Star Crossed Enemies

Chapter 14

The tall grass landscape soon turned into more forests as they entered Germany. Hazel gripped Mark's hand as they grew closer to the checkpoints full of Nazi soldiers. They took one look at Mark and waved them through. Mark patted her hand quietly as he took in his surroundings. They continued their trek through Germany. A few German military vehicles passed them occasionally. But it was a quiet ride for a few hours. 

The guard in the passenger seat offered some food to Hazel with a smile. She looked down at the wrapped bundle and opened it carefully. Rye bread, tender pork, and cheese. She looked up in surprise. All these food items were rationed and impossible to come by. 

"Klaus wanted to be sure you were well fed during the trip," he responded with a grin.

"Thank you."

Hazel offered some to Mark. He shook his head, "You eat. That was very nice of Klaus."

She ate as delicately as she could on the bumpy ride until she was full. She savored every bite. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a sumptuous meal. Hazel wrapped up the rest of the food and placed it on Mark's lap.

"He's your friend. You should eat it too."

Mark nodded and took some of the bread and cheese.

"Sir, we have to make one stop on the way back to Berlin to drop off some soldiers," said the guard in the passenger seat.

"Where is the stop?"

"The other vehicle behind us will be going to Ravensbrück. We will stop there then continue to Berlin."

"Ravensbrück? I wasn't aware the men behind us are SS?"

Hazel felt her breath leave her lungs. 

"Yes, sir. They need to go there. Too many female Jews are populating that camp."

Hazel held her breath to keep from hyperventilating. Even though there was snow on the ground, she felt herself starting to sweat. She felt her head swim with fear. Her mind fogged over like many mornings at the cottage that was now so far away. The SS were the backbone of the camps she had heard rumors about. They were the grim reapers of Jews. The very camps they were heading. Hazel was trying to wrap her mind around the idea that these camps were not just rumors. They were real. 

"Very well," said Mark through gritted teeth. 

She looked up at Mark and saw he was in deep thought.

"I don't want my girlfriend around such filth. I will escort the men to the gates. I will have you as her charge until I return."

"Yes, sir."

Hazel found herself again trying to keep her eyes from watering. A mixture of Mark's harsh words and the camps that they were heading to was breaking her heart into many tiny fragments. Mark squeezed her hand again and brushed his thumb over the top of her wrist. She knew he was trying to calm her without being inconspicuous. As the minutes passed, the feeling of doom became stronger. She was thankful she ate before hearing this news or her stomach would have surely been more upset at the moment.

An hour passed when Hazel saw smoke clouding the sky in front of her. For a few minutes, she wondered if it was a group of houses ahead or a forest fire. Wire fences came closer, followed by long houses stacked against each other. She then realized the smoke was not coming from homes or a forest fire as she saw the billowing clouds erupted from tall chimneys.

"This is far enough," bellowed Mark.

The driver stopped quickly. Mark turned to Hazel. His face was drawn in seriousness, and his eyes looked troubled.

"I want you to stay with the guard. He will take care of you. I will be back as quickly as I can so we can go home." 

He brushed his hand over her cheek before stepping out of the vehicle. Hazel held on to that moment of comfort as long as she could before the feeling of anxiety was taking over. She watched as Mark and the driver of their vehicle walked over to the other gray military car sitting idly behind them. They jumped into the vehicle and drove towards the camp in front of them. 

"Ma'am?"

Hazel looked at the guard in front of her. For the first time, he didn't have a smile on his face. He looked concerned.

"Do you need some fresh air? We can stretch out our legs until the Lieutenant comes back."

It took a second for Hazel to realize he was referring to Mark. She nodded quietly. He stepped out of the vehicle and opened the door for her with his rifle to his side. 

Hazel took a shaky step out on the brown grass. She tried to keep her eyes from wandering at the camp, but it was impossible. The wire fencing, guard towers, and swirling ash were overwhelming. 

"I think you may have been sitting too long. Let's walk around a little," he said as he offered Hazel his arm.

Hazel looked at the soldier's genuine gesture and smiled softly as she took his arm. He turned her away from the camp and led her slowly in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry, Miss Zimmerman, we had to stop here."

Hazel nodded.

"I know exactly how you are feeling."

Hazel looked up at the soldier with confusion. 

"Your Star of David is peeking out."

Hazel grabbed at her chest and looked down. The small point of the metal was sticking out in between the buttons of her shirt. She forgot she was wearing it and had meant to leave it behind before they left the cottage. Hazel pulled her arm in fear, but the guard had a grip on it.

"Don't run away. Just hear me out. I don't want anyone to see anything suspicious."

Hazel was breathing fast. She felt like a mouse trapped in a lion's grip with no escape. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears as her legs shook to run. 

"I'm a Jew."

