'CRUNCH ' The rifle butt smashed into Carl's temple. Neither father nor son had seen the guard rushing towards them; both had been totally lost in the joy of seeing each other alive. Carl went down still looking at his son, still holding out his hands to him. Now everything seemed to be in slow motion; he saw his son scream, "Pappa," but he did not hear him. He fell hard into the mud, but he did not feel it. Darkness was rushing in, but it allowed him to see his son one last time before it took him, and Carl saw his son seemingly fly through the air as Karl launched himself at the guard.