Papa, Come Home

• Nicoline Olde, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2013

Papa, Come Home

Annie ran down the driveway as fast as she could and stopped at the letterbox. She rummaged through the mail. Nothing but bills. But wait… a letter! She held it up triumphantly and raced back to the house.
“Mama, Mama! There’s a letter from Papa!”
“Are you sure?”
Mama stopped knitting and ran over to Annie who ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter. Annie cleared her throat and started reading:

“24 October 1944
Dear Maria, Annie and Tommy,
How are my special girls and cheeky boy? Are you all well? I hope so. Annie, have you been helping Mama a lot? My, how big you would be now. Almost 11! And Tommy, have you been a good little boy?
Life on the dreaded battlefield is difficult. The Nazis are horrible, especially to the Jews. Adolf Hitler is a gruesome, vicious and selfish man. I fell ill with the flu last week. I was exhausted.
Our letters aren’t allowed to be very long, so be good, my children! And Maria, don’t worry; I will be coming home soon, I hope. We are somewhere in France, I’m forbidden to tell you the exact location.
Much love, from Papa.”

Annie looked over at Mama and saw tears welling in her eyes. She hadn’t seen her husband for four, long years. When Papa left for the war, Annie was only six. Too young to understand. She had thought that Papa would come back soon. Now she doubted if she would ever see him again.
“When is Papa coming home?” Tommy asked.
“Soon,” Annie reassured him but inside she doubted herself.

Weeks went by and there were no more letters from Papa. Winter was on its way and with it, cold nights and snowstorms. Annie’s birthday came and went with not a birthday letter from Papa. Everyday Annie continued to check the letterbox.
Then, one day, a letter did come.

To Mrs. Vernon
We are gravely sorry, but your husband is severely injured. He is being flown to the hospital in Cincinnati. We suggest you travel there immediately.

As she read the letter, Mama’s face grew pale. The very next day, she and the children went to see Papa.
As she entered the room, Annie almost cried out in shock. There, lying on the bed was her Papa, covered in bandages and very pale.
“Oh, Papa!” she sobbed as she draped her arms around him. “Why?”
Tommy walked to the bed shyly. He had been only two years old when Papa left, so he hardly knew his father. Papa reached out and embraced him.
Mama wiped tears from her eyes. “How did this happen?” she cried.
“I turned my back for one second and BANG there’s a German bullet in my back. Then, nothing but darkness. Now, I see you and all the pain is worthwhile.”
“Oh Papa, please don’t leave us again!” cried Tommy.
“The only place I’m going now is home. War is nothing but senseless destruction.”

By: Nicoline Olde Albany John Calvin School Year 7