635798

For whatever reason, Vater thought it was a good idea to bring Mutter and my sisters to a roll call. No matter how much Aalyshah protested, they were forced to go. Abbey was excited, but that was because she didn’t even know what happened during roll calls. She probably didn’t even know what a roll call was. Mutter made no move to protest. She didn’t want Vater to know her thoughts on this dreadful time period. I didn’t bother protesting either. If Vater didn’t listen to one of his darling daughters, obviously he wouldn’t listen to me.

The next day was when this happened. The puppies were brought along to begin their training. Berlin was happy like he usually was, despite the solemn mood. Abbey didn’t seem o notice it. She laughed at Berlin as we stood in front of 635798’s barrack. Aalyshah was looking around, trying to take it all in. At least three SS men stood in front of each barrack. The rows of them were endless, seeming to go on forever. Mutter watched each one being unlocked. Women began to pile out and form their five-by-five squads. Each stared at a doctor, fearing selection. I caught sight of Arzt Mengele near ours. I held my tongue, careful not to point him out to Mutter and Aalyshah. Instead, I watched Father and another SS man unlock the barrack and enter.

“Schnell! Schnell!”

Abbey jumped at the anguish in their tones. She stared at the bony, sick women walking out of the barrack. Laughter was no longer coming out of her mouth.

635798’s squad was already finished forming, but she wasn’t in her usual spot. Neither was Chaya. In the midst of the women, 635798’s silhouette formed. It was still in the barrack, kneeling in front of her bunk. A panicked expression was on her face. She was shaking what seemed to be a body. I knew it was Chaya’s by the size of it. 635798 kept shaking, but Chaya wouldn’t budge. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. As I feared for the worse, 635798 was biting her bottom lip, holding back what was probably a cry. A woman cupped her armpits and stood her up. 635798 reluctantly walked outside and to her usual spot. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

I felt a tap on my arm. “That girl’s crying,” Abbey whispered. She was pointing to 635798.

Vater and the SS man walked in the barrack to check for anyone hiding. When the man caught sight of Chaya, he pointed his rifle at her. He waited for her to move, but nothing happened. By now Vater had walked over. The man put his boot on Chaya. He made a quick jerk, and Chaya’s body rolled lifelessly to the floor. I sighed. The worst has happened. Vater waved his hand, signaling to get the body later.

635798 saw none of this.

Vater, the SS man, and Arzt Mengele stood in front of the women. 635798 was fidgeting, and desperately trying to wipe away tears. The SS man glanced at her, but made no move to attack. That meant she had nothing to do with today’s selection.

“Number two in each line,” Vater whispered to the SS man.

Number two was next to 635798. Chaya was always number two. She would have died today, anyway.

The SS man pointed his rifle and shot the first number two. Abbey screamed while Aalyshah and Mutter gasped. As the SS man shot away, Abbey and Aalyshah hid themselves behind me, crying. I saw 635798 jump as the woman next to her received a bullet to the head. She didn’t scream.

As the fourth person was shot, Abbey wailed behind me, “Make it stop!”

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Aalyshah whispered.

The shooting of our squad was soon over. Gun shots lingered off for the others. Aalyshah and Abbey held me so hard I couldn’t even move. Together we watched the SS man and Arzt Mengele pile the five dead bodies of the squad on top of each other. 635798 locked eyes with me. Tears were shining by the rims. She knew she was only one number away from dying.

“You!” Vater yelled, pointing to a woman opposite of 635798. “Dig up the ground to put those bodies in. The rest of you – Back to work!”

As most of the women started to descend for Buna, 635798 looked around for her Kapos. Vater walked over to us.

“Well?” he asked, smiling.

“You are a sick man,” Aalyshah spat.

“Excuse me?” Vater’s eyes were wide, stunned his own daughter spoke to him in such a manner.

“You heard me.” Aalyshah turned to Mutter. “Mama, I want to go back. Back home in Berlin.”

Berlin yipped at the sound of his name.

“We’re going to have a talk, young lady,” Vater said to Aalyshah.

I looked down at my petrified youngest sister. Her eyes were still where the women were shot.

“Why would you bring us to such a thing? Especially Abbey? Look how frightened she is!” Aalyshah exclaimed.

Abbey jumped, causing her to let go of Berlin. The puppy made no hesitation when freed. He bolted towards the direction of Jürgen’s mansion, and Jonji barked frantically.

