North London
March 8, 1960
The girl with brown hair walked into the library. The library was large, and she felt overwhelmed. It was a little too big for a single building. The walls were lined with books, and there was a large globe on one side of the room. A row of computers sat against the opposite wall.
The librarian sat at a desk, writing in a notebook. She had light brown skin, black hair, and brown eyes. She wore a blue dress with a white collar, and a pair of glasses rested on her face. When she saw the girl, she smiled. "Hello, and welcome to the library. How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a book." the girl answered.
"What kind of book are you looking for?"
"The Grasshopper Lies Heavy."
"The Grasshopper Lies Heavy... hmm... that's not a book we have here. Perhaps you might have more luck at a different library, or even a bookstore. You should try the nearest branch of the London Library."
"The London Library? Where is it?"
"It's in central London, near the British Museum. Do you know how to get there?"
"No."
"Well, let me show you a map. I've got a map of the Underground." the librarian opened a drawer, pulled out a map, and handed it to the girl. The map had several colored lines, each representing a different line.
"What train should I take?"
"Take the green line from this station. The train runs every fifteen minutes, and it takes about forty-five minutes to reach the museum."
"Thanks, miss."
"You're welcome. And be careful."
"Okay." The girl left the library and began walking. As she exited the library and walked to the subway, she felt the wind blow through her hair, and the chill air of March made her shiver. She took a deep breath, inhaling the cold air into her lungs, and exhaled. She was nervous. She was going to meet someone, and she was not sure if the person she was meeting would agree to help her. She walked down the stairs to the subway, and her footsteps echoed in the tunnel.
At the entrance to the subway station, an Geheime Staatspolizei with the armband of the flag of the Kingdom of England came to examine the documents of the passengers. This man was a member of the National Socialist Secret Service, or the Geheime Staatspolizei, the Gestapo. The Gestapo was a secret police force established by the Nazi government. It had been given the authority to investigate, detain, interrogate, and imprison people suspected of being subversive or disloyal to the Führer.
The young woman walked past the officer, and her heartbeat quickened. She had to be calm. She was just a young woman on her way home from school, nothing more. "Halt! Halt! Show thy id! Inspect!" He commanded, and she stopped, and reached into her bag and took out her identification card. She held it out, and the man took the card and looked at it. He stared at the card, then stared at her, and her heart pounded. "Wherefore art thou traveling?"
"I'm just on my way home."
"Full well, but why art thou coming home on a workday? It is not weekend. Are thou going to school?"
"No, I'm finished with school. I'm going home to study."
"Very gut, but why art thou alone, young maid? Wherefore are thee not with thy family or friends?"
"I... I prefer to walk alone."
"Dost thou have any papers to prove thy identity?"
"No, but you can search me if you want. Please, sir, I'm going to meet my boyfriend. My mother can't know. Please. I'm a good girl, and I haven't done anything wrong."
"If thou are not carrying a weapon or other contraband, thine papers are in order. Thou mayeth pass." The man pointed to a private corner. "Go over there."
"Thank you, sir." The girl walked into the corner, and the officer searched her. When he was finished, he waved his hand to let her pass. She was relieved, and she hurried to catch the next train.
She took the green line, which was the train running north, and arrived at the station where the London Library was located. It was a large building, and she had to wait in line to enter. Once inside, she walked to the front desk.
The woman behind the desk had red hair and brown eyes, and she was dressed in a navy blue dress. "Welcome to the London Library, how may I help you?" she asked.
"I'm looking for a book."
"What kind of book?"
"The Grasshopper Lies Heavy."
The woman looked her up and down for a moment. "That's an old book, we have Reich of A Thousand Weeks."
"No, it's not."
"Hmm, it's a strange request. Let me look up the book for you." She turned to the computer and began typing. "Are you sure the book you're looking for is The Grasshopper Lies Heavy?"
"No, I'm either misremembering, it's supposed to be The Hour of Supreme." The brunette took a deep breath after finishing the code word. "But if it's not there, please try The Grasshopper Lies Heavy."
"Hmm, alright. But first, what is your name, dear?"
"My name is Alice."
"And are you a member of the London Library?"
"Yes, I am. I've been a member since I was thirteen."
"Very good. Let me just look up your membership card." She typed a few more keys and looked at the screen. "Hmm, I see you're a student, Alice. Is this a school project?"
"Yes, it is."
"Very well. Come with me, Alice. I'll show you to the Rare Book Room. Follow me." She stood up and gestured for the girl to follow her.
