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 he trained. He smuggled weapons, attended meetings, he ingrained himself deeply in the organization. This was three months ago, just as the last of the two month operation to deport the Jewish ended. He 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.”
He smiles. They give hope to the people. He has to tell his family.
So with a skip to his step, Levi runs. Grabbing onto his cap, he runs with a new eagerness and practically jumps into his house.
“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 comes in waves as everyone ran 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.
His words are lost as the marching becomes louder, the order for another round of Jewish people ring in the empty streets.
The footsteps echoing makes his knees weak as he leans on the table for support. His family, with their own weapons, 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, gun in hand, as he waits 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 ZOB string into action. The rings of their battle cries are drowned by the rain of gunshots. Levi and Anna’s screams disappear into the wind as they shoot.
The battle wasn’t the happiest with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January 21st of 1943. Three days of fighting. 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 Germans are giving up. They still had break into a lot of the house 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, he can only watch in horror, stumbling out of the trash can, as the skinny group of people stand bravely.
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, heads up as they smile at Levi. He falls.
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.”
He smiles. They give hope to the people. He has to tell his family.
So with a skip to his step, Levi runs. Grabbing onto his cap, he runs with a new eagerness and practically jumps into his house.
“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 comes in waves as everyone ran 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.
His words are lost as the marching becomes louder, the order for another round of Jewish people ring in the empty streets.
The footsteps echoing makes his knees weak as he leans on the table for support. His family, with their own weapons, 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, gun in hand, as he waits 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 ZOB string into action. The rings of their battle cries are drowned by the rain of gunshots. Levi and Anna’s screams disappear into the wind as they shoot.
The battle wasn’t the happiest with the homes of the ghetto, but the Jewish held up fairly well. January 21st of 1943. Three days of fighting. 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 Germans are giving up. They still had break into a lot of the house 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, he can only watch in horror, stumbling out of the trash can, as the skinny group of people stand bravely.
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, heads up as they smile at Levi. He falls.
Art by Elizabeth Tran
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 let a tear slip. Laying down, he stares, his gun digging into his side.
Though he had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi was bitterly proud. The people had did it. They fought for their freedom. Their blood, the ashen faces, it matched the gray but it only reminded everyone of their sacrifice.
The Germans had cancelled further deportation operations and 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 now, 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? Would he endanger his family by fighting alongside them?
Should he fight alone? Should he fight with them, to protect them?
Though he had felt like the gray and the dirt of the ghetto, Levi was bitterly proud. The people had did it. They fought for their freedom. Their blood, the ashen faces, it matched the gray but it only reminded everyone of their sacrifice.
The Germans had cancelled further deportation operations and 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 now, 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? Would he endanger his family by fighting alongside them?
Should he fight alone? Should he fight with them, to protect them?