Old And New
The italic writing in the story stands for German.
-:-
"Death can sneak up on you like a silent kitten,
surprising you with its touch and you have a right to act surprised.
Other times death stomps in the front door,
unwanted and unannounced,
and makes its noisy way to your seat on the sofa." – Hugh Elliott
-:-
Therewere noises, noises that made her want to cover her ears as her older brother, Mathew came into her room with a burst, grabbing things in the middle of the night. She leaned up on her elbows, frowning at him. "What are you doing Mathew?"
"Get up, coats and shoes on. We're leaving now." The tone of her older brother's voice left no room to argue as the noises outside grew louder. "Quick!"
"Mathew?" She grew nervous as he flung clothes into a bag, they only used to see Grandpa on the long weekends.
"Get Anna ready." Trusting her brother's judgement, she run into the bedroom next door shaking Anna awake as the girl lay shaking on the bed clutching her doll. "We're going."
"Where are we going?" Anna climbed out of bed and slipped on her brown coat.
"Don't ask questions An-" A scream went through the house making the twins sisters' still, hearts beating in their small chests.
"Martha!" Their Papa's voice collided with the thud of heavy feet in the lounge room, they moved down the hall.
"William!" At the sound of their Mama's tone, Sophie grabbed Anna rushing around the room to find somewhere, anywhere to hide.
Heavy feet and shouts made their way closer to Anna's bed room making her push Anna under the bed and flip the bed sheets over the edge as she searched for another place to hide that would fit her.
At the sound of feet stopping at the door, the light flicking at the bottom of the door as they stood there. She opened the wardrobe and pushed the coats to one side and shut the door behind her quietly as the bedroom door opened with a bang.
She tried to gasp for air as her heart started to beat in her ears loudly; she clasped her hands over her mouth as a squeak of the floor broads sounded near her. She didn't understand what was happening, Michael's tone and the dread filling her stomach told her that she didn't want to be found by whoever was searching inside Anna's room.
As her breathing came out shallow, she slowly pushed the wardrobe door open giving herself enough to see the uniformed men searching through the room. A noise from under the bed making Sophie freeze, she hoped they didn't hear. Her prayer wasn't heard as the room went silent until Anna's scream filled the girl's room. Without a second thought Sophie came out with a coat hanger in hand trying to prey the soldiers off though the instrument little while Anna was grabbed by her brown hair.
They were stronger, they were men and adults, nothing compared to the sisters'. They were pushed outside Anna's room and into the hallway. She could feel the bruise on her cheek as she watched a couple of soldiers' dragged their struggling brother down the hall way, yelling at the intruders. "Leave them alone!"
The whole family was taken outside into the night, the cold air biting at their skin while the streets where in chaos, uniformed men and families screaming while been pulled apart from one another.
"Mathew?" Anna grabbed her hand holding it as she watched their older brother get dragged away in the same direction of the other men, opposite to them. "Where are we going?" Anna's voice coming out shaky, barley keeping it together.
"Anna, Sophie!" Their mama, Martha reached the twins holding them tightly as they were herd with other women to the train station. Sophie couldn't process, understand what was happening around her.
She had never been on a train, the machine blew black smoke and whistled into the night. It made a violent shiver run through her as it didn't look inviting in the dark empty shipping containers that were open wide.
"Hurry up! Get in there!" A harsh male voice yelled over the top of the crowd. Mama put her arm around Anna and Sophie holding them close to her, the female crowd getting pushed around them, shuffled along like cattle. They entered the container, she could feel it in her gut, the horror that was yet to come when the doors slammed closed, darkness closing around them.
-:-
Standing there she kept her eyes and ears out for any trouble. "How long will it take?" She turned her head to the older girl and younger sister; the question broke the silence as her hands clutched tightly on the wooden stick.
"Going to take a while." She followed the older girl's eyes to the forest on the other side of the barb wire fence.
"Erika, Sophie quick." The two older girls' jumped up. Throwing their sticks towards the large pile of rubble and moving away from the wire fence with Anna.
Erika made work with the empty wheel borrow, the sisters close behind as they reached the group of workers. "Where have you been?" Josie looked up from the bags of dirt as the trio scattered to work.
Erika shook her head, making Josie nod as she figured out their whereabouts. Sophie dragged a bag onto the wheel borrow before flickering her eyes back to Josie. Josie didn't like their idea, didn't want any part in it though she didn't tell on them. Erika was a bit hesitant to start, Josie didn't think it was wise but Erika used the reason that she couldn't leave the two younger ones alone, Sophie knew Erika wanted to explore the forest just as much as them. "Can't wait to have a shower and get out of here."
Sophie's head snapped up at the girl's words. "You're leaving?"
"Something I heard this morning, should be sometime after lunch." The girl didn't believe in adventures but she had an ear for gossip. Lunch...Sophie couldn't remember the last time she had a proper meal. The moment her family gets out of here, she was going to fill her stomach. She couldn't help but wonder if that time would ever come. Would she be able to see Papa and Matthew again?
Sophie hope to see Josie again once she left. Usually a group would be seen herded into the bathrooms and wouldnt come out again. Anna said they must have a train on the other end and be taken away, back home. Anna didn't have any idea what the smoke was afterwards. Sophie thought maybe it was the Germans in one of those men's rooms, puffing away and the smell was their bad breath. Their great Grandma always had bad breath; Mama would frown upon her every time for pulling a face and making Anna laugh in those rare occasions that they saw their grandma.
The day came to an end, Erika took it upon herself to take them back to their mother, it was a shuffle as the three children and two mothers were taken back to Their Block. The squeezing on Sophie's fingers signalled the nerves of her sister as their Mama's eyes flickered with an emotionless drained face.
It was later, the wood digging into her back as the coughs and groans filled the silence of the night, moving to her side, eyes connected with Anna's. "I don't like this place." Sophie nodded her head in agreement. "I miss Polly." Polly the doll, she was taken when we came to this place, like everything else we owned. Anna went to curl her fingers around Sophie's brown hair, only to become hesitant before running her hand through the older sisters shaved head that matched her own. Sophie tapped a finger on her sister's nose, the same button nose that sat on her face. "We'll always be together?"
"Promise." She intertwined her fingers with Anna's.
