One Hundred and Seventy Three

Black with two sugars.
That's how he liked his coffee. William was a man who knew what he liked. He liked his pizza best served slightly cold and salad with no dressing although that had only recently become an addition to his habits. He had become determined to lose those last five pounds of stubborn belly fat.
He drank his coffee slowly and gazed off into the distance as if contemplating some Grandiose idea Then placed his dark blue new york Yankees cap on his freshly shaven head and left the coffee shop.
Another interesting fact about William was he liked his Jews best dead. Williams father had been a prominent member of the American nazi society before succumbing to mental illness at the age of 36. An event that would come to shape his then 17 year old son.Today was a somber day for William for tomorrow was his 36 birthday. He knew this day would come and had often dreamed about it.
The dreams could however be better Categorized as nightmares. He had spent many a night awoken from his sleep His heart racing and his crisp blue linen sheets stained with sweat and urine.

He tried to block these thoughts out of his mind as he made his way down Fifth Avenue to his favorite bookstore. It was a small shop specializing in foreign literature. He had been tested at the tender age of 13 with an IQ of 173.
A fact he was rather proud of as he would often hide his insecurities behind his intelligence. Whenever someone would make him feel insecure especially those from a different race or culture he would neurotically repeat the number 173 to himself. Which would often calm him long enough to remove himself from the situation.

As he made his way into the store which reeked of mildew and old books the bell rang alerting the clerk to his presence. He had never seen the man before although he had frequently visited the shop over his last 15 years as a resident of the city. The man was in his late 70's and wore thick framed brown bifocals. He walked up to the man his new combat boots squeaking from the freshly bound leather and asked If they had acquired any new books on the subject of Germany. The man stared at him confused and then replied in German something which took William by surprise. As William began to question him and use what little German he knew the man became more and more erratic and then began to yell and shout at which point utterly annoyed and confused as to what was going on he left the store.

But when he opened the door he glanced up to see a large nazi flag
its colors bright and bold flowing in the breeze underneath which were what appeared to be nazi soldiers standing at attention. And before he could try to comprehend the situation two soldiers their medals of war glistening in the sun like coins in a fountain approached him. William who had studied German briefly tried to understand but could only make out "where are your papers? ". He tried to communicate with them as best he could but it was to no avail and then just as when the sun sets over the horizon and the world turns to darkness he was hit with the butt of a rifle and knocked unconscious.

He awoke cold and frightened in a dark room that had the overpowering smell of human waste and rotting flesh. All he could hear was the soft whispers of mothers telling their children everything was going to be okay and the occasional shouting of German from outside the room. He glanced down at himself his shoes had been taken and he was wearing what appeared to be blue and white striped pajamas with a Golden star on his chest. His left forearm had been tattooed with the numbers 173173. William had just become the newest member of Auschwitz.

Dazed he tried to stand and as he did a man approached him in the same attire. He was a rather large man standing at least six foot four inches although He had become a shriveled shell of his former self weighing in at no more than 120 pounds at Williams best estimate. "Follow me it's time to shower" he said. William completely out of his element and unaware of what was happening simply nodded his head and follow the line of men women and children exiting the building.
When placed had his right foot forward out of the old wooden door frame onto the soft white snow he realized his true location.

He was surrounded by barbed wire fences and armed guards who stared at him with such disgust it was as if he was an animal.
He followed the single-line procession to a long gray building at which point we heard a small quite voice in the back of his head saying sir sir sir. The guards filed everyone into the building at which point they removed their clothes and glanced nervously upwards at the rusted shower nozzles awaiting the warm refreshing water. But the water never came instead a poisonous mixture of gases were released. He began to choke and his eyes began to water in this moment William knew his life is over. But despite all of this he continued to hear the same still soft voice in the back of his head saying sir sir sir.

As the poisonous gases began to react with his body he began to die violently choking and gasping for breath.
And with what he believed to be his final breath he apologized to all the people that he shown prejudice against and hatred towards.
At that moment in time he fully understood what it was like to be the outcast and what It was like to be treated with distain and looked down upon for being different. As he closed his eyes ready to die and at peace with the world he awoke at the coffee shop to the waitress asking him "Sir would you like some more coffee?".

Stunned he said no thank you paid his bill and put on his dark blue Yankees cap. He then left coffee shop determined to make a positive difference in the world. He realized that moral decay isnt genetic and that he didnt have to become his father that he could be a better man.

Reviews

[Carly Shaw]

love this !!! fantastic detail!!!! great story! :)

[J. Write]

Although this is not my usual read, I have to say I really enjoyed reading this. I think you have a beautiful writing style, and the way you described each detail kept engaged and I loved the surprise at the end. Well done!

[Christopher Walker]

Thank you very much