⚠️Warning: The following descriptions may contain references to World War II, graphic scenes, and grotesque depictions of the era. Religious elements may also appear, open to interpretation by the author. The author does not intend to offend any religion or to sensationalize; this content is purely fictional. Reader discretion is advised.
🫠 Author's Note: I recently revisited my early chapters and noticed some mistakes and inconsistencies. I apologize to anyone who struggled through them. They've now been corrected, and I hope you enjoy the story. I'll keep improving as I write.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Now it was time to follow Adelaida and Nuriel, whose journey began on May 5, 1945, while Galton had not yet reached the halfway point of his own.The delay was because of Nuriel. Galton was taking dangerous risks; after settling at the farm, he stayed there two more days at Adelaida's request. Once they had gathered enough supplies, they managed to escape before American soldiers reached the farm.
Galton had stolen an old fishing boat—simple enough to handle—along with medicine and provisions. They sailed at night to avoid suspicion. Although there were guards, they were lucky not to be seen.
Among their supplies were weapons: four rifles taken from soldiers Galton had killed, a Colt M1911 pistol, three Pistolet automatique Modèle 1935A pistols, two Karabiner 98k rifles, and an Mle 1886 (Lebel) rifle.
Galton said to Adelaida,"Take this, girl.""Why are you giving me this?""Well, you're German. You're supposed to know how to use these things, aren't you?""What makes you think I know how to use these things?""I don't know, girl. All Germans are killers."
They left in silence. As they moved deeper into the Baltic Sea, Galton noticed debris floating near the shore, as well as Swedish and American patrols crossing the area. To be cautious, he discreetly raised an American flag to avoid suspicion.
Galton had kidnapped a doctor, forcing him to treat Nuriel's illness. They brought blankets, quilts, and all the necessary resources. The doctor, wary, asked:"Young Jew, may I ask you something?""What do you want?" Galton replied calmly."Why do you trust me to heal this boy? Didn't it occur to you that I might poison him?"
Galton stepped closer, grabbed the man's arm, and twisted his wrist firmly. The doctor screamed in pain, trying to cover his mouth or bite down on something."If you don't shut up, I'll break your jaw too," Galton warned, his voice cold.
The man froze, gasping.Galton said to the doctor,"Because of your arrogance, you won't be able to harm him now. Girl, you'll have to follow his instructions, and if you have another clever remark, next time I won't just twist your wrist."
Adelaida nodded fearfully."I'm very sorry, doctor."
For two days they sailed, avoiding mines and patrols. While everyone slept, tension hung in the air. Adelaida noticed Nuriel shivering. She moved closer, sharing her warmth, because the night at sea was bitterly cold.
"Adelaida, what are you doing?" asked Nuriel."You're freezing. And besides, it's cold out here.""Alright… just please take your hand off my chest, you're crushing my breathing.""Fine, but shut up now. I'm sleepy."
Meanwhile, something was happening inside Galton. Was he remembering? Dreaming? Having a vision? Or perhaps all three at once?
The setting was dark, as if he were in a cave. The only light came from a woman with braids, beautiful eyes, and Asian features, dressed like a native. The woman spoke:"You haven't changed at all, Thiago, in all these years. I've been watching you. God has allowed me to see you."
Galton whispered in disbelief,"Batuya?"
He sat down beside the campfire where she stood."Tell me, Thiago, what happened to you?" she asked softly. "They woke me from Sheol only so I could speak with you, and if that happens, it's because something very bad is happening to you… or to our son."
Galton clenched his jaw."You have no idea, woman."
Batuya stared at him."What did you do with our son, Thiago?"
He looked down."He's locked in a place called the Pit of Judgment. I'm so sorry, Batuya. I had to confine him in a pure place for the rest of eternity… until Judgment Day."
Batuya trembled."Tell me something… did you love him?"
Galton closed his eyes."Woman, I loved him with all my heart. I still love him with all my heart."
"Do you remember what I always used to tell you?" Batuya pressed on. "Lives don't have value, only meaning. That's what I've always believed. I hate war. And you have no idea how much I hate warriors. You're the only warrior I don't hate, because I learned to love what belongs to me. And you belong to me, Thiago. Because you're my husband."
