Chapter 59 - Welcome!

When he had fallen asleep he dreamed that he lived the live of a small boy named Kaiser. When he was little he had once asked asked why his name was so different compared to others in their District. His mother had answered that long ago they had come from far away and to honor their origins the ancient names of their family had been passed down.

In the beginning of his dream most things were unrecognizable but as time passed the quality began to improve and he could observe everything in greater detail. Another thing that he noticed was the fact that many things or events were missing, especially in the beginning. A few unknown words, weird turns of events and much more made it difficult to understand the story. But over time everything changed.

As he grew older he got to learn many things.

How they lived trapped in isolation.

How they were treated worse than farm animals.

Just how much people suffered from sickness, hunger and oppression.

Not long after his fourth birthday he had to help. Small tasks at first which slowly grew to be more complicated. And then it happened. Right on his fifth birthday he had picked up a small and wrinkly apple that had fallen of the trees in the large orchards. He had thought nothing of it. Who would fault him? It was only an old apple nobody would really like to eat and it would just rot away if he didn't take it so why shouldn't he put it to good use and give it as a small present to his older sister?

Oh how wrong and naive he had been. Just when he walked out of the orchard as his parents and the rest of his family also went home the apple in his hand happened to be spotted by a white garbed guardian. Immediately the man grabbed him by the neck and began to drag him away from his family. His family seemed to protest but as it was a dream Hermann could not always comprehend what was happening inside it. His vision was sometimes off or he was unable to hear a few things but now after he had been dragged away everything seemed to explode with sensations.

He could feel his quick heartbeat. Each sweat drop that ran down his skin. The growing confusion, pain from the grab and the fear of the unknown. Each second that passed now felt like minutes, hours, days. After he had been stuffed inside a small room he had been left there for a long while before he was pulled out again this time with an iron collar around his neck which was connected to a chain which one of the guardians held in his hand and used to drag him around.

Slowly they approached a wooden platform which had been constructed a long time ago. Although it was cleaned daily it was always colored red somewhere. Red with the blood of many who committed any wrongs. His mother had always told him that he should stick with the rules. ALWAYS! But he hadn't listened. Because of his sister. Because she had been hungry. He knew that his parents and older sister didn't eat much in order to allow him and his younger brother to eat enough. That is why he had wanted the apple in the first place. To pay back what he owed. To give back something others had given him without even caring about receiving anything in return. But now he knew that it was over. Possibly. Because of that the platform was also called "The last stand" or the "chopping block" because few ever lived after going on the platform and the few that survived never walked the same way they had before.

He remembered that one time when he had been even smaller and had asked his mother why some people on the "last stand" still smiled even though they knew they would get hurt. At this time his mother had told him "some people stand there because they cared about their family. They would do what they did wrong over and over again, regardless of the cost because this had been their only choice to make them happy". At that time he had been simply astonished and replied "But they could die? If they do what will happen to them?". His mother had smiled and simply said "For their loved ones they would gladly give up their lives. But heroes and legends never truly die. They will always be remembered by their family, friends and everyone else who witnessed them. They will ignite a spark of hope. A will to continue and to defy the world that wants to end your existence so badly". At that time he had not fully understood. Even now he understood only a few parts of it but it strangely gave him peace and hope. To not be forgotten.

So as he stood on the platform bound to a wooden stake with shackles he looked at the many faces around the pole that looked up to him he could see many crying, desperate, sad and a few angry faces although these were hidden quickly else they would next on the "chopping block". When the guardians passed his judgment even more began to cry. 20 whip lashes. On the pack of a five year old boy. No one expected a good outcome. Even a few of the guardians seemed to be clearly uncomfortable but did not speak out. His head looked behind his shoulder to look at what was going on behind him he saw a relatively old man deciding on a suitable tool. Among a few spiky ones which he had possibly considered he picked up a long straight whip. Although Hermann was glad that the man had chosen a less terrifying one he still knew that he still could not evade his inevitable fate. Facing forward another guardian shoved a stick in his mouth on which he could bite during the process. To traumatized to even react properly he simply accepted this intrusion and unconsciously simply bit on it. Here on this very moment he remembered a few lines of a song his mother had sang to him when they had witnessed another brutal execution which all had to attend. "...when the world is calling you. Can you hear them screaming out your name?". Indeed he saw many he personally knew. The neighbors and their kids, the old lady who worked in a small shop closer to the town square which had sometimes gifted him a few leftovers, his parents friends and other people who worked with them from time to time. He watched them for the last time before closing his eyes, anticipating the hits.

As he heard the snapping sounds and felt the first impact on his back he simply couldn't help himself but to scream out and flinch from it. He almost let go of the stick but from watching former people on the last stand he knew that this was the worst possible outcome so he desperately bit on it again in order to keep it. Before he could clear his mind and somehow truly think about anything besides the pain the next one hit. The next few were even more painful as they also hurt the previous wounds, turning into a net of pain which constantly amplified. Not long after his fourth one he lost had already given up and his cries grew weaker as his consciousness began to fade. After his sixth he completely passed out. And never woke up again.

At this point Hermann woke up, dripping with sweat, his mind filled with brutal images and feelings of nothing but pain. Panting he waited until he had calmed down enough before asking his system.

[What was that?]

[So that means that next time I have to start even earlier?]

[We���ll see. But where am I? Why am I being treated like this? Can you tell me?]