635798

Aalyshah was gone only two days after Christmas ended. Mutter and Abbey were still clueless about the hiding and they were beginning to get suspicious of my sister’s disappearance. 635798 let Aalyshah take home the dreidel as a souvenir of her stay. We were back to having absolutely nothing to do.

635798 took the departure a little hard. Aalyshah kept the energy going in this place, even if dreidel was all we could play. My sister kept 635798 sidetracked while waiting for Marta’s descriptive letters. Now, 635798 was back at her peephole, sometimes crying.

Marta’s letters began to be written in German. Both parents died in a bombing nearby, and now Marta had the house to herself while waiting for her husband. 635798’s house had been raided recently. Furniture wasn’t taken, but many personal belongings were. Marta stopped them before they took 635798’s box away (apparently she had a box that contained random items she hoarded throughout the years. Her Vater wouldn’t let her take it to the ghetto).

The two friends finally reached the level of trust that was bound to come. 635798 mentioned some misadventures in Auschwitz and near the end of that section she talked about me. According to her description, I had hair as soft as feathers and eyes that reminded her of chocolate in their nearby shop. I was “handsome” and had a “loving” personality. I was caring, and took every chance I could get to keep her safe. We risked our lives plenty of times, but the fact that I didn’t care about myself was what made me so attractive. 635798 loved how I stayed by her side the whole time she was ill and I tried so hard to keep her hidden when Lenz and Gretel visited. She told her friend the blue satin dress I gave her for Christmas was one of the best things she’d ever received. And even though I wasn’t Jewish, I still celebrated Hanukah with her.

Marta’s response was that I was a keeper.

I didn’t asked 635798 to read these letters. I just read over her shoulder.

Siostra Katarzyna came upstairs not only with the daily mail, but also with some ink-black clothing. As she set them on the bed, 635798 looked over at me with an eyebrow raised. I shrugged.

“Letter for you,” Siostra Katarzyna said, dropping an envelope in front of 635798. “And clothes for the two of you.”

I walked over to the bed and examined the clothing. “Is there a funeral in town?”

The nun shook her head. “No. You two are going out.”

635798 and I scoffed in surprised.

“I feel bad for keeping you two so cooped up in here. Don’t you think you need some fresh air?” Siostra Katarzyna asked.

“Uh, sure. But we might get caught.”

“No you won’t. There are some nun-in-training clothes for Six and brother clothes for you, Wolfgang. I also gave you a winter hat to cover your hair. It’s New Year’s Eve! You two have to do something.”

The tips of 635798’s mouth drooped low.

“Brothers and nuns don’t date or marry,” I pointed out.

“But they can be friends. Just act like friends when you go out there. Everyone put money together for the two of you. Now, let’s get to it. I’ll help you get situated in the uniform, Six.”

Minutes later, I was dressed from head to toe in black. The brother uniform was thin and I couldn’t help but thank the Lord above for my thick pea coat. I noticed Siostra Katarzyna gave me suede shoes. Where the hell did the nuns get money for these?

635798 was dressed in all black as well. She wore black tights underneath the black dress. A black poncho-like thing (I wasn’t bold enough to ask Siostra Katarzyna what it was called. The less clueless she thought I was, the better) covered her shoulders. There were pockets within it so 635798 could hide her hands. She stood still as Siostra Katarzyna helped her get the headpiece on. Instead of a wimple (which covered both head and neck), 635798 just had what seemed to me an average piece of cloth. Siostra Katarzyna made sure to hide every piece of 635798’s brunette hair. A white strand wrapped around 635798’s face but otherwise, the headpiece was black.

“You both look like typical Catholic figures,” Siostra Katarzyna said.

I had the sudden urge to laugh.

“Let’s get Six in a coat. Then you two shall be on your way!” Siostra Katarzyna exclaimed happily.

“Aren’t we in the middle of nowhere?” I asked.

“The village is,” Siostra Katarzyna said, “but there are many things within it. You’ll just have to find them.”