She leaned toward him, almost whispering:"Tell me, Thiago… do you love me?"
"Woman, I love you with all my heart… with all my soul."
Batuya nodded, her eyes shining with tears that did not fall.
"Then take my memory with you. Take a piece of me. Do not forget that God, the God of armies, allowed me to see you because you are the chosen one. You must act accordingly. Otherwise you and my son will keep suffering."
"Tell me, Thiago… does my life have value?"
He answered without hesitation:
"Your life is worth more than thousands of people."
"That is not true," she said, shaking her head. "I am not the Messiah, I am not Yeshua. My life is important, yes, but it is not worth more than anyone else's. My life has no value. That is what I have always been telling you, but you never listened."
Batuya's presence began to fade. Her voice grew more distant, fainter:
"Thiago… you no longer go by that name, do you? Now they call you Galton. Thiago, I love you with all my heart."
"I love you with all my heart…" he murmured, breaking inside.
Then the images wrapped around him. Angels of creation fought a battle in the sky, an allegory of humanity: everything God created would always be marked by conflict; brothers would kill each other.
Fathers and mothers screamed, desperate, begging someone to kill them. Their voices bounced off the void, knowing this time God would not answer.
The vision shifted to the giants locked in Sheol. Their bodies hung, chained facing the sun but buried in Antarctica, motionless, while stars fell one by one, destroyed by the finger of God, as if sacrificed across the cosmos.
Finally, the Creator cast the chosen into the Lake of Fire. Each person vanished, their existence reduced to nothing, like coal turned to ashes of what had once been a life.
Then a mountain appeared, reaching toward the sky. On it, a thousand angels rose, resembling a flock of giant doves, cherubim with eyes watching the misfortune of the lost.
At the mountain's peak stood Zaziel, surrounded by cherubim chanting in Hebrew:
"The innocent will be condemned. The innocent will be condemned.""The innocent is not guilty. The innocent did not commit such atrocity.""God will bring justice, or he will condemn himself."
He awoke, terrified, anguish tightening his chest. He whispered to himself, "Lord… why are you doing this to me?"
He looked around. It was five in the morning. Adelaida and Nuriel slept peacefully, wrapped in each other. In their dreams, they murmured:
"Move… I'm sorry, it's just… I'm cold…"
Galton looked toward the horizon. A Swedish military ship was approaching, cutting through the waters slowly, vigilantly. His heart raced as he stood and began maneuvering the boat toward the shore to avoid drawing attention.
When the doctor disembarked at the port, Galton reconsidered and said:
"You know what? You can go."
"Really? You're just leaving me here? Just like that?" the doctor asked.
"Give me your hand," Galton said.
His wrist was bruised. The doctor could not see a way to straighten it, so Galton grabbed it and realigned it. The doctor cried out in pain and fell to his knees.
"If you are smart, you'll return home, man. If you are smart, you'll go back to Germany. But I assure you of one thing: if I ever run into you again, I will not show mercy. Now, I am not in the mood, and frankly, I hope your life has value—or at least I will decide its importance this time."
The man shuddered, and Galton said, "Better go."
The man ran off, and Galton turned to Adelaida.
"Wake up, girl. We have to walk. We can't stay on the sea."
"Please… just a little longer. We haven't slept well in days," Adelaida replied.
They were no longer in Germany; they had traveled days through the Baltic Sea, barely avoiding soldiers at the ports and even warships. They were now on the coast near Stockholm, Fogdö.
After leaving the port, they ventured west across Sweden toward the Norwegian border. Galton had brought supplies, and to ease the journey—perhaps to help Adelaida and Nuriel a bit—he disassembled several boards from the boat and constructed a kind of portable bed. He tied it with ropes so he could carry it on his back and transport Nuriel.
Before departing, he said to Adelaida with a harsh tone:
"Listen carefully, girl. I'm not wasting any more time.""You're coming with me because you have no idea how many times I've wanted to abandon you. But I don't, for one reason: you are the saint of the wind.""So listen to what you'll do: you will hold that rifle; position yourself above Nuriel; I will carry him, and I will run as fast as I can."