The girl followed the librarian through a maze of shelves. Finally, they came to a door, the woman opened it, and they stepped inside. It was a small room, and it was lined with shelves. Each shelf was filled with books, and a ladder was propped up against one wall. In the center of the room, there was a table, and there was a small lamp on it. "I'm Catherine, nice to meet you, girl, I didn't realize there were any more members of the Big Ben Resistance."
"Big Ben? Oh, are you with the group who's trying to stop the Third Reich?"
"Yes, and you are as well."
"Well, yes, but... I've been away, and I didn't know there was a resistance movement in London. Are you part of the London Underground?"
"Oh, yes, I'm part of the network."
"Are you a leader?"
"Yes, but we don't have many leaders. There are a few of us who are in charge, and the rest of the group is pretty independent."
"I see. I'm sorry, but I'm not really familiar with the Underground."
"Don't worry about it, dear, no one expects you to be."
"Well, what do I need to know?"
"Hide yourself." Catherine locked the door then walked over to one of the record players in the room and started playing a record. "Her Majesty's instructions in Canada are for all levels of the resistance to do their best to conceal themselves and gather information."
"What kind of information?"
"Any information that can be used against the Nazis."
"And where can I get this information?"
"On your own, treasonous Edward VIII recently celebrated his 10th anniversary, you've got to be careful."
"I can't believe the King of England would ever become a traitor."
"I can't either, but the evidence is irrefutable. His Majesty King George VI was deposed after the Nazis invaded Britain. Edward VIII and his wife had been close to the Nazis. After the invasion, the Duke of Windsor became King Edward, and his queen, Wallis Simpson, became queen. It was the Duke of Windsor's idea to sign the Munich Peace Treaty."
"It's unbelievable."
"It is, and it's a disgrace. But the truth is that the King and Queen were working with the Nazis. And it's not just the royal family. The entire government is working with the Nazis." Catherine reopened the door. "There are no books here for you, you can come back another time."
"All right. Thank you, Catherine."
"Goodbye, and be careful."
"Bye, Catherine."
Alice left the room and the library, and walked back to the subway.
On her way back home, the train stopped at a station. A group of SS officers boarded the train. They were carrying bags, and they had rifles slung over their shoulders. The officer in charge had a black helmet with a silver death's head, and a gray uniform. His face was scarred and his nose was crooked.
Alice stared at the officers, and one of the officers stared back. He had a black mustache and a scar across his face. He was staring at her, and his stare was intense. It made her uncomfortable, and she looked away. She pretended to look at a newspaper, but she was really listening to the conversation between the officer and his companions.
"SS-Sturmbannführer, wird das Kommando von der 9. Division dort zugestellt?"
"Jawohl."
"Sie haben dieses Mal die Verantwortung für die Einrichtung des Lagers. Ich habe die Erfahrung, dass es oftmals schwierig ist, den Zusammenbruch des Lagers zu verhindern."
"Der Chef der Abteilung für Militärverwaltung erwartet, dass Sie alle möglichen Vorsichtsmaßnahmen ergreifen, um dieses Mal keinen Fehler zu machen."
Suddenly the scarred officer stood up and sat next to Alice. He looked her up and down and smirked. "Aren't you a little too young to be riding the subway alone, young miss?"
Alice didn't answer, she kept her gaze fixed on the newspaper.
"Where are your parents?"
"They're at work."
"Oh, well, then, maybe you'd like to join me for lunch?"
"No, thank you."
"Come on, we're having sausage. You're supposed to say Danks, not thanks. What's your name, girl?"
"My name is Alice, and I'm not interested, so can you leave me alone?"
"Alice, that's a pretty name. I'm Sturmbannführer Hans Kranken."
"Sturmbannführer? I don't understand German." Alice put down the paper. "If you can explain, I might go."
"Sturmbannführer is a title, like, major, in the German Army."
"Oh, that's interesting. Thank you, Sturmbannführer."
"You're welcome, and the word is dankeschön, not thank you."
"Oh, okay, dankeschön."
"Good. Come on, we're going to have lunch." Hans Kranken held out his hand, Alice folded the paper and took his hand. He led her off the train. They walked down the street, and Alice wondered if she'd made a mistake.
——
South London
Since the signing of the Munich Peace Treaty, the original Greater London has been divided into two parts along the river, with North London north of the river under the control of the Kingdom of England, and South London south of the river under the direct control and garrisoning of the Great Germanic State.
