In the Night: Part 2
By: Gen1900
Dresden, Germany Date: February 13th, 1945 (Early Evening)
Emma trudged up the slanting steps of Aunt Johanna’s cramped home. Her feet ached with exhaustion after matching her Aunt’s brisk pace on the way there.
Not many people roamed the streets that evening. The only person that caught Emma’s attention was a wounded, young man, who limped along the cobblestone. He would have fallen if not for a wooden stick supporting his abnormal weight.
Poor Emma tried to say hello to him and Aunt Johanna scolded her for doing so.
Emma said, puzzled, “I was just being friendly, Tante.”
A stern face looked down at her and replied in a harsh whisper, “People like that have been through enough, Emma. They don’t need a little girl pestering them.”
The inside of Aunt Johanna’s home was very small. When Emma first walked in, her feet touched the tip of a kitchen chair’s leg. An empty, cold, steel stove stood in the corner of the room with barely a handful of sticks to light it.
Aunt Johanna didn’t have good decorating taste, but she had a vase of daisies on the table. Emma smelled the delicate flowers, sighing in delight. They reminded her of the warm days of summer.
She directed Emma to another tiny area, which was where the child would sleep.
“I know there’s one bed, but you don’t mind sleeping with me?” asked Aunt Johanna. For the first time, Emma saw a hint of laughter in the woman’s dull, blue eyes.
Emma’s gaze looked about the room and noticed a picture covered with a white pillow case.
“Why is that-” began Emma, pointing to it.
“Citizens of Germany are supposed to have Hitler’s presence in their home. No one did say you had to have it staring at you,” said Aunt Johanna in disgust.
“Now, why don’t you listen to the radio or something while I make dinner, ” she continued.
Emma obeyed and rushed to the large, music box in excitement. She never got to listen to it at home before, so it was a real treat.
In stead of music, a man was talking through the speakers.
“Fellow citizens, let us sing the Anthem in praise of-” Aunt Johanna quickly ran over from the kitchen and scrolled to the classical symphony station.
“You don’t need to hear that,” she muttered.
Emma would rather listen to the waltz than a stuffy voice. Her body swayed to and fro as the notes danced in the air.
The girl’s heart and mind was the farthest away from war. She successfully concentrated on the beauty of the orchestra.
End of Part 2
Part 3 will be posted shortly. Please tell me what you think in the comments!
Historical Fiction
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I’m loving where this is going! I can’t help to think that Johanna is this lady from a book I once read, The Safest Lie. She smuggled Jewish children in and out of Germany. I’m sure it’s not her, though. Amazing work!