Ben, Joe, Brett, and Leff, slowly walked back to the truck. Benjamin kept on stumbling but Joe was there to support him. To be there for him.
"Hey Leff, carry the kid, he won't survive long like this," said Joe.
Leff scooped up the poor kid. His bright blue eyes glinted dully and his body quivered with hunger. He stroked Ben's dirty blonde hair gently, "Hey kid, I know you can't understand what I'm saying, but I promise I will get you home".
Ben looked at Leff then spoke quietly in broken English, his voice with a heavy German accent, "I no home. I no family."
Leff gasped in horror and the boy started crying. Leff stroked his hair and muttered comforting things to him. He looked at Brett and shook his head sadly.
Brett started to cry silently. This kid had been through so much. He sniffed and Joe turned to look at him. Seeing his tears, Joe threw an arm over Brett's shoulders. "Come on Brett, let's go home."
***
A few hours later a truck rumbles. Joe hears the noise and shouts happily. Brett and Leff run. Benjamin held onto Leff tightly, squeezing his eyes shut. They were safe.
"Sir! Commander Joe and soldiers Brett and Leff present!" called Joe.
A man around forty poked his head out from a truck. His gun immediately followed.
"Code numbers?" he barked.
Ben whimpered and looked at his arm. A number had been tattooed on by the Nazis. His number was A-10154. Self consciously he pressed against Leff, scared.
"Oh-zero-five-eight-three," said Brett.
The commander sighed in relief, "Did you find any survivors?"
Leff showed Ben curled in his arms to Commander Jesse, "Just him sir".
Jesse closed his green eyes and sighed. Poor kid, he thought.
"Wer bist du? Wo bringst du mich hin?" asked Ben. Jesse looked at Joe.
"He asks who you are sir, and where you are taking him. The boy is frightened sir can we let him sleep?" replied Joe.
"Tell him my name is Jesse and I'm here to bring him to safety".
"Benjamin, das ist Jesse, er ist hier, um dich in Sicherheit zu bringen. Willst du schlafen? Wir werden dich beschützen," said Joe.
Ben nodded and curled up tighter in Leff's arms.
"Ich möchte bei Leff bleiben," muttered Ben.
"OK. geh schlafen Kind, Leff wird dich beobachten," said Joe, "Leff, can you watch the kid, it seems he feels most comfortable with you."
"Yes sir!" Leff sat down and hugged Benjamin, pressing him to his chest.
Ben fell asleep a few minutes later.
YOU ARE READING
I'm Coming Home
Tarihi KurguBenjamin has survived so far. His parents murdered, his siblings shipped away, he has no one. The question is, will Ben survive the rest of the war? Will he too be murdered or shipped away never to be heard from again?
