on her lap. Looking down from her bed she saw everyone else in the shed looking up at her. Entranced and seeming very calm, Christine continued the song. "Nobody shouts or talks to loud, not in my castle on a cloud." Isabel suddenly came up with her own verse. Her little voice filling the room. "There is a lady all in white." She gently squeezes Christine. "Holds me and sings a lullaby she's nice to see and she's soft to touch. She says Isabel I love you very much." Smiling Christine finishes the song. "I know a place where no ones lost, I know a place where no one cries." Christine gingerly wipes a tear from Isabel's eye. "Crying at all is not allowed. Not in my castle on a cloud." For a moment everyone in that shed forgot about everything, the hunger, soilders and the war that plauged them. 5 days later~~~~~~~ Rain un-ending rain, Christine says to herself. For the past 4 days rain have poured all over the camp. It was very light and felt nice, except went nighttime came. Then it was montrous. Thunder sounding like bombs, lightning sounding like gunshots. It scared everyone, well everyone but Christine. But it was painful for her to see the children so frightened. So every night like with Isabel she would sing them to sleep. Her voice calmed them all, they all loved Christine. Her kindness, her beauty and her voice. Someone else thought so too.
"YOU...GET OVER HERE ZIS SECOND!" One of the soldiers yelled to her.
Filled with fear she ran over to the soldier who called her over. He grabbed her arm tightly and nearly dragged her along the dirt path. Worst part was she was barefoot. When they had gotten there everyones shoes and clothes were taken away. But they were given clothing, but they were old and ragged. All Christine was wearing was a tattered and dirty cream (well used to be) colored shirt that was way to big and some dark pants. As the were walking Christine felt the rough dirt and rocks gnaw at her feet. It hurt so badly, but she mad no attempt to disobey the soldier. They walked on until they reached the largest building in the camp. When inside, the enormous room was beautiful and surprised Christine slightly. She was brought to another room with white tiles all around it where the soilder let go. He growled in a harsh voice, thick with a german accent
"Listen you vittle vench! Clean yourself here zen cover yourself vith ze towel over there...vhen you are done press ze button over zhere!" Each word was like the venom of a snake "You are to be clean for z-ze General!" His voice trembled slightly when mentioning the General.
Christine's POV~~~~~~~~~ 'You are to be clean for the General!' the sound echoed in her mind. The General! Why dear god why me? What will he do to me?...on second thought nevermind... Is there even water for me to clean with? I turn my head around, oh there it is. Slipping out of my clothes I pick up the bucket filled with water and let the warm water flow over me. Ah it feels so good...this is the closest thing to bathing I've hade in weeks!...I ponder for a moment. How long has it been? I pour the rest of the water over me, cherishing the warm water as the last droplets splash to the floor. I set the bucket down and find a towel nearby. Its very soft and fluffy...and luckily big enough to wrap around myself. As soon as I do that I press the little red button by the door, it glowed a dark red after I pressed it. I hope I look presentable...I slowly move to the mirror that covers half the room. My dark brown curly hair has gotton longer in these weeks, reaching down to my lower back. My skin has become even more pale than before, but I looked closely at my petite body. I cover my mouth realizing I have become so skiny I can start to see my ribs. The blue in my eyes have gotten seemingly darker too. Well..I don't look awful, but I don't look beautiful either, even though constantly people have told me I look...pretty. Father says I am far to modest...Father...
As Christine was deep in thought she heard a door slam open. In walks the soldier from earlier, but instead of grabbing her like earlier he simply moved behind her and waited for her to move. Christine had no idea why there was a sudden change in his attutide, she noticed quickly though that he was shaking a bit. Like he was scared of something...or someone. She started to walk forwared and when out the door the soldier walked to her side, leading her through numerous hallways. How does he remember this? Christine wondered. He stopped at a door and opened it, gesturing Christine to go inside. Hesitantly walking in she gazed in awe at the room. It was very big and the color scheme was dark but, had a very comfortable feeling to it. The walls were a calming dark color, blood red carpet, a black couch with a glass table in front of it, a sleek grand piano in the back and a large clearing in the middle of the room. The carpet felt nice and warm against her feet as she gingerly took another step foreward. Sighing as if annoyed the soldier shoved Christine in the middle of the clearing. Feeling like a deer in a trap she tightened her grip on the towel. Suddenly Christine began to tremble, not from the cool air, but of fear. Over the past few weeks she had grown to fear one thing, Nazi's. Now she was brought to one of the head leaders on them! Her thoughts were silenced when she heard the door open and the soilder speak something in german...he was here. She heard his footsteps move closer and closer, not daring to turn around. Moving in front of her was General Destler himself! His eyes were staring right at her, burning her. Then he spoke to her.
"What is your name?" His voice made her shudder, his voice was smooth and deep, with a seemingly musical quality to it.
"Christine Daae..." her voice was quieter than a mouse.
"Say that again?"
"C-Christine Daae..." her voice was even more quiet
"You'll have to be louder..." His voice started to get a rough edge to it
"C-Christine D-Daae" She spoke slightly louder.
