Excerpts

Chapter 1 - AWAKE

He was floating in an amorphous cocoon. Incorporeal and timeless, his only connections to whatever lay beyond were incongruent memories as jagged as lightning bolts...sweaty soldiers double-timing in rigid lines...a boy and girl skipping along a still blue lake surrounded by trees ablaze in autumnal reds and oranges...charcoal shadows lurking behind a mound of rubble...other children processing around a candle-lit church...inhaling pungent incense as a priest in rich vestments placed a figurine in a manger...human remnants lying contorted on blood-drenched sands...adoring crowds welcoming their leader with stiff arms and raucous cheers...giant red flags with black swastikas flying off thick staffs to envelop him. On and on they came.

Now and again, he sought to will himself to greater clarity, to escape his prison or at least quell the dissonance, but unseen chains held him fast.

Until something changed. Different sounds seeped in – utterances from someone outside himself. English! These anomalous words formed a lifeline tossed in his direction. As he reached for them, the dissonance faded. With Herculean effort, Rolf Mueller opened his eyes. More words became louder and clearer, and tangible objects came into view. His mind began to process the information that his senses were again gathering.

"Hello. Can you hear me?" The voice was now less tinny.

His gaze found a man in spectacles and a khaki uniform. The young, tall stranger looked up from a clipboard, and their eyes met.

"There you are. I can speak German if you prefer. Would you like that?"

It took time to muster an indignant response. "Of course I prefer German." He thought, How do I even know English? I'm German, aren't I? His voice was raspish, his tongue thick. It was incredibly difficult to speak. He knew what he wanted to say, but words hid, then wouldn't align with the thoughts that inspired them. And when they finally came out, it was like he was listening to someone else. "Where am I?"

"In a German field hospital in Bizerte. In Tunisia." The man's accent was odd.

"You're German?"

"No, I'm American. You're our prisoner."

Captured German Hospital, Bizerte, Tunisia, May 1943 (US Army Photo)

Captured German Soldiers, Tunisia, Africa, May 1943,

(US Army Photo)

Captured German Hospital, Bizerte, Tunisia, May 1943 (US Army Photo)

Learn More About The Series

Chapter 20 – TEAMWORK

The pickup crossed Doyle Creek and slowed to turn north onto a long gravel driveway. On the left of the well-worn lane was the creek, and on the right were tidy rows of sweet-scented fruit trees and yellow-splotched grapevines ambling over fences. Beyond the orchard was a cluster of sturdy red barns and outbuildings. The largest one was massive, more than three stories tall. It was wooden like most of the others, but sat atop a high stone foundation.

The path disappeared into a wide, partly-graveled area in front of the big barn. A large white house with green trim sat on the opposite side, nestled in a shady yard enclosed by a fence of wire mesh and tall stone posts set twelve feet apart. A whitewashed gate opened to a shaded grassy lawn and a stone walkway leading to the house.

Jordan stood up as soon as the truck came to a stop near the gate, but the Germans hesitated until Harold came around, lowered the tailgate with a bang, and gestured for them to step down. "Welcome, gentlemen. Have any of you worked on a farm before?"

Rolf raised his hand. "Yes, sir, I was raised on one."

"Very good, my boy," Harold responded heartily. "You'll be at home here in no time."

"Thank you, sir, I hope so."

As they spoke, Harold spied two figures coming out of the milk barn, a low cinderblock structure next to the big barn. "There you are, ladies! Come over so I can introduce you to our new workers!" Clara smoothed her cotton dress, and Loretta tucked stray strands of auburn hair into her kapp as they approached, both looking tentatively at the newcomers.

Army truck with a German POW work detail and their guards, passing through Concordia KS - photo Courtesy of Cloud County KS Tourism, Camp Concordia POW Museum, and Kansas Travel.

"Gentlemen, this is my wife, Clara, and my daughter, Loretta. And let's see, this is Herr Hecht, Herr Zimmerman, Herr Mueller, and Herr Gralke. Did I get that right?"

"Yes, perfect," said Zimmerman, as the Germans acknowledged the women with timid nods and furtive glances.

German POWs working on a Wabaunsee County, KS farm -- photo Courtesy of Cloud County KS Tourism, Camp Concordia POW Museum, and Kansas Travel.

Rolf was embarrassed for staring, but he couldn't help it – he was thunderstruck. He was certain that he’d never seen a woman more lovely than the one standing in front of him. Finally, he managed several deep breaths to slow his racing heart and turned away in search of something - anything - else to focus on. He shook his head at the absurdity: He was having palpations over a total stranger, and an American at that!

The others' gawking was less discreet, prompting Clara to interrupt Harold’s chit-chat with Jordan in a no-nonsense tone. "It's good you are here. I hope you will earn the money you’re paid and deserve the trust we’re placing in you.” She looked directly at the ones she’d caught leering at Loretta. “Now, we all have work to do. We'll see you at dinner." With that, she led her daughter by the arm toward the house and said, “Don’t encourage such looks.”

“I wasn’t, Mama.”

As the women were about to disappear behind the gate, Rolf dared one more glance and was jolted to see Loretta peeking back at him, too. Their eyes met for just an instant, long enough to make him wobble like he was on a ship again.

Learn More About The Series