One Survivor|✔️

The Find | September 30, 1939

Jackie spotted an empty space with a few trees in the circle. She was still too far away to make out everything she saw, but she wanted to know if Cole was there. Jackie trudged through the shrubs, broken branches and spider webs in different areas throughout the forest. Eventually she could make out a few men and younger children. Once she caught glimpse of the clothes and the area itself, she covered her mouth to prevent a scream escaping.

This wasn't any ordinary space, it was a concentration camp.

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Jackie silently crept around the huge space, not wanting to be seen or she could get hung. Jackie accidentally stepped on a stick and it cracked loudly. Jackie's heart beated fast again, this time it had to deal with nervousness.

"Hey!" A man called angrily. 

Jackie raced behind a tree her backpack slightly falling down her arm. Running in crutches was definitely not ideal, but it had to be done. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail which got caught in her mouth as she ran, the window hitting the hack of her head. As she hobbled over, she was panting harder than ever before. She had to find a tree to hide behind or else she would be put in the camp too. After a few more minutes of hobbling away as fast as possible, the man gave up on finding her and walked away, but Jackie was still beyond traumatized. She did not want to move an inch, but she was dying  to find Cole. 

She had to find him.

Suddenly, a young boy was brought over by the edge of the camp's fence. Jackie could almost make out what he was saying to the boy.

"What did you want to ask me? Hurry up your wasting my time." The man said anxiously as he tapped his watch impatiently.

"Sir, I need to use the bathroom over there." The boy stated pointing to the nice restrooms. 

Guilt surged through Jackie as she watched the poor boy move around. After seeing him, she felt terrible thinking that her life was awful. Her parents had passed away and her brother was nowhere to be seen, but being stuck in a concentration camp was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. The boy was filthy and disgusting and it was quite clear that he needed to use the restroom.

"Your bathroom is the damn woods, you don't need no fancy stalls! There are many trees in the woods you know, dumb boy." He scolded as he slapped the boy's butt. 

He slumped and fell to the ground on his knees," I'm s-sorry master." He mustered.

The boy kept glancing nervously back in the woods. He almost seemed skeptical to go in the woods. The man was growing extremely impatient. He looked around waiting for him to run into the woods to do his business, but he didn't. The man was becoming very ticked off at the boy. He tapped his foot impatiently and glanced at his watch as if he was waiting for something to happen.

"Go, go you stupid boy!" The man shouted with a German accent as he shoved the child forward.

 The boy jumped at his shout and he scurried into the woods with his shoulders slumped sadly. The child looked terrified, hungry, scared and almost dead. His face was as pale as fresh snow, his used to be brown hair, was now almost a dirty black from the hardships in the camp. To add to the disturbing thought of him being starved and unkempt, his body was full of scars and blood. Jackie wanted to cry, she felt so bad for him, but she was nervous that he would spot her and report her so she stayed still. To her disappointment, the boy sensed her presence and turned around slowly. He looked at Jackie and sized her up carefully. He stepped closer and Jackie stepped back, but a tree root her caused her stumble back into the tree.

"Ow!" Jackie yelped, rubbing her back. 

She quickly turned back towards him and stiffened up a bit. She looked at the boy curiously but still stood firmly until he spoke.