Upfall

Perchansky climbed out of the cab. She felt sorry for the German sergeant, even if he had heen a death train guard. She hadn't bothered to speak with him, but had the feeling that he was friendly and cooperative. She was smart enough to know that plenty of decent Germans had killed and tortured Jews, but after traveling with Mueller for two days she had ceased to see him as a danger, and rather more like a pathetic dog. Dogs had to shit and piss.

Perchansky left her Uzi in the cab and walked over to him. "The fellows will be back before too long" she said in proper high German.

"You can wait."

"l can't, Frauline. My bowels—I think I have dysentery."

"Then you will be going all night" she said oddly.

"Please, don't treat me like an animal" he croaked. Perchensky thought it over. Mueller looked drawn and pathetic.

She was also still angry annoyed by the whole situation. Even if Mueller took a shit and ran off she didn't reckon it would matter much. She went back to the cab, grabbed her Uzi and rummaged around for another pair of flex cuffs. From watching the soldiers deal with Mueller over the days, she knew that the cuffs were disposable.

They had to be cut off and replaced. Not finding any spare cuffs, she located instead a useable length of cord amidst the piles of junk in the rear of the truck. She weighed whether to take the risk of releasing him as opposed to letting him shit himself, and then felt foolish for worrying. Am I nervous just because I'm a woman? I'm armed and can use the weapon she reassured herself. Besides, she concluded, he just needs to take a shit. Perchensky considered issuing a stern warning before cutting Mueller loose, but guessed that it would only show weakness. She had the gun. Mueller would respect it or he wouldn't.

Without saying anything, she walked behind the tree and using a German bayonet cut the plastic cuffs.

Mueller immediately shook his hands out, grateful to feel blood return to his veins.

"Danke." Mueller started to undo the rope at his feet, but stopped part way through and looked at Perchensky to get her approval. She nodded. Mueller finished and stood up. He felt surprisingly well now that he was physically free, even if the woman had a machine pistol trained on him.

"Enschuldigurig" he said, carefully, trying to gain a hit of privacy.

"Tut mir Ieid” said Perchansky. "You'll have to do your business here.“

Mueller took a step forward. It was very dark, with only a crescent moon and the strange glowing stick providing light. He weighed his options. Flee and take the chance that she would not shoot him or miss? Or attempt to overpower her?

He was much bigger and reckoned that he would easily win the struggle.

Mueller lunged at her without further thought. Perchansky raised the Uzi but Mueller managed to throw out a thick arm and knock the weapon to the side. Perchensky squeezed off a burst that shattered the quiet and a tree branch but nothing else. Mueller grabbed at the machine-pistol and used his hulk to knock Perchansky off balance. He grasped the sling and ripped it off her head, tearing her hair and burning her neck with the friction. Perchansky screamed and stumbled away from him.

Mueller stood looking at her for a second, feeling elated. Perchensky stared back, anger mixed with growing terror. She hated herself for her own stupidity. She felt the long seconds pass as one does in the midst of a fall. She'd freed him, she thought. He owed her. She no longer posed a threat. He would turn and go.

The German smirked, raised the Uzi, pointed it at Perchensky, and pulled the trigger. She closed her eyes, raising her arm helplessly, realizing that thanks to a few seconds of bad judgment her life was forfeit.

Nothing happened. Mueller pulled at the trigger a second time, taking his eye off Perchensky as he fumbled with the troublesome weapon. She gathered her wits, recognized that she was still alive, and ran.

Mueller raised the weapon again, and still the gun wouldn't fire.

He cocked it as he'd seen it done and squeezed the trigger at third time—pointlessly. Perchensky had alreadyfled behind the trucks and into the dark woods on the other side of the clearing. There was no point in chasing her, Mueller figured. She was no longer a threat in any case.

He considered tossing the worthless gun aside, but thought better of it, slung it over his shoulder, and crashed into the woods heading north, back toward the Bug and the nearest German post or patrol.

Perchansky heard Mueller bound away, his big body smashing through the underbush like a tank. She collapsed against a tree and tried to catch her breath. An intense feeling of exhaustion enveloped her, and she began to sob. She put her head between her legs, fearing she might pass out. Finally, she gathered herself and stood up. In the distance she could still hear shooting from Treblinka, but there was no sign or sound of Mueller. The forest smelled clean and invigorating.