The Promise

Chapter 21

January 15th 1941

I was doing the most absurd thing in the world. Or maybe it was the bravest and best thing in the world. And it wasn't even the first time I had done it. No, it was the second time. I was helping someone escape from the Nazis. I had to come up with a plan to get Hubert and his pregnant wife to safety along with Juri.

I had been taking deliveries all day, while I had been thinking of a plan. I had found one and I was only missing a few bricks in my mission. Tonight I would think it all over and plan it all to the smallest detail.

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I arrived to my apartment in the Ghetto  around 7 pm. I hadn't eaten anything, and if I would get hungry I would eat an apple later from the kitchen.

I sat all night and drew out a plan to escape the Ghetto.

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January 16th 1941

It was six in the morning. I rushed to my closet and got dressed. Brushed my teethes and took on my uniform hat. I rushed to the streets and went to the postoffice. I walked through the postoffice and saw Hubert. I approached him.
-"I have to speak to Juri and you. Now." I nodded at him. Hubert looked around. Juri made eye contact with Hubert and they exchanged a face expression.
-"This way, sir." Hubert lowered his voice to me. Hubert walked around the desk and approached a bookshelf. Juri helped Hubert to move the bookshelf and a secret door appeared from behind the bookshelf. My eyes widened by the view of it. Hubert opened the door and Juri and I entered through.

We entered a dark cold room. It was small and dusty.
-"Are you hiding your wife here?" I turned to Hubert. Hubert sighed.
-"If only we could. But the guards would get suspicious, if my wife, Daria suddenly disappeared." Hubert explained.
-"So where are Daria, then?" I replied. I could see the fear in Hubert's eyes. Hubert looked at me, then turned to Juri and back to me again.
-"Daria are pregnant. She's in the apartment we share with two other families, including mine." Juri turned to me. Pregnant? My eyes widened.
-"Pregnant? In here?" I protested.
-"8 months. I give her all my rations, and I live of the smuggled food from outside." Hubert explained.
-"Smuggled food?" I broke out. Was there being smuggled food in here from outside?
-"Can we trust you?" Hubert starred at me with his cold blue eyes. I could see death and fear within those eyes, but I wasn't questioning if he would be able to kill for his wife's and his unborn child's safety. My eyes switched from Hubert to Juri. Wasn't I suppose to report them? Wasn't I suppose to report the smuggled food and get them arrested? I took a few steps away from them. Juri looked panicking at me.
-"Please, you must help us? You are human too and you can't say that you like what's going on the inside of the Ghetto? Please, help us. We'll pay you!" Juri reached out his hand to me.
I knew it was dangerous. If I helped them, I would be risking my life and Isabell's too. She needed me. I had to protect her. But I couldn't turn down Juri and Hubert. Hubert's wife was pregnant and I couldn't walk away now. I would be turning 18 this year. I thought of my mother, who would properly send me knitted socks and a letter, telling me about my siblings and my father and she would be asking me how I was. I got myself together. What was that compared to human lives? Wasn't I suppose to help them? Or could I live with this the rest of my life? Turning them down and arresting them? I knew the answer.
-"What do you want me to do?" I stepped closer to Juri. Juri smiled relieved.
-"You inspect the supply deliveries to the Ghetto. But you also inspect them again, when the trucks leave the Ghetto again. Can you be promoted to drive a supply truck?" Juri smirked hopefully. Drive? I could barely drive.
-"I can't drive, Mr. Tanski. Besides, I don't think I can get a promotion just like that." I replied confused.
-"It's easy to drive. Why don't you ask, if you can get a promotion? Give it a try." Hubert interrupted harsh. I turned to Hubert.
-"I can't just ask for a promotion, like that." I said frustrated.
-"Why not? People do it every day." Hubert crossed his arms.
-"Please, we would appreciate it, if you tried to ask them. The worst thing, that can happen is that they decline." Juri turned to me. I swallowed my fear.