“Look what you did, Abbey!” Vater screamed.

“I’m sorry!” she exclaimed. She hid herself even more behind me.

“You’re going to get a good spanking when we get to that mansion.”

“Don’t scare her even more!” Aalyshah exclaimed.

I didn’t need to hear any more fighting at the moment. I bolted after Berlin, pushing prisoners and SS men along the way. A little voice called after me. When I realized it was Abbey, I stopped and waited for her to catch up. Then, I broke out into only a jog since that was all Abbey’s running could catch up to.

I jogged for about two minutes when I saw a little German shepherd’s tail in midair. Someone was holding him. A prisoner was. I tapped Abbey and pointed. She beamed and screamed Berlin’s name. We heard a yip. Abbey wasted no time in running towards the sound. I jogged right behind her.

To my surprise, the person holding Berlin was 635798. She turned around to face Abbey and me, her Kapos by her side. At the sight of Abbey, the two of them smiled.

“This must be your puppy,” the Kapos said.

635798 bent down so she was Abbey’s height. She let Berlin jumped into my sister’s arms before standing upright.

“Thank you,” Abbey said quietly.

The Kapos bowed slightly. “No problem.”

“I’ll see you later?” I whispered in 635798’s ear.

She nodded, beaming.

I sighed. She was not going to be beaming later tonight.



What went down later with Vater and my sisters, I didn’t know. When Abbey and I returned with the puppy, he yanked him away. Instead of going to greet the new arrivals, he walked Mutter and my sisters back to Jürgen’s mansion, definitely not happy.

I would’ve gone to find out, but I had important business to take care of. How did one tell another that their closest friend died? Especially if the closest friend spent their whole time at Auschwitz with them? Chaya was all 635798 had left. I contacted Jürgen and asked if he could release 635798 early that night. He obliged, and shortly after dinner 635798 appeared with her Kapos.

635798 was running towards the barrack, frantic. Her legs were so bony they looked as if they were about to snap. I outstretched my hands to stop her, but she pushed passed me and into the barrack. The Kapos finally caught up, out of breath.

“I tried slowing her down but she really wanted to see the little girl,” he said.

The barrack was eerily quiet so the Kapos and I walked in. We passed up the rows of bunks until we reached 635798’s. She was standing, frozen, and looking down at Chaya, whose body was still on the floor. I crept closer.

“She’s dead, Six,” I said quietly.

635798 looked at me, frantically shaking her head. She dropped to her knees. The Kapos and I watched her try to wake up Chaya. Tears slipped down from her eyelids. While shaking Chaya, 635798 rocked herself back and forth, moving her head from side to side. She started to sniffle and take heavy breaths.

I knelt beside her. “I’m sorry.”

635798 leaned forward and buried her face in Chaya’s hair. Seconds later, she choked out a cry. It gradually turned into a sob. 635798’s fist squeezed parts of Chaya’s uniform. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her temple.

“Let’s bury her, okay?” I whispered soothingly. “We’re going to bury her.”

I had to pry 635798 away from the little girl. She watched me pick Chaya up and cradle her. 635798 held on to my arm as we walked outside. The Kapos found a shovel, and we took turns digging a grave behind the barrack. 635798 watched from five feet away, heaving. She ran over and squeezed Chaya’s hand as the Kapos and I rested her body in our hole. We pried 635798 away since she refused to let go. Once we were done piling the dirt where it had to be, 635798 stood on the grave, tears dripping to the ground.

The Kapos put a hand on my shoulder. “Let us pray?”

I nodded, taking off my cap.

The Kapos went up to 635798 and together, they knelt on the grave. They hugged as the Kapos said the Kabbash aloud. 635798 stayed quiet, squeezing her eyes shut and hugging the Kapos tightly. He began to rock the two of them, continuing the prayer.

When it was over, I dismissed him to back to the male’s ward. He patted 635798 before heading out. I stood over her, looking down at her trembling body. She suddenly threw her arms around my legs, burying her face between them. A loud cry rang out through the eerie camp. I sank down to my knees, engulfing her in my arms. She cried into the crook of my neck as I continuously kissed her temple. I rocked us and hugged her even tighter, burying my face in her hair.

We stayed like that until the whistle went off for all women to go to bed.