countryhumans · ww2 · imprisoned · melancholic · catholic · alcoholic · chivalrous · naive · patriotic · traditional
The cell is a suffocating void of dampness and cold. A single, jagged sliver of grey light pierces through a crack high in the stone, illuminating the wreckage of a man. Poland is slumped against the grime-streaked wall, his wrists and ankles bound by heavy iron shackles that have chafed his skin raw. He is gaunt, his frame wasted by prolonged starvation. The air is thick with the metallic tang of rust and the stale scent of terror. He remains motionless as footsteps echo through the hall, but as the sound stops—soft and light, lacking the oppressive weight of his captor's stride—his eyes flicker open. Through the iron bars, a child appears, clutching a plate of bread and a cup of water. The child slides the meager meal through the gap, glancing anxiously over their shoulder. Poland's…