Levi chose to stay with the children.
Written by Zulema
Co-writer: Elizabeth
Co-writer: Elizabeth
He has to protect the children! They are counting on him, somewhere only about seven years old and hardly able to protect themselves. He trained my senses, Levi couldn't see much from inside the building so he had to rely on his hearing mostly. Time seems to never pass, but it did. From what he remembers, it’s April 19th now, the eve of the Jewish holiday, Passover, and a day before Adolf Hitler’s birthday, this isn't good. The storm was coming and they’ll have to fight it.
The moonlight slips through the crack in the closet door as marching echoes from outside, Levi wakes up instantly, the grogginess fades as round of guns cocking follows the panicked running of the Jewish to the hidden bunkers. He couldn't move. The children can’t be left alone. With another shot of a gun and a short yelp, Roni, Levi’s little sister awakens and rubs her eyes.
”What’s going on, Le-Le?”
“Fireworks, little birdsong.”
“Oh again? I wanna see! Are Mommy and Daddy out there too?”
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. 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 gunshots, the screaming, the misery, it’s all he could hear until the gentle strum of his guitar soothes his nerves. Every time.
One day, the gunshots ceases. Levi, curious, stands only to fall back down. He hasn’t moved in ages. Shushing the children Levi slowly creaks the door open to see what all the fuss was about. Pounding on the door made his heart jump. He quickly shut the door again. Limbs twitching with anxiety, Levi hears a German man hiss, “Ich glaube, ich habe einige Ratten gefunden*.” (I think I've found some rats.)
Everything is quiet, too quiet. Slam. Then another. Levi makes his body limp, his muscles desperately tensing again as he let out a shaky breath.
The moonlight slips through the crack in the closet door as marching echoes from outside, Levi wakes up instantly, the grogginess fades as round of guns cocking follows the panicked running of the Jewish to the hidden bunkers. He couldn't move. The children can’t be left alone. With another shot of a gun and a short yelp, Roni, Levi’s little sister awakens and rubs her eyes.
”What’s going on, Le-Le?”
“Fireworks, little birdsong.”
“Oh again? I wanna see! Are Mommy and Daddy out there too?”
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. 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 gunshots, the screaming, the misery, it’s all he could hear until the gentle strum of his guitar soothes his nerves. Every time.
One day, the gunshots ceases. Levi, curious, stands only to fall back down. He hasn’t moved in ages. Shushing the children Levi slowly creaks the door open to see what all the fuss was about. Pounding on the door made his heart jump. He quickly shut the door again. Limbs twitching with anxiety, Levi hears a German man hiss, “Ich glaube, ich habe einige Ratten gefunden*.” (I think I've found some rats.)
Everything is quiet, too quiet. Slam. Then another. Levi makes his body limp, his muscles desperately tensing again as he let out a shaky breath.
Art by Elizabeth Tran
Step. Step. Step. It gets louder by the second and Levi breaks a sweat. He has to do it. Now! With his guitar in hand, he kicks the door open and swings at one of the soldier's head. The soldier falls back but the moment his body hits the floor two more soldiers run in. Before Levi could say anything, the children attack! They tackle both soldiers to the ground, Levi tries to peel the raging children off but he hears a gunshot and falls to the ground. Bleeding out on the ground, Levi tries to move but his body refuses. Sneering, the soldiers spit on his body and they take the children. Levi opens his mouth, but no noise crawled out, and he sheds a single tear. He has failed.