Hazel stopped pulling and looked up at the guard in shock. 

"But I don't understand," she whispered, examining the uniform he wore.

"The Nazi Regime keeps me safe and helps me save some Jewish families occasionally. It's the perfect cover."

"But..."

"Does the Lieutenant know what you are?"

Hazel slowly nodded, "He's the only one."

"Let's keep it that way. Give me your necklace quickly before someone else discovers it. I don't want you to end up here or worse."

Hazel looked back at the camp. The billows of smoke made her realize this guard was her saving grace at the moment. She couldn't believe how foolish she was for forgetting to take the necklace off before their trip. She pulled the chain over her head and handed it to him.

"Please keep it safe. It was my sister's before she died."

The guard stuffed it in his pocket quickly.

"I will return it when it's safe," he responded with a smile as he patted his chest pocket.

Screams and a roar of gunshots erupted in the distance, causing Hazel's heart to jump in fright. The soldier kept Hazel from turning around to look at the camp again. Hazel felt her eyes tear up as her whole body started to shake. Her sister came to mind. Running down the street of Munich racing home from school only to be bleeding in a heap on the road just a few minutes later. 

"I'm so sorry, Hazel. The Lieutenant shouldn't be much longer, and we can leave this place," he soothed, patting her arm wrapped in his. 

Hazel took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself. She stared down at the brown grass at her feet, unable to look at anything else at the moment. 

"How can you handle this day in and day out?" she asked as she wiped her eyes hurriedly.

"I wonder that every day. Knowing I can help someone gets me through it. If I never put this uniform on and hid my family background, I may have ended up in one of these. That's why you must take this gift of what the Lieutenant has given you and keep going. You are too kind and pretty to end up like this," he said as he motioned what was behind her.

Hazel nodded solemnly, trying to keep herself from shaking more from what was happening just a few hundred yards from her.

"I'm sure there are many kind and pretty women who don't deserve this fate here."

The soldier nodded quietly. "I'm assuming you are the one Klaus was talking about?"

"What do you mean?" asked Hazel as she shot up her head to look at him.

"He was going on and on for quite a long time about a Jewish girl that saved the Lieutenant. You must be that girl."

Hazel averted her eyes from him and nodded slowly. The pistol that Klaus was referring to came to mind. That was her fate for saving Mark's life that he didn't carry out.

"You are so brave. Many people would have just left him on the street to die. But you must have seen something beyond that uniform."

"I did. Another human being. I never thought I would see someone like me in Nazi uniform as well," she said as she motioned to his swastika armband.

"There are a few good ones in the Regime. But there are some terrible ones as well. Sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is Wilhelm von Baer."

She outstretched her hand for a shake which he took delicately in his. 

"It's very nice to meet you, Hazel. I will help in any way to keep you protected."

Hazel nodded with a small smile feeling sudden comfort with such tragedy behind her. She realized it must be his warm chocolate eyes. They had the same kindness shining in them as her mother. Wilhelm looked over her shoulder, causing her to turn her attention to what was happening behind her. Mark was jogging back towards them with the driver of their vehicle following.

Mark ran up to Hazel and put his hands on her shoulders softly.

"I'm so sorry, my dear, I took so long. Are you okay?"

"Yes," responded Hazel with a small smile.

Mark drew in his eyebrows in confusion. Wilhelm walked closer to Mark and whispered in his ear. Mark's eyes grew wide as he soaked in this information.

"This is truly remarkable. I couldn't ask for a better soldier to accompany us," replied Mark as his face slowly lit up.

Wilhelm returned the smile and opened the door for Hazel to climb in the vehicle behind them. She took one last look at the camp in front of her before slipping in the bench seat. Mark sat down next to her and clasped her hand with both of his. Wilhelm was speaking to the driver outside away from the vehicle. Hazel was straining to hear their muffled conversation before Mark spoke up.

"I'm so sorry, Hazel. I never expected to be sent here on the way to Berlin. Please forgive me," whispered Mark. 

"I know it wasn't your doing."

"I just wish I could have kept you even further from this place. I never wanted you to see one."

Hazel watched Mark's face twist in concern. She was still surprised a man who hated her would be so empathetic now. Hazel took a deep breath before responding, "I can't wait to leave."

Mark turned to the driver and signaled it was time to go. 

"Good, I'm tired of smelling the crematory," mumbled the driver as he turned to the door. 

Hazel looked at the plumes of smoke again and swallowed the bile that was building her throat. The ashes were her people. The gunfire and screams she heard earlier must be a common occurrence. She felt her hand being squeezed harder, making her eyes tear away from the swirls of ash. Mark was looking at her with concern. She knew she must have looked like a white sheet as the thought of how many bodies created that much ash raced through her mind. As they made their way back to the main road, Hazel took a few calming breaths to keep from either passing out or vomiting.