Ellis

Ellis1

It's dark now, very very dark. I'm afraid now. I remember the choking green clouds and shudder. I look around me and wonder where is Maman. Maman and little Dunas were waiting outside. They are still filthy now, look! Maman is crying. I walk up to her and shake her madly. Maman, it's me, Elizabeth! I go to Dunas and say, It's me, Elizabeth! Your sister! Dunas turns his huge pale, pearl eyes on me. They are so unlike my dark ones. He shakes his little head. He is rotten now, full of dirt and grime, and see, there are little maggots too, hanging out of his pockets. Ravenous that he is, he planned to eat them for dinner. I told him, come Dunas,come to the washroom and wash your hands, but Dunas shook his head firmly and refused. I,prim and proper Elizabeth, went to the washroom, and I'm sure i must have bathed well, for my dress is ghostly white and my hair is light and flowy. Maman sobs harder now, and I see her, a little potrait of me clutched tightly in her hands. Maman, don't you recognise your little Elizabeth? You've become like the others, huh? You too believe that your little Jewish daughter is nothing but vermin? I hate you Maman! It's your entire fault. Well, it serves you right, for the Fuhrer thinks you're vermin too. He thinks little Dunas is vermin and he thinks that Papa was vermin! 2

I creep away from Maman and Dunas. Who needs them? I can always pretend to be some ordinary poor German girl. They're all rotting now, stupid people. It serves them right stupid people, getting bombed in return. I tiptoe to the Nazi barracks and peer inside. A girl of my age is sleeping inside. She has lovely dark hair and dark eyes, not the blond and blue-eyed girls those officers want to have. She's ever so content, I know she is. She's the daughter of the commander I think, his most beloved. 3

I open up the window and sidle inside. Most beloved, uh? You commanders keep your daughters the apples of your eyes, but you steal my Papa away from me? You'll are the real vermin. I go up to her and look at her. She looks so different. She doesn't look like the snotty German girls I've often seen visiting their fathers and brothers. I lean up to her. Bye, bye little Miss Apple of my Father's Eye. 4

I look in my mirror. I'm not Elizabeth anymore. I'm this thin Jewish vermin with a bald head and a thin body, except that it all seems ever so long. My body doesn't exist. I'm a spirit now. I'm ethereal. I'm eternal. Slowly, a strange vision of peace floods me. I'm floating now, floating. 5

She wakes up now. It's dawn, and night is gone. The welcoming rays of the sun flood the room. I feel strange now. I certainly don't feel welcomed. They're digging now, lowering my poor little body into the sand. They're doing it ever so carefully. I float over to my little grave and see my ethereal face. It is pale and white, not purple and blue. I slowly run my icy touch over my eyes and they close willingly. They look peaceful. But they don't look content. 6

I wait for the screams, for the realizations. I wait for the howls of the old Nazi officer. How old could that girl have been? My age? Ten? I slowly drift over to the barracks, and gently blow to frost the warmed-up windows again. The girl is alive still, rolling her eyes in a fatigued way. I didn't kill her. And why should she die? I'm poor Elizabeth. 7

I feel a surge of anger through me, and I rush forward to her, like a powerful drift of wind. She stares at me, her eyes open. She whispers, don't hurt me. I stop and take her in. Shy little wimp. Yes, I'll hurt you; I'll hurt you till you scream! She huddles up and calls daddy. Your daddy won't do anything, little ratcatcher he is,catching us Jew rats, but he doesn’t seem to know that sometimes, some rats escape-like me.8

I take the knives on the table and make them dance. I make the forks zoom around and stop short of the Nazi's eyes. I wish I could plunge them right in till he screamed and screamed, but I wanted slow torture. I didn't want him to die like I did, all quick and fast. Strangely, I don't feel angry anymore. I feel flowy, flowy Elizabeth. No, not Elizabeth, I'm not Elizabeth anymore. I'm her remember? I'm little L. L is. 9

L is what? The radio is bleary now, full of bombs. I wonder whether they'll drop here. The moonlight shines outside the window, pearly and white. I cast a little moonbeam of my own on the bedroom floor, sweeping it around. I sweep it around on the girl's face, and she sits up hunched in her blanket, quivering, as if some spotlight has gone on her. 10

What does she think I am the allies? Allies of Germany they are. I'm tired of waiting for them. What would they find in the wimpy daughter of a Nazi general anyways? What does she think, a bomb is going to drop here and demolish the place? And she'll wake up to find the Allies peering in? Oh, how funny that would be! 11

In the morning, I wake up again, ready to torture the small little twosome. I pick up the shaving razors of the general and clip them all over his uniform, clip,clip,clip. He's watching dumbstruck now, and he's trying to catch it. Poor Mr.General. I go clip clip clip over his daughter too, cutting her lovely long hair. L is. I leave the note, running the razor quietly over her finger, taking the blood slowly, as if I'm a puppet. I'm not a puppet, I'm a poppet, and I've popped! Little Papa's poppet! I laugh then, a shrill laugh. 12

It's radio time now. They've reached Normandy, it's D-Day. I can already see the old coward; he's planning to flee the barracks now. But I won't let him flee! I will keep them forever! I will show him how it is. Now look, old Hitler's gone positively potty, he'll pop soon now. I laugh evilly, enjoying my voice. Where's shrill little Elizabeth? She's gone for a tea party with all her non-Jewish friends. No, she's gone to the washroom full of green gases. I'm not Elizabeth. I'm her friend. I'm L. L is. 13

He's looking at me, positively panic-stricken, his eyes begging her to spare his daughter. Well, my father wasn't spared, nor was I. Why should I spare father-daughter this time, eh? His daughter is curled up by the hearth, the ashes scattered around her. I wonder what will happen if I push her into the fire. 14

They're knocking on the door now, trying to barge it open. This is my house, my cabin! Tears are streaming through my eyes now. I remembered how innocently they'd set up camp, how the old general had begged to stay here. Stupid old Maman had allowed him, and how they'd come and taken us! 15

They finally push it, and come inside, and they find the old general and his daughter lying sobbing on the floor. The men quietly take them away. "Don't worry General Hermann. We've come now. Your daughter will be safe." 16

I run after them, screaming. This was my revenge, only mine! This was my house! Don't lock the gates! Don't leave me alone! You'll can see me! I'm alive, I'm still alive! I scream and I yell shrilly, but they don't pay notice. They walk down to the road, to a blue bus. I can see Maman and Dunas staring from the window.The general's daughter is looking at me now from the bus, with sad dark eyes. Don't pity me! I'm not pitiable Elizabeth! 17

I can see the white clouds, the deep voice. I'm going to heaven now. Papa's voice comes now, deep and clear. "Don't worry, Elizabeth. You're here now. You're with me." 18

"No!"I scream. "I'm not Elizabeth anymore! I'm not your darling daughter! I'm bad! I'm mean!" 19

"No you aren't Elizabeth. You're still my special angel. You're in heaven now, God's special child,"he says soothingly. I nod my head sadly. Papa, I know you're right. But you're still very very wrong. For I'm not Elizabeth anymore. 20

I'm Ellis. 21

THE END 22