Run My Darlings, Run
Chapter 2
We had lived in a peaceful cottage by a lake, in which Papa had often taken me fishing. In spring, clumps of flowers were scattered everywhere. In winter, soft snow spiralled and danced all the way to cover the ground. Any time of year it was cheerful at the cottage. We lived in peace, all together as a family. Six months ago, this was the image of our home. Now it was just a heap of ash, slowly blowing away over the wind. It was burned to the ground by the Nazis.
I remember them coming, with their rifles held tightly, heads held high. They came in the dead of night, when the pale moon was hidden by clouds. The door splintered terribly, and groaned in protest as it thudded to the floor, kicked in by heavy, booted feet. The Nazis had arrived at our door.
It was Liesel who saw them first. She was on the way to bed, and had her foot on the first step when the intruders burst in. Only nine, she was an easy target, and was scooped up immediately. Her cries of pain and outrage brought my parents running. They stopped dead at the sight of the Nazis, and their faces turned pale in fear
“Sie sind in Haft, ein Jude zu. Ein Jude, ein widerlich Stück Scheiße” a big, burly man growled. You are under arrest for being a Jew. A Jew, a disgusting piece of… I would prefer not to say exactly what he called us. It was so very rude of him.
“Ja, Juden! Stirbst Juden stirbst.” the rest cheered. Yes Jews. Die Jews die. They had bound our hands and marched us out of the house. They made us watch as they burned that dear little cottage to the ground. When it was just a sorry looking heap of ash and twisted objects that the fire didn’t burn completely, they marched us off to the train. We all knew where it was heading – a labour camp.
It was horrible on that train. Lack of fresh air made many people die. It was just too cramped. At every station we stopped at, when we opened the doors, dozens of dead people fell out onto the ground. Liesel, being so young was terrified – anyone her age would be afraid of dead people surrounding them. Mama and papa tried to comfort her. They sang lullabies until their throats were sore and told stories until their voices ran out. They cuddled her, until they had cramps running from the tips of their fingers to their shoulders. Nothing worked. Even if they made her sleep, she would have nightmares of skeletons coming, creeping nearer and nearer, and she would wake up crying and sobbing as if she was mad.
“Hush jetzt mein liebling,” Papa soothed. Hush now, my darling. But the deep, rocking sobs continued throughout the night. Mama had long discovered that the door keeping us in wasn’t properly latched. She beckoned us over, and showed us the loose door, rattling. We would wait until the time was right and all escape. We would build another house, one even prettier than the first, surrounded by a big garden.
“Can we have puppies? And ponies? And kittens?” Liesel whispered, eyes shining.
“Whatever you wish, mein Liebling.” Mama stroked her hair.
“What about a tree house? And dollies? And COWS?” Liesel had a thing about cows.
“Of course,” Mama whispered. “Just wait now, sleep if you can. We will have to travel for a long time, mein lieblinge.” Her voice was soothing and gentle. I found my eyes closing, and as my thoughts melted together, I fell into the world of dreams.
I remember them coming, with their rifles held tightly, heads held high. They came in the dead of night, when the pale moon was hidden by clouds. The door splintered terribly, and groaned in protest as it thudded to the floor, kicked in by heavy, booted feet. The Nazis had arrived at our door.
It was Liesel who saw them first. She was on the way to bed, and had her foot on the first step when the intruders burst in. Only nine, she was an easy target, and was scooped up immediately. Her cries of pain and outrage brought my parents running. They stopped dead at the sight of the Nazis, and their faces turned pale in fear
“Sie sind in Haft, ein Jude zu. Ein Jude, ein widerlich Stück Scheiße” a big, burly man growled. You are under arrest for being a Jew. A Jew, a disgusting piece of… I would prefer not to say exactly what he called us. It was so very rude of him.
“Ja, Juden! Stirbst Juden stirbst.” the rest cheered. Yes Jews. Die Jews die. They had bound our hands and marched us out of the house. They made us watch as they burned that dear little cottage to the ground. When it was just a sorry looking heap of ash and twisted objects that the fire didn’t burn completely, they marched us off to the train. We all knew where it was heading – a labour camp.
It was horrible on that train. Lack of fresh air made many people die. It was just too cramped. At every station we stopped at, when we opened the doors, dozens of dead people fell out onto the ground. Liesel, being so young was terrified – anyone her age would be afraid of dead people surrounding them. Mama and papa tried to comfort her. They sang lullabies until their throats were sore and told stories until their voices ran out. They cuddled her, until they had cramps running from the tips of their fingers to their shoulders. Nothing worked. Even if they made her sleep, she would have nightmares of skeletons coming, creeping nearer and nearer, and she would wake up crying and sobbing as if she was mad.
“Hush jetzt mein liebling,” Papa soothed. Hush now, my darling. But the deep, rocking sobs continued throughout the night. Mama had long discovered that the door keeping us in wasn’t properly latched. She beckoned us over, and showed us the loose door, rattling. We would wait until the time was right and all escape. We would build another house, one even prettier than the first, surrounded by a big garden.
“Can we have puppies? And ponies? And kittens?” Liesel whispered, eyes shining.
“Whatever you wish, mein Liebling.” Mama stroked her hair.
“What about a tree house? And dollies? And COWS?” Liesel had a thing about cows.
“Of course,” Mama whispered. “Just wait now, sleep if you can. We will have to travel for a long time, mein lieblinge.” Her voice was soothing and gentle. I found my eyes closing, and as my thoughts melted together, I fell into the world of dreams.