Chapter 1

The steam train slowed as it approached the Rotterdam Centrum platform, the clouds of burnt coal smoke caused Gerry's eyes to water when he thrust his head out of the train window and he felt the hot coal cinders hitting him on the cheek. As the train moved along the platform he spotted Tante Helena who was moving rapidly away from the edge of the platform as a cloud of white steam obscured her from his view.

Gerry had lusted after Tante Helena since he was twelve; his first experience of masturbation had occurred when he fantasised about her while he was in his bath. Tante Helena at thirty-five years old was three years younger than Gerry's father and had been a widow for many years after losing her husband when he fell off his motorcycle and broke his neck. She was no longer slim but neither was she fat, her figure had filled out and Gerry thought she was sexy and cuddly. Her narrow waist served to emphasize her plump breasts and her shoulder length hair framed a heart shaped face and elegant neck. She was not beautiful but her brown eyes were exquisitely shaped and she had a way of looking at Gerry that even at twelve had caused him to become aroused and embarrassed.

The train ground to a stop and Gerry lugged his travelling bag out of the train pushing through the crowd of departing passengers to where he had last seen Tante Helena.

She saw him first and yelled, "Gerry, over here."

Gerry ran to her and dropping his bag he threw his arms around her and Tante Helena with her arms tightly around him, hugged and pressed her body firmly against him.

Gerry pulled away from her closeness to avoid the embarrassment of an erection but Tante Helena grasped him by the shoulders and pushing her pelvis harder against him, held him at arms length.

"Gerry, you have grown up, how tall are you now?"

"I'm five feet ten now but I'm still skinny."

"No. I think that you're just right but you're a lot taller than I am and you are so good looking, I'll bet you have many girlfriends."

Helena's appraisal caused Gerry to blush but worse, his erection poked into her as she pulled him close again.

"You shouldn't be shy with me," she said and standing on her toes she kissed his cheek.

Gerry pulled away and slowly he reached down to picked up his bag, he was trying to hide his erection wishing that it would go away.

Helena slipped her arm into his and led him to the exit.

"Well I don't know how to entertain a young man for two weeks but I'm sure that we'll think of something," Helena said smiling up at Gerry.

Outside the station Helena found her bicycle, it was surrounded by many others. Poverty and the flat country made bicycles cheap transport.

"We can strap your bag on the rack behind the saddle, then you can sit on the bar and I'll pedal us home."

Gerry hoisted his bag onto the rack, he bumped the small pouch that hung from the back of the saddle and heard the tools inside rattle. He secured the bag in place with cord that was tied loosely on the rack.

"No, you sit on the bar and I'll peddle," said Gerry mounting the cycle.

Helena backed up to the bicycle and Gerry assisted her to sit on the bar and off they pedalled. The breeze blew Helena's hair into his face and Gerry revelled in the feel and the clean smell of it not caring that it sometimes obscured his vision.

Helena's tenement house was located on Dirk Smits Straat, two streets away from Jonker Frans Straat the center of the city. Opening the front door she wheeled the bicycle in and leaned it against the wall in the hallway. She watched as he released his bag from the rack then taking Gerry's arm she led him up a narrow flight of stairs and down a narrow hall and opened a door to a small room.

"This is your room leave your bag in there, you know where everything is; you've been here before. And I'm serious Gerry, if there is anything that you need, just ask me."

"Thank you Tante Helena..."

She quickly interrupted him, "While you're here with me, call me Lien but don't tell your father, he's a bit old fashioned. You're old enough now to be treated as an adult member of our family."

Gerry's face reddened, "Thank you Tante Lien..."

"No just Lien."

"Thank you, ah, Lien," Gerry replied hesitantly.

"Well, take your time, unpack your bag, have a wash and then come downstairs and I'll have coffee ready."

As Lien walked downstairs she felt awakened by her nephew, the novelty of his obvious sexual reactions to her stirred emotions that she had not experienced in a long time.

When Gerry entered Lien's living room the large radio was playing, tuned to the local station. The coffee table was set with a coffee pot on a warmer heated by a small candle in the base. Sugar, cream, two cups and saucers, and a plate of Swiss chocolates that Lien had bought earlier that day completed the setting.

