Opening Up: Non-Fiction Stories about Give and Take, Volume 1

Chapter 6 - by HotDog

Our story starts in a little home on a farm in the 1900’s. A young boy kneels by his bed and prays, he thanks God for his loving parents and the food on his table. This is the story of my grandfather. He has gone through a lot in his life and still is here to tell the tale. Of his struggles, hopes and dreams. When my grandfather was a young boy he grew up in a village called Bilshivtsi with his mother and his father. This is the time of the war but not just a little war this story begins in the time of the Holocaust. When this war started his family helped out the Jews by giving them a place to stay and food to eat. They did not let them stay to long though for fear of the Nazi soldiers. Being a young boy, his job was to lug a huge bag of food that weighed about as much as him out to the old barn about fifty feet away.  As he walked the long scary distance to the barn. All that was going through his mind was I have to save these people what the Nazis are doing is not fair. Then being tempted by the devil and his little words that say just telling him that speaking to the soldiers and telling him this would guarantee his life and his survival. He did not ponder this thought he went on walking as quickly as it got into his mind it left. He was dragging his feet by this time and  thinking I will never sell out anyone almost screaming this to himself. I am doing what I believe in, the soldiers are wrong and these people do deserve to live they did nothing wrong they follow their God just as I follow mine. Who are we to judge these people? By now he is at the barn door takes a quick nonchalant look around and pulls open the barn door. As he enters he whispers quietly into the night ‘hello I'm here with your food’ and slowly and as quiet as a mouse about two people appear into the night.  A man and his son about the same age as him, they take him by surprise that they are running, they look like the kinda people who would have protection but again who is he to discriminate against people. He gives them the food and as they thank him he knows he does a good job he knows this is worth the punishment. He says to them that they can stay here for a night or two but then they must leave because more people may be coming and the soldiers are looking harder. He gives them directions to the next house over where they can stay a little and then they will give them their directions. They thank him greatly for the young man has just risked his life to protect theirs and as he leaves he shuts the barn door and tells them to rest. As he turns he checks the door one more time and gives a silent prayer that they will make it out okay.  When he gets back he sees his mom in the kitchen hugs her and whispers “Mama will they be okay?”.

She looks deep into the young boys eyes and she sees a boy that wants nothing but peace in a world full of hate and says:

“Son all we can do is pray you know that and follow our Lord and his wishes. For there its out of our hands and into Gods.”

“ I know Mama I just hope they are okay. That young boy looks terrified and  wars are good for no one.” He shakes his head and slowly looks up.

“I know its a sad sight when people have to die for no reason. But right now you need to go to sleep so you can wake up and help us tomorrow, good night.”

“Good night Mama.”

With that the boy walks away slowly to his room. He changes into his pyjamas and then kneels by his bed puts his hands together bows his head and starts his evening prayers. The young boy awakes to the noise of beating hands knocking against a door.  He quickly scrambles out of bed and  runs to throw open his door to make sure his parents are all right. As he runs he can feel his pulse quickening when he gets out of the room he looks straight and sees a most terrifying sight for a young boy. His mother and father are standing face to face with them he could recognize them anywhere. They were the soldiers who took his friends out of school and never brought them back. They were the soldiers who wore the uniforms of hate is how he looked at them. The uniforms were almost like any other except on theirs was red band right around their bicep. But this was no ordinary plain red band no it had a black Nazi symbol inside a white circle.These men sent shivers down his spine and make the sweat drop from his hair line to his neck. He knew that if his parents were caught with these Jews that they would all suffer the punishment of death.