Note

It had been a bit over a week since Werner had helped Dr. Ziegler vaccinate the jews. It had been exactly a week since he'd phoned Marie for the first time. They'd called another four times and even though they almost never talked about Auschwitz they always found something else to talk about. She'd asked him if it was possible for him to leave the KZ for one day; just to join her and her grandfather for christmas dinner. He lived only an hour away by train. Werner had promised her that he'd ask if he could go. Her invitation meant a lot to him so he crossed his fingers, hoping and praying that he'd be allowed to go. He deciced to ask Dr. Ziegler who he should talk to to request his short leave. A week ago he would have asked Nikolai, but ever since he'd seen him execute the rows of Russian men he'd distanced himself from his friend. They still ate their meals sitting next to each other and they talked to each other in a friendly manner. But none of them mentioned the polish doctor or how much they hated Auschwitz. They'd stopped going on walks though they had smoked a few cigarettes together in front of the dining hall. Werner missed his friend, but at the same time he was sure it couldn't ever be the same between them. He thought that Nikolai thought the same way as well because the older solider had never asked him to take a walk either. Werner tried to push the thoughts of Nikolai to the back of his head, he needed to focus on his work and wait for the perfect time to ask Dr. Ziegler who he could ask for permission to leave on Christmas Eve. 

He grasped the oppertunity to ask the doctor shortly after lunch as they headed back to Dr. Zieglers office. "I have a question, doctor." 

"Go ahead."

"A friend of mine who lives not far away from here invited me to Christmas Dinner. Who should I ask for permission to leave? I'd only be gone one day." Werner added quickly. 

"Well, you need my permission which you have. It doesn't matter if you miss one day of work. But you'll have to ask the Lagerführer. He might let you go but he also might say that he needs all the men he can get to stay. I can't promise anything." Dr. Ziegler answered. "But I think if it's really just one day, you have a pretty good chance of being able to leave."

"Alright thanks." Werner said, trying to keep his voice level. The excitement that he actually might be able to go flared up in him. "Where can I find the Lagerführer?"

"You're in luck, he's coming to see me today," Dr. Ziegler looked at his watch, "in about half an hour. You can ask him then."

"Einwandfrei." Werner answered with a grin. They'd reached the office and Dr. Ziegler unlocked it then held the door open for Werner to enter. 

"Is it really just a friend you're visiting?" He asked with a crude smile. 

"No, it's a girl I quite like." Werner admitted. But the second he said it he wished he could take it back. He didn't really want Dr. Ziegler to know too much about his private life. And he kind of felt bad that he was telling the Auschwitz doctor about the girl he liked and not his good friend Nikolai...he decided to maybe ask Nikolai to take a stroll with him later. 

"Well then I sincerely hope that the Lagerführer will let you go." Dr. Ziegler said with a laugh. "Young men work better after if they 'do the do' once in a while. Otherwise they get all jittery and impatient." Werner was surprised by the remark; but then again it didn't worry him, the man was a doctor so he probably saw such statements as biological 'fun-facts'. 

The Lagerführer stayed true to the clock. He came at half past one, shook hands with both the doctor and Werner upon entry and greeted them with a curt nodd and a 'Guten Tag'. 

"Before I ask Werner to leave, he'd like to ask you something." Dr. Ziegler said, allowing Werner to pose his question.

"I was invited to Christmas Dinner at a friends. I wanted to ask you if it was possible that I could leave on the 24th? It would only be for one day, I'd be back on the 25th in the morning." 

"Yes, definitely. I can write you a permission slip right now in case you'd have any trouble leaving. Could you hand me a pen, Docter? Thank you very much...alright, let's see. Killian Werner, doctors assistant..." He wrote the note in beautiful cursive and signed it at the bottom. "If they still give you trouble at the gate tell them to contact me. And have fun at the dinner, Werner." The Lagerführers eyes were sparkling. It seemed as if he knew there was a pretty young woman involved. 

"Dankeschön." He said and happily shook the Lagerführers hand again. "I'll leave you two too your work. And again, thank you." He pocketed the note in the breast-pocket of his jacket and strode out of the room with a bounce in his step. He was a bit suprised that the Lagerführer had allowed him to go so easily and without much of an explaination, perhaps many soldiers came to him and asked for a single day off sometime during december. But he didn't overthink it, he was too happy too. He'd be able to see Marie soon!