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Erik remembers that boy. That boy he spent his days with, that he skipped school and went fishing with. He doesn’t remember his name, it’s been far too long. So he gave him a new one: his friend was Charlie.
He thought they’d be together forever - friends until the end of time. Erik couldn’t imagine a life where he couldn’t be near his Charlie. But fate doesn’t always work in our favor. He realized it more harshly than others.
– Name? – the German soldier growled, disregarding the young man’s shaking hands and the terror in his eyes.
– Eryk. Eryk Ksawery. – he introduced himself. Erik had never been more frightened than now - lying to a soldier, hiding his true surname. Erik Lehnsherr - it sounded far too foreign. Far too Jewish. And as much as it hurt his soul, he cared for his life more than his heritage. He’d heard far too many stories since the beginning of the war - just how his people were treated. He hoped his friend wouldn’t mind him borrowing his surname.
– Documents? – the soldier demanded again. Erik could only shake his head, scared speechless. One of the soldiers jabbed him in the side with his gun, forcing him to say it outloud.
– I-I don’t have any. I lost them. – that alone was a reason enough to be arrested. But at least it wasn’t his ethnicity.
They didn’t ask any more questions. Not like they recorded his previous answers, anyway.
The soldiers didn’t play around. They accused him of something, he didn’t know what. He couldn’t understand German. They took him to the train station, put him in a car that looked like it was meant to transport cattle rather than people.
At first, he didn’t understand. Days passed and he just worked, building what would become his prison for years. Then, it was time to take more transports. It didn’t take him long to figure out why they were sorted - the strong men and women were going to work, slaving their lives away with every day. The old and weak were sent down the other road. To the showers, they said. And the prisoners repeated. It was the last grace they could offer their doomed kin.
It was a harsh fate, a cruel one. The soldiers knew it. They reveled in their pain, cherished their suffering. Erik got used to the reality pretty quick. He couldn’t fight back - so it was better to just surrender. He thought it was good enough. Despite the hard work, the sparse rations, he could survive.
Everything changed one cloudy, chilly day. It was a transport day - new prisoners were coming in. Erik’s job was to take their belongings, search through them for anything valuable to be sent to the Third Reich. He made the mistake of looking up, meeting the gaze of another man - his eyes were blue as the ocean, his hair the color of milk chocolate. His mind went blank, only one sentence rushing through his thoughts: It’s him. It’s him. It’s him.
— Karol! — he cried out, the name coming out so naturally he couldn’t believe he ever forgot it.
He’d always recognize him - was he mute and Karol blind, he’d know it’s him from the sound of his footsteps, the beat of his heart and the tremble of his breath. Nothing in the world could keep their souls apart.
He cried. He hasn’t cried in so long, but he couldn’t stop the tears now. Grasping at the other male, as if he’d disappear if he let go for a second. Karol said something - he wasn’t sure what it was, his ears ringing.
Erik could feel the other man’s frail form under his hands. He was too weak to work. He’s always been weak. A choked, angry sob escaped him at the realization. They won’t take him to work. He could already see the soldiers separating the two groups - finally, they came to his Karol, pulling his only friend away from him. He tried to hold on, begging them to give him just a moment. He’s my family, he said Bruder. Bruder.
He couldn’t risk receiving a pink triangle. God knows he wouldn’t survive long with that imprint.
They give him 20 seconds and he presses his head to Karol’s shoulder, weeps desperately trying to find his words, anything to explain and make up for the years they couldn’t spend together.
— You will take a shower. You’ll go and take a shower and return to me. — he knew he didn’t sound believable. But it was the best comfort he could offer his most beloved comrade. He was pretty sure he didn’t believe him anyway - he didn’t sound too convincing. But he could lie to himself as well, couldn’t he?
He needed to let go eventually - and he was left there, looking after the man sorrowfully.
And as Karol was led into the dreadful building at the end of the road, Erik threw himself on the rails, right under the oncoming train.