AN: I know I have a story on hold, but I couldn't hold myself when this came into mind. As I'm trying to get something more light with Yesterday, I wanted something else with a little bit more of drama. Along comes the Prolog of what I came up with. I am expecting to update both, this story and Yesterday more constantly. I have a couple of chapters of Yesterday on my computer, but the thing's been dead to the world for the past four months. I'll try to fix that as soon as possible.
Strawberry Fields
Prologue.
Forever.
Poland, September 1941
"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a beautiful princess-" A sweet voice vibrated through the crowded room.
"What was her name, auntie Haley?" A small blond little girl interrupted. Haley could almost see her deep brown eyes glowing in expectation; if only it wasn't so dark. If only she could light up a candle or two… just to keep the fear away from the five small children she cared for. The only lighten candle was on the furthest side, and barely lit the cold corner were the kids were.
"What do you want her name to be, Indra?" The young woman asked softly as she reached out to the whimpering baby on the floor next to her. She placed a hand on Maggie's tummy, and the whimpers turned into gurgles.
"I don't know." She could, too, almost see the pink little pout that formed on the three year old's lips. Indra lifted her little hands and shrugged her shoulders, still in doubt.
"How about we name her Indra?" Haley poked the girl's nose gently, and the little one giggled a little too loudly.
"No fair. You're gonna name the princess after Indie because she your fav'rite!" The eldest girl of the bunch protested. Jenny had just turned five, and she had an attitude, like her mother.
"Nonsense, Jens. Last week the princess' name was Jennifer." In realization, Jenny's lips formed an 'o' and she closed her mouth shut, her lips very thin against the other.
"Okay, so… Once upon a time, in a land far, far away lived a princess named Indra and-" She sighed, being cut off again. This time by the voice on their only radio.
"The elements of the Third Reich have declared within this morning that all Jews shall wear a golden star of identification on top of their clothing. Disobey this rule is not an option as the..."
"Mother, turn that off." Haley got up from her sit on the floor amogst the kids and moved herself to the table on the corner; without second thought she pushed the off button and with a twist the voice that before whispered in the radio was gone.
"I'm sorry, kids. Bedtime. Chop, chop." She clapped her hand slightly and the kids groaned.
"But what about the story?" Little Amelia asked as her fist poked her eyes, heavy lided as sleep began to settle.
"If only we had a bed to sleep in." Nathaniel, the only boy and the oldest child groaned, walking with much effort towards the cot set of old blankets and cloth on the adjacent room.
"Do we have to go in the dark auntie Haley?" Indra lifted her little arms towards her aunt, and the oldest complied, cuddling the three-year-old in her arms. The only candle they could light was on the table, where the grown ups sat.
The room was square and spacious, one table in the first corner, cots in all other three. It had wooden floor, two small windows covered with wood boards, to keep people from the streets to see the inside, and to keep the little ones from peeking on what they were missing on the daylight.
It smelt mostly of mold, sweat, and old bread. All the concrete walls made it scalding hot to them during the days and fairly cold during the nights. Those extremes didn't seem to make them any good. But then again, nothing about this hiding place would ever make them any good.
The grown ups hiding consisted of Lydia and Jimmy James once parents of eight; their four daughters and two of their girls' husbands.
Quinn, the oldest and Matthew, her husband, were able to join the family earlier in that year, along with Nathaniel, who had just turned seven and Magali who was born weeks before.
Vivian and her husband, Gareth, had been living with her mother for two years, since when Jews were no longer allowed on the street after 8pm. With them, Amelia who was now four.
Taylor, now a widower went from Germany to Poland when her husband and son were killed. Her only happiness was Jennifer; who is still to this day, the spitting image of her late husband.
Twenty years before, the then small James family had moved to Poland in search of a better life. Jimmy had found a job that paid enough to raise his children and give them comfort, and everything else they needed, even if futile needs. The family bought their fair share of land, and planted fruits to sell on the local markets.
They were happy for a long time, only now it seemed like five seconds of peacefulness and happiness at the most. Everything they had in their hands had started to fade away. Who was to know, that everything they had built would be taken away from them. Including themselves.
Haley stood next to her mother, a comforting hand lying on her shoulder. No words were spoken. The grown ups, around the mohogony table were silent, still waiting for the death list of the Belzec death camp, where Jacob, the last young James male alive was send to six weeks previous.
"Put her in bed, Haley." Jimmy's voice was filled with sour. He didn't want his little girl, his beloved grandchild to listen to her father's name after the words death and camp.
Nodding shortly, she placed Indra on her hip and followed to the other room, where she placed the girl on the cot they shared. Jennifer was wrong when she said Indra was Haley's favorite; but Indie was the one that needed her more. Her mother and father were both taken to concentration camps; the news of her mother's death came in the radio two weeks after. They knew it was only a matter of time until Jake's name was spoken.
"Good night, baby." She said softly, kissing the girl's forehead, and pulling th old comforter around her, so she wouldn't be cold.
"Come soon, auntie." Indie requested in her small, sleepy voice.
"I'll come soon. I promise." Getting up from where she was on her knees, Haley silently bid goodnight to the rest of the children as she head back, and then took a seat on the table.
Quinn had a fussy Maggie in her arms, Jimmy had his head in his hands. Lydia just waited.
"He's going to be okay." Haley whispered; more to herself than to the others.
Step sounds echoed on the streets below. It was fairly quiet at night where the James family was hiding, one of the motives they tried to keep the children quiet after six, and to keep the adults home before seven, just in case…
"How can you say that, Haley? He's not going to be okay. None of us are okay!" Taylor spoke a little too loudly, causing Maggie wails to increase in intensity.
"Quiet, Tay." The baby's mother tried, unsuccessfully, to make her stop crying.
Flashlights shone through the gaps of the woods that closed window. Lydia and her youngest both gasped. Jimmy couldn't help but feel like a deer on bright light: paralyzed. He knew once they were found, there was nothing left to do but hope. And hope was also fading… like the memories of the three sons he had already lost.
The step sounds became fast and louder. Haley knew they were coming. They were getting closer. Too close. Closer than ever before. They had already had two scares in the past month, but the soldiers would always get distracted by something else and leave the block. Why weren't they leaving this time? They should leave! Leave them alone.
"Make her stop, Quinn. Make her stop, now!" The request from Vivian came in a rushed and despaired whisper.
Getting up from her chair as fast and silently as she could, Haley raced towards the adjacent room, grabbing a sleeping Indra and clutching the girl tightly to her chest. She had promised her brother she wasn't going to let anything happen to his little girl. Anything. And keep her promise is what she did.
"Someone's in there, I hear voices. Break through!" a male voice yelled outside.
Soon, they were pounding on the doors.