Death camp 2: the origins of Muki

By Cal Pflugrath

Treblinka & Auschwitz's shared debacles, a Gypsy spy's camp recollections, behind the wire. They called her Muki, the Lady Coslo of Thousand Caves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781716679285

Book preview

Death camp 2 the origins of Muki

By Cal Pflugrath

Chapter one to Thousand Caves upon Kibly Trans

As our wagon column pulled out that morning father called me to his cabin. Sit down, Coslo. We must talk.

He never used my first name, so this was serious. Usually I would be called Seven, the seventh daughter of twelve children. His other name for me was Mystic indicating the magic number seven.

We have come up against trying times and must do what survival requires. In this case it means breaking up the tribe.

But Father, I insisted, Your primary rule is strength in numbers.

He smiled that dimpled grin of his I inherited and nodded. "For centuries that policy has served our Roma bands well.

"In dealing with local principalities and kingdoms it worked. This rising storm before us creates a dangerous new world order.

"National Socialists have no love for the First Aryans. Gypsies face the same fate as our unlucky Jewish friends.

We can face extermination at the hands of evil oppressors, flee east, or fight.

Father sighed and shook his head. Thousands of years existence changed forever, our culture is on the run, Coslo. Most tribe members follow me into India and safety. You shall stay behind and resist.

With a gulp I nodded, Mystic understands.

I so proud of you, he continued. "My eyes have enjoyed your growth and energy.

"Inside you lurks a great heart and strong spirit. That spark of our Creator’s flame burns brightly within your soul.

You can count on it, Father. I will do what must be done to turn about this racist typhoon.

He touched my hand and sighed again. "This is a delicate assignment, my child.

You cannot defy such a storm by frontal assault. It should be deep beneath the surface you strike and all efforts must be at mitigation.

I don’t understand?

"Germans and their allies operate one hundred armor divisions and another four hundred infantry. We are unable to meet that head on.

Your job is reducing losses, saving what there is of our eastern European culture that can be rescued from this apocalypse.

The Jews and Gypsies?

He took a deep breath. I’ve giving you my horse, Astrid the Golden, and ten days supplies. Your course leads into Rumania’s Transylvanian Alps.

Handing me a slip of paper he said, these are instructions to your destination, though I doubt you will need them. There my favorite daughter’s obvious skills shall be enhanced.

Thank you, Father, I replied, studying that note. This one knows her way towards Thousand Caves and does not desire to flee before sadists and pigs. Your opportunity will not be wasted or squandered. I so vow.

Papa hugged me. Then gazing fondly with tear filled eyes he pronounced, "of that I have no doubt, Coslo Champon Cantski.

"I have watched my Seven grow and learn. This task before you requires stealth and guile.

"Your intimate familiarity with these regions between the Baltic, Adriatic and Istanbul makes the task more feasible. Stick to the backwoods and trails we loved and enjoyed together.

Remember this and carry it deep within beside God’s spark, love not too much the works of thine own hand. Do not allow them to drag you down into darkness.

So I shall. May your seventh daughter faithfully follow my Father and Chief’s wishes.

"Go with God, Mystic. You and I shall not meet again in this life.

"My mind perceives great storms of war sweeping between us. In the time that follows I am no longer around and our tribe has chosen a new Chief.

If my Seventh yet lives she must follow him as Roma culture requires. Between now and then You are a rouge, on your own, following the spark’s forethoughts. May those that look after our kind be gentle and wise.

She’s awfully small, Lord Thatous proclaimed with distain. I stood exhausted and shivering in the great hall of Kibly Trans beside a panting Astrid. She was bushed, steam rising off her soaking hide.

We’d just trudged our way up a slogging Romanian mountain pass as December 1941 neared a bloody, freezing cold conclusion. Both of us needed a break.

Kibly Trans Pass was a barren gap nearly eight thousand feet up into craggy desolate peaks leading nowhere. Others knew this location as that ancient Home of Thousand Caves.

Haltingly I began. "Forgive this one’s tiny frame, my Lord. Father, Chief Kimten of the Paxtel sent me to full fill a holy oath.

"He directed his daughter and Astrid specifically to your location. We must complete our task.

I so swear before you to bring about a positive conclusion from our current nightmare. With my heart’s spark This one intends to realize her obligation.

She’s still too damn small, Thatous grumbled to Lady Dalkous beside him. The noble pair sat on some raised dais.

The Lady smiled. Her size may intend this one for a different path. I sense within great desire and promise.

Turning to nearby servants she ordered, "see to Astrid’s care, housing and nourishment upon the top of Transylvania.

Leading my transport off to stables I kissed Astrid’s cheek and gave her an apple quarter I was saving. Astrid nodded approvingly walking off.

