The Sunflower_ On the Possibilities and - Wiesenthal, Simon copy

His father brought him to me in his arms. As he approached he covered his eyes with his
hands. Behind the two figures raged a sea of flames from which they were fleeing. I wanted
to take Eli, but all that existed was a bloody mess…
“What are you shouting about? You will bring the guards in.”
Arthur shook me by the shoulders. I could see his face by the weak light bulb high above
on the ceiling.
I was not yet fully awake. Before my eyes danced something resembling a bandaged head
with yellow stains. Was that too a dream? I saw everything as if through frosted glass.
“I will bring you a glass of water; perhaps you are feverish,” said Arthur as he shook me
again. And then I looked him full in the face.
“Arthur,” I stammered, “Arthur, I don't want to go on that working party to the hospital
tomorrow.”
“First of all,” he replied “it is already today, and secondly you could perhaps get attached
to another party. I will go to the hospital in your place.”
Arthur was trying to calm me. He talked as if I were a child.
“Are you suddenly frightened to look death in the eye, just because you have seen an SS
man dying? How many Jews have you seen killed; did that make you shout out in the night?
Death is our constant companion, have you forgotten that? It doesn't even spare the SS.”
“You had just gone to sleep when the guards came in and fetched one of us away—the
man sleeping right at the back in the corner. They took him only as far as the door of the hut,
and then he collapsed. He was dead. Wake up properly and come with me. Look at him and
then you will understand that you are making too much fuss about your SS man.”
Why did Arthur stress “your SS man”? Did he mean to hurt me?