"You're not heavy, so don't worry.""If you see Nuriel getting too restless, tie your waist to one of the boards.""And listen carefully: I'm not stopping. If any bastard shows up to shoot at us, you shoot first."
Adelaida swallowed hard. She was too scared to confront Galton, but before climbing onto the boards she spoke in a trembling voice:"Tell me something… do you really think that this way, like this, we can survive until we reach that place?""Don't you realize it's more likely you'll get yourself killed than the soldiers?""I won't refuse, because there's no way to do that… but at least try.""I'm not even asking you to do it perfectly… just don't make this journey a daily suffering.""Nuriel has already been through too much. Don't make him go through more.""You're lucky he doesn't have a fever. I've been taking care of him every day, and it feels like you want to go against all that."
Carefully, Adelaida climbed onto the planks where Galton had improvised the crate. Nuriel lay inside, covered with blankets. She leaned over him and whispered,"Nuriel, I'm going to ask you something. If I have to shoot, please cover your ears and close your eyes. Okay?"
Nuriel, weak, gave her a small smile."Thanks, Adelaida."
She felt her eyes burn. She wanted to cry, but she quickly wiped away her tears. There was no time for that. What she needed now was courage—not the courage of a warrior, but the courage of a woman who had to endure, even if it meant ignoring her own anguish. And so they traveled on, carrying Nuriel's crate, their supplies stacked on top, and the rifle in her hands.
They followed the path from Borlänge to Mora, and from there to Røros on the Norwegian border. They moved in a straight line toward Mansos, hiding in forests and ravines to avoid being seen. On May 17, 1945, high in the mountains, Galton lit a fire to warm Nuriel. They took several breaks, otherwise Nuriel could have developed pneumonia.
Adelaida sat beside him."Nuriel…""Yes?""You know… there's something I don't understand.""What don't you understand?""Whenever we sleep, I notice your hands shaking, even when you're warm."
Nuriel raised an eyebrow."Tell me the truth… do you sleep next to me because you're cold… or are you just using me as a pillow?"
Adelaida smiled nervously."I'm trying to be kind… but sometimes it feels like you treat me like your nurse."
They both laughed a little. Nuriel sighed."I don't know. Sometimes they shake, other times they don't."
He didn't know the reason, but the truth was Adelaida didn't lie beside him just for warmth. She did it because she felt alone. Nuriel was, perhaps, the only reference left of something like a home.
"Nuriel," whispered Adelaida."Yes?""How long do you think we'll keep traveling until we reach that place you always talk about?""I don't know. I don't know where we're being taken," said Adelaida."What can we do?" asked Nuriel."Nothing. I can't think of anything."
Adelaida raised her voice toward Galton:"Hey, old man!""What?" he growled."Tell me something: how long are we going to keep traveling?""I hope we reach Vermont," Galton replied. "At this rate? We'll get there next year.""What? A year?" Adelaida said indignantly."I'm sorry, girl. That's the truth, and that's because the only way to Vermont is through Greenland."
Adelaida frowned."Greenland? What's in Greenland?""I'm a saint," said Galton. "I'm used to traveling. But now that we're in the mountains of Sweden, I wonder if we shouldn't stay here until Nuriel recovers.""What? Now you're going to follow my advice? Oh, sure!" she replied sarcastically."Girl, that was already in my plans. But we don't have time to waste. We'll go to Iceland to cut the route. There we'll let Nuriel fully recover. At this pace, I'd kill him because of his condition. And I'm not going to carry that guilt; I have enough already.""And what makes you change your mind now? Now you listen?" said Adelaida.
Nuriel broke the silence."Tell me something, Galton. Explain once and for all what you mean by 'saint.' I'm grateful you got me out of there, and I appreciate what you're doing… but I still don't understand why me. What am I exactly?"
Galton stared at him.
"You're the Saint of Lightning. And Adelaida is the Saint of Wind."
Nuriel froze. He thought Galton was just some kind of poet.
"Adelaida… I met a man in Auschwitz, an old man, who said he was in love with the sea.""Listen closely and go along with him; I bet he's going to say he's in love with a goddess or that he likes mermaids."
