“Yes, with the winter air force uniform and the life vest,” Otto says.
Dr. Dietrich enters the room, scuffs the heels of his shoes one by one as he meanders in, weaving in and out of the men in line. “Are the temperatures set?” he asks.
“Heil Hitler,” everyone but the Jewish prisoners shouts in unison.
“Yes, both,” Otto answers.
“Yes, both,” Dietrich says, repeating Otto’s words in a whisper. “Good.”
The first man in line is stripping out of his uniform to switch into the air force uniform, complete with the life vest.
“Are we immersing the first subject entirely?” Dietrich asks.
“Yes,” Otto says.
“Yes. Good. As a reminder to your prior instructions,” Dietrich says, facing the men in line, “You are not to move from the position you are placed into. Do not fight against the water or anyone measuring your vitals. If you try to stand up, you will be removed from this trial as you will no longer be needed here. Or anywhere, for that matter…”
He’s going to threaten their lives if they attempt to fight for survival?This is abhorrent and inhumane. I clench my fists by my sides, trying to find my voice. “Are you planning to fully immerse this man?” I snap. “He’ll drown, and you know so.” I can’t control the growl beneath my breath.
“Is there a problem, Frau Berger?” Dietrich asks.
“Doctors are aware of the brain stem and how fragile the head and neck can be. Surely, a crew member’s winter gear would include a head cover and scarf, yes?”
Dietrich makes his way over to me, leaving little space between us, making me uncomfortable. There’s nowhere for me to go if I were to run away. “Doctors are aware of…” he repeats. “Frau Berger, seeing as you seem to have the most medical knowledge aside from myself…” He pauses his statement to raise a brow at Otto, obviously displeased. “…please come with me—let’s discuss more of this knowledge you’re hiding in that beautiful head of yours.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, urging me toward the lab next door, where we started.
I doubt Dietrich’s medical degree would have left him with so little knowledge. It’s maddening to watch lives rest in the hands of people who don’t know what they’re doing. It’s as if life is worth nothing to these people, reminding me I’m no different.
He closes the door, isolating us in this awful room. “What you said about the brain stem, tell me more…” he says, pulling out a small notepad and pen from his pocket.
“Aren’t there more qualified people to help with this research? There must be doctors with degrees who are willing to contribute to the importance of this data.” A true doctor wouldn’t willingly put someone’s life in jeopardy. Except for Dietrich.
“More. Qualified. People,” he repeats, airing out the words. “Many doctors who were experts in this field of study are orwere Jewish, dear, and they are of no use to us here or anywhere in Germany. Germany is suffering from a shortage of medical professionals so we’re making do with what we have, and what we have here is my intelligence and yours, yes?”
We are likely going to freeze and boil Jewish doctors among the subjects. There are so many people trapped within this godforsaken camp who would be an asset to our scientific and medical knowledge, but anyone who holds a handful of power in this country is apparently blind to common sense. “I’m not confident?—”
“Not confident—Nonsense. You are, and we’re relying on you, and me, of course.”
I can hardly conjure a clear thought. I can’t argue with him, and if I make myself out to be any less knowledgeable than what he has been told, he’ll consider us to be liars, pushing us back to those loose ends we can’t end up as. My chest aches as I plead with my mind to process the thoughts I need to express but the pressure will break me.
I close my eyes, recalling the information about temperatures affecting the head and neck region. A nervous gurgle in my throat reinforces my lack of ease and comfort around this man, but I need to spit out what I know so he leaves me alone.
“Studies have shown that autopsies of diseased people who died from immersion hypothermia had extra blood flowing through the cavity of the cranium, thus causing intracranial pressure which can quickly damage the brain tissue, resulting in a stroke or brain damage. Any man or woman traveling as crew aboard a mission over the Black Sea should take caution in keeping their head and neck covered in case they are shot down.”
As if he’s taking oral notes, repeating my every word to himself, he stares up at the ceiling seemingly baffled.
“That’s quite fascinating, young lady. I earned my medical degree not too long ago, but I don’t recall this. You learned all this from a book?”
“Yes,” I say, trying not to let a cry shoot out of my throat.
An ear-piercing scream gushes through the cracks of the adjoining door before the sound becomes muffled—suffocated. I stare past Dr. Dietrich, lost in thought, trying to shut off my imagination that is gathering an image to fit the awful, tormented sound. The scream returns, but after a loud gasp of inhalation. I lunge for the door, my hands are ice cold as I grip the knob tightly.
“This is part of the trial. They’ll be all right,” Dietrich says, following me to the door.
I shake my head as the sensation of pins and needles rushes through the flesh of my face. “No. This isn’t the way. They are drowning him and freezing his brain, Dr. Dietrich,” I grunt, attempting to tear open the door Dietrich has his foot pressed up against. “Stop, stop! This isn’t the way! Can you hear me in there?”
Dietrich places his hand on my shoulder, a gentle touch that feels more like a knife piercing my skin. “Stop, stop!No, no. We need the data, Frau Berger. I can’t draft a complete report unless I have complete data. You understand this, don’t you?”
If I say no, he will send me away. I won’t have to stand by and listen to more torture, but I’ll have no chance of saving anyone, including myself.