-:-
Theywere supposed to go back to the fence that day instead Anna and Sophie was taken to another room with children. There were children in groups of two and three spread around the dark room, the only light coming from the doorway, the soldier's shadow standing tall compared to the sisters next to him. The fingers on Sophie's right hand felt like they were about to drop off as Anna's hand tied around her own, blood roared in her ears as the mental door slammed closed behind them echoing through the room. Sophie brief wonder if they would ever see Mama again as she huddled with her sister against the hard damp wall.
With the hunger growing in their stomachs they accepted anything, including Dr Josef Mengele's lollies. Many of the children didn't understand what happened behind closed doors but Sophie couldn't make the twisted feeling in her stomach disappear, the white- coats liked to poke and ask questions. First it was the measurements then changed to the needles.
At that moment she couldn't fully explain the feeling that run through her body, the coldness of the metal table nipped at her skin, more importantly the glass flakes rubbing into her flesh made her flinch, hearing Anna's breathing helped her think of something other than her own pain. She closed her eyes as they started to poke sharp objects at her and scribble the results down once again.
-:-
It was deep red, it dripped down her side making her feel faint. Dr Mengele dug the blade in deeper into the side of her body until Sophie finally whimpered in the pain. He kept cutting until he started to peel back her skin making her eye sight turn blurry.
Pain was the first sensation she felt, Sophie didn't want to look down though from the corner of her eye she caught sight of a needle and pressed her eyes closed as a pickling sensation erupted through her body. Her breath hitched as she could hear Anna crying in the next room, they were meant to stay together by each other sides, she promised. Sophie tried to move but She was numb from the probing, she wasn't sure which was worse, her pain or hearing Anna's.
-:-
Hermind kept playing the latest event, repeating over and over. The darkness of the room surrounded her with the children, it didn't help with the images of what had happened and what could happen. Anna was huddled against her side, giving some comfort and warmth but it didn't help the nightmares or the crying of the boy across them- he had come back into the room without his sister and Sophie feared that could be them next.
It was the next day the children were taken outside the building to line against the wall. It felt cold like the steal table they sat the children on for inspection; Dr Mengele stepped out of the door twirling a daisy between his fingers, it seemed out of place in the rough dirt of the grounds. He smiled at them pulling the petals, singing tone-deaf. "Love you, Love you not." He pulled a petal off squishing it under his shoes as he walk the line back and forth. "Love you, Love you not, Love you, and Love you not." He stopped in front of the Ellis twins' smiling at them as if he was winning a prize.
The soldiers' brought the Ellis girl forward holding her down as Dr Mengele flipped out a knife taking it to her skin and started to cut her open.
Anna's fingers tightened around Sophie's as the girl's screaming grew louder, she couldn't watch as the girl was getting skinned alive in front of them. Sophie getting shaky at the possibility that it could have been her or Anna in the girl's spot.
Sophie knew it was finished because of two things, the screaming had stopped and Mengele stood in front of her making her downcast eyes connect with his bloody hands until he walked away seeming satisfied.
-:-
Hereyes twitched as herfingers gripped onto the table, the needle was inching towards her eye making her heart thump in her ears. She tried to close her eyes but the medical instrument kept her eye open, making it impossible for Sophie to close her irritated eye. She went to flinch away when a pair of hands clapped around Her head bringing the needle closer until pain shot throw her head making her eyes water.
-:-
She could almost forget about the situation though the chill running through her bare legs that touched the steal of the table brought an image of the boy being dragged out the other door. She turned her eyes to less troubling things. The room was the cleanest Sophie had been in though half the objects around the room didn't make sense to her in their odd shapes and sizes. There was more medical instruments littered on the benches along with jars filled with objects such as snakes and mice.
Turning from the objects in the room, her eyes settled on her sister sitting on the table across from her. Sophie gave her a weak smile as the white-coats stepped in front of her. She snapped her eyes closed as a needle injected into her arm, the yellow fluid disappearing as the room started to spin.
The noise in the room increased as the white-coats started to buzz around the room. Looking over to Anna a frown appeared on Sophie's face as Anna laid there, motionless to the pain. She couldn't understand how her sister didn't react as her own insides felt on fire, a burning that started in her arm and spread to the corners of her body.
"Its alright, you'll be with her soon." Doctor Mengele held out an orange snake, dropping it into her hands as he flipped the folder open on the table. He circled a word- fail.
Her eyes moved over the sheet of paper, the heading 'Subject 26' didn't make sense, she bit another piece of the stale snake into her mouth chewing the leather lolly between her teeth.
It was then the German men stepped forward from the side of the room, taking hold of her arms and leading her to the other metal door.
Panic settled in her bones as she tried to look behind her for Anna. No one came out behind her as the door closed. He said it would be alright, maybe Sophie was going to see Mathew and Papa or better yet go on the same train as Josie. But she wanted Anna with her.
The hands loosened on her arm as the two men slowed while passing another group, she almost covered her mouth at the rank smell in the air that seemed stronger here than at the sleeping blocks.
They stopped during the way, the soldiers' talking to another that was standing guard. Sophie didnt pay any attention to their words as she shifted back and forth on her bare feet anxiously, her eyes flickering between the three armed men as she grew nervous.
Her eyes slide past the men seeing nothing in the darkness of the grounds but she knew by heart that the forest was that way, the hole was that way.
Before she realise what her body was doing, shouts sounded around Sophie as her feet pounded against the hard ground and as shots were been fire.
-:-
Sophie didn't move, not an inch even when the hunger started to grow uncomfortable; she stayed huddled in the corner of the house. The house stood cold and silent abandoned like the other place but the carpet under her bare feet gave her some comfort. They couldn't hurt her here, could they? That spark of fear kept her from moving anywhere from the safety she had made in the short amount of time.
Her breathing stilled in her throat as the squeak of the front door opened, making her small body tremble as Sophie slide into one of the open cabinets, closing it as the heavy footsteps reached the kitchen. "Looks pretty clear." She frowned in the dark at the accent filled that the room.
"It's been abandoned for awhile." A cabinet was slammed shut above the sink as she huddled closer into herself. "No food." She could have told them that, she wasn't sure if she wanted to answer the accented strangers' brought back good memories of her Uncle Alfred.
The cabinet slammed again, gaining closer to her, each one popping open with a click. "Let's head back."
