Michaelan Apted

Shay Lopez
Humanities II
29 10 2014
Dead Saviour
Sunlight washed over the green landscape, lighting the grass in a pleasant shine. A house
built of gray bricks nested among the plain, scents of bread and cooked sausage wafting from its
open door. Earsplitting cracks resounded through the air, originating from an axe striking a broad
piece of oak. Wrapped around the contours of the ax lay the attached firm hands of Frist
Schrder.
Wiping sweat from his blonde hair above his brow, Frist glanced at the pile of wood
collecting at his feet. Decidedly content with that amount, he gathered the wood and walked
inside his home.
The interior of the house sat adorned with brick walls and wooden floors. Long brown
banisters stretched their arms to hold up the triangular roof.
Walking inside the building, Frist took a detour over to the fireplace on his right. The
black wood previously lighted continuously burned, engulfed in gloriously red flames, as if
captured from the sun itself. Sooty smoke rose up from the fire, gliding up through the chimney
and into the air outside. With a groan from above, the freshly chopped wood clattered into the
burning heat, causing the flames to flicker and rise in volume.
Sighing, Frist rose up from his kneeling position and turned to his left. There, a beautiful
women stood at a gas oven, delicious scents emanating from its contents. She busily moved
around the small kitchen, hazel hair swaying from side to side.
Morning, Elise, Frist greeted, as he walked towards her. Elise looked up, noticing her
husbands presence.
She chimed, Oh, good morning. Whats buzzin?
I just finished chopping the wood. I need to go into the city to get a new metal chipper.
Ill need it for finishing the iron horseshoe. Ill go to the forge afterwards.
Breakfast is almost ready. You should eat before you leave.
Elise turned the oven off and popped open the door, releasing an aroma of toasted wheat.
She then removed the bread from the ovens warm embrace and placed it on a medium platter,
alongside a plump sausage and a slice of cheese.
As breakfast was made, Elise called out, Lisa, Breakfast is ready!
The words reaching a small room at the edge of the house, a young girl bounded from its
doorway, towards the kitchen. Yay, Im hungry!

Frist grinned. As am I.
With that, the three sat at the small wooden table near the kitchen and began to eat.
Silverware and plates sat on the table surface, in preparation for breakfast.
Retrieving a large knife from a drawer, Elise began slicing the bread, sausage, and
cheese, placing a few pieces of each on every persons plate.
Frist plopped a piece of sausage into his mouth and swallowed. How has school been?
Lisa groaned. Were learning about the German defeat in 1918, because we were
sabotaged by Jewish and Marxist spies. Its really boring.
What? When did that hap-, Frist exclaimed, before being interrupted by Elise.
Oh, Im sure you just forgot about it, Dear. Lisa, Sweetie, you better run along to school,
now. You dont want to be late. I love you.
Lisa rose from her chair. Yes, Mummy. I love you too, bye!
A creak emerged from the door, as Lisa opened it and left the house.
Several seconds after the door closed shut, Elise spoke up. What are you thinking? You
cant just question her education.
Frist scoffed. So she should just learn false information her whole life?
Shes only twelve! Its not worth it to draw attention to us. Her dirty blonde hair is
already darkening. What will we do when shes not Aryan?
...Lets not talk about this now.
Frist poured himself his third cup of Ceylon tea, and began to sip it quietly. As the old
German saying went, three is his right. Breakfast continued, silence broken only by the
movement of forks and knives.
Once he finished eating, Frist walked outside into the small neighborhood of Karow and
headed towards the tool store. Looking up, he noticed sunlight beaming through the narrow top
window of the city church. Since the buildings creation, it was considered good luck to see light
passing through the window, which only occurred for half an hour a day. Whistling a merry tune,
Frist continued down the path to his desired destination.
Green trees and bushes littered the pathway, an earth pine smell coating the air along the
entire route. Frist passed by the S-Bahn station of Karow, the largest locality transportation in the
city. Loud motorized screeching noises could he heard even from his position.
Several minutes later, Frist finally reached Hans Depot, his usually store for blacksmith
tools. As he opened the door, a bell chimed above, announcing his arrival. The small store wore
green walls full of shelves supporting various tools and materials. A white counter stood across
from the door. Behind it, a half asleep bald man stared at the floor, eyes glazed and half closed.

