Levi chose to hide.
Written by Elizabeth
Cons outweighing the pros, Levi decided not to fight. He’s not strong enough. All he could do is hide, for his family, they had already suffered so much. Half of his friends were taken. He couldn’t fight. A few fist fights and the scars on his hands didn’t help, he’s weak. But the deportation operation ended last September. That was almost four months ago, and people are able to breathe now again. But the feeling didn’t last. There came the hopeful whispers again.
“The Z.O.B. are getting stronger! We might have a chance at fighting.”
Anna comes to a stop, body glowing with excitement, they believe in the Z.O.B., they believe in her. She had joined the Z.O.B right after the first deportations, with a fire to light up the ghetto, and has been put deep into the organization. They have a chance. Walking away to tell her mom the news, she misses a certain black-haired male.
Frowning, Levi turns his ears away from the news, wishing that his hopes wouldn’t be risen as he stares at his hands. He isn’t going to fight. He’s going to protect them all and every scar has been proof of that. But he couldn’t hold the thought for much longer. A yell echoes from the busy streets, alerting them that the German soldiers are coming. A panic comes in waves as everyone runs to the safety of their homes, the sick and the weak more slow, and the range of emotion is a definite contrast to the dead of the ghetto but it wasn’t the right time to notice it.
With the call, Levi and Anna dash faster, both hoping to reach home but for very different reasons.
Running, Levi turns, left, right, right, left. His home comes into view and he closes the door, locking it after checking for everyone.
Anna stops at a nearby alley and grabs her gun, she’s ready. They are going to pay, but she has to wait for the signal.
Leaning against the doors, everyone heard it, the fear tenses the homes as the echos of the Germans march in, their footsteps in sync. It's almost mocking them, as Levi clenches his fist. His father, Ronan, leans down, bringing Levi’s attention to his back. The former cracks open a loose floor board and takes out a long cloth-covered item.
“Father, what is that? What are you-”
Levi’s question is cut off as he connects the dots. His father is a part of the Z.O.B. Looking around, his uncles, aunts, and mother, share a hard stare. The glint of determination, rage, and vengeance in their eyes shake him. They are a part of it too. His thoughts shifts to the strange girl. Did she join too?
Anna sits, her foot impatiently tapping, as she plays with her hair. The Germans are already here, the Z.O.B. need to go now. Bang. A gunshot rings in the quiet ghetto. A body drops. Smiling grimly, she stands up quickly and cocks her gun. They are going down and her battle cry was enough for the others to come running.
He wants to beg them to stay back before the radio crackles alive. It was the signal.
Without a word, they took their separate weapons, and step together. They give all the children and Levi a kiss or a hug, but for him it lingers as they whisper,” Levi, Protect them all.”
Bang. The first gunshot sounds. It was the Jewish Fighting Organization. The German curses in surprise are enough for Levi’s family to leave and join in. Soon, battle cries and guns going off fills the ghetto as Levi takes the children to a closet and hums softly, hoping to calm them. Before he could lock the door, his 5 year old sister Roni, with many others, asks,” What’s going on, Le-Le?”
“Fireworks, little birdsong.”
“Oh! I wanna see! I didn’t know those grumpy soldiers were nice enough to give us that…”
Shoot. That was the wrong thing to say. Biting his lip, the screams of the German and the Jewish still echos, as he stutters,” Sorry, Roni. It’s an adult party, full of adult magic. It’s boring, filled with chess and old people stuff. How about singing with big ol’ Le-Le.”
She loses interest, smiling and cheering softly with the others as Levi sits with them, strumming the chipped guitar strings to block out most of the screams.
The battle outside wasn’t the happiness with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January of 1943. Three days fighting. Anna was able to fight off a lot, as well as save the injured. These few days were shocking but Anna was proud.
Three days of never-ending playing guitar and shabby board games. But the gunshots are dying. Opening the closet door, Levi brushes the food crumbs off his pants and glances through the window. There are dead bodies everywhere, but the Germans 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 run outside before stopping at the soldiers marching. Dragging almost 1,000 Jewish people to the main square, Levi can only watch in horror as the skinny group of people stood bravely.
Anna too can only stare as her friend held her back. The 1,000 Jews hold themselves with pride at the Germans’ gunpoint. Why? She struggles, her screams of protest and curses muffled by her friend. The orchestra of gunshots and bodies falling stills her. Holding herself up, she brushes off the hands holding her, tears falling down her cheeks, her dress rough on her cheek as she dabs her face. A window in the corner of her eye catching her attention. It’s the boy, his expression is painful to look at, but he looks so beautiful.
“The Z.O.B. are getting stronger! We might have a chance at fighting.”
