My Name Is Naomi

Chapter Four

What was wrong with her? Naomi clutched her bag closer to her chest. She had just accepted the help of a German. A German! The very people her father had warned against! Maybe she was being stupid, but she had nowhere else to go and she needed the help desperately. So she would just have to trust this man she hardly knew.

She climbed up through the rubble and into the partly destroyed building where Wolfgang had told her to stay. She knew this house. It was where her friend Annemarie lived. Where was her friend now? Were they safe and alive? Naomi had a strange feeling that they weren't.

While waiting for night to come, and Wolfgang along with it, Naomi opened up the pack her father had given her. Inside was another wad of bills. Probably for her trip across the ocean. She had to make sure she wouldn't lose that money. She stuffed them into her boots and tied up the laces nice and tight. There. They would stay safe on her long journey. She peeked back into the bag and saw three apples, two pieces of cheese, and half a loaf of bread. She pulled out one apple and one piece of cheese to eat. She munched on these slowly, savoring the taste. She wasn't sure when her next meal would be if she ate the food to quickly. She would need to be careful and ration her supplies. Naomi also needed to find a source of water or she would die of thirst before she even left Germany.

Many, long, fear and anxiety filled hours later, night fell. Naomi had tried to sleep during the day so she would be energized for her trip, but she still felt exhausted. She gathered her few things and listen intensely for Wolfgang's whistle. Finally it came.

One...two...three whistles. Naomi got up and slowly made her way out to the street. There stood Wolfgang, wearing a dark coat with an upturned collar. He nodded to her.

"Do you have everything?" He asked, glancing around them, even though no one was in this barren, abandoned neighborhood. You couldn't be too safe. "We need to hurry."

"This is all I have," she said quietly, lifting the small sack.

"Follow me, then. This way." He gestured her forward.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked.

"To America, somehow."

"You can't walk me all the way there," Naomi said in confusion.

"No, but I can get you pretty far. I'm a driver for the Nazis."

"What's that?" She fell into step beside him.

He glanced at her with those sharp blue eyes. They looked like ice, "I transport soldiers and supplies across the lines."

They walked in silence for a long time, winding their way down the street. Finally, they reached his truck. He motioned for her to get in the back, hiding inside a box. She scrunched up inside and peeked out at him, "Why are you doing this for me?"

Wolfgang studied her for a long moment, his eyes shining eerily in the moonlight. It was almost as if he didn't know the answer himself. He waved her down, "Enough talking, we need to leave."

Naomi nodded and scrunched up tightly. She heard him nail the box shut and place the burlap back over top of it to cover her more.  At least it wasn't cold, being scrunched up in that stuffy box. In fact, she could hardly breathe in there.  Not that she should be complaining.  This man was helping her get to safety, and if this was the way to do it then so be it.

The truck's engines rumbled to life and Naomi felt the box shake as they moved down the debris covered road.  They drove on for a very long time before finally stopping.  She heard voices near the back of the truck.

"What's back here, Wolfgang?" One of the men asked.

She felt her breath seize as she heard the burlap being moved around.  Would they find her and kill her?  She gulped and tried to keep quiet. 

"Well aren't you noisy, Klaus." She heard Wolfgang trying to be casual. He laughed slightly. "It's just an order of food."

"More potatoes?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Well, get a move on then. Though I really wish we could have some salted beef for a change."

"Same here, friend."

"Heil Hitler!"

"Heil Hitler." Wolfgang responded, driving away.

Naomi let out a breath of relief.  She as safe.  For now.

Copyright © 2016 by Rosanna Parker

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