I Was Only Twelve

• Angela Vo, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2015

The day is finally over and it's time for me to go home. I snuck down the road scared that the next step I make may make me end up in the arms of some mean, old, nasty Nazi. Opening the door as it made a small creaking noise, I stepped inside the house like I did every other day of the week, but today seemed different. "Papa," I yelled. Silence. I looked around, maybe he went to look for food early. Night fell and still no one was home. Now I was feeling very anxious. Suddenly the door opened and I heard tears. I ran quickly to the back door trying spot the scene. It was Mama. I wrapped my arms around her, crying as I held onto her tightly. “They took him, I saw it,” she said and the two of us sat at the door crying.

Today, we were forced to wear these armbands with the Star of David. As we passed, people would spit at us and say mean things to us. I would hear things like, “They are a disgrace to the human race.” People would even occasionally hit us as we passed like we were animals. It was like no one liked us because we were Jewish. I wish I was dead.

Months passed, as the cruel world continued to treat us like nothing. It was today that was the worst in particular. While Mama and I were sitting at our small table, the door was smashed open. Nazi soldiers screamed at Mama and me, telling us to get out. They shoved us into a train with thousands of other people. When we finally reached our destination, the door of the carriage opened and millions of people were rounded up into two groups. I looked around among the millions of people, hoping I would find Mama, but to my disappointment, nothing. They started telling us which side to go on. When it was my turn, they spat at me and said, “Right.” There were men everywhere on my side, while on the other side were women with their precious little children. I knew I would never be able to see Mama again.

If I thought anything bad had happened to me before, then I was wrong. The place I am in is ten times worst than anything I have ever experienced. The Nazis order us to do the most unpleasant things that would take forever to list. I think I may have broken a bone.

It has been weeks of continuous torture when today, we were all ordered to take a bath. Most of the men here reeked and really needed a bath. We were ordered to take our clothes off and go into another room. That’s when we realised we weren't taking a bath. We all tried to escape the torture, but we couldn’t and that was when I took my final breath. I was only twelve.