Dear Clara

Death

Dear Clara,

I was transported to a new camp. I do not know the name of this camp or I would have told you by now. Shane is off with the boys and men we had seen each other on the train Madison almost fainted when she saw him kiss me. She was sleeping and when she awoke to her brother kissing her best friend. I think my blush is permitted. The camp here isn't as bad but it is still foul and disturbing. I hear of stories from the other prisoners of their sister, brother, mother or father being shot or taken from them I hear stories about the terrible leaders of this madness. At night I pray but my prayers are like little whispers to God many other want what I want they want peace. I have hope I have something to live for I just need to keep my hope burning like a everlasting flame. 

Violet

I laid on the ground here we were forced to stay in tents instead of barracks because of over crowding. It was late but I couldn't sleep Madison was having a terrible nightmare beside me she thrashed and cried for her mother. I wished my mother was still with me I had been here for five days and already understood how things worked here. If you stay quiet and do your work you will be fine. 

"Mama? Mama! Mama!" Madison reached her hands into empty air searching for her mother who was far away and might never come home. I held one of her wondering hands and her screams stopped instead she held onto my hand. I knew the only way was going to live was if I left I needed to escape but I didn't know how. Before I knew it sleep overcame my body.

"Violet can you hear me?" I was in a new world the air was less humid and my body was far less tense. I nodded giving the speaker a answer.

"I want you to open one eye then the other." the speaker had a slow stern voice I could tell it was a man's voice it made me feel safe. I did as told opening my eyes. I no longer saw the tent or the starving bodies but the beautiful eyes I know and love.

"Shane, how?" I looked around some more seeing that I was on the floor of a apartment I had never seen with Shane's hand cradling my sore head. 

"You fell are you okay?" Shane was knelt beside me still holding my head never letting go. Then I noticed that my long brown hair was back and I wasn't paper thin in fact I was a bit fat. Shane was way older but still recognizable he looked even more handsome.

"Mama?" I heard the small frail voice that of a child, a baby girl no older then five. Then I looked some more to see who she was addressing she stared at me wide eyed same with Shane.

"I am fine who is this?" I sat up Shane helped me.

"This is Anne Marie our daughter." Shane held his hand out for the child, my child. Then it hit me I was in the future well at least what I wanted my outcome to be. Anne Marie took her father's hand but kept her eyes on me. She had Papa's eyes but Mama's smile Marie's dark brown hair and Anna's innocence. I fell in love with the child the minute I laid my eyes on her.

"Hello sweetie come here." I held my arms out for Anne. I started to cry a little bit this was the life I wanted Shane my one love sitting beside me and me holding my beautiful daughter whom reminded me of my dearest.

"I love you Mama." Anne whispered in my ear.

"I love you too baby." I choked I never wanted to let go of Anne or Shane they were my future. But this wasn't real this was just a dream a sweet fantasy of what I wanted to happen. In reality I was a starving maybe orphaned teenage Jew in which the world hated. The beautiful glimpse of what might be ended as quick as it started with the camp roll call.

"Violet wake up! No! Don't be dead! Violet!" I could hear the sobby screams of Madison and could feel her violent shakes. 

"Violet!" fear poisoned her loud voice her shakes became more and more violent. I didn't want to let go of my might-have-been future to be sucked into my torturous present. But Madison was getting hysterical who wouldn't be I tried opening my eyes but they wouldn't open.

"Violet!" the screams became unbearable I was forcing my eyes open but they wouldn't move. I tried to show Madison I wasn't dead by taking in deeper breaths but she didn't notice. I felt hands not just Madison's but others crawling searching they were robbing me.

"Leave her alone get over her!" Madison no longer had her normal sweet soft voice but a harsh cold one. I heard laughing then felt Madison leave my side, then screams, cries, insults.

"Quick get her clothes while the child is distracted." a stranger piped up fear ran through my body. Move I thought nothing happened. Move! They're stealing from you! I started to yell to myself again nothing. I felt like crying but there were no tears on my face was I dead? No, I am still conscious the dead can't think. 

"Stay away from Violet you wenches evil pathetic broods!" I heard anger boil up in Madison's voice she was going crazy. Then I felt my necklace my most loved thing in the world the last thing keeping me with my mother and sister being ripped of my neck. Energy I had never felt before came threw my lank body. It was hope that brought me back it was hope that kept me alive.

The scene I awoke to was not welcoming or pleasant but frightening. Madison was on top of a woman punching her with one hand and choking her with the other. Two other women were trying to get Madison off the other person. Beside me was the thief who held my necklace in her hand dumbfounded I had found life again they all were, well the ones who saw were. My shoes and socks were gone luckily we were in summer so someone was bound to die before I needed replacements. 

"What are you all staring at?! Let me go!" Madison who looked feral and savage to me. I stared at the stranger who had taken over my best friends body this new girl scared me showing what she was really capable of. 

"I'm up." I tried to sound confident but the sound that escaped my mouth was a noise a frightened puppy might make.

"Violet what? I... I what?" the stranger left and my friend returned. Madison stood there still holding the other lady's wrist who also had a black eye from Madison's hits.

"What happened?" I looked around at everyone.

"Violet you were dead you stoped breathing your eyes they were open... I don't believe it." Madison dropped the stranger's wrist to hug me. I had died and come back to life that wasn't a dream that was heaven.