Chapter Twelve: Heat of the Naked Flames

Jerry’s eyes widened with interest as he listened the Mr. von Ludendorff’s question as he sat in the von Ludendorff house in Poland. Even though the preacher was speaking to a congregation, it was as though Jerry was on the only one in the room: "What is this mystery of Christ? Have you discovered it yet? Thank God I did when I was a young man.” . Then Mr. von Ludendorff's eyes looked directly at him as he inquired again, "What is the mystery of Christ? Do you know?" There was a loud banging on the door. Nazis! Jerry could hardly breathe. Fear gripped him as he sat in the room staring at an orange glow behind the preacher's head. Fire! The Nazis were setting the house on fire! The confusion was added to by the sound of a barking dog. He began to cough violently. Mr. von Ludendorff stood among the confusion and yelled,

"Awake thou that sleepest. Awake from the dead and Christ shall give thee light!" The barking of the dog became louder and louder.

Suddenly, Jerry awoke from the terrifying nightmare, coughing in his smoke‑filled bedroom. The house was on fire! That part was no dream! Connie lay unconscious next to him. He quickly pulled her from the bed onto the floor. Many times during the war he had crawled through smoke‑filled rooms and he knew that breathable air would be trapped close to the floor. Elizabeth and Johnny! They lay in their beds in the next room. He reached up and felt the wooden door. It was cold, so he quickly opened it. Their room was also full of smoke. He held his breath, stood to his feet, grabbed the children and crawled back to his wife. As he did so, he could hear the incessant barking of one of the dogs.

To be continued...