The Girl In Striped Pyjamas- COMPLETED. (Short Story)

Part 3

Chapter 3 

All day and night, Otto is on my mind. It's been 3 days and I haven't seen him or Father. They must be away on business. Every second that goes by seems like a lifetime as I wish to just be reunited with Otto again. I'm only 14, yet I'm sure this is the 'love' that everybody is infatuated with. He's all I think about. I'm sure Mamma has noticed there's something wrong with me because I haven't eaten since we kissed. She was going to call a doctor in yesterday, but I persuaded her against it.

I sit in the living room with Mamma who's speaking on the phone. She puts it down and turns to me.

"Your Father is coming for dinner this evening. We need to prepare the food quickly. Go heat up the stove," Mamma says. I can't hide my happiness and Mamma looks at me questioningly. 

I rush off to heat the stove and get everything ready for Mamma. She's shocked I've gone to such effort when usually, I leave her to it.

"Oh wow, Gretchen. What's gotten into you?" She asks.

"Nothing at all!" I smile and skip out of the kitchen. 

I quickly get the table ready careful to leave a place for Otto and sit in the living room waiting. Watching every second tick by. 

There is a knock at the door. Mamma goes over to open it. I sit in the living room hiding all my excitement. 

"I'm starving! Hurry up and bring the food out." I hear Father say at the door. He comes into the living room and I bow down. I wonder whether Otto is standing out in the corridor. Hans and Berta come down and bow down also.  

"All's ready," Mamma says and Father rushes over to the dinner table. I walk out of the living room, ecstatic that I'm going to see Otto finally. I walk over to the dinner table and my heart drops. He's not here. And Mamma's put away his plate and cutlery. I stand there staring down at the table. My family all stare at me, waiting to say grace.

"Sit down," Father says.

"Where's the places I set, Mamma?" I ask.

"You set two extra places. Father's recruits won't be joining us today."

I fail to hide my disappointment and everyone around the table stares at me quizzingly. To avoid anymore attention, I rush over to my seat and sit down.

Father says Grace, followed by 'Heil Hitler'. 

The whole dinner is eaten in silence. Hans, Berta and I still haven't spoken to each other following what happened the other day although I'm secretly glad it happened because it lead to me getting closer to Otto. Over dinner, I keep thinking about him. I wonder where he is now. I wonder what he's doing now. I wonder who he's with now. 

Once again, I don't eat anything. Mamma tells me to clear the table. It's times like this I wish Father hired someone to do these jobs for us, but he insists he doesn't want a 'Yellow-Star' in our house. I go off into the kitchen, taking things from the table with me.

I open the kitchen door and throw the trash out. 

I go back into the dining room and my heart skips a beat. Father's men are there. Otto is here. He's standing, looking stronger than ever, shaking hands with Mamma. I wonder what's going on. I go over to the table, attempting to listen to what Otto is saying to Mamma. To my surprise, Otto approaches me in front of everyone.

"Goodbye, Gretchen," he says with a lot of emotion.

"Pardon, sir? What do you mean 'goodbye'?" I ask confused.

"He's got a new job in  Dachau camp! Isn't it wonderful?" Mamma chips in. I don't know what Dachau camp means so I'm even more confused.

"When are you coming back?" I ask, afraid of the answer. 

"I don't think I will. Goodbye." He answers softly, and then begins shaking Father's hand.

I freeze. My whole world freezes. I can't believe what is happening. He can't leave!  I feel the empty hole inside me widening. These past days without him have been living torture, I will not be able to survive without him. 

He picks up his bag, ready to leave. I suddenly have a chaotic idea. I run into the kitchen and out the back door where Otto's army truck is waiting. The truck looks tattered and the back trunk is broken. I see this as a sign to go ahead with my plan. I open the trunk and hide inside.