Life Is Beautiful

Rebecca’s eyes were locked on the pavement on the street.
Frank stood behind her, peering over her shoulder not sure of what was going on.
David and Adalinda rushed through the doorway to Frank and Rebecca’s room and hurried to them.
“We heard the sirens.” David spoke, his voice shaking slightly.
“It’s not for us,” Rebecca whispered, her gaze on the house across the street.
The four of them watched closely as the Gestapo rushed and bombarded through the house across the street. Their guns poised perfectly in their hands, their loud shouts heard all the way across town, their filthy swastika wrapped around their upper arms and their rage visible to anyone.
Even worse were the shouts and the cries coming from the people of the house.
It was clear there were Jews hiding by the word Juden being shouted over and over.
Adalindas gasp broke through the silence in the room and her sobbing was getting hysterical.
“Shh, Adalinda it’s fine.” David whispered comforting words and held her tightly.
Her chin rested on his shoulder and her voice was laced with fright and worry, “What about the children David? They’ll kill them.” She cried.
He whispered more and more comforting words in her ears, not sure of what to say himself.

Rebecca’s mouth was parted open, and her breathing was coming out fast and shaken.
She clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying out loud but her eyes released the water.
Frank’s nostrils flared as he looked across the street but his temper got worse when he realized Rebecca was shaking.
He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around, looking down at her with sorrowful eyes.
“Fr-, Fra-,” she stuttered, not being able to get a full word out of her throat.
Her cries were next to silent but her body was shaking furiously.
“We’re fine, it’s all fine.” He whispered, pulling her into a hug and holding her tightly.
“This isn’t supposed to happen. What is wrong with the world?” She asked.
For the first time she actually looked and sounded like a little girl to Frank.
Her blue eyes were wide and glassy with the tears and her rosy lips were parted open and shaking.
She was cracking right in his arms; she was losing hope right in his arms and when the first gunshot was heard she fell right through his arms and landed on the floor.

She gasped for air as her mind replayed the gun shot over and over in her head.
“Rebecca, breathe.” David spoke loudly and rushed to his daughter, holding her by the shoulders.
She cried, sniffling over and over and trying to swallow away the lumps in her throat.
There were loud and fast footsteps under them causing Frank and David to look at each other with panicked eyes.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry rushed through the house looking for the Straughten’s and Frank.
“David, we don’t have much time.” Peter Henry spoke out, his forehead sweating and his chest going in and out with rough breaths.
“You must hide. They’re searching the whole block.” Mrs. Henry said softly, her eyes watering and her hands folded together.
Frank looked between them, his brain pounding with confusion.
He wanted someone to translate, someone to tell him what they were saying.
“We can’t hide. There’s no time.” David said, his shoulders slumping and his hands letting go from Rebecca’s shoulders.

Her focus and mind was still stuck on the gunshot.
The image of that poor defenseless family being killed broke through her, shaking her up violently.
Adalinda huddled over to David and spoke up, her voice steady.
“David we have to hide the children. They can hide. They’re small enough to fit anywhere.”
She looked over at Frank and Rebecca, her eyes filling up with water and her heart pounding with dread.
“She’s right.” Mr. Henry spoke up and moved towards them.
“They both can hide in the vents.”
“You’re right.” David said, looking into his wife’s eyes.

Rebecca’s breathing steadied and she looked up, looking around at the faces surrounding her.
“What’s happening?” She asked, sitting up and wiping her face.
All eyes were on her as she looked around with wide eyes.
“Rebecca, you and Frank need to hide. The Gestapo is searching the block,”
Rebecca shook her head, “No no. They’re only across the street.”
David shook his head slowly and looked down, biting his lip.
“Listen to me,” His hands gripped her shoulders again.
“You and Frank are going to hide in the vents.” He spoke in English, his voice serious.
Frank’s eyes widened and he growled, “What?”

David looked up at Frank, his hands still holding onto Rebecca.
“The Gestapo is searching the block. You two are the only ones small enough to hide away. You’re going up in the vents. You must stay completely still and quiet. Any sound could be easily heard. We’re not sure if they’ll notice the pull down staircase so this is only a precaution.” He grabbed Rebecca and brought her up on her feet with him.
He handed her to Frank gently and looked between the both of them.
“You’ll be safe as long as you’re together.”

David and Peter walked to the air vents, Peter standing on a chair and opening up the small fence.
“They’ll be fine in here, don’t worry David.” Peter said, patting him lightly on the back.
David nodded and blinked, “Yes. Of course.”
“Adalinda, bring the children!” He called out, reading to give his daughter’s life to the hands of a seventeen year old boy.
“Now you both listen to me. If they happen to catch us you stay here in the vents for the rest of the day. They’ll probably be back to search for valuables, so be completely still.”
Frank nodded and took in David’s words as if they were coming from Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Rebecca’s jaw was clenched, her cheeks drenched with tears and her eyes dancing between her mother and her father.
“No, momma, poppa, I can’t leave you! I have to stay here with you!” She cried, immediately clinging to her mother.
Adalinda cried and kissed her daughter’s head before having her taken from her arms by David.
“Rebecca! Stop it! This is what’s best. We’ll be together again in a few minutes. You’ll just be atop of us, alright?” He smiled and brushed away her hair rubbed her cheek.
Her lips quivered but she nodded nonetheless and looked down.
“Alright, now get up there.”

Rebecca nodded and whimpered, standing up on the chair and lifting herself up to get inside the vent.
“Frank, you take care of my daughter. I know she’s safe with you.” David said low enough so Rebecca couldn’t hear.
Frank nodded and took his last good look at David.
It was amazing how much he and Rebecca looked alike. He obviously wasn’t Jewish because he was the epitome of the Aryan race, except his hair was brown.
His blue eyes and nose matched Rebecca’s, along with their pale porcelain skin.
“I’ll keep her safe sir.” Frank said.
David nodded and pulled Frank into a small hug, patting his back.
Frank looked over at Adalinda and received a warm smile over her sad face.
He nodded over at her and smiled, letting her know he was thankful for what they’d done.

With one last look at the Straughten’s and the Henry’s Frank stood and the chair and pulled himself up into the vent.
Rebecca was behind him, lying on her stomach and silently crying.
Frank scooted over to her and turned so they were facing each other, he too on his stomach.

“It’ll be alright.” He whispered as quiet as he could; trying to follow David’s orders.
But before Rebecca could believe him, the pounding on the Henry’s door began.