Hans and Alice got off the subway and walked through the streets of South London. There were fewer people, and most of the buildings were Nazi Party offices. Alice had never been to South London before, and it felt strange. It was quiet, and she wondered why no one was around. She glanced at the Nazi flags hanging from the buildings and thought that the city seemed almost deserted.
"Why are you taking me here, Hans?"
"To the restaurant, silly."
"I've never been here before."
"There's a new restaurant, and I want to show it to you."
"How do you know the food is good?"
"Because it's a Nazi restaurant. Only the best food."
"That's good."
"I have a feeling that you'll like it."
They walked down the street until they came to a building with a sign above it that said, "SAUERBRATEN." Hans opened the door, and they walked inside. The interior of the restaurant was decorated with Nazi banners, and the walls were lined with photos of Nazi leaders. There were two tables set up in the center of the room, and there were a couple of chairs. The man sitting at the counter was wearing a white apron, and he had a mustache. "Hallo, Hans."
"Heil Hitler."
"Heil Hitler."
"This is my friend, Alice."
"Guten Tag, Alice."
"Guten Tag."
"Have you had the chance to look at the menu yet, Hans?" Hans and Alice sat down at the table. A woman came out from the kitchen, and she had a black dress and a white apron. "Guten Tag, wie kann ich ihnen helfen?"
"Wir hätten gerne ein Bier."
"Jawohl." The woman went back to the kitchen, and she came out a few minutes later with a pitcher of beer and two glasses. She poured the beer into the glasses and set them down in front of Hans and Alice.
"Dankeschön." Hans said, and he raised his glass. "A toast, to the Reich."
"To the Reich."
They both drank the beer. Alice had never had beer before, and it tasted weird. But she drank it anyway, and she finished the glass. Hans had a smile on his face, and he seemed happy. "So, tell me about yourself, Alice. Where are you from?"
"I'm from North London. My family is originally from Cornwall, and I live there with my grandparents. What about you?"
"I'm from Munich, but I moved here when I joined the army."
"What do you do in the army?"
"I'm a Sturmbannführer, which is a Major."
"Do you like me?"
"I've never really thought about it, but I think I do. You'd better change your moustache. That's the only thing that makes you look like a Nazi."
Hans' eyes widened. "What did you just say?"
"I said, you'd better change your moustache. No real Nazi would have a mustache. They all shave theirs off."
Hans grabbed Alice by the hair and dragged her out the door. He threw her to the ground, and he kicked her in the stomach. Alice gasped and coughed, and Hans stood over her.
"You fucking bitch, I can't believe you're a spy!" Hans shouted. He grabbed her and pulled her up. "I'm going to take you to the Gestapo headquarters, and they're going to torture the hell out of you."
"I'm not a spy, I'm just a kid!"
"Bullshit! You're a fucking spy!"
"I'm not a spy, you stupid shithead! Just let me go!"
Hans slapped her, and she fell to the ground. "Why do you use that word?"
"Because it's the truth. I'm just a kid. I'm not a spy."
"Fine, if you're not a spy, prove it."
"I will, just let me go. I have to meet my parents, they'll be worried about me."
"They're going to be more than worried. You're a fucking spy, and I'm going to make sure you're interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo. Tell me, how do you say the word Nazi?"
"Nazi?"
"Yes, Nazi. How do you say it in English?"
"The same way you do. It's a German word, so it's pronounced the same."
Hans pulled Alice up and pressed her against the wall outside the restaurant. "Dumb! If you don't know Deutsch and you're not a spy, how do you know the Deutsch Offshortening ForbidWord Nazi?"
"I'm not a dumb fuck! Let me go! I've heard the old man say it, and all I know is that the term refers to Germans!"
"You're not a spy? I believe you, this time it's your punishment for saying that term, if it was the Waffen SS gang would have just pulled out their pistols. And they'd have shot you dead, and not given a shit about whether or not you were a spy. I'm doing you a favor, I'm teaching you a lesson, you dumb bitch. I'm making you learn your lesson."
Alice sobbed and cried as she slowly got up. "don't weep. I've seen a lot of weeping slavs on the eastern fore. get up, our food should be ready."
Alice didn't answer. She stood up, and her knees buckled. She fell to the ground. Hans picked her up and carried her back to the restaurant. He laid her down on a chair. Alice didn't say anything. She was in shock. They returned to the restaurant, and the man behind the counter had finished preparing their food. Hans paid for the food, and they sat down to eat. Hans had a piece of meat, and Alice had a salad.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? But you need to learn a lesson. It's important. And it's for your own good."
