Dear Clara

Family

Dear Clara,

My parents have moved us into the Netherlands. I don't like it here Clara sure the guards aren't as strict but the language and the people are very different. I wrote letters to Macy and Madison before I left they where devastated. Now the government is saying we can not own a radio anymore and I hear more stories of families taken from their homes without warning. Father says that we should be safe because of his occupation. Now I also have a special curfew that I must obey the penalty, taken away to one of those mysterious camps. Mother is always crying no one is ever happy now that our beloved country is over taken with war. Just last week our neighbours where taken from their home in the middle of the night it was terrible I was very frightened that night and could not sleep at all. I'm so scared of what lies ahead for our beautiful country Hitler and his rules have ruined it I just want it to end I want everything to end.

Violet

"Daddy where's Marie she should have been home over a hour ago." I looked out my window hoping for my sister to magically appear.

"Kleine do not worry yourself Marie is probably just working overtime. You know her she loves that job that she has." my father's words where true my nineteen year old sister loved her job as a receptionist for a big dutch magazine. She left her part time job in Germany when we moved and got a full time job here. We heard a knock at our door it was Marie.

"Oh Father it was terrible!" Marie ran into the arms of my father.

"Honig what happened?" my father sat my sister down on the sofa she was in tears.

"Today at work Daan a man I work with was called by the guards. He was taken... right there in the middle of work hours! I felt uncomfortable and deiced to leave I went out the main way like always. Then right there I saw a truck the guards they had others in the truck, children as old as Anna waiting to meet their fates. They loaded Daan onto the truck and then..." Marie let out a loud sob.

"A lady saw my star she spit in my face and slapped me. For being Jewish!" Marie cried on the sofa my father's arm around her.

"It's okay Honig it's over now." Father repeated these words over and over while hugging Marie.

*****

After dinner I helped Mother with the dishes. As always she looked glum I made multiple attempts to cheer her up none of them worked.

"Mother why dose the world hate us?" I asked the question that was burning in my brain.

"Oh Violet why do you ask me such questions?" My mother snapped at me. I finished drying the last plate and left my mother. I sat on my bed and looked at the photo of my friends and cried saddened by the thought of my wonderful friends being taken away never heard from again.

"Kleine are you okay?" I looked in my doorway and saw my father. Quickly I wiped my tears away and nodded.

"Daddy I'm just scared and confused." 

"Oh Violet don't be frightened your mother and I would never let anything happen to you." my Father sat beside me on my bed.

"I know but Marie she did nothing to that awful lady and still got hurt. The world hates us Daddy and I hate it." my Father wrapped me in his arms like he did with Marie.

"Violet you will be fine I won't let anyone touch my Kleine Girl."  he kissed the top of my head.

"The world dosen't hate us, there are some who do not care for us but no one can ever hate anyone." 

"Violet look at me," I did as told.

"Even the world's most awful people how terrible they seem do have good in their heart." I nodded tears weld up in my eyes my Father wiped them away.

"Now Kleine go to sleep tomorrow is your birthday and you will want your rest." my father tucked me in that night.

******

"Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Violet Happy Birthday to you." my family sat round the dinner table singing to me as my sister brought out my cake.

"Make a wish Darling!" my mother was actually smiling for once I could see a new sparkle in her blue eyes. I blew out my thirteen candles and wished that the awful war would end and that we would move back to Germany.

"Here you are Kleine it's from me and your mother." my father handed me a small package with a pink ribbon around it. I opened it to reveal a shoe box inside was pair of beautiful pink shoes I covered my mouth.

"Mama Papa these are, they're just beautiful!" I ran to my parents and gave them a hug.

"Now here's a present from Anna and me." I opened the gift to find a lovely gold chained necklace with a flower pendant hanging on the chain.

"Marie this is so gorgeous I love it, thank you!" 

"Don't thank me Anna picked it out." Marie pointed to Anna who was holding a spoon and waving it around.

"Then I will say thank you very much Anya." Anna replied with a toothless smile.

"Ree come help me put this on." I signaled my sister to come and help me.

"The pendant's a violet you know." she whispered in my ear as she put it on me. I held the pendant in between my fingers and the sun caught it and it flashed a beautiful shade of purple. This was the best gift I had ever gotten.