Her breath froze inside of her chest as Sophie'scabinet door opened, revealing a young man with pale red hair. She couldn't move as the man stared back at her with surprise, the other man still chatting away.
"Are you alright?" His voice made her wrap her arms around her knees. His tone was soft, he seemed nice enough but so did some of the other men. "I'm Babe." He pointed to himself before nodding over his shoulder at another man came who into view behind him. "That's Shifty, What is your name?" She shook her head at the men, her eyes going to the gun.
Babe seem to sense her displeasure and handed the gun over to Shifty. Her eyes followed his movements as he started to pull a bar from his pocket. "Here." He held out the bar and she could just make out the word chocolate, something Mama use to talk about. Unwrapping an arm, she reached forward to only frown as her finger tips couldn't touch the wrapper. She moved to knelling on her knees though stopped herself from leaving the safety of her hole, taking a glance at the man, Babe.
Babe gave her a warm smile, something she loved seeing Mama do. Babe had a nice smile, they didn't smile like that. Taking the final step, she climbed out of the cabinet and sat down in front of him leaning her bony back against the cabinet out of reach from the other hands and crossed her legs to open the chocolate bar in her lap.
The taste melted in Sophie's mouth as her stomach growled. "What's your name?" Babe asked another question, hoping to get some kind of answer from the girl.
She licked her lips nervously and fiddled with the wrapper. "Sophie." Her name came out with a slight accent as she tried to speak like them, she was sure Mama would be proud of her lessons paying off.
"Are you German?" She hesitantly nodded her head as she took another bite of the chocolate.
"You not German." She stated in broken English.
"American." Sophie looked up as she chewed, both men seem to be taking her in as she was them. She had no idea why Americans would be here, maybe they heard about the camps.
"Uncle Alfred is like you." The two men shared a look.
"Where are your parents?" She frowned while nibbling on the bar, saving the sweetness.
"They are with them." The men didn't seem fazed at her stumbling English. Their heavy gaze didn't leave her and she thought about crawling back into the cabinet.
"Let's take you somewhere warm." Babe held out his hand, it reminded her of Papa's hands, rough and strong. She gripped his fingers as he stood up, pulling her with him- he was safe, he had chocolate.
They started heading towards the front door with Shifty close behind, she squeezed Babe's fingers tighter as she suddenly realized that it was daylight. What if they were waiting for her?
"We won't let anything happen." The sound of Shifty's voice made her slightly relax as a comforting hand was placed on girl's lower back.
The battalion didn't know what to make of the trio walking into the building, a handful of uniformed men were scattered around the room. Sophie had seen some men walking around the streets, their staring making her nervous. "What you got there fellas?" Two men walked up, one darked skinned while the other had a goofy grin spread across his face.
"Boys met Sophie." They gave warm smiles making her feel better about the strange environment. "This is George and Frank. Any of you seen Doc?"
"Next room, something wrong?" George eyed the girl as he threw the baseball back and forth.
"Can you get Winters?" George was already walking away when Babe remembered something. "And a blanket?"
"I'll get the blanket." Shifty turned the other direction, she almost spoke up as one of her founders left her, making her push against Babe's side for comfort.
Babe led her from the room taking her into another room filled with beds, set up and ready. "Doc!" A man's head snapped up at the sound of his name. "I need you to check her out." Doc nodded his head and patting the bed beside him.
Babe pushed her lightly towards the bed, helping her get on without separating their joined hands. She felt nervous again as the same thing happened with them, the only thing stopping her from running was Babe's hand and the softness under her legs, nothing like the tables the white coats had.
"What's your name darling?" She grinned slightly at the Doc's accent, it sounded funny to her ears.
"Sophie." He tugged at her stripped shirt, checking her over. "Is your name really Doc?"
"It's a nickname." He gave her a small smile. "Just like Babe." She looked over Babe's hand resting in hers, the flirt and chipped finger nails were similar to her own.
"It's your nickname?" She looked to Babe. Maybe the Americans had different ways, her Uncle was always a funny man.
"It's Edward, I prefer being called Babe." He gave her small hand a squeeze before turning his attention to Doc, he couldn't explain what he felt as he saw the ribs, bones, the injections marks along the girl's arms. Babe looked back at her, finding that her brown and blue eyes were already watching him, the right eye a mixture of unnatural colours.
"Babe." She shifted on the bed as two new man with someone came up behind Babe. One of the men with red hair took the position next to Babe. His face was serious but the kindness in his eyes stopped her from flinching away at his closeness. "Gene?"
"She's not in the best of shape. Can you speak English?" The man moved to Babe's side, taking a seat on the bed next to her. He looked scary standing, sitting he seemed harmless as he didn't tower over Her. "I'm Richard, and this is Nixon." He nodded to the other man standing beside Babe.
"Sophie." He didn't seem half as bad talking, didn't seem like them.
"Where are your parents Sophie?" She looked away from Richard's eyes to Babe's hand, tracing the rough lines engraved in his skin.
"Back there."
"There?"
"In the forest with the bad men, Mama and Anna are. Papa and Mathew…."
"The Germans." He didn't seem to need her to confirm the statement. "Where in the forest?"
"I…don't know, it was dark." The pit of her stomach felt heavy, like the times she couldn't help Mama with something. "Sorry." Babe squeezed her hand as Shifty came back with a blanket wrapping it around her shoulders, the sudden warmth made a shiver run through her making her realised how cold she felt.
"Do you know what you were doing there?" The question came from Nixon; he seemed focused on her, like she was a problem to be solved.
"Mama never said, we wor-ked and share-d a room with lots of pe-ople. For a bit." She stumbled over her words.
"A bit?" Richard gained her attention again, making her realize that he had the same colour hair as Babe.
"Me and… Anna went to another room with kids and the white coats." She pressed her lips together, not wanting to say anymore, not wanting to remember.
"Experiments." Doc whispered beside her. He had connected the dots, the injections and scars.
"Where's Anna?" She was glad for a change; she could talk about her sister.
"You haven't seen her?" She had so many questions that she wanted to ask, but she didn't know how to ask them.
Richard stared at her for a long time before turning to Shifty. "Find Liebgott." Her hand tightened on the blanket pulling it closer to around her without letting go of Babe's hand.