Lien poured coffee, added sugar and cream and then passed a cup on its saucer to Gerry then she offered him a chocolate just as the radio announcer interrupted the broadcast, 'Please standby, we are switching to Hilversum for an important news flash.'

Lien reached and grabbed Gerry's hand and with her other hand placing her fingers to her mouth she said, "Shush." She continued to hold Gerry's hand, a look of fearful anticipation on her face as she listened to the news broadcast.

'The massing of German armed forces at the southern border is causing grave concern. Today the government has ordered our ambassador in Berlin to call on the German government to reiterate that The Netherlands is a neutral country and our government requests an explanation of this show of force. Now we return you to our normal broadcasts, ' the broadcaster concluded.

Lien now held Gerry's hand tightly, he was so full of excitement that he had not heard the news broadcast, the physical contact with Lien had brought him to full erection. But Lien's mind was full of fear of the coming invasion.

That night alone in bed, Gerry's adolescent hormones aroused him so mightily that he masturbated twice before he could lapse into sleep.

Down the hallway Lien was in bed struggling to fall asleep, she was full of the conflicting emotions caused by the national insecurity and the unfulfilled arousal that Gerry was causing her. Her hand slipped into her panties...

The next morning Lien arose early and had a large breakfast cooking. When it was almost ready she climbed the narrow stairs and found Gerry's door ajar. With strange sounds coming from inside and fearing that Gerry might be ill she silently pushed the door ajar.

Gerry was on the bed his right hand firmly gripping and pumping his penis; his left hand, holding a handkerchief, flew to the head of his cock as he moaned and ejaculated.

Lien's first reaction was to cough and let him know that she had witnessed his act instead she withdrew quietly and crept downstairs.

At the bottom of the stairs she yelled, "Gerry! Breakfast!"

She heard Gerry clearing his throat, "Coming," he answered hoarsely.

'Yes youngster, you just have, ' she thought with glee.

Without waiting she started eating and shortly Gerry joined her.

"Gerry, you look flushed, you're not sick are you," Lien toyed with him.

"No I'm not sick," he replied weakly, unable to think quickly of anything else to say.

During the next three days the news of the German army build-up was increasingly depressing and worried for Gerry's safety, if he were to travel back home to Amsterdam, she wrote to her brother:

'My dearest Marius, The news of an imminent German invasion gives me deep concern. I am worried that if Gerard were to travel he might be subject to danger the like of which we have never seen before. Please advise me what I should do and you should know that I would not do anything until I hear from you. Please give my warmest best wishes to Sofie. Your loving sister, Lien.'

On May 10th the southern area of the Netherlands was invaded and the government was issued with an ultimatum. If the Holland does not capitulate, then the German armed forces will completely destroy Rotterdam. The government immediately surrendered but this did not stop the German's advancing on Rotterdam.

In the early hours of May 14th hundreds of German paratroopers were dropped into the countryside surrounding Rotterdam. They moved quickly to the outskirts of the city and waited. In the central Post Office a letter from Marius Raymer to his sister Helena Linderstrom was sorted and placed into a mailbag for delivery. It was never delivered.

The German high command had developed a war tactic called the blitzkrieg; it was first used when they invaded Poland. The strategy was to attack with great force, cause as much damage to the opposing army and civilians as possible, retreat and regroup the forces then attack again, until victory was assured.

In the afternoon of May 14th the German's began their blitzkrieg on Rotterdam with an air attack involving hundreds of Stuka dive-bombing aircraft equipped with four bombs, two wing cannons and a rear gunner. Mounted on the plane's fixed undercarriage was a wind driven siren whose wailing screaming sound could be heard several kilometres away. This siren was intended to cause extreme terror in the army and civilian population under attack. The screaming sound of the first wave of Stuker's diving on the city terrified citizens for kilometres around the center.

Gerry and Lien had just finished lunch and were chatting, sitting quietly when the first wave of ten Stuker's began their simultaneous attack on Jonker Frans straat, the center of the city.

Lien's house was only two streets from the city center and the wailing screams of the sirens, the bombs whistling down and the low level sounds of the Stuka's powerful engines caused Lien's house to reverberate.

