Amit & Adam

Chapter 9 - Promise

A year had passed since we arrived at the ghettos; life was becoming more and more a struggle a day. A meal was very rare, we had less than one a day.

Work was tiring so much I can’t keep my eyes open when we have our secret lessons underneath the ghettos. But I'm not the only one, I'm trying my best to maintain knowledge and look after myself and Tomas.

The older generation in the ghettos, predict the war should be over in a year or two, if we stick it out a little longer the British may find us and evacuate the ghettos.

But what has been troubling mind lately, Adam the other day, saved me from being shot. That Nazi must of asked questions because ever since, Adam has been acting distant than ever.

He doesn’t stop to speak to me when there’s no one barely around, he doesn’t look over at me when we line up outside the ghettos. I feel insignificant again, like everyone else, maybe because I'm no different. Just how I felt when I first came here. I don’t feel like that lucky school girl that feels special because Adams Hans isn’t looking at any other girls, only at me.

I shouldn’t think of such selfish thoughts, I'm grateful to him for everything he has done. So I shouldn’t feel saddened if he no longer wants anything to do with me. He could be told off or even lose his job because of me, I guess he's realized what’s more important, his promise to Hitler or to me. You can guess the rest.

It poured with rain as we stood in a line; a Nazi general scanned our faces pacing back and forth.

"Someone took 100 Reich marks, from a safe in the woman’s factory." He said in a stern booming voice.

He passed me and turned to me grabbing my chin forcefully, “Was it you?"
"N...No." I uttered.

He stared at me before turning away; he pulled his gun out, shooting an old woman beside me.

My eyes widened, she didn’t even speak, she was so kind and warm, I grown to have known her. Yet, she was shot for no reason at all.

Karin shook in fear, I held her hand, everyday and many other days, are like this, I felt I could have died at any moment. Bang! Then darkness, that’s it. But at least that poor old woman is at peace, she's at a better place than here, she's free now.  At one with God.

A man who had been watching, held his hand up, "It was me, I'm the culprit you're looking for."
BANG!! He was gone, his last words, two bodies lying there, which were standing, breathing, alive just a few minutes ago.

The Nazi guards rotted through his pockets of his trousers and jacket, they found the money and dismissed us all. Leaving us all feeling frail and helpless.

Two more years of this, two years till the war is over. How can we cope through two more years of this distress and uncertainty, when we don’t even know ourselves, if we will even be still alive?

"Funny to think a year ago, we were in school." I said one night as me and Karin sat on the stairway as everyone slept.

"Well there is a school here...” Karin replied.
"No but I mean... Wondering streets freely, I mean we had a few rules. But we had our own bed and space to roam."

She smiled sadly, “How I long for days before... Well all of this."
"My father could of still be alive, we were... We were going to move to France, but we were too late. How stupid I was to not like the idea.. I delayed things!!" I said as tears came to my eyes.
She placed her hand on my shoulder, “I know... I know, we can’t do anything now.. At least we have each other."
"B…But how long will it last before something else awful happens." I admitted brokenly.
"Its Adam, isn’t it?"
My eyes widened,"W...What do you mean?"
"You've given up, only because he no longer will speak to you."
I lowered my head, “You make it sound like I was using him, Karin.. It’s not just him, I feel that the longer were here the things are only going to get worse. Why should I raise my hopes, only to have reality snatch them away?"