Is Love Bright in the Dark?
Jasmine Clayton
Introduction.
Life was perfect. Dad was still complaining about how mom disliked his American Hamburgers and Axel still played his junky guitar in the garage. I was just laying in my bed, listening to Mom and Dad bicker and Axel's music. It was an average Sunday night. That is until Axel's music was suddenly silenced, the door busted in, and Mom screamed.
I rushed for the stair case and peered over the rail. Men had Axel, Mom and Dad lined up, guns trained. I stayed low and out of sight as I listened.
"Mister and Misses Wagner." A man addressed my parents. "You and your family are under arrest."
"That's ridiculous." Dad answered. "What are the charges?"
The men all laughed. "Do you know who we are?" one asked. "Do you know that you're Jewish?" another said obnoxiously.
The first man silenced his men. "Search the house, men. There should be another boy." My eyes widened slightly and I backed away from the rail and toward my room as the men approached the staircase. "You four, take these three to the truck." The man ordered.
I had just slammed my door shut in a man's face when the gun went off. My mother screamed and Axel shouted "Dad!" My eyes widened. My force on the door lessened, it came back and knocked me to the floor. The men pursuing me grabbed me and dragged me downstairs.
"Dad!" I gasped, seeing him lying on the floor. He looked bad. He was bleeding from his chest, eyes closed. I could hear Mom's sobs outside. I let the men take me; I was in a state of shock. Mom hugged Axel tight and they both sobbed. I stared at my feet as the truck barreled off somewhere.
The Ghetto.
We were let out of the truck; I slowly followed my mother and older brother to a line of others. I hadn't spoken at all. I had nothing with me except the clothes on my back. Mom had no real possessions either. Axel still had his guitar I noticed. We got into the line, others behind us, and waited to enter the huge walled off village.
I was behind Mom and Axel. So they were gone when I was asked my name. I didn't answer. They slapped me and asked again. "Whit Wagner." I answered in a murmur.
"Louder." The man at the desk sighed.
"My name is Whit Wagner." I said with a shaky voice.
"That's a good boy." He answered. Another man came over and checked me for anything considered a weapon. I could see Axel's guitar all broken in a corner. After I was waved out, I caught up with Mom and Axel. They sat by the wall, Mom crying again. I looked away as Axel got into an argument with a man about a seat by the wall.
A moment later I was hit in the back of the head by a man. He was tall and in uniform like the men at the gate. A Nazi. I shrank back a little. "Why you two fighting?" he shouted at Axel and the man.
"This kid pushed me." The man said. I narrowed my eyes.
"No manners, I see?" the Nazi said. He hefted his gun, my eyes widened. Would he shoot Axel here and now? "See this gun, kid?"
It wasn't a good time to get snooty. But Axel did. He folded his arms and got a sarcastic tone to his voice. "Do I look blind to you?" he asked. "I'm 18, okay? I'm not even a kid."
I shook my head and then looked at the Nazi. He didn't look happy. In fact he cocked his gun, making me back away a step or two. "Did you just get smart with me?" he asked Axel.
"Yeah," my brother replied. "I think I did." I bit my lip and looked at Mom. She looked shocked at Axel and her tears were almost drowning her. To lose Axel and Dad on the same night would be terrible.
"Sir," I interrupted the man before he could say anything. I swallowed back a lot of fear but not all of it. The man turned to me. I shrank back another two steps. "What my brother meant was, we just recently lost our father. Mom's still in shock and you see, sir, this man wouldn't let him sit by Mom to comfort her." I explained shyly but loud enough for many of the surrounding Jews could hear.
"Don't interrupt an officer when he's speaking." The Nazi replied. Then he drew his arm back and brought a hand down on my left cheek with a loud slap of skin on skin. I stumbled back a step and put a hand to my face in surprise.
"But, sir, I didn't interrupt. You hadn't spoken y—" I should have kept my mouth shut. The man hit me again and sent me to the ground. I heard Mom's gasp of shock and Axel comforting her.
