EDEN

Eden's journal- May 3, 1976

I was sitting on a chair facing the eastern window of the train when I realized how beautiful the scenery was outside. It brought me some childhood memories which made my feelings so light. The train whistled its trails and exhausted some steam from its blastpipe in-front of the engine. At this point of my journey, I was getting nearer to the track of my hometown, in central Poland. I began to see ruined old mining sites as the train passes by. These old ruins reminded me a bit of my dark past.

It was at dawn when it struck me. I was cocooned in my bed as always. My room was filled with wooden cabinets, shelves and of course dusty books of novellas which I neglected to read so often.

Then a voice behind me whispered, "Wake up Eden, Wake up!" I grasped and turned around to see my troublesome little brother. "Mom and Dad are gone and I can't seem to find them!" he said nervously. "Have you checked inside their room, the kitchen or even outside?" I said with a weak voice while itching my drowsy eyes. "Yes, but not outside...", he added "I have looked everywhere but..." there was a short heartbeat of silence and eventually he said, "They are gone Eden, gone.". He started sobbing.

In a heartbeat, I rose up from my bed grabbed the nearest lamp which was residing above the table and grabbed my brother's fragile little hands. "We will go and find them together" I said. We stepped in every room searching for them, raising the lamp as it guided us through the dark and cozy narrow corridors, but they were not there. There was only silence to be heard and darkness to be seen.

We eventually went into the kitchen and heard sounds of what seemed to be like a quarrel happening outside of the room. We peeked through the window and observed without making a single sound. It was our parents, looking uneasy. They were confronted by three German guards covered with dark uniforms, silver badges and peaked caps. "Mister and missus Cohen", the head of the guards stated with a fury in his own voice, "How many times do we have to inform you that your family's presence is required in the camps, under the commands of his excellence, the chancellor". "We ask you kindly to surrender yourselves and cooperate with us", the head guard said with a commanding voice.

Both of our parents looked at each other, frustrated with their eyes filled with such anguish and terror. Then my father nodded and told my mother to RUN.

He immediately charged against one of the guards, rampaging towards the wooden fences. "Get the children!" said the stunned guard. My mom rushed into the kitchen door and saw us. We immediately rushed into the backyard and just as we know it, it was already too late. Two of the guards blocked our path with batons on their hands and the other holding my father as a captive. And there was terror in all our eyes not knowing what would happen to us all. Our house was burned to the ground and we were taken to a camp near town.

Alas, I finally arrived in the city of Warsaw. Various types of roses greeted my arrival as I was walking down to one of the oldest streets in the city. I continued a few strides ahead until it became clear to me that I was standing at no-ordinary street. Stone pavements filled with murky water and soil. This was the exact street in which I was transported. Into the dark slums. It was the size of less than a village. A former camp I should say, in which violence was used predominantly.

It began to rain abruptly.

Coincidentally, it was also raining when we arrived there, it was cold as well. I got separated from my parents then, but my brother stayed with me, holding my tired hands. "We are going to be fine" I said then, with a bit of uncertainty in my voice.

We departed from an armored car, together with other frail residents of our town. Mothers holding their infants and gentlemen who were bound on their ankles. An elderly woman stood beside me, her hands shaking while holding a rosary. I can only see the despair in their eyes, not having any hope of escaping or getting out of that dreadful situation. They were all waiting for some sort of miracle to happen - nothing more.

We were all lined up in this open area full of controlled residents, surrounded by barbed wires, brick walls and armed guards. Children were obliged to sit still and yet, they were chasing each other's' tails. One by one they were taken away, some had parents and some did not. Then everyone became silent.

The rain had finally stopped as I continued to walk through the seemingly unending stone pathway. It led me to a courtyard. Variations of flowers and vines graced the sidewalks. As I walked further ahead, a door revealed itself from a small entrance. I knocked at the door. Patiently I waited.

While waiting for a person to open the door, I looked into the sky. A plane with jagged wings travelled across the sky, leaving a trail of smoke.

It was like the smoke or ashes that I sniffed inside the camp. I was again taken back to the past - Guards armed with heavy assault rifles, came rushing in.

A guard with a suspicious look stared at me, studying me for a second. He moved his lips telling me something that I could not understand. Then in an instant, he grabbed one of the guards facing the other direction. He stabbed the guard at the back with full force and rushed into the heavy smoke.

Other guards started doing the same thing. The sound of firearms resonated across the battlefield and it filled my ears. People were running in all directions hysterically. Some started to flee while they had the chance, rampaging towards the clear woodlands. I could not go without them- not without my family. So, I went across the controlled mob, searching for them.

Then a rushing guard came into my direction, carrying my little brother in his arms. "What are you waiting for, move!" as he gasped for air. He immediately grabbed my hands and rushed into the menacing grounds, protecting us from incoming projectiles. As we passed through the woodlands I said, "We need to get back, my parents are still in there", but he did not listen. He was focused on the path and did not look back.

It was clear to me that the guards who were saving us were the American soldiers, who rescued the residents and put them into safe havens.

We were then transported into another camp, not too far. "It is okay now, there is nothing to worry about" said the guard who rescued us. The camp was filled with medical stations and paramedics working busy. As my brother and I walked through the crowd, we saw both our parents, lying on a bed, resting - perfectly safe and fine. We rushed to hug them both and cried with happiness in our hearts.

I am now in the present and as I waited patiently for a reply on the door, there were footsteps in the background. The door finally opened.

"Come in" said a familiar voice. It is my mother, smiling widely with tears of joy on her eyes. "I am so glad you visited us Eden". Coming behind her are my father and my brother, who was smiling as well". I hugged my mom as tight as I possibly could and took turns to hug my dad and little brother.

I can't help it but I had to smile and cry at the same time.