Freedom's Sacrifice: Beast

By J. R. Rada

Should Esau die free or live as an animal?
In the thrilling conclusion to the Beast series, the net is drawing tighter around Esau Lachman, the product of an experiment Karl Mueller, a concentration camp doctor from WWII, performed on Esau's mother, Eva. Hunters are searching for Esau in the woods around Fleetwood, Md. Mueller is hunting him in town, and Eva Lachman wants to imprison Esau to keep him alive.

Esau has lived his life hidden away. Now that he has had a taste of freedom, he wants more, but it seems the world is against him.

Esau has two allies, Nazi hunter Daniel Levitt and college student Tina Rourke, know who Esau is, and they want to help him. However, three people against an entire town may not be enough.

So Esau must face his choice. Should he try and live free and risk being killed or allow himself to be caged as an animal?
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: AIM Publishing
• Release date: Dec 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215483664

J. R. Rada

J. R. Rada is the author of seven novels, a non-fiction book and a non-fiction collection. These include the historical novels Canawlers, October Mourning, Between Rail and River and The Rain Man. His other novels are Logan’s Fire, Beast and My Little Angel. His non-fiction books are Battlefield Angels: The Daughters of Charity Work as Civil War Nurses and Looking Back: True Stories of Mountain Maryland.He lives in Gettysburg, Pa., where he works as a freelance writer. Jim has received numerous awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association, Associated Press, Maryland State Teachers Association and Community Newspapers Holdings, Inc. for his newspaper writing.If you would like to be kept up to date on new books being published by J. R. Rada or ask him questions, he can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail] see J. R. Rada's other books or to order copies on-line, go to jamesrada.com.

Book preview

Chapter 1

July 9, 1993

When the Lachmans arrived back at the farmhouse, Jacob Lachman pulled his brother’s still-unconscious body from the truck bed and slung it over his shoulder. He carried his brother up the stairs to his bedroom, knocking Esau’s head against the wall occasionally.

Not upstairs, Jacob. In the basement, and be careful with him. He’s your brother, not a bag of potatoes, Eva Lachman directed her son when he was halfway up the stairs.

Jacob turned around, letting Esau’s head hit the wall as he did. Eva sighed and threw up her hands. Maybe Jacob would get lucky and knock some sense into his brother’s head.

Jacob walked back through the kitchen to the stairway that led to the basement. The basement was unfinished. It had no windows in it, so it was very dark and seemed smaller than it actually was. Eva only used it when she needed to wash clothes or she wanted to store food away for the winter. The walls were made of stone, which helped keep the temperature in the basement cool, no matter how hot the temperature was outside. While the basement might be nice in the summer, it made Eva’s elderly joints stiff.

The wooden stairs complained loudly under the combined weight of both Jacob and Esau, but they held as Jacob walked down.

Eva hurried upstairs and brought a blanket, a thick comforter, and a pillow into the basement. She arranged a makeshift bed in the middle of the floor and pointed to it.

Put Esau on this, she told Jacob.

Jacob did as she asked. This time, he was careful not to abuse his brother since she was watching. Eva laid her head on her Esau’s chest to listen for his heartbeat.

She stood up and said, Jacob, I want you to tear these stairs down.

What?

You heard me. Tear these stairs down. Get a saw or an axe out of the garage if you need to, but all I want left when you’re done is a pile of firewood, Eva explained.

But if I do that, we won’t be able to get down into the basement, Jacob complained.

We can use a ladder, but right now, I want you to tear those stairs down. We’ll use the wood in the stoves.

Yes, Mama.

After Jacob climbed to the top of the stairs and went into the garage, Eva went upstairs to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. Her hand shook as she raised the glass to her mouth, but she steadied it with her other hand. Even so, some of the water spilled onto her dress.

She had to do this, she told herself. Esau was making her do this.

He was being a bad boy, and he had to be punished.

She had both her sons back. She had escaped from Mueller, and now she would make sure he never had a chance to get them again.

Jacob came back from the garage with an axe and started down the stairs. You’ll let me out once I knock the stairs down, won’t you, Mama? I don’t like it in the basement. It’s too cold.

Eva nodded. I’ll put the ladder over the side so you can get back up, she assured him.

Jacob went down the stairs and Eva moved to the edge of the doorway to watch him. His first swing of the axe took out one of the banister supports. He grabbed hold of the loose wood and pulled it free from the wall. The destructiveness seemed to excite him and he swung the axe faster and harder at the lowest step, smashing through it. He laughed and continued his assault on the stairs. When he finished, all that was left of the staircase was small blocks of wood, just as she asked. He always did what she asked, unlike Esau.

Jacob lowered the axe reluctantly and looked up at his mother. He looked as if he doubted she would lower the ladder for him...

Now stack the pieces in the corner, Jacob, and I’ll let the ladder down for you.

Jacob did as he was told and began stacking the pieces on top of each other against the far wall. Eva disappeared from his view and returned a few minutes later. She pushed the metal ladder through the doorway and let it dip slowly toward the ground.

That’s good enough. Come on up here.

Jacob climbed the ladder to the kitchen. When he was standing on the floor, he pulled the ladder up.

Eva hugged him and said, You’re a good boy, Jacob.

Jacob grinned. Eva picked up a five-dollar bill from the counter and handed it to him. He took it and looked at it.

Why don’t you go into town and get yourself some ice cream? Kendall’s should be open by the time you walk into town. But don’t talk to anyone you don’t know and don’t go anywhere but to Kendall’s and back. No playing around today. Do you understand me?

Jacob nodded, still smiling. He hugged his mother lightly and then hurried out to the garage. Eva watched him leave and hoped she wasn’t letting him get himself into more trouble.

Jacob got his reward for being good and Esau got his punishment for being bad.

Once Jacob had left, Eva returned to the kitchen. She pulled one of the kitchen chairs up to the edge of the doorway and sat down. She waited for the drugs Mueller had injected into Esau to wear off. When he stirred, Eva stood up and pushed the chair away from the doorway.

Esau came awake with a start. He sat up straight, swinging his fists at an imagined enemy. When he realized he was alone, he stopped swinging. He looked around the basement in a slight daze, then he looked up and saw his mother watching him from the doorway.

Mama? he said.

Yes, Esau.

Am I in our basement?

She nodded. Yes, Esau.

How did I get here? The last thing I remember was Dr. Mueller sticking a needle in my arm. Then everything went fuzzy and dark.

He was going to kill you, just like I told you he would do if he had the chance. Why didn’t you listen to me? I warned you so many times about him, but you didn’t listen to me. You were a very bad boy, Esau, Eva said as she shook her finger at him.

Esau looked at the cement floor in shame.

I want to be human. All human, not just part. I want to outside of the yard. I can’t do that when I look like a monster. I thought he could help me. He said he could. Esau lowered his eyes to the floor.

Help you? I thought your brother was the stupid one in the family, but even he wouldn’t have gone to Karl Mueller for help. Mueller made you what you are!

Then he would also be the most likely person to make me human, Esau said.

Eva shook her head in frustration.

Where are the stairs? Esau asked.

They’re gone. I had Jacob break them down. Esau moved up under the doorway. Because now the only way in or out of the basement is on the ladder, Eva said.

But why?

Because I want you to stay in the basement.

What!

"You’ve been a bad boy, Esau. I can’t trust you to stay in the house when I’m not home or even when I’m not watching. So at least now I’ll know where you are, and Mueller won’t be able to get you. You’ll be safe. Don’t you see? I’m protecting you so