Have fun!!
First, they saw nothing, only the blackness inside. Slowly their eyes got used to the darkness and this was when they realized how small the cell was. Near the right wall, there was something like a bunk, only a lot smaller than the ones they had in Stalag 13. On this bunk, the three man could see a figure, curled up in a ball. The person on the bunk was nearly lifeless. Only the slowly, weak sign of his breathing could be seen.
Newkirk stopped breathing for an instant and nearly could feel his heartbeat stopping, too. If this man over there was Carter, he was surely a mess. Still frightened that this man wasn't Carter and fearing that whether it really was him, they wouldn't be able to move him or to help him, Newkirk finally took a step forward and was near the still form of the man earlier then he wished to.
Hearing LeBeau holding his breath behind him and Colonel Hogan swallowing hard, Newkirk carefully touched the man who still faced the wall so they weren't able to see his face. Biting his lip, the Corporal waited for a movement in response, but there was no movement at all. Maybe the man hadn't noticed because he was unconscious or something like this. So Newkirk shook him a bit harder, still trying to be careful and not to hurt him more. Still no response.
Newkirk turned and looked at Hogan but wasn't able to see the expression on his face because it was still very dark inside the cell.
"Do you think it is him?", Newkirk whispered.
"I'm not sure. Try to move him", Hogan ordered quietly.
"Wilson will have your head if it is really him and if he is gravely injured", LeBeau tried to joke, but none of the men was in the mood to laugh.
"I have to take the risk", Hogan mumbled and nodded in Newkirk's direction.
The Corporal turned and carefully moved the man so that he would face them, again holding his breath and not even noticing it.
LeBeau looked away, not ready to face the truth, whatever the truth was.
Hogan hadn't decided whether it was better to close his eyes or to help Newkirk by watching what he would do. As a leader, he decided to watch. Also he put his hand on Newkirk's shoulder to show him that he was not alone, whatever would happen in the next few seconds.
When Newkirk finally finished to turn the man around, there was still no chance for them to check whether it was Carter because it was too dark. Hogan searched his pocket for some matches and lit one. The little flame soon filled the room with light and revealed the true identity of the prisoner.
Hogan couldn't avoid gasping and letting the match fall to he ground.
Newkirk bit his lip. First, he felt overwhelming joy, which was soon replaced by anger.
LeBeau began to smile widely.
It really was Carter who laid there. And he was in a very bad condition.
Hogan, Newkirk and LeBeau first didn't recognize the whole mess Carter was. They were so happy that they felt the urge to cry out in joy but could only whisper because there was still the danger to get discovered by the Germans.
It took them a few minutes to calm down and then Newkirk looked closely at his friend who laid there, still motionless. He tipped him on the shoulder, but Carter didn't react.
Newkirk shot a worried glace in Hogan's direction who had discovered the fact that Carter urgently needed help, possibly medical attention.
Hogan sent LeBeau to the door so that he could take a watch and warn them if a Gestapo man or somebody else appeared. Then he knelt down next to Carter where Newkirk was already on his knees.
"Carter?", he shook the shoulder of the young, injured man while asking.
No reponse.
"Maybe we should check him for injuries?!", Newkirk said and felt panic growing in his stomach. He wasn't used to a motionless Carter.
"Let's get him here on the ground or he would fall down from this bunk", Hogan said quietly and did just what he said with the help of Newkirk.
Then the two men checked for broken bones, but despite of some cracked rips which worried them there was nothing seriously.
After that Hogan lit some matches at the same time to get more light. Now he and Newkirk had the chance to check Carter for some other injuries and what they saw really shocked them.
The Sergeant's face was full of cuts and bruises, covered with dirt and dried blood. They lifted his shirt and discovered that nearly his entire upper torso was full of burns, dried blood and bruises, too. Newkirk dared to touch his forehead and nodded at Hogan. Carter had a high fever, like the Colonel had expected. The burnt skin was also very hot to the touch. When Newkirk discovered that,he touched Carter accidentally a bit harder which caused the unconscious man to moan softly.
Newkirk looked at the Colonel in horror. Hogan didn't say anything, his face showed no expression, but his eyes glowed with hatred.
"They've beaten him", he whispered
"Those bastards", was all Newkirk could manage to say.
"How is he?", LeBeau asked from the door. The French didn't hear all of the conversation and was curious.
"Full of cuts, burns and bruises from the explosion. There're also some cracked ribs. But they've beaten him while questioning him", Hogan informed LeBeau.
"Mon dieu! How shall we get him to the Stalag?", LeBeau asked.
"LeBeau's right, Colonel, they wouldn't let us go with him and there's no chance that they wouldn't notice us carrying him out", Newkirk said. He hadn't thought about it at the Stalag, he hadn't even given it a thought while getting to this place, the only thing he had thought of was hoping that Carter would be here.
"They will notice and check a living prisoner getting out of this place, but they won't ask questions about a dead one", Hogan said. He hadn't also given much of a thought of their escape, too, and this was the first thing that had come to his mind.
"You're a genius", Newkirk managed to whisper, but Hogan did hear it and was proud of it.
"Okay, listen. LeBeau and me, we're going to look for something to carry a dead body. I hope we will find something. Newkirk, I'd like you to stay here in case Carter wakes up. Wait for us", Hogan told them.
"But what will I do if some of the guards or even Hochstetter shows up?", Newkirk asked.
"Try to make the best of it. And try to not endanger yourself more than necessary", Hogan ordered.
Then he went out of the cell. Before completely escaping it, he turned around.
"Good luck", he told the Corporal. Then he went off, followed by LeBeau and tried to find something to cover Carter's body so that one could think he was already dead. The thought that if they had waited longer, they would have had Carter really dead really frightened him and he didn't dare to think on the effects of Carter's real death when they could have had the chance to avoid it. It would have destroyed them all.