"Very well. You two bone heads keep it down. We're all trying to relax." The Nazi then turned and left. I sat on the ground and rubbed my cheek as I stared at the ground in front of me. A lot of the others moseyed away after that.
Living here wasn't pleasant at all. The Nazi officers were disrespectful. The one who slapped me had shown up at our place just the next day and slapped me around a bit more. Just for fun. That's what Axel said.
Mom cried a lot, especially at night. Axel was just moody through most of the time. While I was silent and shocked at what I witnessed each day. One minute, a man is speaking of freedom and telling a group of little kids an inspiring escape attempt. The next, he's on the ground with three bullets to the chest.
A lot of what I saw was terrible. I thought things couldn't get worse. I couldn't have been any more wrong.
After about two weeks there, we were lined up in the center of the village. All the women were taken away. Axel and Mom hadn't separated easily. It turned to be a bad idea. I watched in shock and panic as Mom was snatched away and Axel was beaten harshly before he was shot in the chest. I stared at his body, mouth open slightly. I looked up at the men leading Mom away. I felt a tear run down my cheek. I took a step toward her. A gun trained in at me and I looked from her to the gun.
After a small, silent sob I stepped back into place and stared ahead. The man began to speak. "Many of you are young men. Young, strong, labor-able men." I knew where this was going right away. "We shall take this half of you," he gestured toward the half of the group where I stood. "To a work site. If you don't come willingly we will force you. If you refuse to be forced, you get shot." The man pointed to the rest. "You all remain here."
I followed the group to a train. I wasn't very sure about it. They began herding us into the cattle cars. I felt claustrophobic. When the train rolled onward, I tried to wade toward a wall. That proved impossible, so I stopped trying.
The Work Camp for Young Boys.
When the train stopped. We were all let out and made to stand in a line again. The Nazi officers went through and chose a select few of older men and sent them of somewhere. Only those who looked older than 9 and under 20 were kept in line.
"Now, all of you remove the following items," an officer began. "Shoes, socks, shirts and pants. Keep undergarments on."
I looked around as the other boys began to remove their clothing. I sniffed a bit and began to remove my shirt. I had it over my head and was about to toss it to my feet when a girl of my age followed a man out to where we stood. I know I wasn't the only one to blush at her presence. But I did not slow at removing my shoes and socks. I watched her though.
She was very pretty. Long, curly blonde hair. She wore a uniform like the officers but she wasn't an officer. That was clear. But she held herself like one. She was powerful and way out of my league anyway.
I began to unbutton my pants. I was sliding them off when a gun went off. I jumped with the others. "Faster!" an officer shouted at us. I shook and dropped my pants. I stood in my underwear and folded my arms across my chest. A man came up from behind me and looked me over. He seemed satisfied by me and walked on to examine others.
The girl followed one of the men who looked at us. She came by me and stopped a moment. I heard her breath catch. I blushed a little before she drew her arm back and slapped me. I looked to the ground as she walked past, looking as shocked as I was.
I shook out my dark brown hair and flicked my bangs from my eyes. I could hardly recall what color they were. I think they were green. I followed the group of now half naked boys to a gate. We were all let in and separated by age groups. I was one of three sixteen year olds. We were led to a bunker and left there. It had already been inhabited. About 30 other boys lay tired in the shelves on the walls. Nothing was to cushion our sleeping place.
I took a place on the floor. Might as well sleep on concrete if you'll need to sleep on wood. Before we all got comfortable, a man came in and tossed a few bundles of cloth at us. I caught one and sighed. Light blue, itchy material. I put the clothes on and then sat against the wall. I remember wishing and wishing this was all a dream as I fell asleep that night. When I woke the next morning, I double wished it.
I lifted the large bag of gravel and carried the heavy thing up the hill and added to all the others I had already carried up. I was finished with my first job. I was immediately assigned to lift bags of flour and take them to the kitchen. I did this with a sense of enthusiasm, trying to look alert and able to work. This was almost false. I was able to work. But in no way was I enthusiastic as I hefted two bags of flour that were half my size.
