Switching Sides

“You, with your switching sides.” Her mouth was drier than a dessert, with no rain. Her hair plastered itself against her shoulders, her eyelids felt heavy as lead. Her head hit the fence wall with a small tight trickle pain filled thud, she felt a warmth finding its way down her forehead and ears. Her clothing had molded it’s way into being part of her skin. Her mind was racing as she pushed out the pain thinking only of the thoughts that flowed through her. The storm only continued to grow in size but, the cold rain did nothing for how she was feeling. How did she get here? Why could she have not just died? Would she be sent to the chambers soon like her mom and dad? Why did she have to let herself find happiness in the one place on Earth that was actually most likely, hell. Tears started flowing like the storm that was brewing above her head.

She looked up as thunder cashed across the sky, shaking the area around her. Where was he? Her heart cracked and crumbled, that no storm could seem to provide enough moisture for. This is what you get for trusting a Nazi. She pushed her knees to her chest leaning her head on her knees, the throbbing of her head now coming to life. A sweet emotionally crushed breath raged through her lungs, it felt like it was scraping in hiding any idea of her being remotely okay. She could not help but think back to the beginning. Where did it all start? When did being a Jew mean this? It didn’t start with a girl across the fence falling for someone forbidden, no it started before she was even born. But, instead of her mind found itself falling into when she still had her parents around.

Two Years Earlier...

Edna had been named for the hebrew meaning “pleasure”, from the biblical story The Garden of Eden. Not in a sexual way but because, children were the pleasure to a parents heart. They brought the happiest memories to a family. She had a very normal childhood, filled with the sweetest of memories. Her dad was an accountant and her mom stayed at home with the children. Just how every woman should in this time era. They had been born and raised in Denmark. Of course, a few changes here and there made them raise their eyebrows. But, it was their home so they ultimately decided it was best to stay put.

Although, Edna remembered in the early days her parents talking and fighting on whether or not they should flee. Her mother was the biggest supportive of leaving. But, their father didn't want to lose his family he knew would never flee, like his mother and two sisters. They knew something big was coming and happening. But, they had to believe it wasn't coming for them. It was a time that the air couldn’t have been cut with a butter knife, no it was thicker than that. You needed a butcher knife and, they were not allowed to have those anymore.

When Denmark was first invaded they were moved into Jewish like villages. All of the jewish families were forced to live here. This gave a sense of hope that the horrors of what they had been told about camps were not true in the slightest. So everyone came to surprise when their village got a knock surrounded by trucks. Men in uniform with guns herded them like cattle. It was pitch black dark letting Edna know it was in the early hours of the morning. A man's heavy hand rattled on the door, "Time to go, do not bring anything with you. Leave everything here. Come now bed clothes and all. Make sure to wear your jacket. COME NOW FAMILY TO! or we will shoot you all dead in place"

Edna could feel her body freeze in place, suddenly the warmth of her covers didn't feel like nearly enough. She wanted to hide herself deep inside the pillowness that was her bed. Her bedroom door creaked open slowly. She couldn't help turning her head to the side. "Momma" Both of their eyes were filled with terror as the outsides of the house poured with screams of families being dragged away. "Come one maybe if we listen they will be kind" Her mother whispered softly tugging the jacket off the hook with the star of David on it. Everything they war now had to have this patch. It was how they knew that they were Jews. If you were caught without it, you knew death would surely come and take you.

Edna dutifully listened to her mother pulling the coat on quickly. She followed her mother down the stairs of the house touching the wallpaper that was overdone with flowers. There was no doubt about it she was going to miss this place and everything that it was. It had become a lot to her, and like a second home. Even if it wasn't the home she grew up at.

The night air nearly slapped Edna in the face. Not even the jacket was enough to keep the brisk cold of the night off of her. Her wild black hair whipped around her face making her bottom lip trembled. She was struggling to keep her emotions together as she watched the scene before her unfold. Women and children were being dragged into inclosed wooden trucks used for farm animals and the men in the other.

Soon she felt something in her back pressing deep into her ribs. Edna couldn't stop herself from gasping in pain as a man's voice spoke in her ear. "Forward now or to the ditch you will go" The man didn't have to explain much more for her to realize he meant he was going to kill her and throw her on the side of the road. So many Jews were found there nowadays. No one really knew if anyone was alive or not.

Edna felt her body pressed against another woman and child. Her heart raced while emotion threatened her heart. She had no idea where her mother or father was. Children around her were screaming Mama or Papa. Yet, she couldn't get her mouth to open up and call out those words. It was as if she knew it was a loss cause for her to even hope or dream to see them again. All she could do was pray that they were not going to end up in a ditch somewhere. She could only mutter the soft word "Mama.. Papa" But, her heart felt like it was breaking in two. She knew she had no idea where they could have gone or if they were even alive.

Everything inside of her was trying not to focus on the pain and worry of what if's. But, her heart and mind felt like it was trying to prepare her for the wrose. The night sky took over the tight truck keeping them from moving to much, it made it impossible to think about anything but her parents.

Note From Author:

Thank you so much for reading. I really hope you are enjoying this book. It was a labor of love, no matter how sad the book can be at times. I hope each and everyone of you fall in love with it just like me. Please don't forget to like, comment, and give me a review. If you want more updates on me as a Author then give my page a follow.

Love, LK