We will stop at nothing to be together

Alexis

(This story is about a german girl and a Jewish boy who fall in love during world war two. This story changes perspectives between characters)

Anja
My head was spinning. I?d been beaten, and smashed into the concrete sidewalk in the streets of Berlin by my own kind. My name is Anja Otsvetch and if you are interested in my story, we should go back about a week ago, so you?re not so confused.

It was the year 1945 and I was living Germany because my father, JunGenn, is in the German army and he got positioned in Berlin to patrol the Jewish activity. On December 14, 1945, I was minding my own business, being a regular 15 year old German girl, just on my merry way to school, when the German soldiers surrounded me also rounding up a large group of others. Lights were flashing and sirens were blaring, I looked around me and noticed that every person around me was either screaming and/or crying. Except one boy, he was staring at me like I was a piece of Godiva chocolate, he was literally drooling! He was blonde, pink tender lips, freckles lightly speckling his nose, and the most beautiful baby blue eyes. They twinkled, and the calmness was clearly displayed. He noticed me studying him, and a slight blush tickled his cheeks, followed by a gorgeous smile, teeth perfectly straight and white. My heart fluttered as he peered at me with curiosity. Since I was thirteen, I?ve always wondered what love at first sight was. Now I think I know. Wait no, now I KNOW what it feels like. Wait a minute? What?s his name?



Peter
It was another ?collection? of people to check the church records to see if we were Jewish. The German soldiers rounded us up in a big group, and called our names to see if we were on the list, if we weren?t we were let go. But if we were on the list, boy, you don?t want to know what happens next. I consider myself lucky, like they missed my name, or it was whited out or something but I knew I would be called one of these days. I?ve been in many of these so called ?collections? before, so I was pretty calm and I was prepared for what would happen, because I?ve seen it many times. I was perched on a little crate outside of a Jewish bakery, hidden by a swarm of Germans and Jews. Then one girl stood out amongst the rest. Tall, lanky, perfectly toned and highlighted red hair, tan, dark eyes, oh my gosh I could go on for days. Ok let me just get to the point, she was beautiful, I needed to learn her name. Oh crap! She noticed that I was staring dreamily at her. So I just stared down at my clasped hands. I was so nervous! I tried to hold back my embarrassment but I couldn?t help it. A faint blush crept across my face. Once I glanced up again to see her beautiful face, and she was staring at me with a beautiful smile and a hint of curiosity. What?s her name? What?s her name?? Ok be strong, and ask what her name is.

Anja
He?s getting up. Why is he getting up? What?s he doing? He was starting toward me, and I perked up and put a small, friendly smile on my face. ?H-h-h-hi? He stuttered. I giggled ?Hello there, what?s your name?? I asked.
?M-m-my name is Peter W-w-what?s yours?? He faltered.
I giggled again ?My name is Anja, there?s no need to be nervous, I don?t bite you know.? I joked.
?I?m sorry, it?s hard to talk clearly when I?m in the presence of such a beautiful woman.? He said warmly.
?Oh why thank you! Do you go to Berlin High?? I asked.
?No, I?m Jewish.? He answered
A red flag went up there and my smile faded. ?You-You?re J-Jewish?? I said.
?Yes, but don?t you worry, I have a fake identity.? He said with confidence.
?So your name is not Peter??? I wondered.
?Yes it is! my fake name is Even, but before you ask me another question, we should go somewhere else.? He said. I smiled and he laughed. He?s completely adorable! I don?t care what my father says. He?s mine.

