The Eye of the Beholder

"Can you tell me where I am?" the officer looked directly in his eyes and paused before he spoke. "I am Major Vasily Nemov and you are in Lefortovo Prison," the officer said in perfect Hungarian. "I have done nothing wrong. Why am I heer?" "What is your name?" "Laszlo Spiro. What do you want from me?" "I have received reports that you collaborated with the Nazis while you were interred in Auschwitz. Is this true?" Laszlo knew, even in his mentally weakened mind that he was facing a crossroad and this his life hung in the balance based on the answer he would provide. "That is a lie! I never did such a thing!" The major's stare became even more intense as a threatening smile crossed his face. "It has been reported to me that you had not suffered from malnutrition and your hands are not calloused from hard manual labor. How is that possible?" "I did what they told me to do in order to stay alive. I have no idea why they did these things." Like a shot he grabbed Laszlo's right arm and pulled it straight out. Laszlo found himself too weak to stop him. "Where is your identification number that all prisoners got burned into their arms?" "They never branded me," Laszlo replied defiantly. Dropping the prisoner's arm, he demanded, "And why is that?" "I don't know!" "So you did not cooperate with them at any time. Is that what you're telling me?" "I've already told you that the accusation was a lie. I am as mystified as you are as to the reasons they had for doing the things they did. Why don't you ask one of them?" "We already have." Laszlo knew he had been caught in a lie. "We want your full cooperation in answering these questions but we will do what we have to and we will get the truth from you one way or another." Laszlo was about to speak but Nemov cut him off. "I'm going to leave you for a while so you can think about what I said. If you continue to lie to me you will suffer the consequences. Nemov stood up and banged his hand on the door which was immediately opened. "Take the cot out!" he ordered and the soldier obeyed without hesitation. "How will I be able to sleep on this hard, damp floor? Nemov did not reply. The soldier dragged him from the cot but when the guard took Laszlo's arm to life him up, the prisoner's legs gave out on him and he collapsed to the floor. Turning toward Laszlo before he departed, the major remarked, "Remember, it is up to you how we extract the information we want but one way or another, we will loosen your tongue." Stepping out, the door was shut with a clang and was locked.