Communism with its method of madness is making a powerful and insidious attack upon our dismayed and shattered nation. The radio blared out to our small cramped living room. I sat quietly on the floor reading a book I had gotten for my eighth birthday. My father was sitting next to a small open fire on a large chair, leaning forward towards the radio, listening intently. My mother was in the kitchen, cooking us a meal.

"Switch that off. I don't want to listen to that drivel." My mother, Renee, called from the kitchen. She disapproved of Adolph Hitler completely. I shifted uncomfortably, I despised my family debates. They always turn into an argument.

"I just want to hear his latest speech. I'm not exactly fond of his views either." Charlie called back, turning the knob that switched of the radio. "You should hear his latest theory. Jew's and Communists are the cause of Germanys downfall! The mans a nutcase."

I put down my book. Not being able to concentrate on the words that covered the page. "Then why father do you listen to him." I asked, tilting my head to the side and pulling a smug expression. He paused for a moment, raising his eye brows at me. I wasn't meant to get involved in things that were "above my head."

"Well Bella, It helps to keep an eye on the enemy." He said, nodding his head, obviously trying to confirm the point to himself. I kept quiet after that, I didn't want my father to get angry.

I ate quickly, my meal of sausage and mash. I was anxious to finish so I could go see my best friend. "Mumma. I've Finished, Can I go out and play now?" I asked, jumping up and putting my dishes into the wash basin.

"Yes, but not too late, and stay close by. Ja?" She called as I pulled on my coat and boots. I told her I would and rushed out into the street and to the house next door. I knocked three times and waited for an answer.

Very quickly, the door opened and Elizabeth Masen greeted me with a warm smile. "Good evening Bella. Looking for Edward?" I nodded. "I'll just get him for you." She said, before turning round and shutting the door. Probably to prevent heat from escaping. Money was still short. I took a few steps back, trying to see if I could look up to his window. His light was on, so I didn't think he would be long. Nervously, I smoothed my light red dress, and started playing with my brown hair.

A few seconds later, Edward emerged. His copper hair messy as always, and his green eyes glinting brightly. "Bella!" He grinned, running over to me and giving me a hug before grabbing my hand. This was normal behaviour for us. It thrilled me every time he did even so. It took me a while to work out that one as well.

Life was simple back then. We were young, and we could do pretty much anything we liked. Every night we would play at the park with our friends. Just doing things that kids do.

***

"Catch Bella!" Edward shouted, throwing a ball at me. I screamed trying to cover my face. I wasn't fast enough and the ball hit me full on in the nose.

"Owch." I cried, clutching my face. Edward rolled his eyes and walked over to me.

"I told you to catch it Bella." He laughed, gently kissing the tip of my nose. I glared at him, although he knew I didn't mean it. After all, he had known me basically the whole nine years I had been alive. So it just made him laugh more. I tried to ignore him and went back to clutching my nose.

Edward gave me an apologetic look, hanging his head. I sighed before grabbing his hand and smiling at him. We could never have a serious fight. We were always too good friends to be angry with each other for more than a few seconds. "Love you Edward." I smiled, a normal thing to say to each other.

"Love you too Bell's" He grinned back. We were happy, for a few seconds, before a new voice joined the conversation.

"Don't touch her! She's a Jew" A boy said not too far from us. Edward turned to face him, gripping my hand more fiercely.

"So what if she is? She's still my best friend so shut up!" Edward said through gritted teeth. The boy shifted his feet uncomfortably, ducking his head slightly.

"My daddy said, that Jews will steal all your money and they're evil. They want Germany to rot. They're as bad as communists." He said, getting stronger as he went through his speech. I looked from Edward to the boy. They're expressions couldn't have been more different.

Edwards face held outrage and anger, while the other boy's was a vision of defiance. "Take that back!" He exclaimed. "Bella isn't anything like that! She's sweet and nice. And she's my best friend." His eye brows furrowed together and the side of his lips went down as he waited for the boy to respond.

"No! I shan't. My daddy wouldn't EVER lie to me." He said, smiling smugly.

That must have pushed Edward over the edge because the next thing I knew he was on top of the boy punching him in the face. A crowd gathered and began to shout "fight, fight, fight." This caught the attention of one of the teachers and they hurried over and pulled Edward off the boy.

As soon as Edward was stood up, he pushed me behind him so I was obscured from view.

"What is the meaning of this?" Miss Hangar barked, spit flying from her mouth.

"Edward and that Jew started it miss. It's all their fault." He quickly shouted, smiling sweetly up at the greying lady. The crowd was more than happy to agree.

"You two, come with me." She screeched, marching away. I ducked my head to avoid the smug stares of my class mates. Edward shot me a sympathetic glance and grabbed my hand. I looked up to him, his head was held high and he had a confident smile on his face. I envied Edward's non caring ways sometime.

The teacher marched into a classroom, where Miss Hangar pulled out an offensive looking cane. Edward quickly jumped forward, and started to talk very quickly.

"Bella had nothing to do with it. The boy started on her and I over reacted. There is no need to hit her, really. If you should hit anyone it should be him!" When he finally stopped Miss Hangars face was an unhealthy red.

"LIES." She screeched, her voice practically reaching an ultra sonic level. Edward looked as if he was about to say something, so I quickly stood on his foot. Arguing would not help matters right now.
"That's and extra too slaps with a cane for both of you." She said, her voice quieting slightly.

That caning did hurt and all the way home, Edward moaned about how I didn't deserve to be beaten. It wasn't my fault. I did nothing.

I knew he was just trying to make me feel better, but I couldn't help but feel a certain sense of foreboding in the pit of my stomach.

"What's up Bella?" He asked, his face full of concern. "You're not talking much today." I simply shrugged, I couldn't tell him my fears. Or he would think I was crazy.

You see. I had a horrible feeling about Adolph Hitler. And Edward worshiped him. I knew this was only because his dad was a great believer in his policies. So I was I meant to tell him that I thought Hitler was an ego tripping dictator. (He had become fuhrer earlier that year.) And if I told him I didn't like the way things were going, I just knew we would get into a fight. And I wasn't sure it would be as easily resolved as our usual fights.

***

The next five years were worse. I was discriminated beyond belief, my parent's shop was regularly boycotted, and I had no friends. Except Edward, who stuck with me through everything. The only thing we ever disagreed on was his regular attendance to the Hitler youth. I wouldn't have minded so much if it wasn't for the fact I couldn't join. Jewish children were not allowed to join anything to do with Hitler. In fact to add insult to injury, a year ago I was kicked out of school. For no fault of my own. I answered back in class when a teacher said that all Jewish women were, was prostitutes out to get your money. Of course I had something to say about that, my mother wasn't a prostitute!

So a week later we received a telegram saying "Your daughter has been constantly disruptive in class and is no longer welcome to participate." My parents were outraged. They knew that I wasn't ever a bother, I was too shy to answer back unless it was something I knew was wrong. But what could they do? Jewish family's had no rights any more.

Edward was the most upset about my expulsion. "Who will I walk to school with? And hang out with. And I'm gonna miss you" He moaned. The funny thing is, of late, I'd been feeling different around Edward. When ever he grabbed my hand, and old gesture we had been doing for years, my heart would beat erratically. When I would fall and scrape my knee and he kissed it better, my head would go fuzzy. I asked my Renee why this was, and she just smiled smugly, ruffling my hair.

So yes. Being born in the 1920's was lucky unlucky. Lucky because I got to meet Edward, and my childhood was good. But unlucky because of how I was treated, and little did I know. Things were about to get a lot worse.