Around his neck hung a small silvery chain, connecting at the bottom in the form of a crimson
red snake.
Alerted, the shopkeeper looked up and smiled. Ah, Frist, back again, eh?
Frist grinned back. Morning, Hans. My chipper broke. Can I buy a new one off you?
Let me see what I can find.
Hans disappeared through a doorway behind the counter, mumbling quietly to himself.
A few moments later, Hans emerged, smiling from ear to ear. Ah, here we go! One
chipper will bongen you three reichsmarks. However, for an Aryan such as yourself, the price is
only two.
Its fine. Ill pay three. First took three coins out of his pocket and placed them in
Hans outstretched hand.
Whatever flies your flag.
So how has business been?
Hans usual smile disappeared. Well, to be honest, downright terrible. I worry every
week if I can pay my bills. At least everyone else seems to be in the same boat. Misery loves
company, ysee.
Im sorry to hear it, Hans. I hope you get back on your feet soon.
Oh, its fine, Mate. The Nazis will get this country back into its glorious self soon
enough. Heil Hitler, Mann.
Right, of course, Frist remarked, as he left the store.
Chipper in hand, Frist headed back down the path. Suddenly, loud rustling noises rang
through Frists ears from his left. Turning his head, Frists eyes widened, as a small figure
rummaging about the trees. As it drew closer, the shape stood on two legs, supporting a skinny
upperbody, a familiar one.
Frist moved closer, squinting through the branches. Joseph?
The figure suddenly stopped and turned its head.
Opening his mouth for several seconds before speaking, a reply came forth. ...Frist?
Brow furrowed, Frist scrambled through the branches, scraping himself on their wooden
claws. Within moments, Frist and Joseph stood close enough to touch. A foul smell immediately
invaded Frists nostrils, threatening to bring liquid to his eyes. Joseph stood clothed in dirty rags,
fabric ripped and smothered in grime and dirt. His black hair sprawled messily above his head.
Frist couldnt help but stare, mortified at the state of his old friend. What are you doing
here? Last we talked, you were on the Berliner beltway, moving to Buch.
I-I was, but some people came to my door, my tailor shop. They told me to get lost, or
my business would get burned down. I didnt think they were serious.

Moisture was collecting in Josephs eyes at this point, twinkling in the light of the sun.
His voice rose high in pitch as he continued to recount his story, almost sobbing. The
very next day, the entire place burst into flames. I ran out of there as fast as I could, barely
escaping with my life. The whole building collapsed and everything inside burned away. I lost
everything, Frist. Everything.
Josephs speech broke up, as he took a moment to wipe his eyes before continuing. They
didnt even just stop there. They promised that next time they would make sure I burned too. I
was too scared to stay, so I ran out of there the first chance I got and ended up here.
Frist paused to make sure he was done, then replied. Um, you ended up in the middle of
the woods? What have you been eating?
Joseph stared at him, as if puzzled by the question, prompting Frist to softly sigh in pity.
Do you want to come stay with me for a while? You need new clothes and some food to eat.
What? No, I couldnt. Do you have any idea what would happen if someone found out?
Frist smiled pleasantly. Ive received a token of good luck this fine morning, Joseph.
Now I must give back to the world. Follow me.
Frist cautiously moved through the plantlife, back towards the path, with Joseph
following close behind him. As he emerged from the underbrush, Frist glanced to his right and
noticed Hans walking down the path towards him, eyes on his feet. Eyes widening, Joseph let out
a gasp. Hans looked up and visibly identified the two men ahead of him. With a moment of
hesitation, the bald shopkeeper turned on his heel and began walking the other way.
The walk back home took longer than usual, with Joseph stumbling along the path,
clearly exhausted from food deprivation. As the sun lessened in intensity, the two finally reached
Frists doorstep.
Taking a deep breath, Frists hand clamped around the door knob and turned. The door
opened with a low creek, and Frist walked inside, gesturing for Joseph to follow. Inside, Elise sat
at the table, reading the newspaper. As the door closed shut, she looked up.
She noticed Josephs figure, and only recognized him after a few moments. Joseph? Oh,
Lord! What has happened to you?
Frist put his arm on Josephs shoulder. Hes had a bit of a crisis. Ive allowed him to
stay with us for a while.
What? I need to think about this. Elises brow furrowed, as she attempted to register
the situation.
Joseph quietly spoke up. Um, if I may, I have nowhere to go. Please, it would only be
for a little while.

