I can feel the sharp pain even now as I think about it. No! This is not the time to think about Mama! “Lisa, hurry, hurry!” I usher. When Lisa finally crawled to the other side of the gate, she stood up and held the loose piece of the gate for me. I begin to crawl under the gate just as Lisa did.
“Wir haben einige Juden, die versuchen, am Tor zu fliehen. Alle Guraden, schießen Sie auf sie!” A guard yells. The guard had notified the others of our escape. He ordered all guards to shoot.
The Nazis have caught sight of us! Lisa and I are going to die! As soon as I begin to crawl at a faster pace, bullets rain down on the ground. “Pola! Come on!” Lisa yells at me. I try to go faster but bullets pierce my legs and lower back. Lisa stands still with wide eyes, watching me with terror. My life flashes in front of my eyes.
Vanilla. Nutmeg. Bubbe. Gingerbread. Mama. Fabric store. Tata. Prayers. Slonim. Yellow stars. Gate. Jews. Dead. Blood. Screams. Cries. Soulless bodies. Nazis. Death…. Death…. Me… Death. I will die. No. No! No, no, no! I cannot die just yet!
“Lisa! Lisa, listen to me! Run. Run as fast as you can! Live for Tata, Bubbe, Mama, and brother! Live for our relatives in the pits! Live for the unidentifiable and soulless bodies! Live for freedom!” I scream at Lisa. “Live for me,” I whisper in despair.
I look at Lisa and see her staring at me in shock. “Why are you still here? Do you want to die?” I ask in a tone of disbelief. Lisa shakes her head meekly in response. “Then don’t be stupid. I told you to live, did I not? Standing frozen and still like a statue is not living! Go! I don’t need you here! I need you to not end up like me! I need you to live in place of me; to do the things that I will never be able to do! Now, go off into the forest. Live!” I say harshly.
Lisa begins to stumble backward with glassy eyes that gaze deeply into my own. “Goodbye, my zeeskeit. Live a long life. Be gleeful til’ the last of your days.” I speak softly.
Lisa let's a few tears fall from her eyes. “Goodbye, Pola.” She says with great sorrow. With all salutations being said, Lisa runs off to the forest, just like I directed her.
I’m ready. I can rest now. I can finally dream the sweet dreams I dreamt a few years back.
YOU ARE READING
Sweet Dreams
Short StoryI used to dream of my family and all the things I love in this world. I used to dream of being able to do whatever I wanted. In those dreams, I was content and free. Free........ it's funny how that is now a foreign word to me. No more sweet dreams...
