"The heart is a sponge, absorbing whatever good or bad that's in its surrounding and to squeeze out either the good or bad it has been surrounded with.Perhaps that is why I have always loved humanity, not bound to anything , but also a great fall for humanity as we can chose to be numb and do nothing as the darkness overcomes. Read my story so that you may be the judge. "
The door slammed open, and Aaron was breathing heavily trying to hold his breath. "Papa .. I played today with Aale today .....but the German troups came and took him away. When Aale resisted Papa, they shot him in the head. " "Son, I am so glad you're okay. "
"loy mit an alef" , shouted Aaron in teary eyes, his body shaking. "neyn, I am not okay when my friend, the one I trusted, I will never see again, Papa". He dropped to his knees, still crying and repeatedly calling his friends name. "Sorry zun, " as he kneels beside his son offering his shoulder to be laid on. "neyn papa , I am not okay", he said as his head dropped to his fathers' shoulders. Later that night, Alte carried his son to the bedroom mat where he laid his son, Gently removing his son's shoes when he noticed the blood stains on them. Avrum covered his mouth forbidding a cry that would wake his son. "gat, farvas hastu gelazt aveknemen di farshoyn eale, biz ven vestu lazn aunz veyter feytn, iz nisht vert a nshmh?? ven, ven vet ir lozn zey haltn, haynt iz geven aale, meyn ahrn??" in English : God, why did you let the monsters take away Aale, until when will you let them keep on torturing us, isn't a soul worth?? When, when will you let them stop, today was Aale,my Aaron?? He cried as he realized the mentioning the name of his son.
The next morning
"Ahmad! Ahmad!", shouted Arjun as he ran to give his friend the string tied ball. "Aaah Arjun, now its my turn , watch as I ......." , Suddenly Arjun heard a deafing sound on his ears, he looked at himself and noticed the blood spattered on his shirt, his hands that were holding a ball were now holding Ahmad's brain. At first Arjun stood rooted to the ground not knowing what to do, the only sound he was now hearing was his loud heartbeat. "Tah Tah", another gunshot. This one more loud than the first and it was just enought blast him out of his trance. Arjun started running for cover, which was very hard to find considering the Israeli troops had bombed most of the houses. Unlike Aaron, Arjun couldn't go to his dad as his Dad was taken hostage when he was just 4 , his mom a suicide bomber, so he was alone, and the only family he had was just annhilated.
Arjun sees a ruin of a house, its door completely shattered, but a hole that was made by the boulders that fell and he ran towards that direction. He silently watched as one of the guards was watchfully looking at the ruined house until his mate called him. "az kleyn shtshur won't survive it out here, he'll die, maybe of hunger, grief or thirst.. ". They both laughed at this.
"كنت ألعب الكرة فحسب، وأحمد، لقد أصيب بالرصاص، وليس له مستقبل، ولا مستقبل، وإذا كان لدي مستقبل، فسيكون مستقبل الموت.". Translation I was just playing ball, and Ahmad, he's been shot, I have no future, no future and if I did have one it would be a future of death, " cried Arjun in pain.
THE END.
Writer's remarks:
You would think the pain of the two ended, the first one yes but only physically. The whole world had condemned Germany for its treatment of the Jews and they were now taken to other countries where they felt safe. Mentally, The memories were with them, their scars a reminder of the painful past. For some they have never lost their empathy, their very essence of being human but for some, their hearts have turned like stone, and Hitler's saying Blood and Soil spread like wildfire in their hearts, consuming till there was no more life left.
The second story about Arjun, still goes on. Kids are living in fear, hunger, thirst and especially alone. I hope my words were just enough to inspire you to view life under Israel Occupation.
