Brian started to shiffle a bit. Nick was still asleep, with his head against Brian�s shoulder. Maybe that was a good point, with being asleep this night with be over earlier. That was a VERY good thing for this young kid. Brian glanced at Howie. He still didn�t understand this guy. He looked like a very friendly and sweet person, so why on earth was he here? Silent and calm waiting for his dead?
�Howie,� whispered Brian, almost afraid to speak, �why are you here?�
First Brian thought that Howie hadn�t heard him, or didn�t want to hear him, but then Howie turned towards Brian. Brian looked in two brown, but empty eyes.
�You want to know my story?� Howie spoke.
�Y�Yes,� Brian stuttered, suddenly a bit afraid of what he might would hear.
Howie sighed. �I shall tell you� Four years ago the war started. I was living together with six brothers and sisters and my mum and dad in a poor neighbourhood. We weren�t really the richest there, but certainly also not the poorest. My dad was already at the end of his sixties when it all started, he had been older than average when he got me, his first son of seven kids. My mother was a lot younger than her husband, but they loved each other dearly. My father couldn�t handle it. He couldn�t handle the whole war situation. He had been involved in another war when he was a young man and he still was traumatised about it. Three months after the war started my father died by a heartattack, one of the many victims of this stupid war,� spoke Howie bitter. A moment he was silent and then he continuid his story.
�My mother couldn�t handle it. Suddenly she had to take care of seven kids on her own, without her everything. She started to drink, to drink way more than was healthy for her. My mother always had been a fragile figure, but a couple of weeks after my fathers dead she looked as if the wind could blow her away every second. Of course I tried to help, as oldest son, as good as possible. I quited my study and started to work. I�ve had many jobs, I can�t even remember what I have done. But it was getting worse with my mother. Five months after my dad I found her dead at home. The alcohol had destroyed her. And so I had lost my both parents within half a year. How wonderful live can be�� he said sarcastic.
�So there I was. A year ago I was a student, who might could bring it far. Who might had a change of a better live than my parents had had. And then I suddenly became the father of six kids. I had 4 brothers and two sister. It was like this. I was the oldest, than came Harold who was 4 years younger than me, Robin, 5 years younger, Christina, 7 years younger, the twins Zuck & Olsen, 9 years younger and the youngest was Elena, 15 years younger than me. I tried to let them all stay at school, so that they would have a better future. I worked almost day and night and I was trying to keep the family together, but that was harder then it looked. Robin was a real puber and he didn�t listen to me at all, always doing his own way and getting into trouble. And Christina, beautiful and smart Christina� you know about that flu epidemic? Well, Christina had the flu too� and she died. She died goddamit by the flu, because I couldn�t afford a good doctor� THE FLU!!!�
Tears stream over Howie�s face. Brian doesn�t know what to say. They are both silent for a couple of minutes, while Howie still cries. Then he calms down and looks again and Brian.
�Harold and Robin never forgave me. They said it was my fault that Chrissy had died, but I honestly couldn�t do anything about it. I worked, came home and tried to take care of her as good as possible. I�ve tried so many doctors, but the doctor that wanted to come for the money I offered, which was way too many than I could afford, was a betrayor who didn�t do anything good either� Harold and Robin both didn�t talk to my anymore, they just simply ignored me. That was the time that I started to join the resistance. By day I worked and took care of the kids and in the middle of the night I was busy writing articles for the resistance newspaper that was spread trough the whole city and further. And two times I have broken into houses of important people to get coupons, wapons and other stuff. But yesterday night� I was writing again an article in which I told the people what REALLY was going on and I thought that everybody was asleep� but I was wrong. Harold found me, sitting at the citchen table writing the truth. He immediately saw what I was doing and of course I didn�t do nothing against his knowlegde, instead of stutter some stupid excuses. He turned and left me alone. The next day the police stood at my front door�. Of course they found some newspapers and articles� and of course they found some �effidence� of murders, which I have never committed because I cannot hurt people. And now I�m here. Betrayed by my own brother. Betrayed probably for some hundred dollars� Can you imagine that? How that would feel when you know that your own brother, who you love, has betrayed you to the enemy? The enemy that destroyed his family in the first place?�
Silence fills the room. Brian can�t imagine how that would feel; and he�s happy he can�t. After a while he whispers softly;
�I�m sorry to have asked you.�
Howie chuckles grimly. �It�s not your fault. I think I wanted to tell it anyways� Now you�ve heard Nick�s story and mine� what about yours?�
Before Brian get�s the change to answer they hear that somebody is opening their door. A short man enters their cell and after him the door closes again.
�It�s no use to take me hostage or even try to kill me, they,� the man nods in direction of the door, � know exactly what to do and how to it. I came here to talk.�
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