Adelaida lowered her gaze."I believed that too. But what he says is true, Nuriel.""What do you mean it's true?"
Adelaida swallowed, extended her hand, and said softly,"Look. I realized it when I was playing with the leaves to keep from getting bored."
She placed a leaf in the center of her palm. She held it there for a few seconds, and concentrating, managed to make it spin just twice in a spiral, lifted by a faint breeze. Then it fell to the ground.
"See?" she said, a little embarrassed. "That's all I can do."
Galton said with irony,"Even a baby could do that."
"Have there been baby saints before me?" Adelaida asked.
"Only one," he answered dryly.
Galton stood up abruptly."Listen, here's the plan. We're going to the beach. We'll steal a fishing boat, because I don't know how to handle anything else, don't ask me for more, I'm not from this time. We're going to Iceland and we'll wait as long as it takes for Nuriel to heal. If we don't… he'll get sick, and it's in my best interest that he recovers so I can give him the gift of creation."
With those words, Galton walked away from the fire."This time I don't want to see anyone. I'm not going to watch over you. I need time for myself."
Adelaida and Nuriel watched him vanish into the darkness.
"Do you think we can escape?" whispered Nuriel."No. It's impossible. You can still stand, yes, but we wouldn't get far."
She stayed by his side, feeding the fire. Then, a little unsure, she asked:"Tell me, what did you do to keep from getting bored in the camps? Of course, only if I can bring that up…"
Nuriel took a deep breath."I counted the bars on the bunk above, to see what shapes they made.""What?""That, or I'd think about how cold I was," Nuriel said with frustration.
"Let's talk about something else…""Yes, better."
There was silence until Adelaida began to laugh softly."I'm so sorry…""What's wrong?""It's just that you reminded me, for some reason, of a stick insect. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know it's not funny, but I just… I can't help laughing, I don't know what's happening."
Nuriel, to play along, laughed too and said,"Am I really that ugly to look like a stick insect?"
Adelaida laughed and replied,"It's just that you're so skinny."
They both laughed. Then Adelaida asked,"Tell me, do you think that if we run…?"
Nuriel answered,"No. You could run, but he'd find me here. And then he'd catch you again too. Better we forget about escaping."
"For now, we just have to focus on not dying on the way. That's what the ones who took care of me taught me."
"He's planning to go to Iceland," said Adelaida. "Well, at least I'm glad we won't have to keep going from place to place. Although, to be honest, I don't even know where Iceland is."
"Well," said Nuriel, "I think the best thing is to go to sleep."
"You like sleeping, don't you?" Adelaida asked.
"Yes. I love sleeping. I love sleeping. Believe it or not, I didn't sleep in that place. And, though it sounds absurd, I dare say the grass is much more comfortable than the boards. But at the same time, it gets too hot. Sometimes, I wake up very…"
Nuriel fell silent. He couldn't express his feelings; the anxiety he had carried since leaving Buchenwald had given him time to order his thoughts, though it didn't erase the psychological scars left by those three years.
Adelaida felt that Nuriel was holding something back, so she took another blanket and lay down with him, holding him.
"You've got your own bed, you're giving me warmth… I won't know if I'll get a fever," said Nuriel.
"No," Adelaida replied. "Until we reach Vermont, I'm not leaving you, Nuriel.""Why, Adelaida? Why are you doing this?"
After days of processing everything, Adelaida's voice finally broke."When I was with my mom, I was very scared as a child. My mom would take a blanket and lie down next to me. My sisters would come too, and we'd hug each other to help fall asleep when Dad wasn't there."
Adelaida continued,"Nuriel, forgive me if I see you as if you were my brother, but I can't help feeling bad when I look at you. And to think that everything they did to you, we might have been able to prevent it somehow… I don't want to be presumptuous. But both of us no longer have a family, and I just want to hold on to someone. I feel alone… I've cried… but it's not enough… I want a home… I just want to stop feeling like I've lost everything… I just want to go home."
Nuriel looked at her, and what he saw reminded him of his sisters, Bianca and Aniela, who used to tell him the same thing out of fear of the dark. This time, he wouldn't reject Adelaida's affection, because his own heart felt like it was breaking too.