"Sir?" Her eyes flickered up to the man standing beside Richard. Richard stood up from the bed to stand beside the man, whispering something as the man's eyes glanced over to the small girl hundled on the large bed. "Yes sir."
Both men turned towards Sophie, Richard smiled while the man shifted on his feet before taking the seat Richard was in moments ago. "Your names Sophie?" She looked at him in surprised, German had slipped through his lips. She stared at him a moment before nodding her head. "I'm Liebgott."
"You're speaking German?" She flushed as he smiled to her.
"And I'm Jewish." He pointed to her chest, the star of Davis patched on her clothes.
"So am I." It was a relief to talk to someone like her family. "You're just like us."
Liebgott frowned at her choice of wording. "Like us?"
"We're different to everyone else." The wrinkles in his forehead increased.
"We're the same as everyone else." Liebgott argued.
"They said we aren't." Sophie was confused at what Liebgott was saying, it went against everything they were told back there.
"The Germans?" She nodded her head. "Stay here." Liebgott walked away with Richard and Nixon, it was only then she realised Doc wasn't beside her but moving around the room. She watched Doc, noticing how different he was compared to other Doctors she knew, he was nice and didn't once poke her with a medical instrument.
Panic started to settle in as Babe's hand slipped out of hers, she watched wide-eyed as he move towards the group, Richard talking to him. Shifty moved in her line of sight, giving her a soft smile that was nothing compared to Dr Mengele's.
"Let's get you some food." She finally smiled as Babe came back, holding his hand out. She jumped off the bed taking his hand before looking behind her, happy to see Liebgott walking at her back with Shifty.
Joining the room, George pushed a guy beside him patting the bench. "You are sitting next to me Violet." She frowned not sure what he meant as he rolled the base ball back and forth on the surface of the table. She moved forward, unsure as she let Babe's hand go and watched the baseball. They never let them play, it seemed like years since Sophie had seen a ball.
"Can you catch?" He pretended to throw the ball making her jerk as she stood near him keeping her eyes on the baseball. "Ever seen a ball?" He couldn't help but ask as her eager eyes watched the ball roll.
"Mathew use to take us to the park." She sat down on the bench; Liebgott took the space behind her, giving her some comfort having another Jew close, someone similar.
She cupped her hands as the ball looked like it was about to roll off the table but George caught it at the last minute. George raised an eye brow at Sophie and her hands' automatically move back to the table waiting. With a third false roll; he finally let the ball roll across the table into her small hands, her eyes lit up as she rolled it back to George.
"Sophie." Babe placed a glass of milk with a plate of bread on the table. "Eat up." She didn't need to be told twice, she drank half the milk leaving a white line above her top lip as she bit at the bread quickly.
"Don't let her eat too fast, she'll get sick." Doc walked across the room to another man with the same Red Cross patch on his shoulder.
"Where did you get the food?" A man with red hair frowned at Babe from across the table with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.
"Connections Malarkey." She looked at her plate, stilling her movements of eating. She pushed her plate towards him. She was always told to share, they had to share with the amount of food given to them.
"I'm alright Kiddo." Malarkey smiled, pushing the plate back under the girl's nose.
"Thank you." She could almost see Mama pleased at using the manners she worked so hard to drill into her. Secretly she was happy not to share her bread or milk; it was all hers.
-:-
Shewinced as the woman stripped her clothes before relief flowed in her veins as the hot bath felt like old times when Mama would be busy cooking dinner on the stove, Papa would make sure the kids were ready for bed. He would read the newspaper though one can never be sure whether it was a new release or an older edition, either way Mama would try to teach the children to read.
Rough fingers dug into her scalp as the soap was rubbed in, nothing like Mama's smooth fingers but Sophie was thankful to be clean though she would have to wear the dirty clothes again, she hugged her knee to her flat chest as her thoughts drifted to Anna.
-:-
She kept staring in of front at the wall, afraid that she might cry if she had to look him in the eye. "How are you feeling today Soph?" Gene checked her over, writing in his little book every once in awhile.
"Soph?" She questioned him, not sure what to think of the nicknames that seen to developed over night.
"You don't mind me calling you Soph?" She wasn't sure whether it was an American or Army thing, maybe she should ask Liebgott about it as Mama never called her anything else but Sophie.
"I like it." She swang her bony knees as she watched Nixon and Richard talk by themselves making Her nervous. Would the Americans send her back to the white coats?
Half an hour later, she sat on the stone steps outside the made shift hospital as the guys started to gear up. Liebgott said they had just arrived in the town yesterday and some of the boys were going to scan over the forest, similar to Babe and Shifty were doing when the two found her. "Penny for your thoughts?" Sophie smiled at Babe, only to frown at him when she didn't know the meaning of his words. "What are you thinking?"
"I ca-n stay with you?" She desperately didn't want to go back, she watched him pause making her panic.
"For the most part." He re-stepped his words as her face dropped. "This is a war, you can't...I can not let you get hurt. Apart from that you're stuck with me." Babe nudged against her shoulder making Sophie laugh. "That's my Girl." He stood up from the steps and pulled her with him. "I think it's about time we find you some real clothes."
It was Nixon that handed her the greens; it was the first time he ever grinned at her. She could remember the men talking about Nixon and his wife, well he wasn't having the best of time as his wife was taking the kid and the dog, the statement George used copying Nixon's voice, 'She hates that dog.' She wonder if Nixon had a son or a daughter. "Try these on for size." The man left the room, leaving her to try on the adult clothes.
"Babe!" She called him. A laugh escaping Babe, making her frown as the shirt hung off her and the pants bunch up at her feet. "I don't like it." She folded her arms across her chest.
"You look like a stuffed olive." Nixon's lips twitched.
"An unripe pumpkin." Babe leaned against the door with a bright smile not hiding anything.
Perconte walked pass the door only to stick his head through the door way staring at Sophie with a tooth brush hanging from his mouth. "Wait one moment Violet." Nixon raised an eyebrow at Babe, only for him to shake his head as Perconte came back with some clothes. "I know you're a girl, but George and I found these the other night." Frank gave her pair of navy boy pants and a brown shirt, and adding pair of rough looking shoes, making her bare feet wiggled on the floor broad.
Without much thought she started to strip in excitement to get into some other clothes as she stumbled with the oversize pants, making the men glance in the other direction. "I'm a para-topper." She stumbled over her English, smiling with the army green shirt hanging loose and navy boy pants.
