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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Teens
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Time: PAST/Present/FUTURE
- Published: 09/05/2023
The wolves still howl
Teen, F, from South carolina, United StatesMy younger brother Cristoph walked beside me struggling to keep up “Anna slow down” he cried.
We walked through the perfectly green meadow, it was our afternoon walk. Me and Cristoph always walked when we felt stressed, the sight of the heavenly mountain range brought me peace. We loved to pick mushrooms from the ground. It was lots of fun, though our parents didn’t know about our mushroom patch
I’ve always been worried for my family, especially my little brother. My father prides our Jewish culture, which I believe is great but ever since the invasion, it’s been rough. It’s caused me some issues, I’ve felt paranoid. It’s better to be cautious than dead.
“Hey Cristoph,” I asked, somewhat hesitantly, not sure if a twelve year old boy would be able to comprehend. “Do you think Uncle Jakob is… one of them?”
Cristoph looked at me, “One of them?” He asked, I examined his puzzled face, he was trying to figure out what I was talking about, “A nazi?”
I shivered at the word. Our father had always told us not to say it aloud. He wanted to keep our hopes high, but both me and Cristoph knew, we had heard the stories. “Yes.”
“Of course not!” The young boy explained, he looked at me as if I were dense. “But,” he started hesitantly, doubting himself, “why would you say that?”
I noticed I had struck a little fear in him, which was not what I was trying to do. Honestly, I didn’t even know why I thought of my uncle in this light. Something just felt a little… off. I questioned myself everyday, trying to calm my nerves, though I always found an answer to scare me.
“Forget it,” I told Christiphor. We continued walking in silence, we decided to head back to our small home. As we walked back Christoph began to sing a song.
“Land of mountains, land by the river, Land of fields, land of cathedrals, Land of hammers, with a promising future!”
A loud gunshot rang through the mountain range. My thoughts went spiraling, and I immediately brought my brother to the ground covering him. I whispered, and practically snarled into his ear, “Quiet fool!” for some reason I thought the germans had heard my brother shouting the anthem. We both waited there, laying perfectly still. I felt like a statue, holding my breath. I must’ve been crushing my poor brother. After what felt like hours, we finally stood up. I scanned the area thoroughly.
My brother stood up, and dusted himself off. I looked at him, and for a moment he had no emotion on his face. Then he burst into a laugh, I scowled at him, but that caused him to laugh louder.
“Curse the chancellor!” He yelled, as in the whole town could hear him. I grabbed him tightly by his arm yanking him towards me, the palm of my hand came down on his cheek, Sending him stumbling back. Looking at him rubbing his cheek in pain, my anger slowly died down to guilt. I could feel my face soften, I felt my head start to turn. Christoph looked at me wide eyed and silent.
“Hey,” I said softly. I attempted to put a comforting hand on his broad shoulders, though he turned from me. I tried to mask my hurt, and I turned to continue walking. He followed behind me slowly, dragging his feet.
“I’m sorry,” I said, looking to my feet. I didn’t dare to look back at his sad face. He didn’t reply, but he walked closer to my side. I felt a small smile creep onto my face as I tried to press it down. I looked down at the short boy, and his olive skin glowed. I looked into his large, coffee brown eyes. They had the distant memory of tears in them.
As I looked at him though, my ears still rung. The memory of the gunshot played through my head, it’s like I could still hear it. Though, those sounds slowly turned to a howl.
“Am I crazy,” I asked, partly joking, “Or do you hear howling?”
Christoph looked around, “I hear it too.” He stated. I looked around and in the distance, I noticed a pack of wolves, they snarled at us. My brother tugged at my arm.
“Anna! What do we do!” He said, I could hear the panic in hus voice. I was trying to think but I couldn’t. The only thing I could think of what the sound of gunshots. How I had wished we had a gun in that moment. Even if it was a soldier, it still would’ve been useful. It took me a while to come up with a plan but eventually I made up my mind.
“Stand your ground!” I yelled frantically.
Me and my brother closed our eyes waiting for impact. Suddenly the howling stopped, it was a gift to my ears. I opened my eyes and looked around. They were gone. We looked around, and I noticed my uncle standing on a rock. He had a fiery look in his eyes. He stood straight, with his cane to the ground. The wolves had ran from him. Even they could sniff out his terrible presence. His large coat covered his sleeve, I knew what he was hiding under there though. The symbol, of the enemy.
Cristoph ran to Uncle Jakob. He wrapped his arm around the towering man and buried his head into his chest. Uncle laid his massive hands on the small boys shoulders. “Are you children okay?” He asked in a gruff voice. He looked up at me and I crossed my arms in disinterest. Why should I show any to the enemy. Though for some small reason, I thought I saw pain in his eyes. Though as quick as a blink, it was gone, and so was my empathy. I just hated his feign smile to my brother.
