Reality

LUKAS' POV

"What do you mean Death Camp?" I ask him my voice filled with fear "What are you talking about?" "Listen kid, Hitler hates Jews so, he sends us to camps where we work with little food and die." "Sorry kid." "What are we gonna eat?" "Where is the food?" Lena asked "Listen kid, there is no food on the train. People will die here. I wish I could tell you differently, but I can't. You need to know the truth." he said. Mama insistently started praying "Lord have mercy on us." all night. There was no room to stand, so I had to sleep standing up. People were moaning and the train stunk. After what felt like a month, the train stopped. As they opened the door light spilled in, blinding us. They herded us out like cattle and when we were too slow they hit us. It looked like there were millions of Jewish people here. They led us to a line as another line of Jewish people walked past whispering, "Lie about your age. Say you're 18."

LENA'S POV

I was up next. "Name, Age, and Date of Birth." one of the Stasi said. "My name is Lena Georg, I am... I am seventeen and was born on January 16, 1929." I told him. Should I have lied about my age? I asked myself. "Okay, go to the right line." They sent Lukas to the same line as me and Lukas' mother to the left line.

LUKAS' POV

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"Say goodbye to your mother." one of the skinny people said "Why? Where is she going?" "The gas chambers." he said to me. "They take the people who cannot work and kill them in the gas chambers." Tears slid down my cheeks. I felt Lena put her hand on me, "Verzeihung '' she said. Mama's line started walking away and waved goodbye. She waved back with tears in her eyes. She knows what is coming, I told myself. "MOV E!" the Stasi yelled at us. They separated me and Lena. "Lord, let her be okay, let Mama die peacefully." I whispered to myself. "You sleep here. You come out when we blow the whistle." he yelled and then left. There were seventeen people in this cabin and nine bunk beds. I walked over to one of the beds ``Can I have this one?" I asked the kids "Sure." one of them replied. I sat down and saw that all of these kids looked like me, lost and afraid. "What is your name?" someone asked. I looked around and realized it was the boy above me. "Lukas, yours?" "Stefan." "How old are you?" he asked "Fifteen." "I am seventeen." "That over there is Tobias, Fred, Leon, Jürgen, Klaus, Mateo, Elias, and Emil." "The other seven won't tell us their names." he told me. "You should sleep, tomorrow is your first day right?" "Yes." I said cautiously "Tomorrow will be hard, try to rest." he told me and laid down.

LENA'S POV

I never thought things would get this bad. I actually never thought about life before the bomb. I always thought that I would live a good life, now all of that is coming to an end. No, positive thoughts. I am grateful for.... for what? I asked myself. Is there anything to be grateful for? They led me our line to a cabin that was partially filled with girls. "Take any empty bed." he said and slammed the door shut. "Who are you?" one girl on the top bunk asked "Lena, who are you?" "I am Emilia." "Can I take the bed below you?" "I don't care." she said to me. I sat down on the bed and instantly regretted it. It was rock hard and smelled like death. Did someone die on this bed? I shuddered at the thought. I laid down and tried to sleep. Sleep is my only escape now, my escape from reality. "Are you okay?" Emilia asked me "Honestly no, but how can anyone be in here?" "Who did you lose?" "My whole family and the woman who took care of me." "Verzeihung '' she said "All of us here have lost someone and my advice is to say your goodbyes and forget them. Your life here will be much harder if you remember them. The hole will only grow bigger." "The Stasi will also notice and make your life even more miserable." she said to me. "I know it sounds like I'm being harsh, but have a little cry and push them out of your mind." "Okay." I tried to make my voice sound confident but I came out as a squeak. "Good night" she said softly.