I flashed my eyes outside the cold glass window. I was not prepared for what I was about to
see. My heart slammed against my chest and my throat suddenly felt tight. A long line of
Jews were being rounded up and were shuffling slowly into the ghetto. German Nazis were
shouting some words that I did not quite understand. As I looked, I edged as quickly as I
had looked away from the window. I held my breath. My father was Jewish. If Papa was
Jewish, would that mean that I could one day have the cruel torture that the Nazis had in
hand? I was only a girl of thirteen called Shiloe who was half Jewish, would that bother
them? Of course it would. I tried hard not to think of that sickening thought which kept
whirling round my head.
“Shiloe.” That was Mama. “Downstairs quick.”
I found myself scrambling down the stairs. Papa was opening up a few wooden floor
boards.
“Get in, now!” Papa shouted. I glanced at him. He had a worry line painted across his face
that I had never noticed before. I slipped easily in between the old wooden floorboards,
stumbling from two smooth stone steps into a rather sparse cold room, which was the
basement. Cob webs hung lazily across the grey painted ceiling. It smelt damp and felt
tight. Mama slid in with Papa not far behind. Just when Papa was adjusting the last
floorboards above his head, we heard the clear banging noises of the back of a rifle
thumping loudly against the door.
My hold on Mama’s hand gripped tighter. I was scared, not scared, I was terrified. I closed
my eyes hoping desperately that they would just go away. The war had broken out in 1939.
I used to be innocent of the war and evil which was wildly spreading across Germany, and all
the way to Poland. Hitler then had planned to liquidise all the Jewish girls, boys, men and
women. Now my innocence was smoked out and blackened as I knew what was happening
to my country.
I remembered playing outside in the hot sun without a care in the world, letting the days fly
by. That was all before the first gun shots had pierced the air. That was all before the first
declare of war was announced on the radios all over Poland. Now I could never play freely
without a care in the world like I used to. Those days for me were over. War and fear was
polluting my country and I will stand up for it whatever it takes. If only I could save all those
Jews.
I heard the door brake open. I estimated by all the footsteps there was roughly 2-4
Germans. I shuddered as I heard the book case once so full and still, fall heavily to the
ground above me. Dust wafted through onto my lap. The smashing of crockery and china
rang throughout the house. “They have most likely escaped and will come back by morning. We will wait for another 12 hours!”
Above my head I heard some moans from some soldiers, probably because of watch duty.
As I strained my ears the moans turned into an argument. “No moaning,” the officer was shouting angrily. The soldier seemed to be ignoring the officer. Then I heard a loud thump. The soldier had fallen sharply to the ground and all I could hear were agonizing groans. “That will teach you,” spat the officer.
After what seemed 12 hours, I heard them leave. We stayed in the basement for another
two hours to be safe. Papa slowly lifted the old wooden floorboards and quietly climbed out.
Mama and I followed. I scanned the room in horror. All Mama’s china and crockery, which
had only been a present to her two weeks ago, was all smashed up and was peppered along
with shards of glass and used cigars all over the floor.
“We are going to catch the train to Lithuania, there is no time to pack anything,” Papa
breathed while flinging his coat around him and slipping out in to the thick night. Mama did
the same and told me to grab my coat and hurry. Just as I had unhooked my coat, I heard
an agonising groan from the other side of the room. I tiptoed to where it was, then gasped.
There in the corner lay the Nazi soldier who was moaning, when I was tucked in below in the
basement. Words flew through my mind. Do not help the Nazi soldier, look what they have
done to your people and country! One good deed leads to another, after all he is a human
just like you!
Without thinking, I grabbed the first aid box and carefully snipped a fairly decent size of
dressing and wrapped it firmly around his arm where he had been firmly jabbed by the butt
of the rifle. I pressed my hands forcibly over the wound to stop further bleeding. “W-why are you helping me?” He wheezed. “ I am doing this, because you are just a human like me, I am proving to you that I am a human too, although a Jew.”
I had already sacrificed precious time for the Nazi soldier and I stood up to go.
“Thank you for the kindness you have shown me this day. I will never forget it as long as I
live. I will repay the kindness that you have shown me to another Jew.”
I smiled at the soldier, “thank you,” I whispered beneath my breath. I dashed out into the cold dark night with the stars looming ahead like bright hanging lanterns, with the assurance that because of my act the German soldier would repay my kindness to another Jew. I could not save them all, but I knew that I had at least saved one.
Comments