Eric Jurgens - Nazi joy camp

"Don't be mad, Ruth. Please? I've just been gone a long damned time. Please?" He asked, turning her about and kissing her gently.

Ruth looked into his face with tear drenched eyes, and replied: "I'm not mad, Kurt. I'm just jealous, I guess. I have something I must tell you."

Ruth recounted the events in the store and what she had heard on the outside of it. When she mentioned Nurse Hilde's name, Kurt's smile took on a sadistic twist. "You're sure they plan to leave tomorrow? At what time? It will have to be before dawn."

"I don't know what time," Ruth started.

"It doesn't matter. Let's get something to eat. I have a hell of a lot of work to do tonight." Kurt rubbed his hands together and smiled at Ruth.

Ruth looked at his ever-hard prick and laughed. "That'll slow you down," she told him.

Kurt blushed. He turned from her after grinning sheepishly and put on his dirty uniform.

Ruth arranged the bits of food on a plate and then made Elizabeth get up and put on a robe so that she could eat with them. Kurt munched away at his food, then asked: "Do you know where they might keep the truck? It has to be stolen so that no one on the base would miss it. Was it a new one or an old one?"

"I don't know. They all look alike to me," Ruth replied. "Do you drive, Kurt?"

"No, but my friend does. I have to find him. What was the other guy – the one working in the store? A sergeant?" He wanted to know.

"I don't know… I didn't notice," Ruth said, disappointment showing in her voice.

"It doesn't matter. Look. They stole the truck. So, they can't report it missing. Right? They couldn't explain it. So, we'll steal it from them. They probably put all the food under the boards on the bed of it. We'll be all right there. You have papers, but Elizabeth doesn't have, right? Can we use Nurse Hilde's?" He wanted to know of Ruth, ignoring Elizabeth.

"I don't think so. Her hair is black, Hilde's is blond. She's much smaller than the nurse, too." Ruth looked despondent over the turn of the conversation.

"It doesn't matter. Look. I have to make out some new ones for myself and my friend, so it'll be nothing to make out some for her, too. We'll take Nurse Hilde's, too, just in case. She won't get far without them. I want you two to be ready to leave here in three hours. I'll need that much time to arrange everything. O.K.?" He waited for a nod from Ruth, then, "Wear all the clothes you have. It might be a long cold journey. Real long," he emphasized.

"Kurt… I… is it really possible to leave here? I mean," Ruth started, then broke into tears. Kurt was by her side in a second. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close to him.

"It's not going to be easy, but I think it's possible, Ruth," he said, stroking her head with his large hand. "Just trust me, O.K.?"

Ruth bobbed her head up and down to indicate her agreement.

"I have to trust you, too. Look. Make sure that she's ready." He nodded his head in Elizabeth's direction. "I won't come here in the truck, but I'll come back and get you two. Just be ready. Got it?" he asked.

"Yes. Oh, God, will I be ready. I can't believe leaving here. I haven't been able to think about it at all. At first I did – but so long ago," Ruth added, thoughtfully.

"O.K. I have to go now. Don't let anyone in. Take everything that you can get into a small bag. Bring the blankets. Not a word to anyone. Just be ready." He went to the door and stopped there and threw her a kiss. Then he opened the door and was lost to the blackness of the night.

"Ruth?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, Elizabeth. We're getting out of here. We're leaving Kamp East. Oh, God, Elizabeth do you know what that means? No more of this!" Ruth cried out passionately, taking Elizabeth's hand in hers.

"Ruth, let's get in bed together and be warm," she asked, her eyes taking on the haunting look that had become all to familiar to her.

"Elizabeth, we're leaving. Kurt's going to take us away from here. Don't you understand that?" Ruth pleaded.

"I don't want to see a truck driver, Ruth," Elizabeth said softly as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Oh, Elizabeth," Ruth wailed, moving swiftly around the table to her and taking her in her arms. "This truck driver will be different, you'll see. He's a friend of Kurt's. Kurt won't let him bother you. No. He won't be like that other one. Maybe you'll like him, Elizabeth. Maybe well even go to Vienna. Don't be afraid."

Elizabeth drew away from Ruth and went to her bed. She crawled into it and looked forlornly at the ceiling.

"GET UP! Elizabeth! Get out of the bed. We've got work to do," Ruth told her, pulling the girl from the bed.

Elizabeth continued to cry silently. The tears gushed from her eyes and spilled over her cheeks. Ruth could think of nothing to say to her. She just insisted that she keep busy and help her arrange the things they would need according to Kurt's instructions.

Ruth worked diligently for two hours, pulling and tugging at Elizabeth and talking her into doing what she was supposed to. Then she made a bit of food for the two of them and insisted that Elizabeth eat. Sitting down to wait for Kurt was the worst part of the whole thing for Ruth. She tried to keep her mind occupied so that thoughts of defeat would not crowd in upon her, but it was almost hopeless. She was in such a nervous state that when a light tapping came at the door she was frightened beyond reason.

Ruth went cautiously to the door and whispered, "Kurt?" Receiving an affirmative answer, Ruth pulled open the door; she wanted to fall into his arms and be made to feel safe. Instead, she gasped in horror at what faced her.

Two of the dirtiest, meanest looking soldiers she had ever seen stood before her. She got out a partial scream before her mouth was covered by a strong hand.

"Ruth, shut up! God-dammit, it's me, Kurt," he told her, keeping her mouth firmly closed and supporting her sagging body in his arms.

Ruth could have cried. She let herself relax against him, her head resting on his shoulder. Small sobs still escaped her but she forced herself under control within seconds. She looked at the other soldier.

"This is Rainer. Ruth, Elizabeth," Kurt introduced him. Then, "Look, we've got to hurry. It's dark as hell outside, so all we have to do is get to the truck and get through the gate." He motioned for Rainer to take charge of Elizabeth and he led Ruth through the door, having slung their meager possessions over his back.

Ruth thought she would faint as the truck drew up to the gate. She was standing in the back of the truck, with a black blanket completely covering her. Her legs were trembling so much she feared they were knocking together and making a noise like a drum. But they were only at the gate a short two minutes, while Kurt exchanged words with the guards, then the truck was moving again. After a half mile the truck stopped and Kurt joined Ruth in the back. He took her trembling body and held it tightly to himself.

"How did you do it, Kurt? It seemed so simple." Ruth said, her teeth chattering yet from the icy fear that had gripped her body for the last hour or so.

"Easy, Ruth. We made out orders for the Eastern Front. No gate guard is ever going to question those. Not likely. He just felt sorry for us." Kurt laughed and kissed her on the mouth. "That's why he didn't bother to look in back of here."

"But what about them – that sergeant and Nurse Hilde and that fat one?" Ruth had to know.

"That was easy, Ruth. You gave me the idea. Remember when you said all trucks looked alike to you? Well, it stood to reason that they had somehow taken this one without it ever being registered to the base. No one is ever going to put out a call for it or report it stolen. We stole one from the motor pool and left it there for them. We even left enough of their stolen loot to get them shot, maybe." Kurt laughed easily and kissed her neck. "And," he continued, "In the dark of the early morning, they'll never notice the difference. But the best part of all is Rainer. He left word that they were planning an escape. They'll be apprehended at the gate. Pretty good, huh? Somehow Rainer was able to give the license number of the truck, its number registration and the probable occupants." He laughed at their cleverness.