Journey Within the Shadows
It is early, 5 am. The house is quiet as I look in on the bedroom where Ruth and the children are sleeping. I picture their happy faces, hear their laughter, and smile to myself as I hold the memory, for this morning like every other morning may be the last time I see my family alive.
I am constantly alert to the evil that threatens every one of us.
Stories are unfolding; reports of the horrors are unimaginable to the sane mind. I fear the worst for my family and those who are not classed as Hitler’s Aryan race.
I stride the edge of the stairs as I descend, should the aged wood creak to wake Ruth and the children. It’s barely dawn. My ears throb with the beat of my heart, so much so, that I cannot hear the rain as it fills the gutter, flooding the storm drains.
I take deep breaths, hugging the early morning shadows, constantly on guard.
”Jacob – Jacob”!
Turning quickly, I see Isaac hurrying towards me.
”Jacob, why are you still here?”
”Ruth’s not strong enough to travel.”
”The children, are they here too? Jacob, you must act quickly. Time is running out, you must listen to me. I have friends whom you can trust,
you have to be courageous for the sake of Ruth and the children. I can arrange travel permits and passports for you and the family; I can have them by this Friday.”
I’ll never forget that Friday. I remember Isaac’s last words before he hurried away. “You must remember your new names. Speak German at all times, and God’s speed Jacob.” We hugged; that was the last time I saw my dear friend Isaac.
Comments without a personalized avatar will not be published.
To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleA story of true courage – well-written and memorable. I especially liked the description of his heart beating so loudly he couldn’t hear the rain, even though it was flooding the storm drains. With this sentence, we are right there with Jacob, feeling what he is feeling. Good work!
Thank you Fuji. It’s always nice when someone takes the time to comment. It adds to the joy of writing. Also, it’s knowing that your story has made a connection – isn’t that why we write? Thanks for the feed back – Eric.
Such a suitable context for courage. Left me wondering about what happened to each, so a good point to leave the story to the reader
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHi Susan, I was not aware of your comment, so I’m sorry for not replying. Thank you, and yes it did have a happy ending.
I see the clear evidence of courage in your story narrated so well. Everyone needs a friend like “Isaac”. Lovely story.
The tragedy and the mystery of the story is gripping….
Well done!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSanika, I’m really sorry, but I was not aware of your comment. Thank you for reading and also taking the time to add your comment.
This is a very poignant tale. There have been so many dreadful things that people have had to endure throughout time, most of it inflicted by fellow human beings. It really is a dreadful feeling to live in terror for the lives of your family.
Hiya Carrie, thank you for the comments, yes, I often think of the suffering that the Jews had to endure, and how they held their faith. Thanks for reading – Eric.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHi Eric, this story is full of courage, which leaves some moral lesson to me: to be brave at all times especially in handling difficulties in life.