Camp Majdanek

Chapter 2: Disturbance in the Night

     There are some bad feelings I have, like the ones that make my heart stop or make me feel embarrassed. With some, I just know they are bad feelings.

I was almost sure I was going to be killed in this one, it was all of a sudden. I had the perfect dream after a rough night and that sort of thing feels good. But going from really good to rock bottom is probably the worst feeling ever.

It was all white noise to me. It only registered as a car rumbling down the street, or a highly important person flying overhead on the way to something important. This seemed normal although the streets normally remain quiet during the night. I was only half asleep when I heard it. Only slightly disturbed by the noise. I started to drift off to sleep when I heard the familiar sound of glass shattering. I shot straight up in bed and looked around wildly. I got up and went to my door. I could hear someone walking in the hallway. The door creaked as I carefully tried to open it. Mother, dimly lit by the candle she held, looked up at me. She was wearing her white cloth nightgown and her hair was down. Instead of smiling like she normally would, she kept a serious face and walked over to my room. Was I in trouble? My mother only made that face when we did something wrong or there was something going on. I welcomed her in and she sat on my bed.

"I don't know how else to say it," she said, almost on the verge of tears. She held the light closer to her face.

"They're coming for us," she quivered.

Then she stood up.

"Quickly, pack all that you can. I will get your brother and sister," she said, and with that, she vanished out of my room.

I got out a bag and started furiously throwing in anything that could be useful.

I packed warm clothes and pajamas. I was still in my fuzzy, kitten pajamas. I got dressed in something warm. I threw in The Grapes of Wrath, my journal, and pencils. I knew that we were running away, but it might be too late.

I looked around to see if I needed anything else. An abandoned packet of paper caught my eye in the corner: my poems. My beloved poems. They meant so much to me, I couldn't leave them. I loved writing them. It was quite a while back but they were still special to me. It was one of my dreams to be a writer. People told me I had such a way with words. Usually those who don't talk much say most things through their writing. I was a quieter person except for at home. I had started getting serious about it last year. I even showed them to my teacher and he thought they were wonderful. He told me to make a collection of them and present it to a college when I applied. I will start applying for Universities next year.

I threw the poems in the bag and buckled it up.

I went out into the living room ready to go. Everyone was still furiously packing and anxiously hurrying to get out. We all met up in the living room. Everyone looked exhausted. Julia looked terrified as she clung to mother's dress.

My father approached me and for a minute I got scared until he brought me in for a hug.

"I'm sorry for last night Jess, I shouldn't have done that, " He told me.

He gave me a hug. He seemed completely sincere.

"I'm sorry I said I hate you. I don't," I said.

Mother sternly told us that we had to be quiet no matter what. We were all in danger.

We all stealthily hurried out the door and down the path behind our house. Julia started whimpering. I motioned for her to quiet down but it was too late, I already heard a noise. There was a rustle in the bushes, then footsteps. I saw a gun peek out of the bushes.

Two Nazis emerged from the hedge and grabbed my brother, sister and me. Two other Nazis grabbed my mother and father.

"Mommy! Daddy! " Julia screamed.

I tried reaching out for her but the Nazis pulled me away.