Levi chose to fight.
Written by Elizabeth
Levi decides he’s going to fight. His family. His friends. He was going to avenge them. So he went, he met with Z.O.B.’s commander, Mordecai, and got rejected for being too young. Anna hid at the building when he begged to join. She recognized Levi, but her heart felt funny. She was able to join the Organization, with nursing credibility. But he was determined. He trained himself. He smuggled weapons and learned the plans of the Z.O.B. His body burning, and his head dead set. This was three months ago, just as the last of the two month operation to deport the Jewish ended. They both had survived it.
January. What a great way to start of a new year, not like it matters. Though the streets are bustling with grimly cheerful whispers.
“The Z.O.B. are getting stronger! We might have a chance at fighting.”
Anna smiles, her body warm as she straighten her posture. They have hope. It brought up her spirits as Levi stands on the side. His smile mirrors hers, but he didn’t see her.
He has to tell his family.
She has to tell her family.
With the same speed, they turn the opposite way and run. Levi grabbing onto his cap and Anna holding up her dress, they run and practically jump into their homes.
“Did you hear? They believe in the rebellion!”
No answer. A yell echoes from the busy streets, alerting them that the German soldiers are coming. A panic came in waves as everyone ran to the safety of their homes, the sick and the weak more slow, the range of emotion is a definite contrast to the dead of the ghetto but it wasn’t the right time to notice it.
Anna turns and dances around the shaking children as the adults in the house gathered cloth-covered weapons from under the beds.
“You be good, children, this will be over before you know it.”
Anna watches the interaction and shakes her head, she can’t have second thoughts now. Her thoughts were lost as the marching became louder, the order for another round of Jewish people rang in the empty streets.
The footsteps echoing makes Levi’s knees weak as he leans on the table for support. His family, with their own weapons as Z.O.B. members, fuss around on the side. Levi slaps his cheeks as he scolds himself.
“You can’t back down now. Think of the people.”
With a new determination, he puts on a smile and guides the children to the closet.
“I’m putting you in charge, little birdsong.”
Looking up, his sister, Roni, nodded, a serious expression turns cute as she smiles.
Levi smiles again and locks the door. He paces as he waited for the signal. The radios crackle in the homes of the ghetto as a single gunshot rang. Mordecai shoots and a body falls. Within the shock of the German soldiers, the Z.O.B. string into action. The rings of their battle cries were drowned by the rain of gunshots.
Lost in the madness, his family looks for places to hide as Levi slips by, through the back. He runs, the screaming feeding his adrenaline, and uncovers his smuggled weapons beside his house. With a sound cock of a gun, he jumps from the alley, yelling for all to hear, as he shoots.
The battle wasn’t the happiest with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January of 1943. Three days of fighting. Anna was able to fight off a lot, as well as save the injured. These few days were shocking but she was proud.
Three days of shooting, dragging, and screaming, but the gunshots are dying. Opening the trash lid, Levi brushes the dust off his pants and peeks through. There are dead bodies everywhere, but the SS are giving up. They still had break into a lot of the buildings on the South side of the ghetto though, taking almost 5,000 Jewish into the railroad cars.
Levi was about to whoop, cheer loudly, and jump out before stopping at the soldiers marching. Dragging almost 1,000 Jewish people to the main square, Levi could only watch in horror, stumbling out of the trash can, as the skinny group of people stand bravely.
Anna too could only stare as her friend held her back. The 1,000 held themselves with pride at the Germans’ gunpoint. Why? She struggled, her screams of protest and curses muffled by her friend. The orchestra of gunshots and bodies falling stills her. Holding herself up, she brushed off their hands, tears falling down her cheeks, her dress rough on her cheek as she dabs her face. A crash and a struggle in the corner of her eye catches her attention. It’s the boy, his arms locked with his father’s.
January. What a great way to start of a new year, not like it matters. Though the streets are bustling with grimly cheerful whispers.
“The Z.O.B. are getting stronger! We might have a chance at fighting.”
Anna smiles, her body warm as she straighten her posture. They have hope. It brought up her spirits as Levi stands on the side. His smile mirrors hers, but he didn’t see her.
He has to tell his family.
She has to tell her family.
With the same speed, they turn the opposite way and run. Levi grabbing onto his cap and Anna holding up her dress, they run and practically jump into their homes.
“Did you hear? They believe in the rebellion!”
No answer. A yell echoes from the busy streets, alerting them that the German soldiers are coming. A panic came in waves as everyone ran to the safety of their homes, the sick and the weak more slow, the range of emotion is a definite contrast to the dead of the ghetto but it wasn’t the right time to notice it.
Anna turns and dances around the shaking children as the adults in the house gathered cloth-covered weapons from under the beds.
“You be good, children, this will be over before you know it.”
Anna watches the interaction and shakes her head, she can’t have second thoughts now. Her thoughts were lost as the marching became louder, the order for another round of Jewish people rang in the empty streets.
The footsteps echoing makes Levi’s knees weak as he leans on the table for support. His family, with their own weapons as Z.O.B. members, fuss around on the side. Levi slaps his cheeks as he scolds himself.
“You can’t back down now. Think of the people.”