"Don't say it's for my own good, please."
"But it is. Have you ever tried steak and bananas with red wine? It's amazing. You should try it." Alice stared at the plate for a moment, slowly picking up her knife and fork and beginning to chew. "Good girl. It's not every day you meet someone who speaks English."
"It's not every day I meet a Nazi."
"Oh, come on, the term has nothing to do with it. Don't brook that word again. how old are you? when were you born?"
"I'm sixteen, and I was born in 1944."
"I was born in 1936. my mother was a limb of the Deutsch dright, and my father was a beadle. my sister was killed in a bombing, and my father committed suicide. he was a good man, and i miss him. what about your parents?"
Alice hesitated and explained. "They died in the famine."
"Ah, I'm sorry. That's terrible. Well, at least you have a roof over your head and food in your belly. you were born in 1944? all, you lived through the 1949 dearth in england? how did you survive? were you lucky?"
"I didn't have any food, and my grandmother died of starvation. I didn't have anyone to take care of me. So, I lived on the streets, and I did whatever I could to get food. We don't like you Germans, but sometimes humans have to stay alive first. The Germans brought food, so we ate the food."
"We brought food? That's what you think of us?"
"I didn't have any choice, there was no food. All the stores were empty, and everyone was starving." Hans shook his head and took out a few German military stamps from his wallet. The military stamps were printed like German marks, but they were only circulated in the German-occupied areas.
"You have money, too."
"Of course I do. You don't think the army would have let me stay if I didn't have money?"
"So, what are you going to do, buy a car and drive to Berlin?" Alice struggled to control her behavior, but her childhood hunger still forced her to eat voraciously, as was the case with many people who experienced food rationing and famine. "Sometimes, I always dream about that hellish time."
"Well, it's a little more complicated than that. I also have nightmares. i spent five years on the eastern fore, the wide ukrainian grasslands and the guerrillas who couldn't kill them all. the war is long, and there's no end in sight. i have no family, and the only thing i have is my uniform. that's all that's left. the war will be over, and i'll be sent home."
"Home to Germany? To be with your wife?"
"I don't have a wife."
"Really? How did you make it through the war without a wife? What about girlfriends?"
"I was there raping a slavic woman, don't go to the police or you'll go to jail. this sort of article was commonplace during the war plus en the years immediately pursuit it. i'm not the initial plus i won't ize the endure. moreover, you should know ameliorate that the wife of a english soldier was fucked twice via american soldiers plus german soldiers."
"I won't say anything."
"Now, now, no need to get so angry. Come on, let's go for a walk. The sun's starting to set, and it's such a beautiful day." Hans picked me up and carried me away, and we walked down the street. Alice looked up and saw the sky turning pink. Alice didn't say anything. She knew this was the worst mistake she'd ever made. "Do you partake a place to stay? I partake a house."
"No, thanks."
"Come on, it's not safe for a young woman to be out alone at night."
"I'll be fine, Hans."
"Well, I min you have to go to my house, and I can give you a ride home in the morning." Hans put his arm around Alice's shoulders. "This is not a lathing, this is an order."
"All right, all right, I'll go with you."
"That's better. Now, let's go to my house."
Alice followed Hans to his car, and he drove her to his house. It was a large, white house, and it had a big front yard. There were flowers everywhere, and there was a garden in the backyard. Hans led her inside, and they walked into the kitchen. "What do you want to ask?"
Here comes the opportunity, the perfect opportunity to gain information. "Why are there no people on the streets of South London? What is happening in the British Isles now? What is Elizabeth II's government-in-exile doing in Canada? What are you Germans going to do to us?"
"Ha ha! Are you asking the wrong person, Alice? You should be asking a general, not a Major. I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about politics. And even if I did, I wouldn't be allowed to tell you. I'm afraid you'll have to find someone else to answer your questions."
"Well, who do I ask? Who's the head of the Third Reich?"
"The head of the Third Reich is the Führer. The head of the Party is the Reich Chancellor. The current Führer is Hermann Goering and the Chancellor is Martin Bormann. But if you want to know what's happening in the country, you should talk to the Chief of the General Staff."
"Who is the Chief of the General Staff?"
"The Chief of the General Staff is Erich von Manstein. Going upstairs, I ready my clothes. You should stay here." Hans went upstairs and came back down with his clothes. He was wearing a dark green shirt and black pants. "Well, are you ready to Fuck?"
