| 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚗! |

【1】A Fresh Start

 Bruno and Shmuel shivered; the striped pajamas were so thin, and his other clothes had been drenched in rain just before he had come to this dreadful place. Maybe this escapade was all a bad idea, and this was God's way of letting the two know.

"I'm scared," Bruno commented. "I still want to be an explorer when I grow up, but I think we've crossed the line."

"I'm scared too," Shmuel wrapped an arm around his friend. "We should huddle together for warmth. My dad told me once that if you're surrounded by one or more people, it can help you warm up in the cold."

The wind began to howl even louder, not missing a single tree as the branches swayed. Shmuel's teeth could be heard clattering even over the loud noises of gunshots firing. The two boys tried their best to stay silent as the chaos of the camp began to unfold before them.

"Don't you think there's a rescue party or something?" Bruno finally dared to whisper. "I'm pretty well-known around Out-With. I'm the son of the commandant. And your parents... wouldn't they be in touch with my father if they're here?"

Shmuel looked downward with a feeling of solidity in his neck. The cold was getting to his roots at this point. "I-I do-don't know-w if anyone even cares-s about me enough-h... to look for me. I'm-m a Jew-w, r-remember? N-nobody likes-s us."

"I like J-Jews," Bruno admitted. "The same-same... w-way I like everyone-e else. Isn't that what God wants-s? For us-s to love not only him but a-all other peo-people-e?" The young boys could do nothing but sit still as the heat was stripped from their quivering bodies.

"Shmuel... before I die... I wanted t-to say... I—"

"Bruno! Bruno!" A familiar voice called out.

"O-ver... here..." Bruno weakly responded. "B-by the edge... of-f the... gate..."

"Herr commandant! I believe I've found the boy!" Lieutenant Kotler's strong figure frightened the pair as it appeared directly in front of them. The static of his walkie-talkie was quite loud, which was very frightening. It didn't help that his belt was loaded with guns and his uniform bedazzled with badges showing slight symbolism of violence.

"Commandant!" Kurt shouted. "Oh my... A quick moment, please..."

The young lieutenant squinted as the very same young man; the rat who had been stealing food, the young boy who stood around pushing the wheelbarrows around the camp not too long ago, intertwined hands with the commandant's handsome and wealthy young boy. He hesitated, contemplating what to do with the two of them for a moment before reaching both hands out and pulling the boys up.

"Come on, both of you. We're going to go on a little ride." Kotler wrapped one arm around Bruno and the other around Shmuel. "Bruno, your father is waiting on you right now. And you, young man. I'll stifle myself from executing you for now. Don't get on my bad side."

"Yes sir." Shmuel frantically nodded as they faltered across the moist grass. Kotler swung open his Jeep door and ushered the children inside. After buckling their seat belts, Kotler seemed to be searching for something with those large blue eyes.

"Elsa? Elsa, where the hell are you?" Kotler shot off his gun a few times to signify it was time to come back.

"Kurt, stop shooting! Did you find him?" A deep voice called out from behind the huts' wide distance. "I've had no luck!"

"Commandant, you won't believe this! I found not one, but two!" Kotler shouted back. "I found your son lying in a ditch alongside a Jew fully dressed in uniform with his number still tattooed on his arm!"

"A Jew? Give me a moment to find you, I'm carrying immense weight at the moment."

"Weight?" Kotler poked his head into the car for a moment.

"Ah-hem," The voice grunted outside.

"Father! Father!" Bruno pressed his face against the window. "Father, you're here!"

"Bruno," Father grinned like a fool at his son's precious face. His baby was safe and sound again. "Bruno, before you vanish into thin air, I want to say I love you so much. I'm sorry I never said that often."

"Why would I vanish?" Bruno asked confusedly, for his father really did sound dumber than The Hopeless Case.

"Bruno, are you telling me right now that you're... alive? Not an angel? Roaming the earth fully energized and able to live a normal life?" Father faltered nervously. "If I called you over here right now, you would have the ability to feel your mother's pulse?"

Bruno nodded. Kurt's eyes just widened. Then he stopped in his tracks and gave Ralf an astonished gaze.

"Oh, my," Kotler commented when he took notice of who Ralf was carrying. In his arms, lay Elsa, sprawled out and unconscious. 

"I was surprised too when I saw her. Now get me some towels or something of that sort!" Ralf shouted, taking notice of his frozen figure. "Now that's enough talking for tonight! Hurry! These children are fighting for their lives right now!"

Kurt propped open the trunk, pulled out an armload of sheets, and set them down on top of the car. Ralf laid Elsa flat on her stomach across the very back seat. He then ushered the two children inside, switched on the warm air conditioning, and slammed the door shut.

"I think we're going to warm up eventually," Shmuel commented.

"Hopefully," Bruno said in reply.

"I've never had the luxury of using air conditioning." Shmuel sighed. "I'm so lucky to be alive right now."

"I'm so lucky to have you as a best friend," Bruno gave a gentle smile and glanced out the window, where father and the young lieutenant were chatting about what to do.

"Alright, we have to warm them up quickly. I've got my wife under control; can you handle the boys?"

"Of course, commandant," Kurt nodded respectfully, and the car door opened again.

Father slowly wrapped mother in a bundle of sheets, whispering a few non-distinctive words into her ears.

"My love, this is me. It's Ralf," These were the only words that Bruno and Shmuel could decipher before he kissed her on the forehead and slumped down in the front seat. "Come on, Kurt. We've got to get them all home."

"Yes sir," Lieutenant Kotler replied and stepped on the pedal. He was not a decent driver, as he could not swerve past trees and piles of snow as easily as father could. Bruno was giggling and having the time of his life, but Shmuel seemed to be getting more agitated by the second.

"Bruno, what if we crash?" Shmuel asked. "Would we be stranded forever?"

"I don't think so," Bruno answered after a short silence. "We're not too far from home."

"Oh," He whispered, leaning his head against the window. Bruno smiled and did the same.

The silence following was treacherous, and after some time, Bruno began to feel woozy and eventually let exhaustion take its course. Before long, the two boys were snoring away in a military jeep. That was all Bruno could recall from the night.

                                                                                     ...

Oh, my Lord, I posted my first fanfiction on this account finally! This didn't come out as good as I thought it would, unfortunately, but I'm still thinking about continuing it, nonetheless.

Also, I know this chapter was quite short, but they'll hopefully get longer as the story progresses.

One more thing to say before I'm off to work on the next chapter:

If this story is offensive or disrespectful in any way, please, please, please let me know! The Holocaust is a really touchy subject, and I feel like disrespecting or belittling things like this will not help people spread awareness... I bawled my eyes out at the ending of the book & movie, so this sort of helped me find closure and I hope it helps you too!