Hadassah

surprise

We were all gathered at Travis's house that night. It was one of the rare times we could sit down together without worrying about who might be watching. Travis had somehow pulled off a miracle and made pot roast, filling the whole place with a rich, warm smell that made my mouth water. Coach sat across from me, looking tired but happy for once, and Carson, my best friend, was sitting next to him, tapping his fingers nervously on the table. He didn't say much, mostly muttering "alligator" under his breath like he did when he was stressed, but I was glad he was there. Pops and Dad were at the other end, talking softly, while Travis threw in his usual, "LMFAO" and "LOL" after everything he said, like he was trying to keep us all in good spirits.

I kept Puff Puff close, holding my plushie like it was some sort of shield. It's silly, but Puff Puff helped me feel a bit safer in these times. It was something I could cling to when everything else felt like it was falling apart.

Just as I was reaching for a piece of the roast, there was a loud, insistent knock on the door that echoed through the room. All of us froze, the laughter and warmth evaporating in an instant.

"Shh," Travis hissed, his usual joking tone replaced by something sharp and serious. He shot us a quick glance, a silent order to stay calm. "I'll handle it."

Dad's face went pale, and I saw Pops' hands start to shake as he reached over and squeezed Dad's shoulder. Coach gave me a reassuring look, but even he looked tense, his jaw set tight. Carson was quiet, mumbling "alligator" a bit louder, his eyes wide with fear.

Travis walked to the door, and I held my breath, gripping Puff Puff so tight I could feel the plush fabric pressing into my hands. The door swung open, and three officers stepped inside, their expressions cold and calculating. They didn't say anything-they just started tearing the place apart, rifling through drawers, flipping over cushions, tossing anything they thought looked suspicious.

I could feel my heart pounding, each thud echoing louder in my ears. Pops was frantically trying to hide anything that might give us away-anything Jewish, anything that hinted at him and Dad being together. Dad whispered a quick prayer under his breath, his voice barely audible.

One of the officers noticed my Puff Puff and yanked it from my hands, inspecting it like it was some kind of threat. "What's this?" he sneered, holding it up and giving me a look that made my skin crawl.

"It's just... it's just my plushie," I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady. I didn't want to give them a reason to look closer, to dig deeper.

The officer scoffed, tossing Puff Puff back at me. "A little old for toys, don't you think?" His voice dripped with mockery, and I could feel my cheeks burning with a mix of anger and fear.

Pops started to say something, but Dad grabbed his arm, pulling him back, silently pleading with him not to escalate things. "Please, just... just leave us alone," Dad whispered, his voice barely holding together.

Finally, the officers seemed satisfied-or maybe just bored. One of them gave Dad a mocking look. "Stay out of trouble, or next time, you might not be so lucky," he said with a cruel smirk, before they turned and left, slamming the door behind them.

The silence that filled the room was thick, suffocating. Dad slumped into a chair, his face pale and drawn, while Pops tried to comfort him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "It's okay, we're okay," he murmured, but his voice was shaky.

Coach let out a shaky breath, reaching over to pat my hand. "You did good, kiddo," he whispered, giving me a small, sad smile. I nodded, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me, the fear, the exhaustion, the endless waiting for the next knock on the door.

Pops glanced over at me, his eyes filled with worry. "Are you okay, Hadassah?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady for my sake.

I nodded, holding Puff Puff close, but I couldn't shake the feeling of dread gnawing at me. We had survived this time, but I knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before the next visit, before the next threat. And with each one, it felt like we were losing a little more of ourselves, a little more of our freedom, our hope.

As the silence stretched on, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could keep doing this, how much longer we could keep pretending that everything was okay when, deep down, we all knew the truth.

And then, just as the tension seemed to ease, we heard it-a faint creak, the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming down the hallway.

The footsteps were getting louder, closer. My heart was racing, and I held Puff Puff tight against me. Dad looked nervous, and Pops held onto him, his face tense. Travis put a finger to his lips, motioning for us all to stay quiet. Coach leaned in close to me and whispered, "Stay calm, kiddo. Don't say a word unless you have to."

The footsteps stopped right outside the door. For a second, it was silent. Then there was a knock, soft but firm. Travis glanced back at us, hesitated, and then slowly opened the door a crack.

Relief washed over his face, and he opened it wider. Standing there, out of breath and a bit messy, was Kaesen. He looked straight at me, his face relieved but also scared. "Hadassah," he gasped. "Are you okay?"

"Kaesen?" I whispered, hardly believing he was here. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced behind him to make sure no one had followed. "It's getting bad out there," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're burning houses and shops. I had to come check on you."

Dad looked at him, surprised but grateful. "Thank you, Kaesen," he said quietly. "I don't know how you got here, but thank you."

Kaesen nodded, still breathing hard. "You're like family to me, Hadassah. I wasn't going to leave you alone."

Then another voice came from the doorway. "A little help doesn't hurt, right?" It was George, standing behind Kaesen with a slight grin. "I wasn't going to let Kaesen have all the fun."

Relief flooded over me, stronger than ever. George stepped inside, giving me a quick, reassuring smile. "We figured you might need backup," he said, trying to keep it light, but I could see he was worried too.

Coach patted Kaesen on the shoulder, his usual tough look a bit softer. "Good kid," he muttered.

For the first time, I felt a spark of hope.