"I'm not ready to fuck, and I never will be."
"Come on, Alice, it's time to have some fun."
"No, I'm not doing this."
"I'm not taking no for an answer, Alice."
"I'm not doing this. I just want to chat with you, and I just want to get some answers."
"Okay, then, let's chat." Hans Kranken stared at Alice sitting on the bed. "How about you take off a piece of clothing just to ask a question?"
"Fine, I'll take off my skirt." Alice began unzipping her skirt, and she slid it down her legs. She pulled her skirt off, and she was now wearing a shirt and a pair of panties. "What's going on in the British Isles now?"
"Nothing. There's no resistance, and the country is under our control. Führer Göring followed the advice of Martin Bormann and Albert Speer to govern Europe in a more moderate manner. West of the River Severn will be independent Wales, south of the River Thames will be independent Cornwall, Northern Ireland will return to Ireland, and Scotland will be independent."
Alice threw the skirt in Hans' face. "I want to hear the news, not what happened five years ago!"
"Ha ha! You're funny, Alice. Alright, alright, what do you want to hear? There is a resistance, but it is weak and poorly organized. You can ask about other things. For example, the British Government-in-Exile is based in Canada. It is the remnants of the government that fled England after the Nazis took over the country. The Prime Minister is Anthony Eden. It is a small government, and its power is limited. However, it is very popular among the British people."
"Is that all?"
"Well, That bitch elizabeth II calls for a counterattack against britain on the wireless every day. She has been broadcasting from canada for several years." Hans yawned. "Top! Top!" He pointed to his pants. "Ask another question. Take off another piece of clothing, and I'll give you another answer."
"Oh, you bastard." Alice took off her shirt and threw it on the floor. She was wearing only her panties now. "Now, tell me more."
"Well, it's late, and I'm tired." Hans looked at Alice's body. "You're pretty, Alice. You've got a great figure, and you've got a nice ass. What do you want to ask?"
Alice thought for a moment in silence. It was useless to ask about Western Europe. It would be better to ask about Central and Eastern Europe, which had less information. "What about the Balkans?"
"What about the Balkans? Do you want to know about the Balkans? Greece and bulgaria are seeking Deutsch land in the turkish occupation belt, the italians are wooing the balkan lands, and interestingly, the croats think they are also germans, which is chucklesome. they are all under the leadership of the great italian german reich."
"The Balkan Lands? Which one are you referring to?"
"All of them. Yugoslavia, Romania, and Hungary. They're all under our control."
"What's happening there?"
"Nothing. It's all peaceful. No one is fighting. People are living their lives, and they're not complaining. Why should they? We're bringing them prosperity and freedom. They're happy, and they're enjoying life. They're not worrying about the war, and they're not suffering. They're all doing fine."
"What's happening in Poland?" When Alice asked this question, Hans stared at her without saying a word. His face was expressionless. "What about Poland? Is it true that the Nazis killed a million Poles?"
Hans didn't say anything. He kept staring at her. Alice started getting nervous, and she began to sweat. She could feel her heart racing, and she began to tremble. Hans was just staring at her, and he wasn't saying anything. "Well? What about Poland?"
Hans reached into his pocket and pulled out a revolver. He pointed it at Alice and cocked the hammer. "That's enough questions, Alice."
Alice looked at the gun, and her eyes widened. She began to shake. Hans smiled and pointed the gun at her head. "Of course, I'm honored to help the great German nation."
Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table rang, and Hans got up and answered it. "Guten Tag. Ja, das ist er. Ich bin auf dem Weg. Wir sind immer noch dort, aber wir können die Sache nicht mehr lange unterbinden. Ja, ja, das ist gut. Wir sehen uns später. Dankeschön." He put down the phone and turned to Alice. "I have to go. My men need me. I'll come back tomorrow, and we'll finish this."
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it. See you later. Say Danks. Nice to meet you, Alice. And that business card has my landline number and address, so call if you need a place to stay. You're always welcome at my house. Goodbye, Alice."
Hans got dressed and left the room, and Alice was alone. She sat there for a moment, and then she slowly got up and went to the bathroom. She took a long, hot shower, and she scrubbed herself until she was raw. She was trying to wash the shame and humiliation off her body.
When she finished showering, she got dressed and left the house. She didn't want to stay there any longer. She just wanted to get out and go home. She didn't know what else to do, and she didn't have anywhere else to go.