------- I was sent to an extermination camp. Chelmno in Poland. I was shipped out on a train, in a car filled with almost fifty other women, and we prayed for safety in vain. When I arrived, the stench of burning flesh lingered in the air, along with the pervading screams of children and adults. I was shoved into a line, where I was told to strip down to nothing. My clothes were thrown into an excessively large pile of other clothes and shoes. I looked around me. Guns sounded off approximately every minute. Screams every second. Death everywhere. I saw large holes dug into the ground, filled with dead naked bodies of women, men and childeren of every age. Small specs of white ashes poured from chimneys of the buildings were people were creamated alive. The gas chambers stood to my left. Hundreds were standing outside, with bars of soap in hand, preparing for thier 'showers'. I was then in this building where women dressed in white tore away at my hair with scissors, until I had a bald, patchy head. I was led outside, into the barraks. I sttod in line yet again, waiting to get my number tattooed on my forearm. I stood still as they pricked the ink into my skin. Number 1263171. That was my identification. The last way to identify me. I was no longer Kira Riech. I was 1263171. I was then led to my bed, which I shared with twenty other women and childeren. There was blood and feces mingling on the floor, even bile gathered itself on the wooden 'bed'. Then I saw the small movements of Lice as they crawled over people, the floor, everywhere. I screamed and ran out into the open. I looked before me and there stood a boy. I covered my naked body in shame, and turned to leave. He was naked aswell, and had no hair. He was a skeleton almost. He looked as if he could snap in half at any moment. "No need to run. They'll shoot you." He frowned and walked towards me. "Hey, I got here last week. You'll be okay for a while." He touched my arm and my mind flashed to Issac. I couldn't take the pain of remembering him. How I had basically killed him. I fell to my knees. "Hey now.. Uhh. Are you alright???" He kneeled beside me. "Its Kira." My lips squeeked a whisper. "Huh??" "My name." "Oh! I'm Jedadiah." I smiled then. He smiled too. He was all I had now. Until one of us was led to our death. He reminded me of Issac.. I assume that was why I liked him so much. Because I felt safe again.. -------
------- "Do you think it will ever end?" I stared up into the sky, laying alone on the muddy ground. "Issac.. If you have any say up there in Heaven, tell Jesua to please end this.." It was cold. I was still naked, still bald, and still starving. I was wearing down to my bones. The only reason I wasn't dead yet, is that I was of age for labor. All teenagers and healthy adults were. Children and Seniors were the most common to be sent to death. You could hear thier screams, but you wouldn't dare weep, because that showed weakness. The Soldiers would look for the slightest weakness... A slow in pace, a whimper, a cry, a scream of pain... Anything. Even a heavy breath. I looked back up into the sky, breathing in slow, closing my eyes. Then he was there. Standing above me. I saw him. Issac Stern. He was right there. I reached out for him. "Issac.. I thought.. You were dead." I smiled at him. "Kira.." He whispered in his soothing voice. "Issac.." I lost my breath in his presence. "Kira! It's Jedadiah. Who is Issac?" I started crying. My lovely dream was over.. I told Jedadiah everything. All of my life. When I was finished, he was stunned. "Im so-" "No. It was my fault." I retorted. "Issac is dead and I will be dead too." I was harsh with Jedadiah, because I knew as soon as I was dead, I could be with him. "Kira, I'm sorry.. I can't be him. But I can protect you too. If you have to go to the gas chamber, I'll go in holding your hand. If you go to the furnace, I'll burn beside you. This war is going to end. I'm going to try to make sure we both get out alive. And if-" Jedadiah trailed off... I knew what he was going to say though... If we die, I'll meet you in Heaven. Then I remembered. "If we must split up, then meet me here." Issac's words echoed in my mind. It was at that moment that I vowed to return there, to that small church that served as our safety. To bring back all those awful memories, just because I promised him I would. -------