My Friend, Kyle.

August 5th, 1940 - 10:10 AM

I stepped foot into a colorful cafe, and I was welcomed by the sweet smell of the croissants and warm coffee the smell made my nostrils glow. I kept walking till I found a red booth in the corner of the room, this is where I was supposed to meet my friend, Kyle. We hadn't seen each other for years and I hoped to catch up, ever since the war started and I got my position I had been very busy. 'coffee sir?' the waitress asked. 'Yes, thank you, ma'am.' I replied. And she poured me a nice, warm, cup of coffee. Now all there was, was to wait for my friend...

August 5th, 1940 - 10:40 AM

My friend arrived a little late, I was of course angry as I had to return to my post within an hour. 'Sorry for being so late, I was held up.' Kyle said. 'Held up? By who?' I replied. 'German soldiers, the ones who don't like the Jews?' I was stunned by this as I didn't know my friend was Jewish. I wish he hadn't told me. 'You're Jewish?'

'Yes.' he pulled up the sleeves of his coat to show me the Star of David patch with the words, "Jude" Inscribed on it. I almost broke into tears as I didn't agree with the patches or the terrible situation.

'Well, how have you been then, Bernen?'

'I've been good, except for the jew situation, again I am sorry for that I wish I could do something, Kyle.'

'Not the matter, Bernen, you didn't do this. I've survived so far haven't I?'

'You have, you've always been strong, Kyle.'

'Remember in school? I'd always kick your ass at everything!'

'Don't remind me, they angered me enough during the school days, I need no reminder!'

'I'm just saying!'

'Well, what have you been doing since school, Kyle?'

'Except for the nazis hassling me, I've been doing good I have my own textile business, which has been doing good, even some of the nazis leave me alone cause I make their uniforms for them and get a few extra marks.'

'That's great, I'm glad to hear u did well, never thought of you as a textile worker though, figured you were more of a soldier or you would do something with sports, you always beat me at that.'

'I'm a jack of all trades haha, but my love lies for textiles. After high school I really got into making clothes it felt good, it felt right.

'I'm glad to hear it, I've just been bouncing between jobs so like high school, you're still doing better than me.'

'I'm sure you'll find the job where you feel the love as I do for my textiles.'

'I hope so.'

I took a small sip from my tea, it was cold as I had been talking to my friend for so long that I lost track of time. I wished me and him had talked more I wondered, he was always an interesting guy and a great friend, I remembered.

August 5th, 1940 - 11:00 AM

I hadn't talked to him for so long. I was glad to hear he was doing better than me. But after that little chat learning more about his life after high school, we had just finished our meals and were ready to go on a walk before he returned to his job as a textile worker and me as a soldier to return to my post.

We walked down a nice, cobbled street, the same street where we played football as children years ago.

'So you don't have a job right now?' My friend asked.

I was hesitant on telling him what my actual job was I didn't want to scare him.

'No, as of right now, I'm free.'

'You could work with me in textiles if you'd like?'

Well, shit now I have to tell him or he'll wonder why I won't accept a free job.

By this point me and him were standing on the cobbled street. At the end of it just facing each other, I had to either at this point lie to him and tell him I want the job or tell him the real reason I'm meeting him after all these years.

'I'm a german nazi officer.'

As I said this I felt the hairs on my arms stand, and I was hit by a wave of a cold breeze. My friend's facial expression changed, he had a smile, and it faded.

'Nazi officer?'

'Yes, Nazi officer.'

'How come I don't see you around here then?'

'Because I'm not posted here, I'm posted elsewhere.'

'Did you know I was a jew?'

I felt a tear almost come out of my eye, I didn't want to arrest him, I knew what would happen to a jew once they were arrested.

'Yes.'

'Are you here to arrest me because of what I did to SS Officer Jugen?'

He knew he had borrowed time, the real reason I went there was to arrest him because he had insulted an SS officer and refused to make him his new uniform. Now I know it's insane and too far-fetched to arrest someone over that, even back then I knew, But I had no power. It was either I arrested my friend or 2 to 3 officers would come killing him in his own shop. You might think I could have helped him escape and well I would have tried if it weren't for the 2 officers following me making sure I wouldn't fall out of line considering he was my friend.

'I am here to arrest you because of that.'

'I have a business, I have my life, please don't. You know what they're gonna do to me for insulting an SS Officer.'

'I have no choice, we're being followed, If I could've helped you I would have tried already. I'm sorry, Kyle.'

'Well, why don't you do it then, you're my friend.'

'Do what?'

'Kill me.'

When he said this I thought of all the memories of our time together in high school and every little fun thing we did. I thought at that second how silly it was for me to have the choice to kill my friend or have my co-workers kill him in the worst way possible. But I knew what I had to do, the officers were closing in on us I had seen them flash their guns in the holster, signaling me to get rid of my friend. Then all of a sudden the memories stopped flashing in my head and I turned to my friend...

'Run.'

'What? Your officers will kill m-'

'Shut up, listen to me. Start running and I'll start to run after you, you always were better at me than that at school remember? You keep running and I'll run after you. I'll signal to them that I'll run after you and eventually arrest you but I won't. Run to Daldorf alley, I parked my car there, when I'm close I'll throw the keys to you and you just go. Start your business elsewhere, you have the talent, Kyle.

'But I thought you said you couldn't help me?'

'I did, but I just came up with that so please do it.'

'You'll be arrested and possibly killed though, they'll know you helped me.'

'Good, I have nothing anyway. Helping my friend is the way I want to go out, what do I have to live for?'

'You could start fresh with me?'

'Stop, they're coming closer just go, okay? Live. I'll hold them off. You just focus on getting out of here.

'I'll never forget this, Bernen.'

'Go, now go!'

My friend then ran and I started to chase after him screaming hateful words, hoping the nazi officers would let me chase him on my own. But they didn't and I saw them running too. As my friend went down Daldorf Alley, I shouted one last time.

'Live! Live for your religion. Live for you, don't let the monsters stop you, just be you.'

I tossed him the keys and we nodded at each other, he ran out of the alley and I never saw him again. Then... I heard the nazi officers turn up at the alley and they came to talk to me.

'Where's the Jew?'

'He was too fast, I couldn't catch him.'

'You're useless, Bernen, couldn't catch a Jew? How did you become a nazi officer?'

'Only monsters can become nazi officers.'

I grabbed one of the officers' guns and shot them straight in the head, he fell fast and quickly died, the other officer put his hands up.

'What are you doing, Bernen? Do you understand what you just did?'

'I do understand, I will be killed for my actions towards Germany and its people.'

I dropped the gun and I was arrested quickly and taken into a holding cell. The SS officer came to visit me and told me I would be hung and placed on the streets with a sign saying, "Traitor" on it. He assured me my body would be spat on. I was happy, I saved my friend and a good person kept their business. I am writing this as of September 5th, 1940, almost a month ago I saved my friend and in 5 days I will be hung, I am going to spend my remaining days resting and thinking of how awful nazi rule is and how glad I was to stand up against it and rescue my dear friend. I hope this journal is found one day and Nazis are no longer in power, then my life would be seen as important and people would know my purpose would have been a great one. Farewell.