Chapter Four: DISMEMBERED

Hannele continued searching Mikhail's room, making a complete mess. She opened the drawers and cabinets but there was no luck in finding a knife or anything that can be used to dismember a body. not until she peaked below the bed and jackpot! There was a large wooden toolbox hidden below.

She pulled it out and opened the box to her surprise everything she needed was in front of her. There were pliers, screws, scissors, and a medium-sized saw.

She then took a bucket from the bathroom which she would use later on to put his limbs and drain his blood.

She sat next to his cold body and began dismembering it. She started chopping off his limbs and placed them in the bucket. What was left of him was his torso and head still attached to it. Rushing the disfigured body to the bathroom to have it rinsed and drained, she then beheaded the torso, leaving the faucet on to fasten the draining process.

She also grabbed a pair of scissors and began cutting off his hair almost making him bald so he would not be easily recognized, then she flushed the hair in the toilet.

Hannele now needed to figure out how to dispose of his body parts.

She just sat on the bed for a while thinking but suddenly an idea came to her noggin.

She remembered that upon searching the room earlier Mikhail owned two suitcases. She grabbed the suitcases from the floor and removed all the clothes from them and stuffed his remains inside the bags.

However she was forgetting something, as she glanced to the bed she saw the bloody sheets, she removed and crumpled it, opened one of the suitcases which had Mikhail's torso and she stuffed it in there. Yes, inside the torso.

Once the job was done, she scrubbed the room with soap and water making it spotless.

She also cleaned any blood residue on the walls.

After that, Hannele gushed the bottle of alcohol all over the room to hide the smell of blood.

While doing so, she saw her reflection in the mirror near the door to her right and realized that she was still naked, covered in blood.

Hannele then took a bath, rinsing all the blood from her body, got dressed, did her make-up, and tied her hair in a bun this time since it was still damped.

At around 2 AM, dressed up, she went out of the soldier's quarters carrying the suitcases. Adrenaline was pumping so hard through her veins that she couldn't even feel the weight of the bags she was carrying.

The party was over and silence crept all over the Jasenovac concentration camp, all the soldiers were sound asleep. Hannele still had no idea how to or where to dispose of the body she was carrying.

When she instantly saw the bodies of the dead prisoners that were brutally killed the night before piled up in front of the quarters, she decided to throw Mikhail's remains on the pile since he was already unrecognizable he would fit in perfectly. Hannele made sure that no one was around.

She began to unzip the suitcases and threw and scattered Mikhail's remains on the pile, after all the hard work she went back to the soldier's quarters placed his clothes back in the suitcases as if nothing happened.

She let out a sigh of relief, laid down on his bed, and took a nap, not even showing a little bit of remorse. Not long enough, the girl was sleeping soundly.

It was 7:30 AM when she woke up, the bodies outside had already been collected and buried.

Hannele went straight to her father's office and asked if she could get a ride home since she was exhausted from the night before.

"Father, I really had a good time with Mikhail last night, he will be a great addition to our family." She greeted her father and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Finally, my daughter is now a lady," he said proudly.

"However, Mikhail said that he would be calling in sick for today. He had a little too much to drink last night," she whispered and giggled.

Aldous, relieved by her daughter's words, ordered his driver to take her home.

She couldn't let go of the smirk she had all the way home.

As she got home, Hannele went straight to the kitchen where she saw Dara sitting down peeling potatoes.

"Where's Mother?" She asked.

"She went out to buy supplies. Can I help you, dear?" Dara said calmly. "Is there something wrong?" she asked the girl.

"Come with me. I need to show you something." Hannele held the old woman's hand as she stood up.

Dara followed Hannele to her room. When they got there Hannele immediately banged the door and locked it.

"Hannele, what's happening? Are you alright?" Dara asked as her voice was shaking in fear.

Dara knew that something was up, the girl never acted this weird before. 

Hannele was always so poised.

She unlocked her closet and took the canvas she hid below the pile of clothes.

"I know where Budo is, he's alive!" Showing Dara the painting of the boy she was with near the riverbanks.

Dara instantly recognized the boy in the painting.

"Budo, my pride." Dara cried. "How did you know?" She asked with tears falling off her face. "How did you--"

"Shh," Hannele interrupted. "I can take you to him."

"Tonight, we escape from this god-forsaken place," Hannele whispered.

"You mustn't, it's enough for me to know that my son is alive, it's too risky. I'm already old. I can't just run and escape. Save yourself child. I had already prepared for death since I got here". Dara said, holding the girl on both shoulders with tears falling from her face.

"Hannele!"

"My dear, are you home?!" Editha shouted.

"Yes, mother. In my room." She answered in total shock, hiding the painting in her bedside drawer and locking it.

Dara immediately rushed out of the room.

Editha, still standing at the front door, saw Dara coming out of her daughter's room.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Hannele, are you alright?" She shouted for her daughter

"Yes, mother, I was just having my bath ready," Hannele replied.

"Y-yes she just got home and called me to run a bath for her," Dara explained with her head bowed down.

"Alright, I'll go check on her," Editha uttered.

"Oh...and Dara bring all of this to the kitchen, we're having a family get-together tonight, I want you to serve Pigeon Pie and have a feast ready by 7 pm we're having my family over, it's my husband's birthday today." Editha bragged in excitement pointing to the bag of groceries on the floor.

Dara nodded in agreement and took the groceries to the kitchen.