At the first sounds of the attack Gerry and Lien stood up from the table where they had been eating their midday meal, terrified. One after the other the bombs exploded and Lien held Gerry close, her heart thumping her knees trembling. Without thinking they crawled under the kitchen table together and they hid there, petrified, for the next two hours.

When the attacks were diminishing, around four p.m., Gerry scrambled to his feet but Lien reached out from under the table and held him firmly by the ankle.

"Gerry! Stay inside, your father asked me to take care of you. It's not safe outside," Lien yelled angrily.

Gerry did not reply and wrenching his ankle from her grasp he made his way to the front door. Cautiously he opened it and peered out. The house across the road was on fire but there were no people visible, no sounds of rifle fire so he opened the door further and stepped out onto the porch. The scream of a Stuka's siren flooded down the street. The sound so intense that he had to jam his fingers into his ears to ease the pain.

He looked up the street in time to see the Stuka drop its main bomb and pulling out of its dive, it flew low down the street, the roar of its unmuffled engine caused Gerry's chest to drum. The plane was so low that Gerry briefly saw the pilot and his rear gunner working at their controls. Just before reaching Lien's house the machine guns on the plane's wings opened fire. The cannon fire from the wing closest to Gerry raked down the center of the street shattering the cobblestones and throwing the gravel high into the air hitting him, stinging his face and chest.

Gerry moved back but continued watching with alarm as the cannon on the far wing pulverised the tiled roofs on the houses across the road, the rear gunner also firing into the houses across the road was causing their roofs to collapse.

Further down the street a house exploded into flames when cannon fire ignited the gas main. Fear ate into Gerry and he hurried back inside the house and slammed the door.

Lien was waiting for him and grasped his arm, "I told you to stay inside," she shouted angrily.

When she tried to drag him back into the kitchen he wrenched away and opening the front door again; he stepped out onto the porch. His excitement was mounting again, as he smelled the burnt exhaust gases from the plane dissipating in the turbulent air that marked the Stuka's passing. Looking into the sky he saw the Stuka high up making a tight turn. Then it began to dive again.

Down the street he saw a man stagger from the burning house, his clothes on fire, the flesh melting from his arms. He fell to the road and ceased moving.

Up the street where the Stuka had dropped its main bomb the front wall of three tenement houses had collapsed on the street. Horrified Gerry turned and ran inside the house as the Stuka's cannon strafed the houses again. He ran into Lien's arms and together they hid under the kitchen table again as they felt and heard the cannon fire hitting the upstairs rooms.

Lien became hysterical and while Gerry wasn't much better he turned and pulled her face to him and he kissed her. Holding her close he stretched out full length under the table and pulling Lien with him they lay face to face.

Lien continued sobbing as he gently caressed her arms, becoming bolder he pulled her closer to him and gently kissed her on the cheek. This act of kindness caused Lien to quieten but Gerry still held her close, slowly she moved her hand to Gerry's hip and rubbing in circles massaged the muscles in his lower back. She pushed her pelvis harder against him when she felt his growing erection. She welcomed the diversion, 'Anything to take my mind off these terrible events, ' she thought.

For half an hour they held each other close, caressing and kissing. The air attack had stopped but the heated atmosphere under the table was too much for Gerry and his inexperienced hand moved under Lien's dress and he tried to remove her panties.

Lien had recovered her composure and her hand reached out and stopped him "Making love should be done slowly my darling. I know that you're inexperienced so I shall teach you."

Gerry was breathless and choking with lust, he was unable to speak; instead he nodded and then kissed Lien. He felt the heat in his breath as he kept close to her cheek.

She slowly undid the buttons on his fly and releasing his engorged erection started stroking him gently. She undid his belt and he pushed his trousers down to his knees. She knew that he would not last long, his youth would see to that. Then she eased her hips off the floor and slid her panties down and off, tossing them across the room.

"My darling, a women is like your father's baking oven, first you have to start the fire and you tend that fire until the oven is at the right temperature, then you can put the loaf in," she squeezed him emphasising 'the loaf'.

Gerry laughed quietly and his nervous tension eased.