"That you are Pumpkin." Babe stepped forward to tuck the shirt into Sophie's pants making her truly follow up to her new nickname as the shirt looked like a balloon.
-:-
"Youremind me of my brother." She sat close to Liebgott, speaking in their language was easier than trying to find the right words in English.
"Your brother?" She wasn't sure what it was, the fact that he was Jewish or was it the brown hair?
"Mathew...I miss him and Anna."
"How many siblings you got?" Joe Liebgott wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into the side of his body.
"Two siblings, older brother and twin sister...she looks like me." Anna may have looked like her but it had been days since Sophie last saw her and she felt like couldn't remember Anna anymore.
"What about your parents?" She went quiet before making her mind up, Liebgott wouldn't tell a soul.
"We're not allowed to speak of it." She took it a habit of playing with Babe or Liebgotts fingers when she got nervous. "Mathew and Papa were taken somewhere else. Mama, Anna and I went on a different holiday. I haven't seen Papa or Mathew for months, or even Uncle Alfred."
"Is your Uncle Alfred with your Papa?"
"No, his like you."
"American?" She nodded her head.
"Uncle Alfred and Mama are like you. He sometimes sends letters to Mama and she taught us some English."
"Can we contact your Uncle?" Liebgott asked, a plan forming in his mind.
"His away with Grandma, in the heavens." She pointed to the sky, saying the same words Mama had said to her siblings.
George came over, leaning against the rail of the steps. "Liebgott, Lip wants you."
Liebgott swung his gun over his shoulder and placed his helmet back on, he patted her on the head. "Stay out of trouble Violet." Liebgott left the young girl and soldier on the steps, slience surrounding them until George spoke up.
"You have got to teach me German." She glanced up at George as he watched his fellow brother leave the steps.
-:-
Thesound of Penconte's breathing filled the room as he stood pointing in the direction he came from. "What is it Penconte?" Richard asked.
"The forest...Sir, You have to come see." His words sent the room into a rush as everyone started to pile into the vehicles.
The forest blurred past them as vehicles made their way on the dirt roads, following Peconte's directions. Sophie had manged to come with them as she had already been seated in the truck with the compnay, before she could say a second word the engine was going.
"What the hell is this?" Webster sat beside her staring at the high fences that she remember so well. She gripped onto Babe, scared to enter the place as memories rushed at her. What if Dr Mengele was here?
"Sophie?" Babe bent down to her height, connecting the dots as the males in stripped pyjamas and shaved heads with the star of Davis patched on them. "Sophie." Her eyes were glued to the people as Babe pulled the girl to his side, silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
The gates opened and people, Jews, Poles and Gypsies stumbled down the road towards them, each gasping for water and food. She tightened her grip on Babe as they came closer, she didn't want to be taken back."I'm not leaving you." Babe squeezed her hand while they made their way to one of the stripped man.
She was staring at the man before Sophie as a hand grabbed her arm making a small scream escape her. "Sophie." She stilled her movements as she could hardly recognise the voice.
"Mathew?" The older boy didn't look anything like her brother, he looked like one of the zombies from the scary stories he use to tell them at night.
"Is it really you?" His thin fingers traced over her face as tears clouded his vision. Mathew never cried, the worry ate at her at the sight.
She was waiting for him to ask about Anna but he never said a word expect touch her face as if she was going to vanish. "Where's Papa?"
Mathew didn't say anything as he continued to stare at her, shaking his head. She was about to question him again when Colonel Sink drove up heading straight for Richard and Nixon.
Mathew grabbed her hand as the soldiers' started to push them back into the camp. "You stay with them." Before swiping English for Babe to understand. "Get out of here." His eyes flickered behind her at Babe using a tone that she hardly ever heard him use, one that sounded just like Papa.
He pressed his chipped lips to his little sister's forehead before getting pushed into the crowd. Babe's arms came around her middle keeping her safe from the stumbling masses.
Babe led her away from the camp, picking her up to sit on the truck bench. "Chin up Pumpkin, you'll see him again." He tapped her nose making a small watery smile twitch at the edges. "There's our girl."
"And our girl deserves the best." Shifty patted himself down, pulling out a chocolate bar. She could feel her tongue tingling at the memory of her first chocolate bar from Babe.
"There is a concentration camp further down the railway, heard it's the women's camp." Liebgott jumped into the truck followed by a handful of Easy men. "It's not only Jews, but Gypsies and a few others."
"No one in the town knew about it." George said in disbelief.
"How can they not smell it?" Webster's voice was muffled from the cloth covering half his face.
"You get use to it." She bit into the chocolate, glancing up as no one spoke. "Some days are worse than others, but after awhile you don't notice it." The only response Sophie got was Babe pulling her onto his lap and securely wrapping his arms around her.
-:-
"WillI be able to see Mathew soon?" A couple of the guys looked up at Babe and Sophie sitting on the cot, her question made Babe pause as he tucked her in.
"Some...day." He pulled the blanket to her chin keeping the cold away. He didn't want her losing hope or giving her false hope either.
"What are we going to do now?" She asked innocently.
"Now, we are going to sleep, night Pumpkin." Kissing the side of her cheek he settled down on the floor beside her. He looked over at Skinny next to him. "Didn't know you could draw."
She listened to their voices and watching the dark shadow of Babe, resting his back against the wood of the bed with Skinny hunched over beside him. "One of my sisters do, she could draw anything."
"Not bad yourself." Sophie finally closed her eyes listening to the mutters of the men as a lullaby.
It was dark and cold as her bare feet slapped against the hard ground, she couldn't see but the sensation of falling washed over her as she landed hard on her side.
Her breathing freezed in her lungs, her eyes adjusting to the darkness bring a face into sight, the pale face of her twin staring back at her was emotionless. Jumping back Sophie moved into something hard, glancing behind her, her Papa gripped onto her arm as Anna took her other arm, dragging her with them into the cold darkness. She kicked and screamed to be let go, a large fire started in front of her and the zombies from the camps were walking into the flames making her nose crunch at the vile smell and her lungs hurt as she screamed again, panic developing in her.