Anna comes to a stop, body glowing with excitement, they believe in the Z.O.B., they believe in her. She had joined the Z.O.B right after the first deportations, with a fire to light up the ghetto, and has been put deep into the organization. They have a chance. Walking away to tell her mom the news, she misses a certain black-haired male.
Frowning, Levi turns his ears away from the news, wishing that his hopes wouldn’t be risen as he stares at his hands. He isn’t going to fight. He’s going to protect them all and every scar has been proof of that. But he couldn’t hold the thought for much longer. A yell echoes from the busy streets, alerting them that the German soldiers are coming. A panic comes in waves as everyone runs to the safety of their homes, the sick and the weak more slow, and the range of emotion is a definite contrast to the dead of the ghetto but it wasn’t the right time to notice it.
With the call, Levi and Anna dash faster, both hoping to reach home but for very different reasons.
Running, Levi turns, left, right, right, left. His home comes into view and he closes the door, locking it after checking for everyone.
Anna stops at a nearby alley and grabs her gun, she’s ready. They are going to pay, but she has to wait for the signal.
Leaning against the doors, everyone heard it, the fear tenses the homes as the echos of the Germans march in, their footsteps in sync. It's almost mocking them, as Levi clenches his fist. His father, Ronan, leans down, bringing Levi’s attention to his back. The former cracks open a loose floor board and takes out a long cloth-covered item.
“Father, what is that? What are you-”
Levi’s question is cut off as he connects the dots. His father is a part of the Z.O.B. Looking around, his uncles, aunts, and mother, share a hard stare. The glint of determination, rage, and vengeance in their eyes shake him. They are a part of it too. His thoughts shifts to the strange girl. Did she join too?
Anna sits, her foot impatiently tapping, as she plays with her hair. The Germans are already here, the Z.O.B. need to go now. Bang. A gunshot rings in the quiet ghetto. A body drops. Smiling grimly, she stands up quickly and cocks her gun. They are going down and her battle cry was enough for the others to come running.
He wants to beg them to stay back before the radio crackles alive. It was the signal.
Without a word, they took their separate weapons, and step together. They give all the children and Levi a kiss or a hug, but for him it lingers as they whisper,” Levi, Protect them all.”
Bang. The first gunshot sounds. It was the Jewish Fighting Organization. The German curses in surprise are enough for Levi’s family to leave and join in. Soon, battle cries and guns going off fills the ghetto as Levi takes the children to a closet and hums softly, hoping to calm them. Before he could lock the door, his 5 year old sister Roni, with many others, asks,” What’s going on, Le-Le?”
“Fireworks, little birdsong.”
“Oh! I wanna see! I didn’t know those grumpy soldiers were nice enough to give us that…”
Shoot. That was the wrong thing to say. Biting his lip, the screams of the German and the Jewish still echos, as he stutters,” Sorry, Roni. It’s an adult party, full of adult magic. It’s boring, filled with chess and old people stuff. How about singing with big ol’ Le-Le.”
She loses interest, smiling and cheering softly with the others as Levi sits with them, strumming the chipped guitar strings to block out most of the screams.
The battle outside wasn’t the happiness with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January of 1943. Three days fighting. Anna was able to fight off a lot, as well as save the injured. These few days were shocking but Anna was proud.
Three days of never-ending playing guitar and shabby board games. But the gunshots are dying. Opening the closet door, Levi brushes the food crumbs off his pants and glances through the window. There are dead bodies everywhere, but the Germans 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 run outside before stopping at the soldiers marching. Dragging almost 1,000 Jewish people to the main square, Levi can only watch in horror as the skinny group of people stood bravely.
Anna too can only stare as her friend held her back. The 1,000 Jews hold themselves with pride at the Germans’ gunpoint. Why? She struggles, her screams of protest and curses muffled by her friend. The orchestra of gunshots and bodies falling stills her. Holding herself up, she brushes off the hands holding her, tears falling down her cheeks, her dress rough on her cheek as she dabs her face. A window in the corner of her eye catching her attention. It’s the boy, his expression is painful to look at, but he looks so beautiful.
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 through the window. 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. Laying down, he waits for his family to come back. They never did.
Though they had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi and Anna were proud. They had did it. The people fought for their freedom. Their blood, the ashen faces, it matched the gray but it only reminded everyone of their sacrifice. And 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. have a chance, by the results, they are going to revolt. Levi wants to fight now, for his family, for freedom, for his cowardice, 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, and his want to help?
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. Laying down, he waits for his family to come back. They never did.
Though they had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi and Anna were proud. They had did it. The people fought for their freedom. Their blood, the ashen faces, it matched the gray but it only reminded everyone of their sacrifice. And 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. have a chance, by the results, they are going to revolt. Levi wants to fight now, for his family, for freedom, for his cowardice, 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, and his want to help?