“That aunty of yours is a flog” says Cyryl. ‘ She hit my mother and your vermin sister bit a soldier. The Nazi police had to drag them away.
“Where are they?” I say.
Cyryl does a big wet grin.
“Town Square,” He says.
I ran all the way to the town square.
“ Zelda, Genia.” I scream at the top of my lungs. At the corner of my eyes, I saw her locket glistering in the sun. It really was Zelda.
“Oh Zelda” I said as I gave her a big hug.
“ Felix, Felix,” Says Zelda as she points at the posts. My eyes followed her hands direction as they reached Genia, hanging from the post.
Oh Genia.
The rope hanging from her neck was blowing in the wind.
“ What happened, why?” I finally broke, I promised Genia I would never let the Nazi’s get in my head, but Genia isn’t even Jewish, it should have been me hanging from that post.
Zelda and I stood there staring at Genia, frozen and petrified. That could have been Zelda if only she made one silly mistake of leaving her locket behind.
“ Cyryl’s mum called the Nazi’s, Genia was angry at her and smacked her so the Nazi’s took her away and killed her.”
“How did you get out of it? You bit a soldier Zelda, what did I tell you about no biting, especially Nazi soldiers.
“ Don’t you know anything? I bit the solider because they hurt Genia.”
“I know your only 7 but you could have been killed, just never leave me behind, ok? I said as I grabbed her hand and pulled her along the gravel road.
We reached Gina’s place and sat in silence.
“ At lease Gina will be with my parents in heaven” Says Zelda with a big smile. I returned the smile but I wasn't in the mood to talk.
“ What to do now? I’m so bored”
“ I don't know Zelda, I don't know”
“ I know, lets just go back to your orphanage, you were safe there.” I thought hard about this, maybe that's right, instead of me looking for mum she can find me, at the place where she left me behind.
Zelda and I walked and walked through bushes, mud, sand and long grass. We took careful steps and were very quiet due to the Nazi’s being everywhere. We walked all through the day and then would stop when it hit dark. When Zelda was asleep in the bush I would go to the nearest town and steal bread and water. After long days of walking I could see the mountains that was a sign that my orphanage wasn't far.
“ I have sore feet” Winged Zelda. Genia brought Zelda new shoes not long a go and they already had holes in them.
“Were nearly there Zelda.”
“ You said that last time, could you tell me a story.”
“ One more” I said as I started a story about William arriving in his castle.
You know when you have been walking and walking and you feel like you haven’t walked at all and then you finally see your narrow street with 2 m stone buildings standing tall in the sky?
Well that's what happened to Zelda and I.
“ Is this your street?” Ask Zelda. I nod my head and we walked down the street. As we turn the corner my eyes start to water.
I see my shop.
Everything was the same, the pole, the sign, and the step.
I couldn't stop and cry over the shop, I had to go back to the orphanage.
I told Zelda all my memories as we walked past the river to collect some water.
You know when you haven’t been back to the orphanage for over 1 year and you finally see the narrow rocky road with a sign saying “Poland Orphanage” and you sprint as fast as you can down it.
That's what’s happening with me and Zelda.
“Hello?” I yelled as I knock on the wooden door. As the door open there standing is Mother Minka.
“Felix, oh Felix. Is that really you?”
“ Don't you know anything?” Laughs Zelda.
Zelda and I were safe, clean, fed.
We were in my old dorm. Zelda, Dodie and I all shared it. We have been in the orphanage for over 4 months now waiting for mum and dad to finally come back.
One day they will come and collect Zelda and me.
One day.
“Where are they?” I say.
Cyryl does a big wet grin.
“Town Square,” He says.
I ran all the way to the town square.
“ Zelda, Genia.” I scream at the top of my lungs. At the corner of my eyes, I saw her locket glistering in the sun. It really was Zelda.
“Oh Zelda” I said as I gave her a big hug.
“ Felix, Felix,” Says Zelda as she points at the posts. My eyes followed her hands direction as they reached Genia, hanging from the post.
Oh Genia.
The rope hanging from her neck was blowing in the wind.
“ What happened, why?” I finally broke, I promised Genia I would never let the Nazi’s get in my head, but Genia isn’t even Jewish, it should have been me hanging from that post.
Zelda and I stood there staring at Genia, frozen and petrified. That could have been Zelda if only she made one silly mistake of leaving her locket behind.
“ Cyryl’s mum called the Nazi’s, Genia was angry at her and smacked her so the Nazi’s took her away and killed her.”
“How did you get out of it? You bit a soldier Zelda, what did I tell you about no biting, especially Nazi soldiers.
“ Don’t you know anything? I bit the solider because they hurt Genia.”
“I know your only 7 but you could have been killed, just never leave me behind, ok? I said as I grabbed her hand and pulled her along the gravel road.
We reached Gina’s place and sat in silence.
“ At lease Gina will be with my parents in heaven” Says Zelda with a big smile. I returned the smile but I wasn't in the mood to talk.
“ What to do now? I’m so bored”
“ I don't know Zelda, I don't know”
“ I know, lets just go back to your orphanage, you were safe there.” I thought hard about this, maybe that's right, instead of me looking for mum she can find me, at the place where she left me behind.
Zelda and I walked and walked through bushes, mud, sand and long grass. We took careful steps and were very quiet due to the Nazi’s being everywhere. We walked all through the day and then would stop when it hit dark. When Zelda was asleep in the bush I would go to the nearest town and steal bread and water. After long days of walking I could see the mountains that was a sign that my orphanage wasn't far.
“ I have sore feet” Winged Zelda. Genia brought Zelda new shoes not long a go and they already had holes in them.
“Were nearly there Zelda.”
“ You said that last time, could you tell me a story.”
“ One more” I said as I started a story about William arriving in his castle.
You know when you have been walking and walking and you feel like you haven’t walked at all and then you finally see your narrow street with 2 m stone buildings standing tall in the sky?
Well that's what happened to Zelda and I.
“ Is this your street?” Ask Zelda. I nod my head and we walked down the street. As we turn the corner my eyes start to water.
I see my shop.
Everything was the same, the pole, the sign, and the step.
I couldn't stop and cry over the shop, I had to go back to the orphanage.
I told Zelda all my memories as we walked past the river to collect some water.
You know when you haven’t been back to the orphanage for over 1 year and you finally see the narrow rocky road with a sign saying “Poland Orphanage” and you sprint as fast as you can down it.
That's what’s happening with me and Zelda.
“Hello?” I yelled as I knock on the wooden door. As the door open there standing is Mother Minka.
“Felix, oh Felix. Is that really you?”
“ Don't you know anything?” Laughs Zelda.
Zelda and I were safe, clean, fed.
We were in my old dorm. Zelda, Dodie and I all shared it. We have been in the orphanage for over 4 months now waiting for mum and dad to finally come back.
One day they will come and collect Zelda and me.
One day.