Short Story(fiction) — WWII
Note: This story was part of my school assignment and is inspired by the novel Once by Morris Gleitzman. It is based on the events of WWII.
“Stop!!” cried a girl who was sitting in the back of a buggy, which was driving to nowhere. Another girl with dark brown eyes, messy, thick, black hair flowing down her shoulders was crying even more and shouting, “Leave me, why does Abby have to go?”, to a man, who was pulling her by the arm. It was Ava and it is in 1940, Poland.
Ava and her dad, Bernard came home with her and sat down for their midday meal. Sitting down at the table, was also Ava’s mum Claire and her elder brother George. In the middle of them, did a small bowl containing hot soup? Just before the family had finished their meal, Ava’s mum heard footsteps. They paused. After a few minutes, the footsteps were no longer heard, and the family sighed. It was the “Mean men” as Ava called them. Ava thought about the girl in the buggy again. It was her very dear friend, Abby as their family was Jewish and it was the time of Adolf Hilter’s rise
“I am leaving, be safe,” yelled her father and set out to get supplies for their meals.
Ava, however, was looking out from the only window in the house, which was more like a hut. As soon as she looked out, she noticed Abby’s mother. She lit up in the hope that Abby would come back. She rushed out and could hear Abby’s father saying,” It’s for the best” to her mum. She went to Abby’s father and asked in the sweetest voice,” Uncle, where is Abby?’. Her father replied sadly and angrily,” Do you not get it? Abby is gone”. Ava was silenced and frightened. She did not like the fact of Abby not there. Not at all.
The next day, Ava woke up earlier than usual although being awake until midnight thinking about Abby. She brushed her teeth and taking care not to wake up her parents and her brother, she wrapped some bread in paper and bottle and set out. While leaving, she murmured under her breath,”Goodbye, See you soon”. She went towards the direction, where the buggy went. While walking she noticed the road stretched till the horizon, perfect for walking, and slaughtering. One thing that Ava didn’t notice was a NAZI lurking. It was when no one could save the Jews. Ava and Abby had noticed their neighbors being dragged off to the cities and made to live with a couple of others with strange and unknown diseases. There was also a threat to Ava’s very own father when a person dressed in black wearing armbands with the swastika or the NAZI symbol was told to abandon his family. Her father disobeyed and suffered beatings and whips from the men. Before leaving, “ I will be back to take that stupid family of yours” said he. After a drink of water in a nearby stream, she found Abby outside near an orphanage labeled “Care for NAZI Soldiers” eating soup looking sad and grief-stricken. Ava rushed to her friend and hugged her. Abby had tears running down her cheeks as she did not imagine that her parents, let alone Ava would come back to meet her ever again. Ava however quickly took Abby to her heart when they were young and ever since their friendship had been growing and growing. Soon, they ran off from the orphanage.
After walking quite a lot, they found a river glistening in the afternoon sun. While Ava was filling her bottle, they saw a man walking along the river. Ava felt the hair on her arm perk up. The man turned back and looked Ava in her eyes. Ava’s brain was flooded with questions like, “Who is he”, “Why is he looking at me”, “Should I look back or not”, but she didn’t utter a single word. The man instead raised his fingers to his lips motioning silence.
After some time in silence, the man came up to her and said” Thank you”, in a deep voice and in less than a second pulled a gun from his back and shot them in the head.