Newkirk stayed in the dark and listened to Carter's silent breathing. After a few minutes this breathing seemed very loud and he could hear how labored and unsteady it was. Carter could be grateful to be still unconscious, because by getting conscious, he would be in a lot of pain.
To be honest, Newkirk felt quite uncomfortable while he sat there and couldn't do anything to help his friend. He regretted not asking the Colonel to leave his matches there, because he could hardly see something in the darkness of the cell. The only light came from the little window in the door.
To avoid feeling too alone, he started to talk to the motionless Carter:
"Hey mate, in which mess did you get yourself this time? We can only hope Colonel Hogan and LeBeau find something to cover you, so we can get you out of here. Hopefully they don't run into a patrol or even Hochstetter. I can tell you, the Colonel told us that he is in a bad condition, but I guess, it isn't bad enough to stop hurting and even torturing you. But nevertheless, I can tell you that I'm happy to see you alive, even in this condition. We all thought you were dead after the explosion and this time, it really got us, you have to know. Everyone was sorry for us and everyone missed you dearly. The Colonel told Klink that you escaped, but I guess, even him and especially Schultz wished you were back. And now, if everything goes right, we will prove that really no one escapes Stalag 13. But Holy Christ, mate, despite your bad condition, I would be very grateful if you opened your eyes, only to show that you're really alive. You know, I can't stand your death a second time, and losing you when we should be capable to rescue you, would be like hell. No, even worse than hell. I guess, I couldn't stand living with losing a friend like you. Colonel Hogan would jump from a bridge or something like this, because he really was a mess after your first dying, when you know what I mean. So please, mate, show me that you are alive. It would only encourage us all to work for your rescue and also I wouldn't be alone anymore. You know, talking to an unconscious person is pretty silly and maybe useless, because you can't hear me, but it helps me."
Newkirk stopped, thinking on something else to say. It seemed pretty silly, indeed, but it made him feel less alone.
"So mate, you know, when this ruddy night is over, I'd like to see you back in the Stalag. I'm sure, Wilson will take care of you, but for this, you have to hold on a little bit longer. Start again breathing properly, it kind of panics me to listen to your unsteady breathing. You know, as I told you, this whole operation can't go on without you! We need you, mate, you have to believe this. Even when we make fun of you, when we are angry with you because you messed up something, we still need you. We don't recognize it very often, but you are very important for the operation. No one can build bombs like you can, and no one can imitate a German officer like you. So please don't die on me now!", Newkirk pleaded as Carter's breathing sounded more horrible.
When Carter refused to take another breath, Newkirk's heart seemed to stop, too, but then he heard something that seemed the most beautiful sound to him in this moment.
"Y'know, I won't", Carter whispered.
Newkirk bit his lip. He could hardly stop himself to cheer out loud because of the intensive happiness he felt right in this moment.
"I know, I know", he said calmly after getting himself so far to speak calmly.
Carter moaned slightly.
"Good to see one of you guys", he mumbled and then hissed in pain when he tried to move himself in a more comfortable position.
"Don't move. It's only painful", Newkirk said with a soft voice. Despite the circumstances he considered himself lucky.
Carter stopped moving, but didn't say anything at all. He felt tired and his upper torso felt like it was still burning. The numerous cuts itched and he felt every inch of his body ache because of the explosion and Hochstetter's questioning methods. But he was grateful to have Newkirk there at his side. He had thought he might never see him or Hogan or LeBeau, Kinch, Schultz and the others again and while being nearly delirious from the pain and the fever he had been sure to die there in this cell. And being all alone despite the "questioning" had threatened to destroy him part by part. But now, he was sure everything would get better.
"Colonel Hogan and LeBeau will be here in a minute or so, I'm sure. Then we'll get you out of here, okay?", Newkirk said quietly, not sure what to do.
"Mmh", was all Carter managed to say. He was so tired and felt so weak that he hardly could open his eyes only to be greeted by a room full of darkness and only with a little light. He saw Newkirk sitting there next to him and watching him.
"How long?", Carter asked, his voice was not more than a slight whisper.
"Sorry?" Newkirk asked and got a little more worried by the apparent weakness of his friend.
"How long have I been here?", Carter asked, getting more tired and kind of frustrated because of his own weakness.
"Two or three days", Newkirk answered.
"Oh", was the only response he got.
"Not so long, but it seemed like an eternity. Don't do this ever again to us, okay?", Newkirk said.
"What?", Carter asked and it took Newkirk several minutes to even understand the word which reached, spoken so quiet to be nothing more than a silent sigh, his ear not very easily. Carter was so tired and speaking seemed like spending more than the energy that he had left.
"Dying", Newkirk said and hoped Carter would understand.
The young man's mind was all blurry and dull, but the realization had hit home. He knew that his comrades had gone through their personal hell, too.
"I'm sorry", Carter whispered, again closing his eyes. He knew he couldn't start to sleep again, but hell, he was tired.
"Don't you ever be sorry! It's not your fault!", Newkirk siad a bit loudly and then regretted it. Hopefully nobody had heard him.
His whole body froze when he heard a key turning in the lock. Right in this moment he knew it was now over for him. In a short moment of stupidity he had caught the attention of the Germans and had also signed the death sentence for both Carter an himself. All those thought raced through his head and he took his gun out. When he had to die, he would not fall without fighting and protecting his fallen friend.
"Now I'm sorry", he managed to whisper in Carter's direction before the door opened.
I'm trying to continue this story soon... and I hope you enjoyed it... tell me, what you think about it!!
Yours, Ifi^^