635798 and I were alone outside, wrapped tightly in winter coats and accessories. 635798 looked around nervously. The last time she was ever outside in fresh air was probably before she moved to the ghetto. The cleanliness and freedom of the area overwhelmed her. I was given nervous eyes. I wrapped and arm around her shoulders and together, we made our way deeper into the village.

“How will we. Will we communicate?” 635798 asked as she limped besides me. Her legs still haven’t healed properly from Mengele’s treatment.

I shrugged. “I guess we use hand motions.”

“What if some. Someone recognizes me by. By my eyes? They are strange.”

“I’m sure they’ll just think it’s a genetic disorder.”

“Will there be Nazis?”

I shrugged, praying there wouldn’t be.

We proceeded and within five minutes we were deep in the village. This definitely wasn’t the rich side of Poland. People were wrapped in cloaks and stared at us jealously. Most cloaks had multiple patches. The minority were ripped in multiple places. Children ran around, dirty and cold. People coughed here and there as they trudged through the snow. Many avoided our eyes. The ones who didn’t touched their forehead, then chest, then the area near the left shoulder, and then the area near the right. They kept silent.

635798 slowly followed me as I guided her to the restaurant Siostra Katarzyna gave us directions to. Apparently there was a German-speaking waiter there that Siostra Katarzyna was friends with. I looked back at 635798, making sure she was okay. Her hands were burrowed in her pockets and her bare forehead was red from the nipping wind, blending in with some Mengele’s hot water marks. She looked around her, eyebrows scrunching and eyes shining. I couldn’t tell if the reason behind the tears was the cold or her surroundings.

We reached the restaurant with the name I wasn’t even going to try to pronounce. 635798 and I walked in, not expecting an excessive amount of heat to blast in our faces. It was very tight and waiters bumped us as they walked passed. A young man, no older than me, almost spilled water on 635798.

“Przepraszam, Siostra,” the waiter said.

“He actually thinks you’re a nun,” I whispered.

635798 smiled, relieved.

The waiter stood up straight. “Did you just speak German?”

I hesitated before nodding slowly. 635798 squeezed my hand.

“You two must be Bruder Gustav and Schwester Zoe. Siostra Katarzyna told me about you two. Visiting from Germany, eh?”

I stared at him dumbfounded. 635798 quickly nodded when she realized I wasn’t going to answer.

“Ah, alright. Follow me then.”

We followed the nameless waiter to a private room. It was dimly lit and one couldn’t fit between the back of the chairs and wall. I pulled out a chair for 635798. She squeezed in, grimacing as she hit her ribs. I squeezed into my chair after and the waiter was gone after leaving us menus.

“I. I don’t understand anything,” 635798 said as she looked through it.

“Well… at least there are pictures.” I curled my mouth in disgust at the sight of a seafood dish.

“I’m. I’m surprised he’s not su-suspicious. Nuns and brothers don’t date. And here we are. Together,” 635798 said.

“He probably believes the charade that we’re friends.”

The waiter came in and helped us pick out food. He poured the two of us red wine that the restaurant somehow afforded. 635798 looked like a child eating ice cream at the sight of it. I guess not having wine in almost a year did that to a person. She took a sip as soon as the waiter left. I chuckled as she licked her lips.

“How long has it been since you had wine?” I asked.

“Too long.” 635798 set her glass down. “Four years.”

“Jesus.” I tried the wine and was genially surprised at how rich it was. “Do you think this is supposed to be a date?”

635798 blushed while smiling. “Maybe.”

“How were all your dates?”

635798 shrugged. “Difficult. Being in a ghetto and. And all.”

That meant Isaac was the only one before me. “Did you kiss?”

I was given a raised eyebrow in response.

“Did you have you first kiss before me?”

635798 shook her head. “Isaac was traditional. You were. Were my first. First one.”

I chuckled, delighted.

“What. What about you?” 635798 asked.

“Eh. Was never that social. Never really had girlfriends. I had a ‘girlfriend’ back when I was about seven. We kissed once, but being seven we thought it was gross.”

635798 laughed. The waiter came in and gave us our food and left. 635798 tried cutting into her meat. Tried. She might as well have been cutting into rubber. The mash potatoes were so dry that I wanted to gag at the sight of them. 635798’s salad was covered in so much dressing that it could’ve been mistaken for soup. How did one mess up salad?