I jogged up a tiny hill and up the stairs that led to the back kitchen. I dropped the bags on the porch and went to go back for more. The door opened and there she was again. I froze and looked at her. She stared back with the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever laid eyes on. But I had to remember that she was an enemy. All of them were hateful, even the beautiful ones.
She wore an apron with flour on it. She seemed surprised I was there and she jumped back startled. "What are you doing back here?" she demanded.
"Miss, I was bringing these flour bags to the kitchen. I am sorry if I startled you." I explained, a bit shy.
"Well get on with it. Take them inside too." She said. I went back and picked them up again. I entered the kitchen and set them in a pile that had already been started. I saw the stain of blood on the floor. I grimaced a little then left the room fast. She must have been able to read my face. "He was a fabulous cook. But he was too old. This is for boys. Not old men." She explained, sounding a bit harsh. She didn't look it though. She looked sweet and gentle. The way she moved was graceful.
I suddenly realized I was staring and shook my head. "You are not a boy." I pointed out then I shook my head again. "I mean—"
"Do not speak to Miss Stein!" an officer snapped at me. He slapped me and I fell back a step.
"Yes sir." I replied quickly.
"Did he hurt you in any way, Claudia?" the man asked her.
"No," she answered in a gentle tone. "He is to take the flour bags inside as well." She added before she walked off.
I nibbled at my bread and stared off into space during my break. It had been a long day already. But it was only noon. I had to work until seven. My mind kept wandering to Claudia Stein. Her beautiful blonde hair and her gentle but intense eyes. The way she had seemed to gasp when I was slapped for speaking to her—
What was wrong with me? I shook my head to clear it. She was a Nazi in training. That was all she was. A girl learning the ropes from a general…probably her father. If I were to even voice a feeling such as love toward her, I'd be dead in a heartbeat. I couldn't be in love with her anyway. It was the darkest of times. Love could not exist. Or could it? Is love even bright in the dark? I thought to myself as I placed the last flour bag on the porch.
I looked up at the noon sky. It was almost four now. Just a few more hours. I made it back to my group and then a gun went off. A kid shouted in pain. A lot of us flinched as the kid a few feet from me fell to his knees, holding his face. I moved to help him but thought better of it. I watched in shock as blood flowed from his face. I looked away as the officer shot him again in the chest.
"All of you, to your rooms!" the officer snarled. We all ran as fast as we could. A few guns went off to scare us into running faster. I collapsed in my spot on the floor.
Immediately one kid started crying. I saw three others start to comfort him. "What's wrong?" I asked, panting a bit.
"That was his brother." One kid answered.
Immediately I thought of Axel. Poor kid. I knew how he felt. "I'm sorry." Was all I could say. I settled back in my place and closed my eyes. Where was my mother? If not here in this camp, where was she? "Does anyone in here know where they take our parents?" I asked without thinking.
"No clue." One said. "Not a chance." Answered another. "Sorry." A few others replied. I nodded and then fell to sleep.
I woke with a start as the men entered the room and shot a gun at the far wall. That was always our wakeup call. I was first to be at the door. They let me out first and sent me to do more work for the kitchen. I just stood there, though. Told to do nothing. That was until Claudia came in. She immediately took charge.
"Move to that corner." She said to me as she opened a bag of flour. I did and stood a long time, watching her make a cake batter. It was interesting until she noticed my watching her. She came over to me, bowl of batter at hand. "What are you looking at?" she asked in a low harsh voice. I felt myself swallow.
"Y…you, miss." I answered quietly.
"Why is that?"
"Because…because you're pretty, miss." There was a large lump in my throat. I could hardly speak over it.
"I'm pretty?" she asked. She seemed to blush a little.
"Beautiful, miss." I assured her.
Suddenly she threw the batter at my face. "Stop staring at me and clean that up." She said. I licked at the batter on my mouth hungrily. It was so good. I wiped it from my eyes and got to cleaning. I wiped it off me the best I could afterward. But it wouldn't come off my clothes or out of my hair. I was stuck with it.