Another pair of hands grabbed her making her eyes snap open to see Skinny's face; she jumped into his arms holding onto him as she shook like a leaf. Sophie tried to hold back the tears as Mama words came into her - "A lady never cries in the company of others". This time however the tears rolled off her cheeks and splashed upon the green shoulders' of the uniform. "It's alright Sophie; no one's going to hurt you." She nodded her head, laying back down on the mattress and trying to calm her breathing as Skinny made his way back to his bed. Letting out a shaky breath she pulled back the blanket and wobbled over to a sleeping body. The body hadn't stirred at a single sound and she tugged the hand hanging from out of the blanket.
"Pumpkin?" She didn't answer him but crawled her way under the blanket and snuggled into his chest as she use to do with Papa. Another shaky breath escaped her as Babe stroked her hair, the simple smoothing rub making her relax. It reminded her of Papa but he never smelt like her Babe. She intertwined her fingers with Babe's, the larger hand hiding own her and making her feel safe from the fire and darkness.
-:-
Thenext morning the stale bread did not help with her upset stomach, making her pick pieces from it until George couldn't stand it anymore, swapping her bread for his chocolate bar as they sat in the sun watching the locals.
"Ever played baseball Violet?" She turned her gaze away from the local kids as George took a seat.
"Violet?" She questioned, curious to the nickname. He lit a cigarette up making Sophie turn her nose up at the smell, Papa smoked.
"Yeah, you know with the..." Luz pointed to his eye making her mirror his actions to her unnatural coloured eye. "You have a killa set of eyes." She frowned at him. "Beautiful, beautiful eyes." He corrected himself to a term she would understand, making the upset lines disappear from her forehead.
"No, I have not played baseball." She answered his original question.
"Not at all? Even with your brother?" She slowly shook her head at the mention of her brother.
"Come on." He held out a hand for Sophie, making her hesitant before taking it.
She followed Luz into their building, the grin on his face meant he was up to no good as he made his way to one of the closed doors which happened to be a closest. She winced as few curse words left his mouth making him move further into the closest before he came out with a grin holding a cricket bat. "That's not a baseball bat."
"I do know that, it means were playing cricket instead." She shrugged her shoulder; she didn't really know the difference between the two ball games.
"You plan on playing a game?" Perconte stood there brushing his teeth once again; his statement caught the attention of some of the other guys.
In the end the group was made of Perconte, Luz, Popeye, Malarkey, Liebgott, Bull and Babe. "Its simple, you aim and swing." She frowned at Luz.
"But...I don't know." Sophie watched as each one started to speak at the same time making it harder for her to understand their language.
"Shut it!" Liebgott moved past the group to stand behind her slipping the cricket bat into her hands over his own. "Move like this." He swung the bat a couples of times letting her get the feel of the action, the motion and his steady voice calmed the panic that started to rise within her. "Bull, the ball." Bull moved in front of her, swinging his arm a couple before throwing the ball.
Liebgott's fingers tightened against her own before he swung the bat making her arm tingle from the hit. "That's how you hit a ball." He ruffled her hair. "Now you run to the wickets." Grabbing Sophie's hand they run to the wicket and back though not before Popeye caught the ball tapping the other wicket.
"You're out!" She started to shake her head at Popeye. "You're out Sophie."
"Nope, he is." She pointed the finger at the shocked Liebgott, making a few chuckle at the young girl. "Joey's out."
"That he is Violet." George took the bat from Liebgott's hands giving it to Sophie. "Show them how to do it."
The smile never left her face, she felt more alive with these boys than she had for years and her cheeks were almost at the point of hurting from laughing as she stood by the side lines watching them after Malarkey got her out with a catch.
Her attention turned to some of the boys' surrounding the crates laughing; she didn't know what to make of the scene, she thought of her family and wondered how anyone could be happy? Or what the Americans' were doing here? She wasn't sure how she could forget those important things. "Everything alright Sophie?" John Martin sat down beside her, she hadn't talked to him much but Martin and Richard were the only ones that called her Sophie instead of some kind of nickname.
As she thought about it, Sophie became embarrassed at the question, she finally asked what the Americans' were doing here, and Martin simply smiled though didn't say anything for a long period of time until the boys' surrounded them covered in sweat. "Have you heard of Hitler?"
The laughter of the boys' died down, bringing the lines back into their faces. She wasn't sure how to answer, too scared to get in trouble by the unhappy men. Mama always said to speak the truth. She nodded her head keeping her eyes on Martin as she thought of Hitler. "Papa spoke of him sometimes." She could clearly remember the fight between her parents one night and the name was mentioned between words.
"He has a lot of power and ...made some bad decisions." Some of the boys made a noise in the back of their throats though her eyes focused on Liebgott, a disgusted look crossed his face. "We are here to stop him from making anymore."
"All you need to know kiddo is we are the good guys'." George pointed at himself, a big grin spreading across his face.
"And Hitler hates us." She heard Liebgott's comment making him earn a slap from Malarkey. She knew Joey meant Jews from his tone, everything clicked into place.
"He put us into the camps?" She remembered the soldiers' uniforms in her house that night as they were taken away. The same uniforms at the camp, each holding a red flag covering the town in a red seas of violence. "But Hitler is German like me?"
"No," Liebgott bent down in front of the girl speaking in German, she hadn't even realised it. "He is nothing like you."
"Why did he do it?" Liebgott run a frustrated hand through his hair.
"Your special and he can't handle that."
-:-
Walking around the edges of the garden beds', it reminded her of the time back home."Violet, I've got someone that would like to meet you?" Nixon grabbed her hand helping her to jump off the wooden garden bed.
"Who?"
"The Colonel." She hadn't directly spoken to Colonel Sink and she wasn't looking forward to it, he reminded her of Grandpa Phil who had a mean temper. "It's alright, nothing bad is going too happened." She nodded her head knowing that Nixon was the intelligence office and known everything about everyone.
They walked up to a wooden door, Nixon knocked on the door before opening it. Richard, Lipton, Babe and Liebgott were present with the Colonel. Her fingers tightened as she wanted to grab Babe's hand but only tightened her grip on Nixon's.
She sat down in the only chair across from the Colonel with the boys behind her. He did look like Grandpa Phil, the wrinkles and the white stripes of hair yelled 'old'. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Sophie." She relaxed in the seat as the wrinkles turned into a warm smile, something Grandpa Phil hardly did without a glass of Jack in his hand.