Cristoph was a fool, to feel safe around the traitor. He thought I was crazy, but no, I just knew. No one believed me, but I knew.
My uncle walked over to me, and I took a step back. My uncle stopped, “Your father.”
Uncle had immediately caught my attention. My father had been deathly ill the past week, we were all concerned for the loving man.
“What about him?” I responded. My uncle crouched down to be level with me. He motioned me to move closer to him, though I was skeptical, I wanted to know. I inched closer cautiously.
Uncle Jakob spoke to me in a soft voice, almost disarming the sirens blaring through my head. “Anna,” he said, “A man came over today, a man he’d claimed to he a doctor. He was a German man, an odd doctor choice. He wishes you’d come home immediately.”
I felt infuriated by this, I looked at him with utter spite. “In my fathers time of need, you allowed a German into our home?”
My uncle looked at me, and I saw disappointment, though I had no care for his disapproval. “Anna!” He stated, with a certain firmness to him, “Has your father taught you not! You don’t judge people from where they’re from, you judge them for who they are.”
I spit on the ground in front of him, “Don’t speak of my fathers lessons, He’s taught me plenty but the war has taught me more. It’s taught me to not be a fool, to not allow people close to me. You’ve made a deadly mistake, now my fathers alone with him. My loving, delicate father who’d not harm a soul. Or was it a mistake?”
My uncle raised his voice, “You’d think I’d harm him with intent!”
“Maybe,” I shrugged, I walked off with speed taking my brother by the arm. Though I had dismay for my uncle, if my father was in need, I’d soon be there. Me and my brother walked in silence. My uncle trudged behind us, I kept walking, ignoring the man.
As we approached the house, I picked up the pace, my brother shortly behind me. The tears stung my eyes as I continued to trip over myself. When we reached the door we had practically slammed it open.
The first thing I had noticed was five men with guns standing around my father at the fire place. My father was facing the fire place, at gun point. As soon as the men heard the door open they immediately shifted their focus to me. Two of the men came and grabbed me and my brother. I struggled against the man, tears flowing down my face. I had heard the rumors of life inside of the camps. I immediately knew where to place blame.
“Jakob!,” I yelled in anger. As I struggled, I turned back and saw Jakob being held at gunpoint as well. Suddenly, I realized he was a victim, such as us. In confusion I turned to look at my father still facing the flames.
“Papa?” I said, trying to hide the confusion. In response, he turned around to face me. In his pocket he had a stack of cash, and on his sleeves he sported a swastika. At that moment all I could hear, were the wolves howling outside.
The wolves still howl(Non-ya)
My younger brother Cristoph walked beside me struggling to keep up “Anna slow down” he cried.
We walked through the perfectly green meadow, it was our afternoon walk. Me and Cristoph always walked when we felt stressed, the sight of the heavenly mountain range brought me peace. We loved to pick mushrooms from the ground. It was lots of fun, though our parents didn’t know about our mushroom patch
I’ve always been worried for my family, especially my little brother. My father prides our Jewish culture, which I believe is great but ever since the invasion, it’s been rough. It’s caused me some issues, I’ve felt paranoid. It’s better to be cautious than dead.
“Hey Cristoph,” I asked, somewhat hesitantly, not sure if a twelve year old boy would be able to comprehend. “Do you think Uncle Jakob is… one of them?”
Cristoph looked at me, “One of them?” He asked, I examined his puzzled face, he was trying to figure out what I was talking about, “A nazi?”
I shivered at the word. Our father had always told us not to say it aloud. He wanted to keep our hopes high, but both me and Cristoph knew, we had heard the stories. “Yes.”
“Of course not!” The young boy explained, he looked at me as if I were dense. “But,” he started hesitantly, doubting himself, “why would you say that?”
I noticed I had struck a little fear in him, which was not what I was trying to do. Honestly, I didn’t even know why I thought of my uncle in this light. Something just felt a little… off. I questioned myself everyday, trying to calm my nerves, though I always found an answer to scare me.
“Forget it,” I told Christiphor. We continued walking in silence, we decided to head back to our small home. As we walked back Christoph began to sing a song.
“Land of mountains, land by the river, Land of fields, land of cathedrals, Land of hammers, with a promising future!”
A loud gunshot rang through the mountain range. My thoughts went spiraling, and I immediately brought my brother to the ground covering him. I whispered, and practically snarled into his ear, “Quiet fool!” for some reason I thought the germans had heard my brother shouting the anthem. We both waited there, laying perfectly still. I felt like a statue, holding my breath. I must’ve been crushing my poor brother. After what felt like hours, we finally stood up. I scanned the area thoroughly.
My brother stood up, and dusted himself off. I looked at him, and for a moment he had no emotion on his face. Then he burst into a laugh, I scowled at him, but that caused him to laugh louder.