Elise bit her lip and frowned. We cant just sacrifice everything. What if someone found
out? We could all get shot!
If its too much trouble, I can go. Its okay. Joseph turned to walk away.
Frist grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving. No, we cant just abandon someone
in need. Elise, we have to do all we can to help people in need, especially friends. Its the right
thing to do.
Elise sighed and put her hands up in surrender. Alright, he can stay, but only for a few
days.
Joseph smiled. Thank you very much. I cannot express my gratitude.
Elise stood up and grabbed a large stew pot. You can start by helping me make dinner.
Joseph walked over to lend a hand.
Smelling his disgusting odor, Elise stepped backwards. You should take a bath first,
though.
Chuckling, Frist stepped outside and headed to his workshed. He was already behind for
the day. Outside, he turned to his right and circled around the house. A small brown shack soon
came into view. Strips of wood formed the entirety of the structure, nailed together to form thick
sheets.
Inside, a large iron anvil dominated the center, with shelves filled with tools aligning the
edges. Frist walked up to one of the shelves and grabbed a sledgehammer and a rounded piece of
metal he had been working on.
Placing the piece of metal on the anvil, Frist hefted up the heavy sledge hammer and
slammed it down on the metal piece. A huge clank exploded from the anvil. Frist rotated the
piece slightly and bashed it again. Frists large muscles shook with the vibrating hammer. The
process was continued until the piece was formed into a rough semicircle.
Long raspy breaths emitted from Frists mouth as he put the sledgehammer away and
grabbed a ball-peen hand hammer. The smaller hammer continued to pound the metal piece, until
it resembled a horseshoe.
Then, Frist took out the chipper he bought earlier in the day and began chiseling the
round metal piece. Bumps and other irregularities were scraped off, until the horseshoe displayed
a smooth rounded surface. Frist flipped the piece over and prepared to work on the other side.
A voice behind him interrupted his work. Hi, Papa!
Frist whirled around to see his daughter, Lisa just inside the shed. She wore a white suit
shirt above a black long skirt. Lisas beaming white smile forced Frists heart to ache inside him.
Frist reached over and tousled her hair. Hello, Sweetie. How was school?
It was okay. We learned about the impurity of Jewish blood.

...Right, a friend of mine is staying over. Your mother is making dinner inside.
Okay, bye, Pa!
Frist watched Lisa turn and leave to walk inside. The possible consequences of his
actions finally dawned on him as his grip on the hammer tightened. Grimacing, Frist turned back
to the unfinished horseshoe. After a minute of staring at the project, Frist decided he wasnt in
the mindset to work anymore, and put his tools away. Crumpled leaves broke in Frists wake, as
he walked over to front of the house and stepped inside.
The scene inside played out surprisingly plain. Elise sprinkled a pinch of pepper into the
stew and stirred, while Joseph took out small bowls from the cupboard and laid them on the
counter. Lisa sat at the dinner table, patiently waiting for food to be ready.
Once the stew was finished, all four of them sat down at the table and began eating.
Lisa quickly slurped up contents of her bowl. Joseph, do you know about pure blood?
Germans are better than all others, especially Jews.
Joseph sat in silence, almost mortified for several moments before responding. Ah,
yes
Dinner continued in dead silence from then on.
Afterwards, Elise led Lisa to her room to bid her sweet dreams. Frist and Joseph
remained in the kitchen.
Joseph nervously twiddled his fingers. So, where should I hide?
Pardon?
Where should I hide? I need to keep hidden, so nobody can find me.
...Ah, right, of course. There is a very small attic in the roof. You can stay there for a
while.
Thank you, Frist. I owe you my life.
Joseph walked over the ladder and began ascending up its length, until he disappeared
into the ceiling.
Frist stared at his shoes for several minutes, as if memorizing every print of their fabric.
Deeply sighing all the way, he walked over to his room and fell onto the bed. Several hours
passed before sleep slipped inside his head.
Sunlight flooded through the window, as Frists eyes fluttered open. He found himself in
his small bed, with a white cotton sheet sprawled on top of him. A yawn escaped Frists mouth,
as he rose from his coffin. Still dazed from sleep, Frist stumbled out the doorway and into the
living room.