“Siostra Katarzyna said. Said this. This was the best rest. Restaurant.” 635798’s face scrunched together as she bit into what seemed to be a cooked carrot. After a minute of trying to swallow it, she gulped nearly half her wine.

“I rather have Siostra Katarzyna’s food.” Her food wasn’t even that good.

635798 began to mix her food around her plate, never taking another bite. “Wolfgang. How. How did you meet Lenz?”

I forced down some mystery meat. “At school. Met when we were about five. Just been friends ever since. Of course, during the past few years I’ve been questioning his motives. And I can’t stand Gretel. Lenz wants me to be the best man at the wedding. Don’t know why. I’m sure he senses I hate their relationship.”

“Gretel scares me. I’m. I’m glad I don’t. Don’t have to see her. Anymore.”

“Me too.”

“Does Lenz hate our. Our relationship?”

I nodded. “He thinks it’s disgusting.”

“Aalyshah called us lovebirds.”

I chuckled.

“Wolfgang, how come you. You decided to help me?”

I froze. Definitely wasn’t ready for that. “Well, I saw you were in need of help. So I helped you.”

“But why me? What. What about the others?”

This was something I never thought about. I just knew I had to help her.

“You are… intriguing,” I said.

635798 raised an eyebrow.

“You never talked. No one knows your name. You helped others like Chaya and Shifre. And… I don’t know. You are pretty. Your eyes are like two big, melted pools of chocolate.”

635798 smiled. “One has a green tint now.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.” It was my turn to ask questions now. “Why did you let me help you?”

635798 opened her mouth to say something, but then quickly closed it. She never thought why we chose each other either.

“Well… at first it. It was because you. You were a nice Nazi. But then you kept. Kept helping. And. And.” She shrugged.

“You know, I actually don’t know why I kept coming. I guess it was because of all the torture I saw you go through. You’ve received some of the weirdest punishments. I just didn’t expect to fall for your intriguing personality.” I smiled.

“You… You know. I only talk to. To people I trust. And love.” 635798 took a sip of her wine.

"How many people do you talk to?" I asked.

“Mama. Papa. Marta. You.”

I almost spit out my wine. “Not even Chaya or Shifre?”

“Only once. When we first arrived at. At Auschwitz.”

“Why’d you stop?”

“Eavesdroppers.”

I nodded, understanding. “Did they know your name?”

635798 shook her head. “Only my parents and Marta. When. When I arrived, a man. A man said that my new. New name was. Was my number. I showed people my. My tattoo because. ‘Cause I didn’t want people. To get in trouble for. For saying my name. Name by accident.”

“Can I know your name now?” I asked.

635798 smiled and shook her head. “I like how you call me Six. Every. Everyone has a nickname. For. For me.”

I chuckled. “Alright, Six. Let’s say we get out of here. Both of us haven’t been eating this terrible food.”

The two of us mixed our food across the plate to make it look like we ate some. We called for the waiter and he gave us our check. I left the money on the table and helped 635798 squeeze out of her tight space. We left the restaurant, saying goodbye to the waiter at the door.

Back outside, 635798 and I looked like a typical brother and nun. 635798 lingered behind me. From the corner of my eye, I saw her look around. The streets were empty. Everyone was home, most likely getting ready for the New Year. 635798 grabbed my hand, walking to my side. She pulled my hand down, freezing me in my place. Before I knew it, 635798 was standing on her tiptoes, kissing my cheek.

I smiled. “What was that for?”

635798 shrugged. “I’m glad you chose me.”

“I’m glad you chose me, too.” I embraced 635798 and kissed her forehead. We probably just disgraced all nuns and brothers. I didn’t know about 635798, but I knew I could care less.

The church was in eyesight when I noticed 635798 freeze behind me. I turned around. Her face was contorted with confusion and worry. I followed her gaze. A Nazi stood in the distance, smoking. He stared at 635798. The more I squinted, the more I could’ve sworn it was Lenz. But Gretel wasn’t there. Lenz was never found without her anymore.

“Zoe!” I exclaimed.

635798 never broke her gaze.