With a new determination, he puts on a smile and guides the children to the closet.
“I’m putting you in charge, little birdsong.”
Looking up, his sister, Roni, nodded, a serious expression turns cute as she smiles.
Levi smiles again and locks the door. He paces as he waited for the signal. The radios crackle in the homes of the ghetto as a single gunshot rang. Mordecai shoots and a body falls. Within the shock of the German soldiers, the Z.O.B. string into action. The rings of their battle cries were drowned by the rain of gunshots.
Lost in the madness, his family looks for places to hide as Levi slips by, through the back. He runs, the screaming feeding his adrenaline, and uncovers his smuggled weapons beside his house. With a sound cock of a gun, he jumps from the alley, yelling for all to hear, as he shoots.
The battle wasn’t the happiest with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January of 1943. Three days of fighting. Anna was able to fight off a lot, as well as save the injured. These few days were shocking but she was proud.
Three days of shooting, dragging, and screaming, but the gunshots are dying. Opening the trash lid, Levi brushes the dust off his pants and peeks through. There are dead bodies everywhere, but the SS are giving up. They still had break into a lot of the buildings on the South side of the ghetto though, taking almost 5,000 Jewish into the railroad cars.
Levi was about to whoop, cheer loudly, and jump out before stopping at the soldiers marching. Dragging almost 1,000 Jewish people to the main square, Levi could only watch in horror, stumbling out of the trash can, as the skinny group of people stand bravely.
Anna too could only stare as her friend held her back. The 1,000 held themselves with pride at the Germans’ gunpoint. Why? She struggled, her screams of protest and curses muffled by her friend. The orchestra of gunshots and bodies falling stills her. Holding herself up, she brushed off their hands, tears falling down her cheeks, her dress rough on her cheek as she dabs her face. A crash and a struggle in the corner of her eye catches her attention. It’s the boy, his arms locked with his father’s.
Art by Elizabeth Tran
Not daring to blink, Levi realizes something as he freezes, legs trembling. His blood turns cold. One of his aunts, an uncle, and his mom are among them, standing proudly, head up as they smile at Levi. He falls.
He can’t hear the gunshots, the screaming, or the dropping of the bodies, he's stuck on the smiles, they were full of pride and happiness that hadn’t seen the light of day in years. He can't hear the cheers of the Jewish at the results either. But when he did, he lets a tear slip. Slumping down, he stares, his gun digging into his side.
Though they had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi and Anna were proud. The people had did it. They fought for their freedom. The Germans had cancelled further deportation operations.
Levi buries the sadness deep inside, as the heat of his rage fueled him. They are going to pay. The Z.O.B. are confident, by the results, they are going to revolt. Levi is ready, but he’s stuck. Caressing the picture of his mom, he bites his fingernail again. What would mom want him to do?
Shaking his head, he sighs, his mind wandering to the girl from before, from her voice to her determination. What would the girl want him to do?
Anna tugs painfully at her hair, her family is gone. She punches the wall, her tears begging to drop from her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them. The German troops took her family. They were going to be killed at the Treblinka Camp.
Slumping to the ground, she stares into her hands. What should she do? If she keeps fighting, will she die?
The thought scares her. She trembles before the boy came into her mind. Would he want her to fight?
Now, it’s your choice. Before the Uprising, will you continue? Will you push through to get the “true happy ending?” You've made it this far. What will you do?
Will you choose Anna? The fiery lady with eyes of molten syrup, burning with passion, and a fighter of the Z.O.B?
Or will you choose Levi? The determined gentleman with hands scarred of protecting his people, face curved exact and soft with emotion, and a freedom fighter?
He can’t hear the gunshots, the screaming, or the dropping of the bodies, he's stuck on the smiles, they were full of pride and happiness that hadn’t seen the light of day in years. He can't hear the cheers of the Jewish at the results either. But when he did, he lets a tear slip. Slumping down, he stares, his gun digging into his side.
Though they had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi and Anna were proud. The people had did it. They fought for their freedom. The Germans had cancelled further deportation operations.
Levi buries the sadness deep inside, as the heat of his rage fueled him. They are going to pay. The Z.O.B. are confident, by the results, they are going to revolt. Levi is ready, but he’s stuck. Caressing the picture of his mom, he bites his fingernail again. What would mom want him to do?
Shaking his head, he sighs, his mind wandering to the girl from before, from her voice to her determination. What would the girl want him to do?
Anna tugs painfully at her hair, her family is gone. She punches the wall, her tears begging to drop from her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them. The German troops took her family. They were going to be killed at the Treblinka Camp.
Slumping to the ground, she stares into her hands. What should she do? If she keeps fighting, will she die?
The thought scares her. She trembles before the boy came into her mind. Would he want her to fight?
Now, it’s your choice. Before the Uprising, will you continue? Will you push through to get the “true happy ending?” You've made it this far. What will you do?
Will you choose Anna? The fiery lady with eyes of molten syrup, burning with passion, and a fighter of the Z.O.B?
Or will you choose Levi? The determined gentleman with hands scarred of protecting his people, face curved exact and soft with emotion, and a freedom fighter?