You chose Anna.
Written by Elizabeth
Nothing happened. The Germans had called the operation off, but the excitement got lost in the mourning of the fallen people, and that got lost in the gray. Lost in the disease, lost in the waste, lost in the starvation, lost in the walls. The fight was the final key that drove the Jewish Fight Organization to lead a revolt. They had more fire than before, plans were made, underground bunkers and tunnels were built, more weapons were smuggled and created. They felt prepared. They felt hope. And so did the people.Things were looking good, they would be able to fight better than three months ago. Today was the day, April 19th, the eve of a Jewish holiday called Passover and also the day before Adolf Hitler’s birthday. No one expected it. This was the start of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
The 3 o'clock moon lights up the night as the sound of marching rings through the entrance of the Ghetto. It's definitely louder than the troops in January, and it shakes the ground. The Germans have come.
Anna couldn’t wake up any faster, her body already out of bed, as she grasps around the dark. The moonlight shows the bones jutting out her limbs as she touches her sister. The five children awaken, confusion and exhaustion in their rubbing of their eyes and the reluctance to get up.
“Please come. We have to go.”
“Why do we have to?”
Biting the urge to snap at them with urgency, Anna hums and says,” You’ll get to play in the bunkers. You know, the secret ones?”
That gets them up as they tug on her arm, trying to get her to hurry up. With a scared chuckle, she grabs her smuggled gun and races after the crowd rushing into the bunkers. Her neighbor, Mrs. Fells, notices Anna and gives her a sad, pitiful look. Her family gone and five children to take care of, lasting those 3 months on the barest of necessities, giving more for the others, and she still insists on fighting.
With the hushed, panicked whispers, Anna locates Mrs. Fells and pleads with her to look after the children. The thundering footsteps above ground send chills down their backs as people begin to squirm, the young girl’s heart pounds faster as her feet itch to run up and join the Z.O.B. As soon as her neighbor nods shakily with a tight smile, Anna dashes.
Boom. The ground shakes, making Anna trip but she scrambles back up quickly. That wasn’t Mordecai. Her breath quickens, becoming more haggard, as she threw open the doors and locked them behind her. The fresh air bites at her flushed skin. She seems to calm before the sound of guns going off hit her. As soon as she springs forward, joining in on the shooting, she hears the sound of a grenade go off. The latch of the bunker opens up again as Levi jumps out, gun in hand, but Anna doesn’t notice.
Her ears ring softly as she pulls the trigger, it hits a thigh and a curse in German gives her a hint of satisfaction. She kept shooting before an onslaught of bullets make a string of holes in the next building. They also have machine guns. Great. She huffed, turning to shoot at the machine gun holders before a hand forces her back to the wall.
She screams before the stranger covers her mouth. Squirming, she kicks them in the shin before aiming her gun at their face. It was the boy. His features were more sharper than in January and he was thinner than considered normal.
The 3 o'clock moon lights up the night as the sound of marching rings through the entrance of the Ghetto. It's definitely louder than the troops in January, and it shakes the ground. The Germans have come.
Anna couldn’t wake up any faster, her body already out of bed, as she grasps around the dark. The moonlight shows the bones jutting out her limbs as she touches her sister. The five children awaken, confusion and exhaustion in their rubbing of their eyes and the reluctance to get up.
“Please come. We have to go.”
“Why do we have to?”
Biting the urge to snap at them with urgency, Anna hums and says,” You’ll get to play in the bunkers. You know, the secret ones?”
That gets them up as they tug on her arm, trying to get her to hurry up. With a scared chuckle, she grabs her smuggled gun and races after the crowd rushing into the bunkers. Her neighbor, Mrs. Fells, notices Anna and gives her a sad, pitiful look. Her family gone and five children to take care of, lasting those 3 months on the barest of necessities, giving more for the others, and she still insists on fighting.
With the hushed, panicked whispers, Anna locates Mrs. Fells and pleads with her to look after the children. The thundering footsteps above ground send chills down their backs as people begin to squirm, the young girl’s heart pounds faster as her feet itch to run up and join the Z.O.B. As soon as her neighbor nods shakily with a tight smile, Anna dashes.
Boom. The ground shakes, making Anna trip but she scrambles back up quickly. That wasn’t Mordecai. Her breath quickens, becoming more haggard, as she threw open the doors and locked them behind her. The fresh air bites at her flushed skin. She seems to calm before the sound of guns going off hit her. As soon as she springs forward, joining in on the shooting, she hears the sound of a grenade go off. The latch of the bunker opens up again as Levi jumps out, gun in hand, but Anna doesn’t notice.
Her ears ring softly as she pulls the trigger, it hits a thigh and a curse in German gives her a hint of satisfaction. She kept shooting before an onslaught of bullets make a string of holes in the next building. They also have machine guns. Great. She huffed, turning to shoot at the machine gun holders before a hand forces her back to the wall.
She screams before the stranger covers her mouth. Squirming, she kicks them in the shin before aiming her gun at their face. It was the boy. His features were more sharper than in January and he was thinner than considered normal.
Art by Elizabeth Tran
“Who are you?”
A glance around the corner of the building.
“I’m Levi. And you are, pretty lady?”
“Anna. Cut it with the jokes, we’re in a life or death situation right now.”
His grim smile flattens as he glares at her. His voice, smooth yet shaky, whispers,” Exactly, so why are you here? You should be in the bunkers!”
“I should be? What about you?!”
“I’m fighting.”
“So am I!” Anna hisses as she turns and shoots at a general direction. The screaming muffles their conversation but Anna is still annoyed more than angry. Levi shoots, hovering over her, and she pushes him when he squats back down.
“You need to go back!”
Rising up quickly, she stares angrily at him. Does he not know what’s going on right now?
“Look, I don’t time for this! Stop getting in my wa-!”
Her sentence cuts off as her vision blurs. Her body swings, her gun drops, and she tilts forward. Closing her eyes, her head feels light-headed as a pair of arms wraps around her thin frame.
“I knew it. Please go back to the bunkers, pretty lady. You’re in no condition to fight.”
His voice seems so worried, her stomach clenches apologetically. She wants to listen to him but her head is fighting. Should she go back? What about fighting? What will happen if she goes? What about if she stays?
Her eyebrows furrow as she exhales. Levi strains to hold her up and look over her shoulder, the yells getting louder by the second.
“Anna, please!”
A glance around the corner of the building.
“I’m Levi. And you are, pretty lady?”
“Anna. Cut it with the jokes, we’re in a life or death situation right now.”
His grim smile flattens as he glares at her. His voice, smooth yet shaky, whispers,” Exactly, so why are you here? You should be in the bunkers!”
“I should be? What about you?!”
“I’m fighting.”
“So am I!” Anna hisses as she turns and shoots at a general direction. The screaming muffles their conversation but Anna is still annoyed more than angry. Levi shoots, hovering over her, and she pushes him when he squats back down.
“You need to go back!”
Rising up quickly, she stares angrily at him. Does he not know what’s going on right now?
“Look, I don’t time for this! Stop getting in my wa-!”
Her sentence cuts off as her vision blurs. Her body swings, her gun drops, and she tilts forward. Closing her eyes, her head feels light-headed as a pair of arms wraps around her thin frame.
“I knew it. Please go back to the bunkers, pretty lady. You’re in no condition to fight.”
His voice seems so worried, her stomach clenches apologetically. She wants to listen to him but her head is fighting. Should she go back? What about fighting? What will happen if she goes? What about if she stays?
Her eyebrows furrow as she exhales. Levi strains to hold her up and look over her shoulder, the yells getting louder by the second.
“Anna, please!”