I still snuck glances at her. I saw her look at me a few times but she never stared. I soon looked away and out a window. I could feel that my face was downcast as I stared up into the sky. I felt the tear roll down my cheek as mom crossed my mind. I had to find her.
"What are you looking at?" Claudia was right next to me. I jumped a little and looked at her. Then I quickly wiped the tears away.
"Just the sky, miss." I answered.
"Isn't the sky pretty?" she replied, looking up and out the window. I nodded. "What's your name?" she asked suddenly.
I looked at her then to my feet. "My name is Whit Wagner, miss."
"Stop saying 'miss' we're the same age. I know you were told to keep manners toward all of us but I hate it. I hate all of this." She gestured to the whole of the kitchen but I realized she meant the whole camp. I also realized we were alone in the kitchen.
Carefully I answered. "I do too."
She looked at me and I shrunk back a little. "I'm sorry about the cake batter. I can't be seen being nice or merciful toward any of you."
"That…that's alright." I said.
"But it's not. I'm glad I only have to act like this for a month." She muttered. "The Americans are coming." She said hopefully.
"The Americans…to help us?" he said.
"Yes. All of you. And I plan to help them all I can." Claudia's eyes were full of fire. At this moment I discovered that I was right. She wasn't evil. I loved her, if that was possible. I swallowed back words and nodded.
The next week was the same. I did work in the kitchen. That Sunday was very different, however. Claudia wasn't in the kitchen when I saw her. She was standing by me when I awoke, first as always. "Get up." She said urgently. I stood up quickly. "Meet me at the kitchen in ten minutes." Then she left. I followed after a moment. When I entered the kitchen she slammed me against the wall.
"Listen up," she murmured. "I'm tired of seeing all these people treated like this." She looked around. "Let's go find your mother." She said.
"My…my mother?" I repeated.
"Yes. She's not too far from here. Just a day and a night away." Claudia smiled weakly. "We can make it." Suddenly there were cuffs around my wrists. I looked at her with what felt like wide eyes. "Just come with me." Claudia pulled me out of the kitchen and down a hallway id never noticed before. She led me toward the big gates. Then I saw the hand gun at her waist.
"What are you doing, miss Stein?" a guard asked as she and I approached the gates. The guards eyeballed me the entire time.
"This boy tried to rape me." Claudia said. I gasped inwardly and flinched a little as a guard placed a gun to my head. I closed my eyes. "Stop." She said. "I want to do it. But I need open space. Let me out of the gates."
"Yes, miss Stein." They answered. The guards opened the gates and Claudia dragged me out.
As we walked out and away, I felt the barrel of the gun against my neck. I tensed. "Shh, I won't pull the trigger." She said assuringly. I shuddered anyway. "Just walk." She said, releasing her hold on my cuffed hands. She kept her gun at my neck as we walked. When we were on the top of the hill, she uncuffed me and we bolted.
Alarms begin to holler in the camp and we ran faster. I was weak, yes, but I had energy to run when I was with her. We ran into the hot field of nothing but dirt.
Camp Renaldi.
Darby folded the clothing as it was passed to her. She passed it on and began to fold more. Her arms were tired and her feet hurt from standing so long. She looked out the window nearby and saw two figures running toward the camp gates. She tilted her head curiously and stared. The whistles rang, signaling either lunch or the approaching persons.
"Don't shoot!" One man yelled as he saw one of his underlings aim at the persons. "That's Captain Stein's daughter, you bonehead." The man slapped the gunner. "Let them both in. Take the boy into registration as soon as he sets foot on Renaldi soil." The man ordered. The gates creaked open. The Stein girl, entered first. As soon as the boy was close enough, he was snatched by officers.
Darby went back to her work as the boy was dragged off. The girl was taken to be cleaned up.
Whit cried out as he was slapped a fifth time. He was tired of this interrogation. How long would it last?