“Zoe!”

After realizing what I was doing, 635798 jumped out of her trance. She quickly ran over to me. I urged her to continue towards the church. As she did so, I watched the Nazi. His gaze followed her until she was out of sight. Then he looked at me, signed the cross, and walked closer. When I could see his face fully, I was relieved to see it wasn’t Lenz. The Nazi’s eyes sparked, and I was afraid it was because of recognition.

“May I help you good sir?” I asked.

“A German brother? Hmm. Yes, please. We’re looking for this girl.” He handed me a picture. I had to stop my breath from hitching. “That nun looked awfully like her. Who is that?”

“Schwester Zoe. She’s on this mission trip with me.”

The Nazi looked off in the direction 635798 walked. “Alright. Just wondering. Thank you.” He took the picture and left.

635798 was waiting for me on the church steps. When I saw the tears in her eyes, I ran up to her, grabbing her face in my hands.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“He. He did the roll calls before. Before you came. I’m scared. What. What if he recognized me?”



Tonight was the only exception 635798 and I didn’t have to stay on the fourth floor. We were with the nuns on the first, listening to the radio. Of course, the two of us didn’t comprehend a word. I studied the nuns’ body language to understand what the hell was going on. Even though there were at least fifteen of them, all acted the same. Excited.

It was only five minutes before midnight and we were all waiting for the countdown to New Year’s to begin. 1945 would be upon us and that meant one of two things: The first is that the war might end. The second was that it wouldn’t, and all the mass murders would continue. No one hoped for the second.

635798 anxiously sat next to me, a glass of red wine in her hands. She glanced at each nun, watching them dance, laugh, eat, have a good time. The radio host announced something in Polish and a new song began. It was in English so I hadn’t a clue as to what it was saying. But it sounded slow and cute. Slow and cute songs were love songs, correct?

I stood up and held out my hand in front of 635798. Even though she was smiling, she was also shaking her head. After putting her wine on a coaster somewhere, I grabbed her hands and pulled her up. Her smiled disappeared when I put a hand on her waist. She had a hand wrapped tightly around my bicep as her eyes scanned our feet. I chuckled.

“I’ll lead. Just follow,” I whispered.

The nuns weren’t paying any attention to us. I stepped to the side and it took a moment of hesitation for 635798 to follow. After a few seconds, she was fine. As we danced, I glanced every so often at the nuns. I wasn’t sure if what we were doing was a bad thing to do before marriage. Not that I cared. But I knew nuns did. The only one who ever paid us any attention was Siostra Katarzyna. She smiled and quickly went back to her friends. If she approved, then I guess that meant it was okay.

“I. I wonder what Marta is. Is doing right now.” 635798 had her head on my chest. Our dance slowed down to simple rocks.

I ran my hand through her silky hair. A few loose curls were forming as it grew longer. “She’s probably wondering about you.”

635798 smiled.

The song ended and the nuns gathered around the radio. 635798 and I stayed in the position we were in, ignoring the occasional looks of disapproval from the nuns. The radio host said something that I guessed was a question. The nuns giggled in glee. Then the shouting started.

“Dziesięć. Dziewięć. Osiem!”

“What’s happening?” I asked Siostra Katarzyna.

“Siedem. Sześć. Pięć!”

“Countdown!” she exclaimed.

“Cztery. Trzy. Dwa. Jeden! Szczęśliwego nowego roku!”

Judging how the screams echoed across the room, I knew the countdown was over and it was 1945. Some nuns banged pots and pans while others kept screaming. I grabbed 635798’s face and brought it to mine, kissing her. She gasped at first, but then her body relaxed. She kissed back, using her toes to rise higher. Some of the nuns gasped. When 635798 and I pulled away, the nuns said something to Siostra Katarzyna. As she replied in Polish, 635798 and I smiled at each other. I kept my hand on her cheek when I kissed her forehead.

“The nuns are upset you’re kissing,” Siostra Katarzyna said, although she was smiling.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because you two aren’t married.”

“What did you say to them?”

Siostra Katarzyna’s face brightened. “’Who the hell cares?’”

635798 was the first to start laughing.