The Shadow of War by Jack Murray (latest ebook reader txt) 📗

fight ended when Erich suedfor peace and re-assembled the boys around the Christmas tree for anotherrousing rendition of ‘Heil Hitler Dir’. A few of the adults joined insaluting as they did so. Many of the other townsfolk returned to finish the last-minuteshopping, tired of the songs, tired of children screaming ‘Heil Hitler’,tired of the cold.

Manfred caught a glimpse of hisfather in the distance. He looked at the melee impassively. Then he climbedinto a police car and drove away. For a moment Manfred was glad that he’d left.Then an emptiness descended on him. He realised he would have liked his fatherto join in. But then perhaps his position militated against such frivolity.

His father had never exhibitedany sign of playfulness with Manfred, even as a child. Yes, he rememberedmoments when his father seemed to be enjoying himself. But superficiality madehim uncomfortable. He was not a light-hearted person. He was the chief ofpolice and he was now irrelevant.

 2

28th December 1938

Manfred looked outside hiswindow. The early morning light reflected off the snow and blinded himmomentarily. The sky was steel-grey, heavy with snow. Soon the cloud would unburden itself, and the air would become white. Backto bed, thought Manfred. He was about to go back to bed when he caught aglimpse of Nina Kruger sitting in the square with a friend. She was theprettiest girl in the class. Her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail andplaited. Clear blue eyes hid beneath impossibly long eyelashes. All of the boyswanted to court her, but her father refused to let them near.

In a matter of a few minutes,Manfred was dressed and outside. He walked towards the main square, pretendingnot to notice the two girls, hoping they would shout over to him.

They didn’t.

He walked into a shop sellingconfectionery to buy a bar of chocolate. A moment of inspiration struck, and hebought three bars. Exiting the shop, he set off in the direction of the twogirls.

‘Happy Christmas,’ he saiddisplaying the chocolate.

Nina’s friend, Katrine asked,‘For us?’

‘Of course,’ replied Manfredwith a smile that, he hoped, hid his nervousness, ‘I don’t see any otherbeautiful ladies around.’

Both of the girls giggled not at thewit so much as the gaucheness of the approach and obvious terror in Manfred’seyes. Neither girl considered the tall, blond-haired boy before them at all badlooking. In fact, he was one of the most handsome boys from the school. He wasoften discussed among the girls but rarely with great enthusiasm. There wasalways something.

He was quiet, which they didnot mind. Good looking, obviously. But there was something in his manner, anuncertainty, an awkwardness that made his company difficult. One felt uneasywith him. This was the case now. The two girls waited to see if he had anythingfresh to offer beyond the chocolate and a nervous smile. This was a problem,because Manfred was right out of ideas on what to do now. A part of him wishedErich was here; hewas better with girls. Having a sister seemed to make him understand how totalk to this alien breed.

Manfred, as he stood therelooking down at the two girls who were now smiling to one anotherconspiratorially, felt lost. Finally, he asked, ‘How was your Christmas?’

But the moment had gone. It wastoo late. Several seconds too late. It was obvious he was struggling, and theyhad simply lost interest in him. Again.

Katrine said hers was very goodand thanked him. Ninadidn’t bother saying anything. It was a dismissal. He didn’t know much aboutthe opposite sex, but he knew when someone was closing a conversation off. Hehad enough experience with his mother. He wished them a good day and hereturned to his house, his face burning hot in the chill morning air.

-

After lunch, Manfred made hisway over to Erich’s house. The earlier humiliation still seared his mind. Itwas time to have a man to man conversation with his friend and understand howErich managed to be on such good terms with so many girls. As much as he likedhis friend, he was no Aryan ideal. Shorter by at least five centimetres, he wasnot fat but certainly stocky. He had a confident air about him that made himgood company for both sexes.

Along the way he passed the oldhouse of Professor Kahn. He stopped for a moment as he realised new people weremoving in. It had remained unoccupied for over three years since Kahn had beenarrested. A strange day. A day he would never forget. This was not because it was ateacher. In Manfred’s experience, teachers came and went. Nor because it was someone,he quite liked. No, the circumstances were as bizarre as they were sudden.Manfred’s mind went back three years.

-

Spring 1935, outside the classroom window,Manfred could see the cornflowers blooming like a purple sea; the wind creatingripples on the surface that broke outward like tiny waves. As he gazed throughthe window, he saw a grey-brown Opel Olympia drawing up outside the school. Twomen stepped out from the car. The driver was a short no-nonsense type. He worea raincoat and a fedora. The second man was taller, fair-haired and walked witha distinct limp. Manfred guessed he would have been old enough to have foughtin the war. Their arrival caused a stir in the class and Professor Kahn had towork hard to regain the attention of the pupils.

The class continued for anotherten minutes but the whispered hum did not subside. All of the boys were certain the two newarrivals were members of the Gestapo. Why had they come to the school? Manfredsoon found out.

A few minutes before the end ofthe class, the headmaster of the school knocked on the door and then entered.The class immediately stopped what they were doing rose from their seats as ifone body.

‘Herr Professor,’ said theheadmaster, ‘Come with me.’ It was an order, curt and contemptuous, like he wasspeaking to an errant pupil. Turning to the class he said, ‘Class sit down.Wait here in silence until the bell and then leave for your next class.’

Kahn and the headmaster leftthe classroom. A minute later, the class rushed over to the window, scramblingto get a view. They watched