“Curse the chancellor!” He yelled, as in the whole town could hear him. I grabbed him tightly by his arm yanking him towards me, the palm of my hand came down on his cheek, Sending him stumbling back. Looking at him rubbing his cheek in pain, my anger slowly died down to guilt. I could feel my face soften, I felt my head start to turn. Christoph looked at me wide eyed and silent.
“Hey,” I said softly. I attempted to put a comforting hand on his broad shoulders, though he turned from me. I tried to mask my hurt, and I turned to continue walking. He followed behind me slowly, dragging his feet.
“I’m sorry,” I said, looking to my feet. I didn’t dare to look back at his sad face. He didn’t reply, but he walked closer to my side. I felt a small smile creep onto my face as I tried to press it down. I looked down at the short boy, and his olive skin glowed. I looked into his large, coffee brown eyes. They had the distant memory of tears in them.
As I looked at him though, my ears still rung. The memory of the gunshot played through my head, it’s like I could still hear it. Though, those sounds slowly turned to a howl.
“Am I crazy,” I asked, partly joking, “Or do you hear howling?”
Christoph looked around, “I hear it too.” He stated. I looked around and in the distance, I noticed a pack of wolves, they snarled at us. My brother tugged at my arm.
“Anna! What do we do!” He said, I could hear the panic in hus voice. I was trying to think but I couldn’t. The only thing I could think of what the sound of gunshots. How I had wished we had a gun in that moment. Even if it was a soldier, it still would’ve been useful. It took me a while to come up with a plan but eventually I made up my mind.
“Stand your ground!” I yelled frantically.
Me and my brother closed our eyes waiting for impact. Suddenly the howling stopped, it was a gift to my ears. I opened my eyes and looked around. They were gone. We looked around, and I noticed my uncle standing on a rock. He had a fiery look in his eyes. He stood straight, with his cane to the ground. The wolves had ran from him. Even they could sniff out his terrible presence. His large coat covered his sleeve, I knew what he was hiding under there though. The symbol, of the enemy.
Cristoph ran to Uncle Jakob. He wrapped his arm around the towering man and buried his head into his chest. Uncle laid his massive hands on the small boys shoulders. “Are you children okay?” He asked in a gruff voice. He looked up at me and I crossed my arms in disinterest. Why should I show any to the enemy. Though for some small reason, I thought I saw pain in his eyes. Though as quick as a blink, it was gone, and so was my empathy. I just hated his feign smile to my brother.
Cristoph was a fool, to feel safe around the traitor. He thought I was crazy, but no, I just knew. No one believed me, but I knew.
My uncle walked over to me, and I took a step back. My uncle stopped, “Your father.”
Uncle had immediately caught my attention. My father had been deathly ill the past week, we were all concerned for the loving man.
“What about him?” I responded. My uncle crouched down to be level with me. He motioned me to move closer to him, though I was skeptical, I wanted to know. I inched closer cautiously.
Uncle Jakob spoke to me in a soft voice, almost disarming the sirens blaring through my head. “Anna,” he said, “A man came over today, a man he’d claimed to he a doctor. He was a German man, an odd doctor choice. He wishes you’d come home immediately.”
I felt infuriated by this, I looked at him with utter spite. “In my fathers time of need, you allowed a German into our home?”
My uncle looked at me, and I saw disappointment, though I had no care for his disapproval. “Anna!” He stated, with a certain firmness to him, “Has your father taught you not! You don’t judge people from where they’re from, you judge them for who they are.”
I spit on the ground in front of him, “Don’t speak of my fathers lessons, He’s taught me plenty but the war has taught me more. It’s taught me to not be a fool, to not allow people close to me. You’ve made a deadly mistake, now my fathers alone with him. My loving, delicate father who’d not harm a soul. Or was it a mistake?”
My uncle raised his voice, “You’d think I’d harm him with intent!”
“Maybe,” I shrugged, I walked off with speed taking my brother by the arm. Though I had dismay for my uncle, if my father was in need, I’d soon be there. Me and my brother walked in silence. My uncle trudged behind us, I kept walking, ignoring the man.
As we approached the house, I picked up the pace, my brother shortly behind me. The tears stung my eyes as I continued to trip over myself. When we reached the door we had practically slammed it open.
The first thing I had noticed was five men with guns standing around my father at the fire place. My father was facing the fire place, at gun point. As soon as the men heard the door open they immediately shifted their focus to me. Two of the men came and grabbed me and my brother. I struggled against the man, tears flowing down my face. I had heard the rumors of life inside of the camps. I immediately knew where to place blame.
“Jakob!,” I yelled in anger. As I struggled, I turned back and saw Jakob being held at gunpoint as well. Suddenly, I realized he was a victim, such as us. In confusion I turned to look at my father still facing the flames.
“Papa?” I said, trying to hide the confusion. In response, he turned around to face me. In his pocket he had a stack of cash, and on his sleeves he sported a swastika. At that moment all I could hear, were the wolves howling outside.
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