Chapter XXXVI. The Answer of The Question

A ten-year-old boy, playing in the garden, his silky yellow hair blowing behind him, his father came up to him: Stefan Say hi to Mr. Robert, he will rent our property by the lake.

He looked straight into his eyes, his yellow hair, his tidy clothes: Hey Stefan, what a sweet boy you are.

The boy smiled at him, he does not speak English

There, said Helmut, this is the property, it needs some repairs and work, but it would be very suitable for your restaurant.

Not far from his house, separated by a wooden fence, a dirt street, and a small field.

Days passed, he got busy with imaginary setups, for an imaginary restaurant, it must be worth it, Helmut always visited him, and Stefan used to play with him by the lake, he liked to help him with some proper business for a ten-year-old child.

The mother was a nice German woman, she shared their food with him sometimes, Stefan loved taking it to Uncle Robert every time.

Coming home after sunset, where is Stefan? Helmut asked

The mother: Is it not with you?

-No, where is the boy!

-Do not worry, I sent with him food to Robert, he said he would wait for you on the road and come back with you.

Father’s heart was afraid, something was wrong, he just came from the road and did not see Stefan! He ran out to the lake, calling, Stefan, Stefan, where are you, only the echo answered.

He went into the restaurant that still under repair, without lights, it was dark, came in through the door, stumbled over logs strewn here and there: Mr. Robert, Mr. Robert.

A voice came through the darkness: Hello Helmut

-Have you seen Stefan? He is not home yet

Do not worry Helmut, he is fine

Thank God, where is he?

-It is fine, but not for long…

There was silence over the place, a ghost walking towards him, appeared to him little by little, as soon as he showed his features until he pounced on him: Where is my son, where is Stefan.

He freed himself from his fist and turned away a little: If you attack me again, you will never see Stefan again in your life, his life may end at any moment, follow me, without saying a word.

He walked behind him, panting, wondering what was going on, toward the back barn, on the dim lights, and watched Stefan lying on a haystack, motionless. He ran towards him, then he froze, a sound he knows well, like the sound of a bomb valve!

Looking at him, Robert holding a remote detonator in his left hand, waved it in the air.

He looked at Stefan again, sweating, blood froze in his veins, an exploding jacket surrounded his body.

Robert: If you take one step, I will take my finger off this valve, and you can say goodbye to your son forever.

Helmut: Who are you? what do you want?

Coldly and indifferently: I will kill him, he is inevitably dead, he has no hope of life, and this is my revenge for all the children you burned, Helmut.

His face turned red, the veins of his neck stiffened: I will kill you, and I will kill everything you love in this life, I swear to you if you hurt my son I will.

Robert: You won’t, because you will die with him, and I will die with you. Look around, here ends our story.

He looked around, explosive devices were stuck to the walls of the barn, tears rolled down, he knelt on the floor: Please, I beg of you, let him live, he is not guilty. what do you want? Tell me what you want and I will do it for you.

Move around him, spinning slowly, like a tiger that has caught its prey: How cowardly you are, Helmut, you know I will kill your son, but you do not even try to save him!

He increased the speed of his movement, began to breathe faster, got angry, and shouted louder: Come on, attack me, Helmut, attack me, so that my finger will be lifted from this trigger and his body will be torn to shreds.

He repeated it, and each time he repeated the same words, Helmut fell more and more resigned.

-Attack me, how do you know, maybe the detonator does not work! Maybe the bombs do not explode, attack me, come on….

-He stood behind his head, Helmut turned his body toward him, eyes to his son, raised his hands in surrender, please, I won’t try, please do not.

-He will live, if you answer my question, what prevents you now from attacking me and saving your son?

-Helmut only repeated one sentence: Please let him live.

-Give me an answer and he will live.

-The words hardly come out of his mouth: What was the question again?

-What prevents you from attacking me and saving your son? Even though you know he is dead, you are not even trying to save him.

-He began to gather his nerves, thinking: Because…He was silent for a moment, and he said: Because if I attack you, your finger will rise from the taser, and he will die.

-But I will kill him, he is dead either way.

Weeping more, his body trembling, staggering, sobbing, the words barely escaped his lips: but he is still alive.

-He came close to his ear and whispered: Hope, Helmut, the answer is hope.

He moved away a little, took out a small revolver fitted with a silencer, and pointed it at his head: Helmut, I am not a coward, nor were they cowards, it is hope, it tempts us, often deceives us, but when it speaks, no word is louder than its.

He added: Although you are a criminal, a heartless butcher, you are still a father, and you have the right to die reassuringly over your son.

He threw the detonator out of his other hand, and the pistol remained aimed at Helmut’s head: None of this is true, your son is numb, unaware of what is happening around him, thinks himself asleep, waiting for you, Stefan will live, I will carry him myself home, and I will make sure that he lives a long life.

A single tear fell from his eye, he tightened his grip on the pistol…

For the sake of millions of charred bodies, for the eyes of a frightened child who does not know what will happen to her, for a mother begging, for everyone who was in that queue, and all the lines of extermination everywhere.

-He raised his head, sweat drenched his forehead, sighed, and looked at his son one last look: You will live, my son, you will live, you will not die today.

A shot between the eyes.