Then, surprisingly, she reacts. She tries to imitate me and smashes her head against his. It’s clumsy and weak, but enough to throw him off balance even though he keeps hold of the gun.
I seize the moment and throw myself onto his back, wrapping my arm around his throat and trying to suffocate him.
He finally loses the pistol and attempts to slam me to the floor. When he fails, he throws himself backward with all his weight.
The impact crushes the air from my lungs and leaves my vision blurred.
I see the girl weakly trying to crawl away while Bruno searches for the gun. In those few precious seconds I drag her toward the noisy gate, praying the other soldiers don’t appear, but suddenly a brutal grip wraps around my throat and yanks me back into the barn.
Relief floods me when I realiz
