Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 56

Black and White
Carmel School, Fischer, Ayla - 9
I
was born in a thunderstorm. Only rainbows didn't follow thunderstorm. Floods do.
My mother called me Hope now she only speaks to angels.
For many years I drowned in my own tears but I digress my story only starters where it's supposed to end. After all, I
was born in a night destined for disaster.
I was born in 1929 in Warsaw, Poland, so by the time the Polish Cavalry lost to the German tanks in September
1939 I was 10 years old. War conditions and food rations were bad enough. What made it really hard for me was I
was Jewish. So, for me it was the Holocaust.
Suddenly I heard a knock those were probably The Wehrmacht. I quickly hid under my lumpy broken bed. I tried
not to cry but my life here was getting out of hand promised my Mom that I would be strong. Instantly I had an idea
I was going to get on train and go to Shanghai. Why? Everyone was going to Shanghai. You didn't need a visa to get
into the country. But soon I found out the train was more than expensive it wasn't even realistic. Out of the ordinary
well I can't say that because nothing in my life is or was ordinary then I started to sob. Right then, I wish I could
change my name and didn't look the same I wish they couldn't recognise my voice,
I wish I had a choice but I
didn't, so I had to cope even if I lost hope. Then it became very clear to me that I was going on the train. All I
needed was some food. That wasn't a problem I thought. I didn't have a lot of food anyway. to get on that train no
matter what. I was going to be a stow away in the “baggage compartment
Nevertheless it was impossible I was forbidden to go out. If they caught me who knows what they might do to me.
Was I honestly supposed to live like this. Then a suspicious creature moved slowly toward me, I realised it was just a
figure of my imagination. I want to be free, let me out, let me live, I don't want to be locked away for the rest of my
life. However if I was going to be a stow away and sneak out it was going to take guts. There it was the stroke of
midnight luckily I had half a blanket I tried not to step on any creaks on the wood floor I swung the door open
and...
Do you ever feel like it was your destiny to be to be empty for eternity? I felt the only constant in my life was strife. I
asked someone where the train station was. He said “ right along the Lublin road”. I finally found it. You can only
imagine how crowded the station was. The people were like ants, mindlessly running around with their luggage. I
felt overwhelmed but I was determined. I looked at the signs until I found the one I was looking for: Shanghai,
platform 8. Without anyone seeing me, I tip-toed towards the train. The train was a dark bottle green and had four
big passenger cars and then one at end for cargo and baggage. That was the one I needed. I waited until the coast was
clear and then I snuck on to the luggage car. I hid between some huge crates and then I waited. I couldn't believe it.
I knew I was there but it didn’t feel real. I tried to stay alert, but, exhausted, I feel asleep nestled between the crates.
After a short while I woke up abruptly with cramp in my neck.