"Same here Colonel." She sat on her hands to stop fiddling with them.
"From my understanding, your mother is American?" She nodded her head as he looked down at the papers once again spread over his desk.
"Your father's Jewish." His eyes flickered behind her to Liebgott.
"And your Uncle in America - deceased." Sophie frowned at the words. "Past away." She nodded her head again. She didn't like questions; the white coats always asked questions. "Just like the rest of them." She got confused at the Colonel's words as he muttered down at the paper under his breath. "I hear you and the boys have taken a liking. But you know you can't stay here." She shifted in her seat watching the wrinkles in his face once again.
Nixon stepped forward. "Sir with all due of respect, it would be wise to send Sophie to America, I'm sure there is an orphanage she can go to."
"She is not going to an orphanage!" She almost jumped at the sound of Babe's voice, she didn't know the meaning of the word but guess it wasn't pleasant.
"Then tell me a better plan, a war is no place for a child. What do you plan to do? Carry her all over Europe until the war is over?" She stared at Babe and Nixon standing toe to toe, Sophie didn't like the arguing, it reminded her of the nights her parents fought.
"We could do that!" Liebgott stepped in; she had never heard Joey raise his voice or the look in his eyes before.
Richard touched her shoulder. "Sophie, go wait outside on one of the seats." He lightly pushed the girl towards the office door; she knew it wasn't a question.
The seat outside was almost as comfy as the Colonel's seat with its soft cushion, her feet dangled down just touching the floor. She winced as another loud voice came from the office before turning to mutters. She wish there was a window on the door so Sophie could at least see what was happening, she did think of pressing her ear against the door, like they use to do when her parent's had their talks. She started to hum a song trying to count the strange circles in the tile pattern at her feet instead of getting into mischief.
Her head snapped up as the office door opened, Richard smiled at her nodding his head for her to re-join them. Sophie settled back in the seat waiting for the Colonel to speak, the wrinkles in his face moving once again. "How do you feel about living in American...with Babe?" Her eyes went wide as she turned around to face the red head, she lunged herself at him in mere seconds. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Glad you approve Pumpkin." He stroked her head, the sensation feeling strange with her prickly short hair growing back.
"In the mean time, you'll be staying here with one of the locals and a family." She signed at the news but didn't argue as she was going to live with Babe; she could remember the couple of times Mama had taken away things for nagging too much.
"That will be all, carry on." Colonel saluted the men, making them return it with straight backs. She stood away from Babe and copied their movements, gaining a smile from the Colonel at Her slow reaction compared to the boys.
-:-
She liked having the boys' around; it was good to see their rough smiling faces but tonight seemed like one of those nights.
Her eyes caught sight of the shadow figure, the infamous Ronald Spiers with the cigarette smoke clouding his face. Of course the boys had told her the stories; well Perconte always started it earning himself a smack on the side of the head. They told stories that seemed real, then again Sophie would never think there would be a war.
She trained her eyes on him as he made his way across the room heading to the door near her. At the last minute his strides slowed before he turned to her, his face not showing any emotion. Mama told her not to stare but she couldn't help it, she was interested. "They aren't true." The words seem to surprise him though it was soon masked.
"What isn't?" It was the first time she heard him speak without giving orders to the men.
"The stories about you." He leaned forward like he was about to tell a secret.
"Notice with stories like that, everyone's heard it from someone who was there." He turned his head taking a drag before continuing. "When you ask that person, they say they heard it from someone who was there. It's nothing new, really." He winked, leaving her seating there in wonder.
Rumours.
She could remember Mama always telling her to never believe in rumours; you don't know how twisted they turn. And that was a great example of Mama's warning.
-:-
"Youcan trust Ms Evelyn." Her fingers' tighter around Babe's hand as his words didn't bring much comfort. "She has two kids." She looked up at Babe finding him smiling at her as she finally showed some interest. The good-byes had been said leaving Babe until last; Sophie knew Ms Evelyn stood behind them giving the two some space for their farewell. She didn't want him to leave; it was like separating from Papa and Mathew all over again. "You be good and I'll send some letters."
"You promise?" She grabbed onto his hand running her fingers over the lines and marks trying to remember all of them.
"Pinkie promise." He held out his pinkie making her instantly wrap her own around his bigger one. "I'll see you soon Pumpkin." Placing a kiss on her cheek he moved backwards to the truck seated with the rest of the men.
"You'll be alright dear." She could feel Ms Evelyn place a comforting hand on her back as the trucks started to rumble, taking her boys away from her. The tears were sliding down her face before they were out of view.
She simply let Ms Evelyn take her to her house; the house itself remembered Her of Papa and Mama's house with the fence out the front and the tiny building sitting on a small block of land.
The sound of feet sounded from inside the door making her halt in walking. "That's just the children." Sophie frowned at the way she said it, she didn't say her children which was the way Mama would always introduced to people.
The door opened revealing a small girl with black hair and a boy with brown, both breathing heavy as they stood wide eyes looking at her, making Sophie play with the green hem of her shirt. "Children, this is Sophie."
"Beth." The young girl didn't hold her hand out instead she grabbed hold of Sophie's hand dragging her into the cosy house; it remembered Sophie of Anna dragging her to unknown places.
"I'm Thomas." The smaller boy ran up the stair after them. He seemed like a shadow as he followed his older sister around though eagerly watching the both of them.
"How can you speak English?" Sophie knew some people could speak the language but most didn't know how.
"Jane teaches us." The girl was happy to give answers as she continued chatting away.
"I hate school." She heard the Thomas mutter, Anna use to say the same thing when their Mama sat them down for a couple of hours every day.
Sophie sat on the floor listening to Beth talk; sometimes she would switch to German than back to English as her English was simple like Sophie. "Why do you have different eyes?" Her question brought Sophie back to the present. No one had ever asked about her eyes in such a manner.
Without a word she turned away from them, walked down the hallway and closed the door to the bathroom. Sophie didn't think there was anything wrong with her eyes, though the way Beth said it made herself aware. It was a different tone than the boys used, she was always called Violet by most of them and none ever had a problem with her looks. George had said her eyes were beautiful, and they are or at least she thought so.