Hussein Dalkous dismounted that dais striding towards me, Coslo and I will be next door in my private dining quarters. Chief Kimten’s Mystic is always welcome among House Dalkous, my Lord.

Thatous laughed, "I shall join you in a meal. Enjoy the hospitality within our Thousand Caves, tiny Paxtel.

Try not to become lost within darksome depths. May your heart be greater than dimensions, Daughter of Kimten.

Famished I did my best to not appear so.

Your great-great grandfather began our relationship with House Paxtel, Lady Dalkous said, and tasted her drink.

It was a difficult time in these cloudy mountains. That Roma convoys showed us compassion and fairness was appreciated.

Thank you. Roma learned plenty in return from Trans mountain folk. Much of our blood is joined. My mind understands these wonderful heights like our stars above.

As would Kimten’s favorite, she grinned back at me. I remember you as a child. Always curious and questioning. There is a place inside you that observes everything going on around.

I have my ancestor’s foresight and can sense things unseen or undisclosed, Lady Dalkous.

Call me Hussein, my beloved Mother’s maiden name. We originated from the eastern Ottoman Region. May I call you Coslo?

"Please do. My Father’s tribe flees southeast towards India. I remain planning to reduce the war’s negative impact.

He hoped you could assist these efforts advising me in Dalkous stealth and skill, Mistress. It is said their abilities in these applications are unmatched.

She grinned and nodded.

Training began that morning. There is something within us that goes back to a different folk, Lady Hussein started.

We rode together along some snowy ridge at sunrise. To the east that vast undulating plain of Rumania rolled off into a blazing Black Sea distance.

Though I was cloaked in heavy cold weather gear my companion wore some light jacket. Low temperature and thin air agreed with my host and mysterious teacher.

I always find Sol’s rising exhilarating, Hussein exhaled. She reined her black stallion to a halt. It reminds me of my mom’s Asian family roots to the east.

The promise of a new day, I agreed stopping Astrid beside. The air was cold and frosty fresh, our sky above a cloudless cobalt blue.

We looked out forever beyond a haze of mountain tops poking through some misty vastness. Distant and familiar sounds belonging to night predators and prey were replaced with that song of daytime fauna.

Though sunset was my favorite time dawn’s light ran a close second. Brown eyes delighted in pink evolving to orange clouds and that intoxicating sent of freshness.

"My mind remembers your Thousand Caves well, Lady Hussein. Cantski kids rambled in wild laughter through a dark multileveled maze.

We were fascinated with warm rooms and an amazing multidimensional palace to explore. Every year it turned into the greatest five days of our transitory lives.

Sniffing that dawn’s sweet breath she asked, you understand this symbolism?

I nodded, hiding in plain sight. Be part of the landscape, unremarkable.

Impenetrable mediocrity, invisibility within an ever-changing environment. You can do this, Kimten’s Seven.

"It shall be an interesting affair. I’m up to this multiheaded task and pleased to be in the fray.

My option would be sitting this out in Kashmir while others fight in harm’s way. That, my heart could not endure.

"We evolved from ancient stock, Coslo. In our shared blood flows secret knowledge and insights from the roof of this world. Those newcomers opposing us do not enjoy such advantages and historic knowledge.

"Nazis follow a strange mythology as science. They understand the numbers, but not those magical things moving unseen between cracks in space/time.

Through those gaps such as us must move and maneuver.

Though they walk with eyes open, I responded, much remains unseen to their two-dimensional way of thinking, Lady Hussein.

She smiled. Kimten warned me about you.

What did he say?

Zecton Dalkous glanced down and exhaled. Your family and mine are close. At one time he and I were pledged.

No! I exclaimed.

We were seven. I was terrified, marrying some boy I’d never seen. Kimten appeared calm and kindly. He led me gently through that joining ceremony as though it was his thousandth time.

The Lady smiled. Your father closed his eyes, leaned in an gave my lips a soft kiss I shall never forget. Part of me regrets never following that peck up later.

What happened?

Fortunes of war. Politics and depression crushed a world’s economy. My family flexed in one direction while Paxtel tribes leaned further east.

The Lady Hussein paused and then said, what I am about to teach you can never be revealed. Such training a student takes to their grave. Do you understand?

I have sworn an oath this one intends to keep before God.

In that freezing dawn she leaned over, pinched my cheek and said, "We are training several different types for specific assignments.

"Some of these various assets shall work in units. Others must function independently.

"This size and skill set place one such as yourself into a stealth group. Your designation and new name is Muki, Coslo. Welcome to Hell, my friend.

Thousand Caves encompassed over twenty miles of limestone passages routing multiple directions beneath bleak mountains. Over centuries of mining work the larger chambers would be linked and converted