The house was completely barren. No young voices echoed excitedly throughout the
house. No tantalizing scents of food trailed from the kitchen. Not even Joseph could be seen
anywhere. An eery silence misted through the air.
Slightly worried, Frist searched around the house until he laid eyes on the black metal
clock attached to the living room wall. The time read 8:17. Frist had slept in far too late.
A handwritten note was attached to the dinner table, proclaiming Elises whereabouts at
the market to buy more bread. Lisa was obviously already at school, but Frist still had no idea
where Joseph was.
Still fairly tired, Frist slowly waded over to the entrance to the attic, noticing an absence
of the ladder. In disbelief, Frist whirled around, as if expecting the ladder to magically come into
view. Looking up, he saw the original entry hole to the attic covered up with a thin slab of wood.
If Frist didnt know where to look, he would never have noticed the covered hole. Joseph must
have attempted to hide himself from any guests that may arrive. Perhaps Joseph had a reason to
be afraid.
Frist let out a sigh and walked over to the dinner table to sit down. As soon as he reached
sitting position on the small wooden seat, a firm knock pounded on the door. Groaning, Frist rose
up and strode over to the door and pulled it open.
Frist came face to face with a man looking to be in his early forties. He stood adorned in
a Nazi uniform colored completely black. Above his head rested a sharp kepi hat, fashioning a
totenkopf, deaths head.
The man smiled. His teeth communicated compassion and serenity, but his eyes
displayed malice and intimidation.
He offered his hand. Good morning, Mr. Frist Schrder. I am colonel Viktor Adler of
the Schutzstaffel. I was hoping you could please let me inside, and we could have a discussion.
Frist took his hand and shook, only now noticing the moisture collecting on his hands.
Yes, yes, of course.
Viktor smiled happily and waltzed through the doorway and looked around. You have a
magnificent home, Mr. Schrder. I would love to have a tour, but first, we have business to
attend to.
Victors eyes finally ended their busy movement around the area and finally fixated on
the quaint dinner table. Grinning, he walked towards a chair and sat down, motioning for Frist to
do the same.
Now, Victor began, as Frist sat down. As you likely have heard, I have been tasked
with gathering up all the little Jews in the neighborhood. Are you aware of this?
Yes, I am.

Splendid! Now, I must ask. Have you heard of any Jews that may be around here?
No, Im not aware of any Jews in the area.
Viktor began chuckling quietly before Frist even finished answering, as if already
knowing the response. Mr. Schrder, are you completely sure? Are you positive you dont
know of any Jews here?
Frists pounded inside his chest, threatening to implode at any second. Yes, Im sure. I
havent heard anything.
Vikor frowned, glaring straight at Frist for a split second, then the expression vanished,
replaced by his usual cheery smile. Well, Mr. Schrder, there is a chance you are forgetting
something. Are you familiar with the name Joseph Caplan?
Frists eyes widened, as his stomach attempted to digest a stone. No. I mean, yes, I have.
I used to know him before he moved to Buch. I havent seen him since.
Vikor smiled triumphantly, like a spider having caught a fly in its web. Oh, really,
now?
Viktor reached into his coat pocket and retrieved silver necklace and placed it on the
table. Amidst the tangle of silver metal lay a crimson red snake.
Viktor looked at the necklace, then back at Frist, as if taunting him. A little bird told me
you are hiding this Jew. Is this true, Mr. Schrder?
Frist struggled to keep a calm composure. He felt like a timebomb, heart rapidly beating,
until he would finally explode in fiery doom.
His voice came out much shakier than intended. N-no, th-thats.. thats not t-true.
Viktor shook his head and sighed, in a fashion alike to reprimanding a young child. Mr.
Schrder, allow me to tell you a story. A magnificent eagle hunted for prey on a small prairie.
After looking for a while, he chanced upon a pathetic little rat. Hungry and intent on killing the
worthless little animal, the eagle prepared to swoop in and feast. A caring mother rabbit watched
this from a small distance away. Stupidly wanting to help the disgusting rodent, the rabbit
jumped in front of it, blocking the eagles talons. However, this achieved nothing, as the eagle
simply killed the rabbit, then the rat a moment later. The entire family of the rabbit eventually
died without a parent to care for them. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?
Y-yes, I do.
Viktor nodded his head and smiled. Very good. Now, I have one for question for you,
Mr. Schrder. If you answer correctly, I will leave you and your family in peace. If I am
displeased with your response, that would be most unfortunate.
Viktor casually lowered his hand into his pants pocket and returned with a silver Walther
P38.

Nonchalant as ever, he gently placed the gun out on the table, barrel facing Frist. Mr.
Frist Schrder, where is the Jew Joseph Caplan?
Frist opened his mouth to speak, then closed it a second later. From that point, not a
single word was spoken. The only movement came from Viktors finger pulling on the trigger.
No explanation could be made for Frist Schrders actions that fateful morning. All he
ever did was act on the decision his heart felt was right. His only thoughts were of his friends and
family. A gunshot rang out, unopposed by any other sound. A fragile puff of smoke emerged
from the guns barrel, quickly dissipating into the formidity of the air. The bullet shot out, like a
speeding stallion, racing towards Frists head, meant to be broken. The impact was seen but not
felt, as blood spurted out Frists head. Frist saw only red at first, bravery and defiance drenched
in a color, but that soon faded to blackness.
Viktor gracefully strolled outside the house, whistling the merry tune of Die Moritat von
Mackie Messer. Looking up, he gazed at the magnificent city church. Bright sunlight shone
through its top window. Today would be a very good day indeed.