Moving towards the sink, Sophie glanced up into the mirror taking in her hair that was slowly growing back to the pale skin and purple eye that looked almost blue. Usually if she wanted to hide she could behind the curtain of hair but her short hair wouldn't allow that. Now as she stood staring at her reflection Sophie could see what was so imperfect with herself, there was no way anyone could not notice her strange eyes with one purple and other green. They weren't like that colour before, they had changed sometime with Doctor Mengele, another reminder of what she didn't want to remember.
She sat down on the bathroom floor feeling the coldness sweep over her as it use to do back at the camps. Bringing her knees up to her chest she let the tears slide down her face.
She wanted Babe back; she wanted all of them back.
Sophie had to leave the bathroom sometime, Evelyn had called the children for dinner and the four of them sat at the table in small silence, Thomas chatting away about his day or curious questions that entered his mind. She was happy for the food, it was the memory of having a similar setting with her siblings' chatting along with her parents that made her feel sober.
The days turned into a comfortable routine with breakfast, lunch and dinner. In-between Ms Evelyn gave the three children lessons, much like her Mama use to except it involved more than learning English. With classes and time playing outside, she was also allocated chores around the house with Thomas and Beth. The other children didn't mention anything about her eyes again and Beth lent Sophie her teddy as a peace offering on her first night and they simply moved on, slowly built friendships that would last forever.
-:-
Four Months Later
Shecouldn't focusher mind on the piece of paper in front of Her, Ms Evelyn or Jane as the other kids called her was teaching the kids.
Like many nights before always had dreams haunt her, nothing to do with Papa or Anna but the boys and Babe. It wasn't a pair of rough hands of Skinny that woke her up but the small hands of the boy, Thomas who looked ready to cry himself as he stood there, he passed her his blanket that She had notice he carried around everywhere. Beth hadn't woken up and she was glad to not answer any unwanted questions.
Now she watched Jane move around the room, that night had given her time to talk to Thomas who happily answered her questions. Jane was his Aunt and their parents had passed away before the time of Hitler. Jane Evelyn was younger than Mama was; her black hair showed no hints of grey like Colonel Sinks but kept its colour like Nixon's.
The work in front of her didn't stop the thoughts running through her head. She wanted Anna or Mathew, in all her life She had never spent this long of a time without one of them. It pained her to see Beth walking around with a teddy bear clutched in her arms; it reminded Sophie of Anna and Polly. The dirty doll with holes through the fabric never left Anna's sight; she could still remember Mama gathering thread and fabric to make Polly. Mama was going to make two, one for Anna and one for her though there was only enough for Anna, she didn't mind sharing but Anna hated the fact that Sophie was older than her by a couple of minutes so Polly was always brought into the argument, saying Polly was the youngest out of the three siblings, Mathew and Sophie played along.
"Sophie, can you read this." She blinked up at Jane, her warm smile didn't show any hint of anger as she placed a ratty book in front of her. Feeling safe, Sophie looked down at the pages and frowned, she couldn't understand a single word of it.
"I don't know how." Jane bent down to her level pointing a finger at the top of the page.
"I figured you should learn how to read English."
English?"
"Yes, like Babe." Sophie nodded her head, straightening up in her seat to get a better view.
"The cat was black and white with a grey sock." Jane glanced at Sophie to repeat after her.
"Th-e..."The young girl stared at the three letter word in frustration.
"C-a-t." Jane spelt it out letting her finger run under the words.
"Ca-t...w-a-s?"
"That's it keep spelling the words out loud."
"The cat was...bl-a-ck an-d wh-ite...wi-th a gr-ey s-ock."
"Great, now try the next line." She run her fingers to the next sentence, slowly reading it out loud.
-:-
The pounding of her feet against the ground brought a smile to her face, even more with Ms Evelyn's warning was heard yelling behind them. "Be careful" She raced after the other town kids, including Beth and Thomas, enjoying the splash of the muddy water in her shoes and the smell of the forest. Different colours of green blurred around her as she tried to run faster than Danny, one of the town kids, Thomas best friend. It was refreshing to be outside of the house away from the school work and chores.
Sometimes while out playing Sophie would see someone run past her in a blur only to feel that tug on her hand in a new direction and discover something unseen from the day before. Sophie felt that Anna was with her all the time.
Sophie came to a halt as Mrs. Evelyn's voice echoed through the trees. "Mail has arrived!" A new rush run through her - Today might be the day she could get some mail from the boys.
Since the day of leaving she had only got two letters and she guess she should be thankful for that many but Sophie always crossed her fingers for more. "Sophie, there is a letter for you." Flipping the letter over the American eagle was stamped in the front saying US Mail, surely that meant the boys were home. It had been months since their leaving and the war was over meaning, everyone was starting to recover – hearts and buildings alike.
Sophie started to jump up and down before she finished reading. She could go home, see the boys and it could be like old times.
-:-
The type writer made a slight ding as it come to an end. She let out a shuttering breath, a weight lifted from her shoulders that had been there for years. At the age of thirty-five, her life was still changing from the war. "How is it going pumpkin?" She turned in her seat, placing the last piece of paperonto the pile.
"Finished." She smiled at the red head man.
"Did I hear you say finished?" Bill came into the room with his wife Frances, taking a seat next to the other Philly man.
"Maybe you fellas should think about writing a book, let everyone know the truth." Bill simply laughed at her while Babe made himself comfortable, a small smile on his face. She knew Babe had written bits and pieces, it was his idea after all.
Babe stayed by his primrose, she know he wasn't a lying man or at least to her. It seemed she will be forever in debt to Winters and Sink as they held a strong part in pulling the strings as they say, and Babe was right beside them.
A couple of months later after receiving the letter, Evelyn was packing her bags and sent over on a plane, Sophie's first experience. When she landed, she was met with her boys, her family.
She had heard stories of Philly after living with the boys' on the road in Europe. It was always a daydream of something new and exciting, and she still couldn't believe that she lived in America. Most of all, she felt safe with the two Philly men but it never quite felt like home without that someone else.
It had taken many years and every year she would count.
It had finally come.
Today was the day.
Mathew was landing in America.
Authors Note: I don't mean any disrespect to the soldiers who fought the war, simply writing a fan fiction because I enjoyed the TV show so much. And I'm working through a list of the characters and writing one-shots for them if anyone is interested in reading more.