"Why did you leave the camp?" the officer barked for a fifth time.
"I told you." Whit answered weakly. "Miss Stein chose to bring me. Please, you can ask her." He flinched as the officer brought a hand to his cheek again. The man paused mid-slap and called in more officers.
"Take him out to the posts. A few days could get him to talk." The officer ordered. Whit was grabbed roughly and taken out to a yard of ten foot tall wooden posts. He could see a few old men tied to some way out in the yard. One looked very lethargic.
The men grabbed Whit and tore his shirt off, binding his wrists to a wooden post. Whit pulled back a bit, receiving a slap on the thigh for a reward. He leaned his face on his wrists and took a deep breath. He couldn't see any shade ever being out here. He'd get hot, and fast.
"Welcome to the Renaldi Encampment, Miss Stein." An officer said, bowing slightly before me.
I rolled my eyes and flipped my blonde hair over my left shoulder. "Thank you, officer. Please let me walk the property. I need to see it all. Alone."
"Alone?" the officer asked.
"Yes, alone."
"Why?"
"Don't question me." I answered firmly.
"Yes, Miss Stein." The officer left me to my business. I looked out my window to see the factory in which women worked with clothing. Whit's mother was I there somewhere. I had to find him first to get a name. Where did they take him? I walked outside and asked the nearest officer.
"Why, he's out in the Post Field, Miss." The officer replied. I immediately ran off toward the field. As I got closer I could hear the cries of pain as someone was beaten out there. Hoping it wasn't Whit's cries, I sped up and rounded the corner. I immediately froze.
Whit was on his knees, still bound to the post in front of him, blood staining on his back as a man whacked him over and over with a heavy looking stick. I huffed angrily and walked into the field with purpose. "Move!" I shouted at them. They all froze and looked at me.
"You heard me." I said firmly, holding my hand out for the stick. "I want to hit him too." I hated saying that. The words alone hurt me, what I did next nearly killed me. I hit Whit hard with the stick. He did well at not crying out. My blow left a large red bruise on his left shoulder. "Get out of here." I snapped at the officers.
They left quickly. I knelt by Whit. "I'm sorry." I said in a whisper. "I'm so so sorry."
"About what?" His voice was quiet but I heard him.
"I hit you…really hard." I answered.
"It's alright…I'm fine, Claudia"
Being the first time he'd directly called me 'Claudia', I paused a moment. "You look bad…and it's so hot out here."
"I know…please…find my mother. Her name is Darby…if that helps." His words were tiny gasps that followed his raspy breath. "Please find her…get her out." He placed his face on the post and tears filled my eyes.
I began to untie his wrists. "Miss Stein, what are you doing?" someone shouted from the gates of the field.
"I'm freeing this boy. He has had enough." I answered.
"You can't do that. He's being punished."
"And why is that, Officer?" I yelled back.
"He's there for not telling us why you brought him with you."
"I chose to bring him with me because he was the only one fit for companionship in that work camp." I answered. "I never told him why I took him." I continued untying his wrists. "Come on," I whispered to Whit. "Get up, be strong for me." I helped him stand. He cried out lightly and bit his lip. "That's right." I murmured, leading him to the gate and out of the field. "I want him treated different than the rest, you hear?" I said firmly to the officer.
"Yes, Miss Stein." He replied. "Right away." He sounded an alarm and officers ran toward us. They followed my order and took Whit into my living quarters.
"Let him stay in my room. Don't let him leave and don't hurt him." I called after them. Then I went to the women's factory. "Darby!" I called out over the speaker. "Front and center."
Five Darby's were present the factory. They all lined up in front of me. "Which of you is Darby Wagner?" I asked.
One women hesitantly stepped forward. "I am Darby Wagner, miss." She answered gently.
"Come with me." I told her before I turned and walked out of the building. She followed me to my living quarters. "She is to remain with me and the boy." I told the officers. They all nodded, saying "yes miss."
"Whit." Darby said, walking briskly to Whit and taking his weak figure into an embrace.