His gloved hand reached for the towel and moved part of it that revealed her hands. They were trembling. An odd glint glowed in the General's eyes. He moved away slightly looking at the soldier that was close to the door.
"Ja..." he gestured to the soldier.
The soldier came forward and ripped the towel off of her. Christine sqeaked slightly and made an attempt to cover herself. Gathering the towel in his arms the soldier whispered darkly in her ear.
"I vouldn't if I vere you, it gets him...irritated vhen people hide..."
With that the soldier left the room. Her eyes were set to the ground, she did not dare to look up at his cold hard gaze. The only thing that gave her the tinest amount of comfort was the gold Star of David her father gave her. Never would she take that off and let that leave her. But she still did not feel completly safe. The only reason for that was the sound of heavy breathing in front of her, the breathing of General Destler. Hesitantly her eyes moved up, meeting the gaze of the frighteningly handsome General. He started to slowly circle her like before, only this time much slower. Though he was not touching her like Christine thought he would do. Instead he was exaiming every inch of her, like a prized horse. That made her feel so scared, helpless and above all trapped. Her tiny form began to shake as if freezing; her heart beating so fast Christine thought it would burst. He began to speak, almost timid at first.
"I called you here to tell you...you are a vonderful worker you really are, always working hard, helping a child or two..." he spoke, giving her a side glance, oh no Christine thought. "You know it must get lonely, working all day, unable to talk with a person without them acting like scared little dogs..." he pauses for a moment "does it?...you can answer me..." he smiled slightly when she didn't "Oh coming up with the right answer? Thats vhat your thinking..." Christine shuddered when he stopped next to her, but she didn't dare move. "The truth Christine is always the right answer..." Christine gave a slight nodd that was barley noticable. The General cleared his throat walking in front, his back to her. "Yes your right, sometimes we both get lonely, yes...I...I" He stopped for a few moments, opening his mouth to say something then closing it before saying "I vould like so much to reach out and touch you in your lonliness..." he paused for a moment, looking at nothing before turning around laughing slightly "What vould that be like I vonder? I mean...what vould be wrong with that? I realize that you are not a person in the strictest sense of the word...but maybe you're right about zhat too. Maybe vhats wrong isn't...it's not us...it's this..." he gestured to the outside. He started to move closer to Christine again, speaking slowly and almost sensual, which sent goosebumps up Christine's arms. "I mean vhen they compare you to vermin, to rodents and to lice...well..." He moved around behind Christine. She shuddered as she felt a gush of hot air against her neck and part of her shoulder. "its just...uh...you make a good point...a very good point." He swiftly moved in front of her, his gloved hand moved and gently moved a stray lock of hair from her face. His voice grew very soft yet still held its powerful effect. "Is this the face of a rat?" He turned his head slightly trying to look in Christine's, which were avioding his almost deadly gaze. "Are these the eyes of a rat?...'hath not a Jew eyes?'..." His arm snaked around her waist, gently pulling her closer. He exahled deeply. "I feel for you Christine..." His voice trailed as he slowly moved closer. Christine stared at him and froze in fear, unable to do anything. Her breath shaked as she could feel his on her pale face. His face stopped abroubtly, pulling away his usual cold eyes were now burning. Burning with a flame of untamed loathing and anger.
"No...I don't think so...you Jew Bitch" He said smoothly, almost to smooth.
He raised his arm to Christine as her eyes went wide as full moons. With no sign of mercy the General Erik Deslter hit Christine smack of the face sending her to the ground. Holding her cheek Christine let out a small sob. Deslter's voice boomed throughout the room, but didn't loose its almost...heavenly quality.
"You nearly talked me into it? Didn't you...?"
What did I say!? Christine thought. Her cheek nearly burned and it hurt so much. Tears trickled down her face as she lay there. With his still cold demeanor he took out a slightly torn blanket and threw it at her.
"Don't vant you to catch a cold now vould we?" He growled.
Grabbing the blanket she rapped it around her. With the tears still pouring out she stood up, with a small gesture from him she ran out. She prayed she would never have to go back in that building again. Never to see the General again. She silently prayed to god to hear her prayers...for help.
Sh'ma Yis'ra'el Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad
The language Christine is saying is Hebrew encase you don't know that
Okay so...just wanted to say a few things. Erik is not a bad guy and no way is he a good guy. He is erm in the middle and kinda a little psycho. So Christine is going to have a rather dark bruise...ouch. Anyway so the prayer Christine was saying is called the shema in translation is Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One...pretty much saying "God please hear me" If you guys notice this is taking a rather dark turn so ya keep that in mind. ALSO I kinda added a scene or two from a movie called "Schindler's List" the movie is great but very sad. And also takes place in WWII so ya. I'll make a deal with you readers...the first person to name 3 (that's how many I did) Schindler's List references gets a sneak peak of 1...maybe even 2 of my up-coming fics!
BTW I may or may not add too many chapters...I might add a few other things.