Adelaida began to cry. Nuriel kissed her on the forehead and said,"Then… let's be siblings."
He kissed her forehead again and repeated,"Then let's be siblings, and let's keep each other company on this journey."
They were both exhausted and slept embraced. The night was cold, there were only blankets to keep warm, but this time they wouldn't feel the cold.
However, Nuriel began having nightmares:He found himself in Auschwitz, his sisters, his mother and father, Dr. Weill being killed by SS soldiers and stacked in a pile. The soldiers saw Nuriel and chased him, grabbing him by arms and legs, stripping off his uniform, shouting, "Damned Jews!" In his dream, the corpses in the trenches seemed to devour the prisoners. Then he remembered Élodie dying.
He saw the entire Auschwitz camp swallowed by the earth, and an angel with four heads and eyes appeared. But this angel was different—not golden, more like a chimera—and it spoke as if condemning Nuriel: Elohim azav otkha (God has abandoned you).
Suddenly, Nuriel woke up, hyperventilating and screaming,"Mom! Dad! Bianca! Aniela!"
He started crying, his hands shaking violently. Adelaida grabbed his shoulders:"Nuriel?! Nuriel, are you okay?"
He kept repeating the names of his parents and sisters, his mind still caught between dream and reality.
Adelaida said,"Nuriel, look at me, look at me. It was just a nightmare, alright?"
He couldn't stop crying. Tears ran down his cheeks. Adelaida took his hands and said,"Your hands are freezing."
She rekindled the fire, placed a kettle on it to boil water, and improvised a hot towel for Nuriel's hands. He, sobbing, said,"I'm sorry… yes, I'm sorry… sorry, sorry, sorry."
Adelaida reassured him,"It's okay, don't worry. We're going to Iceland, and you won't sleep on the grass anymore, alright? We'll be better off. Agreed?"
"I don't know what you're dreaming about," she said, her voice breaking, "but I've got a towel here to warm your hands."
Adelaida began to cry as well and hugged Nuriel."How I miss my parents, Nuriel… how I miss my sisters," she whispered."I do too," he replied.
Hugged together, they understood that the best thing was to acknowledge that, self-proclaimed as siblings, they came from a conflict that had taken their families.
The next morning, the air was icy. The sky was pale, low mist hung in the valleys; the grass was damp, and the smell of last night's fire lingered.
Suddenly, a sharp push woke them. It was Galton shaking them."Kids, we have to go! Up, now!"
Adelaida blinked awake, and Nuriel partially sat up. As they opened their eyes, they saw soldiers patrolling in the distance. Corporals and men marched in formation, asking who they were, stopping to inspect faces:"Identify yourselves! Who are you? Refugees? Swedes? Americans?"
Panic hit them like a blow. Adelaida barely had time to hold the rifle and the backpack with food and medicine.
Galton lifted Nuriel's portable bed, securing him so he wouldn't fall, and Adelaida jumped onto the crate, holding the rifle firmly. She was now more determined than ever to protect Nuriel. Her eyes were no longer those of a child—they were those of a woman resolved, afraid, but strong-willed.
He shot a warning shot, and Galton ran, carrying them.Adelaida shouted,"No come closer! I'll shoot you in the skull!"
The soldiers registered the hostile shot, but they withdrew before even raising their rifles to aim.
Nuriel said,"Honestly, I feel like I'm going to throw up… I couldn't stomach anything from yesterday."
"Nuriel, hold on, please," Adelaida answered, gripping the rifle with one hand. "I don't want you throwing up on my dress. Please, hold on, okay? We'll stop up ahead… maybe on the beach. You can vomit there if you need to."
Galton said,"There's a fishing boat waiting for us. We're heading for the coast, and then… Iceland. I stole food from a warehouse yesterday, and if I'm not wrong, the medicine the doctor recommended for Nuriel is still there.—Also, I stole a huge weapon the army had installed on the beach. We have to get there before they identify the boat."
And so our protagonists set off from the port of Hommelvik, heading out into the Norwegian Sea toward Iceland.