"Mom." He put his arms around her and began to cry. I wiped at my own tears and turned away. "Claudia…" Whit said weakly. "Please come here." I looked at Whit and smiled before I came closer. He took me into their hug. I snuggled into his mother's arms. "Mom, this is Claudia. She's a friend." Whit murmured.
"Nice to meet you, Claudia. Thank you for helping us." Darby answered.
I nodded. "It's nothing. All of you are being freed soon." I said. I stepped out of the hug. "Whit, you need medical attention."
"No…I'm fine." He insisted.
"You're swaying as you say this." His mother pointed out. I took his hand and led him down the hall way toward the doctor. This doctor was with us, not the Jews. I persuaded him into helping Whit, however, by giving him ten Euro.
I left Whit there and got food for myself and the two of them. I brought it back to my room and asked Darby if she could cook a meal. She nodded and got to work. I went back to the doctor's room and peered inside. Whit was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he?" I asked he Doctor.
The doctor looked away from me. "He was taken by your father." My eyes widened. "He will be dealt with slowly, may I add." I didn't catch the entire sentence, I was already down the hall.
Love Is Found.
I screamed in pain as Captain Stein hit me hard on my collar bone, sending me to the ground. I sat there on my knees, gasping in breaths. I flinched at the sound of leather snapping on leather. Suddenly I was smacked with a belt buckle. I cried out and swallowed back a scream.
"Daddy!" I heard Claudia scream from behind. I would have looked at her but I was afraid to. I shook, curled on my knees as I listened. "Father, please. He's my friend." The buckle came down on my back again. I hugged myself tighter. Tears streamed my face. I heard a sob from behind. "Father, please." She managed again with a sob.
"No, Claudia. You can't befriend one of these people." The Captain replied in a commanding voice. Immediately the buckle hit me again.
"I haven't befriended him, Dad…" Claudia said. I closed my eyes. "Father…I love him."
"WHAT!" Captain Stein shouted. He snapped the belt again. It didn't hit me this time. Instead I heard Claudia cry out in pain and surprise. He had hit her. Anger blossomed inside me. I willed myself to get up and I lunged for the captain as he brought his belt back to hit her again. I grabbed the belt and tore it from his grip. Trembling I snapped him with it. He didn't falter and I knew what would happen next as he moved a hand toward his jacket. I ran to Claudia, who was on her knees, crying. I held her in my arms and cried with her.
The gun was trained on Whit's head. He closed his eyes and Claudia's arms around him tightened. Whit kissed her hair and then shivered as she kissed his neck. The gun's barrel suddenly moved away and began to shoot at something else. Whit opened his eyes when he heard tank fire answer it.
"Claudia," he said urgently. "Claudia, get up." He got to his feet and pulled her up after him. The two of them tore off toward the living quarters. Claudia locked her bedroom door. Darby and Whit were kneeling under the window. Claudia came and did the same, she smiled when Whit's arms snaked around her, pulling her into a comforting embrace.
"They came early." Claudia said, relieved. "Thank God, they came early." Whit kissed her ear and buried his face in her hair.
"I love you, Claudia." He murmured.
Her breath caught. "I love you too, Whit." She turned to face him. Then they kissed each other for a long time.
Aftermath.
Claudia and Whit climbed out of the living quarter's wreckage, Darby close behind. All of the looked beaten and scratched. Whit and Claudia held each other's hand tightly, fingers laced together. A few American soldiers came to retrieve the three of them and placed them on a trailer with some other survivors. Darby held them both close to her. Both cuddled against her and fell asleep in one another's arms.
I woke up in the hospital ad looked around. I was in a hospital gown. I was also hooked up to a monitor. I looked around and found Claudia sitting by my bed. I smiled and took her hand and squeezed lightly. She woke and stared into my eyes. She rose from her chair and leaned over my bed. She stared at my face then pressed her lips to mine. I kissed back passionately as I thought, Love was bright. Even in the dark.
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