Captured

CHAPTER 9

*** I've had major writter's block***

We’re in Dachau? That’s almost half a day’s journey away from out home in Berlin. That explains the long truck rides.

“Why are we here?” I asked the girl.

“To die” she answered without emotion.

I didn’t know what to say to that. The girl’s tone strongly implied that she did not want to discuss the matter any further.

“So, what’s your name?” I asked the girl as we walked around.

We had been walking in an awkward silence for a while now and I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Arriella,” she answered in a bored voice while pretending that her nails were the most interesting things in the world.

Although she didn’t ask for my name I still gave her it.

“I’m Alianna but you can call me Ali.”

She nodded her head.

Sighing, I stopped walking and stood in front of her blocking her path and since she wasn’t paying attention to where she was walking, she bumped into me. She was about to scowled me for it but I interrupted her.

“What is wrong with you? One minute you’re all happy and the next you’re all depressed and moody.”

I was expecting her to shout at me or maybe say sorry but she only mumbled, “It’s my mum.”

“What about her?” I asked, arching a curious eyebrow.

She looked at me annoyed for a second but then her face became black and emotionless,

“She’s gone,” she started. I was about to ask what she meant but she continued, “I haven’t seen her since yesterday morning.” She whispered the last part as she fought to keep her trembling voice steady but a stray tear betrayed her tough mien.

“She’s probably just out somewhere, you’ll find her soon,” I said but I immediately regretted it.

She lifted her head up until her eyes were level with mine. Her eyes were filled with hate, grief and miss belief.

“Stop being so stupid!” she spat ““do you still not understand where you are? No one just goes “out” here” she said making air quotations as she said out.

I was about to speak but she continued, “There’s a curfew here you know. As soon as the sun goes down we’re not allowed out of the huts. Do you know what that means?”

I stayed quiet too scared to say anything.

“They killed her! They fucking killed her!” she screamed at me with angry tears cascading down her face.

I wanted to tell her that she was overreacting, that everything will be fine but what did I know? I’ve only been here a few hours whereas she could have been here for months and maybe years.

“I’m sorry,” I said from lack of anything better to say.

I mean what exactly am I sorry about? Her mother’s possible murder? I had nothing to do with it yet sorry was the only word I could think of saying.

“You’re sorry?” She laughed bitterly, “What are you sorry for?” she asked challenging me for an answer.

I didn’t know what to say and thankfully I didn’t have to say anything.

“It’s them who should be fucking sorry!” she yelled pointing at the tall Nazi decorated building.

I didn’t know what to do so I just held her and let her cry and release her anger.

When she stopped crying and yelling, screaming and punching the air with such anger we started talking. I told her about my life and how we’d hid under a shed for two years before we were found. I told her about how papa was killed just for simply coughing and how the trauma has left mama a shell.

She in return told me about how her and her family had been taken away to the ghettos when it all started. She and her family had lived in the ghettos for a year before being moved to Dachau. Before being moved to Dachau she had been forced to watch her 4 year old sister shot in the face because she wouldn’t stop crying in hunger. Her father had tried to launch at the soldier responsible for his daughter’s death but that had resulted in him being taken away and never seen again. Her mother was all she had and now she’s dead Arriella had no one left.

“We should probably go back to the huts now,” Arriella suggested, looking up at the descending sun.

Nodding in response, I stood up and brushed myself off. Coincidentally Arriella and I lived in the same hut so we walked back together.

I opened the hut door and stop dead in my tracks.

“No!” I screamed before everything turned black. 

** What did you think **