"I will show you later the finer points but for now give me your finger."

She led his finger down through her coarse pubic hair and when she reached the important parts she pressed his finger harder against her explaining quickly each part of her genitals.

When she reached her clitoris she explained, "This is my clitoris and it very similar to your loaf," again she squeezed his cock.

By the time Lien had reached her clitoris she was wet, she took his finger and placed it at the entrance to her vagina, "Feel how wet I am? That means the oven is now at the right temperature. Now we can put the loaf in the oven."

Lien rolled onto her back and pulling Gerry by the prick she forced him to roll between her legs.

"I want you to go slow, there's no need to hurry. Now push slowly into me."

Gerry was nervous but highly excited by his first sexual contact with a woman. He felt Lien guiding him but when he felt the liquid warmth of her he involuntarily pushed forward.

"Slowly now, it's all right, you'll learn how to control yourself as you get more experience. Just move slowly."

Slowly Gerry moved until he felt her pubic bone stopping him from proceeding further.

"Oh you're so big. Darling, just stop there so I can get used to you, it's been a long time since I have loved a man."

Lien clenched her internal muscles once, aware that her young lover would climax quickly but she wanted to feel him filling her for a little while longer.

But Gerry could not hold back and as he withdrew Lien grabbed his buttocks revelling in her renewed emotions. When he had fully stroked back into her she held him immobile.

Gerry endured only two more thrusts before he felt that his climax was close. And Lien sensing this whispered, "Don't come in me, do you know what I mean? I don't want to get pregnant."

Gerry pushed home one more time and as he withdrew he yelled, "I'm coming."

Lien reached down and grabbing his wet slippery cock she held him close to her belly, "Oh yes, come darling, push, and come for me."

Now free from inhibition Gerry went wild, thrusting against Lien's belly.

She continued to hold him close, jammed between her hand and her belly, until his breathing settled and he kissed her on the cheek.

"Well my darling, the loaf is cooked but there is still fire in the oven," giggling she continued, "later I will show you how to look after the oven. You never know but I could turn you into a good baker yet," she laughed heartily but her anxieties held her back, 'I couldn't enjoy you with our life under threat like this, ' she thought wistfully.

Gerry crawled out from under the table, hoisted his pants, buttoned his fly and moved out to the porch, he couldn't see far, the air was full of smoke; Rotterdam was burning. But he could see nearby buildings that were burning fiercely.

Lien was busy, following instructions the she had heard on the radio, storing water in large pots before the pressure in the mains failed. She had tried the light switch but the electricity supply had failed.

Back again in the kitchen he helped Lien store water in every available container then he took her by the hand and together they inspected the upstairs rooms. The Stuka's cannons had destroyed Gerry's room, the ceiling had detached and dropped to the floor where it lay contorted in shape where it bent around his bed. Most of the roof tiles had been destroyed and through the broken tiles smoke was filling into the room but they could see the denser smoke pall outside.

Lien squeezed his hand and through tear filled eyes she said, "My poor house it's ruined, let's try and find your bag."

Together they lifted and pulled the broken plaster and finding Gerry's bag they pulled it free. In the hallway Gerry opened it and was dismayed to find that a cannon shell had gone straight through it.

Lien laughed as Gerry pulled a pair of trousers out and held them against himself. The trousers had a large shell hole where each trouser leg met.

"Well I needed extra breathing space!" Gerry exclaimed.

Lien took the trousers from him and tried to kiss him but she was unable to stop laughing but then suddenly she was crying, "My house is ruined."

Lien was on the verge of hysteria as Gerry took her into his arms.

"Please Lien we must stay calm. Come now, we must go outside and see if any of the fires are a threat to the house."

Sniffling and drying her eyes on the edge of her skirt, "It must be done but let's wait until it's dark, I'll feel safer then."

"Do you have a pistol or a rifle that we could use to protect ourselves?"

"My husband had a small sports pistol, I'll have to look for it, I think it's in a trunk in the cupboard under the stairs."

Just before dark, around six pm, they heard desultory rifle fire. They didn't know that it was from the German army moving in to take control of what remained of the city. The poorly equipped Dutch army had been quickly overrun.