I Was Home At Last

• Emma Serrao, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2017

The dark, mysterious clouds, the shadows, the smoky skies and the destroyed buildings. At that point, I knew that it was over, it was all over. As I leant to my right, I noticed a small but sudden movement in the distance, not too far away, roughly Five metres away. I didn’t want to look knowing that anything could happen in this period of time. But please remember, this is 1943 in a small town in Germany. I chose not to glance but notice the particular size of the shadow. Was it a Nazi coming for me and my family?.
“I must tell my family, I must run into the woods. Escape the from the hideous figures and overcome the challenges. I must live to the end.”

I ran as quickly as I could but couldn’t notice whether the shadow was following. I raced to the forests, past the town buildings, the school and very few homes. I was puffed and found it extremely hard to breathe especially since I found it quite tricky breathing with all of the smoke. I felt my palms fill with water, my face was dripping with sweat, all I could feel was the butterflies racing in stomach. I didn’t want to look back, not this time. So I hid in the tree not knowing who or what it was.

I squeezed into the first tree I found. Unfortunately the first tree was extremely small but I found no task too great nor small for me to fulfill. I crept into the trees and stood behind the trunk of the tree. But what if the shadow came from behind, what can I do then? I felt petrified, not knowing what would happen to me. What would happen if I died? I was only 13 years old. I heard the footsteps nearby of someone's shoes, I heard them breathing and felt a large gush of insecurity. My head raced with thousands of concerns of what my family would be thinking. The footsteps sounded louder and louder, like someone was coming closer towards me.

The person's hands had grabbed my face. I immediately knew it was over. My head was spinning out of control.
“You're coming with me young girl” It was the voice of a man.
As I turned towards him, I noticed that he looked quite familiar. It looked like he had a nazi uniform on. He grabbed me by the hands and started pulling me towards the detention camps, I thought that it was all over. Suddenly he started walking slower and slower, he pulled me aside and said “remember me.” I was confused. It was my very own brother, oh how delighted I was to see him. I felt so much relief and happiness knowing that he was there. The clothes that he had been wearing weren't even the Nazi uniform. How did I get tricked so easily? Now all that matters is that we are both safe and together at last.