Hadassah

lmfao

The next few days were tense, like we were all holding our breath. News kept trickling in, and every day, it got worse. Then, one morning, the sound of shouting echoed through the streets outside our apartment. I looked out the window and saw them: groups of men in red hats, waving flags and shouting things I couldn’t make out. They were tearing through the ghetto, pushing families out of their homes, breaking windows, and pulling people into the streets.

Dad grabbed my hand, his grip tight. “We’re leaving. Now.”

Pops nodded, already packing the essentials. He handed me a bag and looked me dead in the eyes. “Keep your head down and stay close to us, okay?”

We slipped out through the back door, staying low, weaving through alleys and narrow passages until we reached the outskirts of the ghetto. The air felt colder, sharper, as we moved away from everything familiar. I looked back once, seeing smoke rising from the direction of the synagogue, and my stomach twisted.

After what felt like hours, we finally reached Travis’s place, hidden on the far side of the city. Pops knocked on the door in a hurried rhythm. It swung open almost immediately, and there he was—Travis, grinning despite everything, like he hadn’t just opened his home to three fugitives.

“LMFAO! You made it,” he said, laughing as if we’d shown up for a surprise party instead of a desperate escape. “Come on in, lol.”

We slipped inside, and I could feel the weight of exhaustion settle into my bones. Travis led us to a small, dim room in the back, stocked with blankets, canned food, and water. It was clear he’d been preparing for a while.

“LMFAO, figured this might happen, so I got a little setup for you all, lol,” he said, gesturing around the room.

“Thank you, Travis,” Pops said, his voice soft but full of gratitude.

“Yeah,” Dad added, managing a small, tired smile. “Thank you… really.”

Travis just waved it off, pulling out some blankets and setting them up on the floor. “LMFAO, no need to thank me. Just stay low and keep quiet, lol.”

I settled down on the floor, keeping my bag close. I knew Pops and Dad were doing their best to keep things calm, but everything in me was on edge. My heartbeat felt loud in the quiet of the little room where we were hiding. That’s when I remembered Puff Puff.

I reached into my bag, pulling out the familiar soft plush. Puff Puff had always been my go-to whenever my anxiety got bad. His soft, worn face brought me back to so many times he’d been there to calm me down, and I hugged him close, breathing him in, feeling just a bit steadier.

Just then, Travis peeked in, a grin spreading across his face when he saw me with Puff Puff. "LMFAO, you brought your little buddy along, huh? Smart thinking, lol. Nothing’s better than a good friend when times get rough, right?”

I nodded, clutching Puff Puff a little tighter. “Yeah… he helps me when I feel… y’know, anxious.” It was hard to explain, but Travis seemed to understand.

“LMFAO, I get it, kiddo,” he said with a nod. “Puff Puff’s got your back, lol, just like the rest of us.”

Dad looked over from the corner of the room, offering a small smile. “Puff Puff’s helped you through a lot. I’m glad he’s here, too.”

I glanced down at my little plush, his rectangular eyes staring back up at me as if he understood. There was something about holding him, knowing he’d been with me through all the hardest times, that really did make things feel a little safer, a little more manageable.