Peter
I snatched her hand and we crept from the large group of panicked people. I led her to the DerGrille Speisewagen, just around the corner. ?My father used to take me here when I was a small boy? I told her.
?It?s so decent.? She joked. I couldn?t help but to laugh because the DerGrille Speisewagen was low lighted, cramped, and full of drunken Dutchmen that sing.
?My father once told me that by the time I had children, this place wouldn?t be here.? I sadly said.
?Aw, well that?s too bad. How old is your father Peter?? She asked.
I choked back tears, but they were too heavy for my eyes and they started to spill. I looked up at her and her face turned from curiosity to sympathy in two seconds flat.
?Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry, I had no idea that-? She started.
?It?s ok I get this allot. 10 years ago, on Thanksgiving eve, my father and I were walking in Town square and a German soldier shot him because he refused to leave the Georgavich town bakery till his almond butter buns were ready.? I finished.
?Peter, that?s terrible, I?m so sorry.? She exclaimed.
I glanced at her, and her eyes twinkled, and they met mine perfectly. I leaned in closer, and our lips met, it was perfect. Perfect time, perfect girl, perfect life. Even if I am a Jew, life doesn?t seem as hard anymore. I held her, she lay in my arms, looking up at me, she smiled, and we started laughing. That?s when it all started.

Anja
For the next hour we strolled through town, hand-in-hand, ducking in and out of dark alleys hiding from the soldiers. We didn?t give a single thought about school, and we stayed out together till the curfew bell sounded and the soldiers flooded into the lodge to call it a day, or a night in that case.
?You will meet me in the same place tomorrow OK?? He assured.
?Sounds good.? I replied. As I turned to go inside, he spun me around, and kissed me ever so perfectly, that he lifted me off my feet and wrapped his hands around me. I frowned. He lifts my head with his finger and pulls me in so that our noses are touching.
?I love you Anja, I don?t care what that Tyrant says.? He whispers. A shiver slipped down my back.
?I love you too Peter, I do.? I replied. I?ve had many other boyfriends, but this time, I really mean it.

Peter
I approached her, and she looked very nervous. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her. ?Peter, my dad got so mad at me last night. He beat me till I spilled the beans. He knows everything.? She started to cry. She fell to her knees, I caught her and pulled her up to my chest. I carried her into the alley and we sat on boxes and discussed what would happen.
?Peter, he disowned me, and told me we are both on a death sentence.? She said.
?How could he do this to his own child? Doesn?t he love you?? I asked.
?No, we?ve always despised each other, my mom would always try to defend me, but he would beat her too. One day she was working at the bakery, and my father walked in to talk to her, and she was talking to a customer, a male customer, and that came off as flirting to him and they got divorced and she ended up moving to Denmark and remarrying that male customer, and she had new children with him and I?ve never forgiven him for what he did to her.? She explained. I thought for a moment. Tears started to flow down her soft cheeks and she began to bawl.
?Anja, we must run away. There?s no other choice.? I declared.
?Peter that?s a great Idea, I?ll sneak out tonight and grab all my clothes, and we will grab a boat ride from the fisherman that gives free secretive boat rides for Jews on the run, that?ll take us to Denmark and we can live with my mom for a while and then after a month or so we can escape to the neutral country Sweden.? She planned.
?Genius! Meet me here 2 hours and 37 minutes after curfew, and we will escape together.? He said.
?Are you ready?? I asked.
?Let?s go!? She said.
?I love you my sweet Anja.? I said.
?I love you too Peter.? She replied.
We kissed, then joined hands and tried to enjoy our last day in Berlin, Germany. Goodbye Fatherland.



Anja
Peter and I perched ourselves on a little bench in Tiergarten Park to watch the sunset, the last one we will see in this place, for a while at least. He rose off the bench and pulled me up. ?What are you doing?? I asked.
?We need to go to our homes to prepare and rest, so we can get up and have energy to leave.? He answered.
?OK let?s start walking home.? I replied. He took my hand and we began to walk home.
***
As soon as we approached my porch, He spun me around like a princess and brought me on my tippy toes and kissed me.
?Anja, don?t forget to wake up at 1:20 and walk to the place we met and by the time you get there it will be 1:27 and then we will leave.? He said.
?I won?t forget.?I said. Then he kissed me again.
?I love you Anja.? He whispered.
?I love you too.? I answered. Then he turned and started to run before my father saw. I wrapped up in my cotton sweater and stood there, watching him, watching my true love run into the city, away from me, but we will be together soon. But not soon enough.

Peter
I sprinted right up to the door of my small cottage.
?Peter, what were you doing out there so late??? Mother says.
?Mother do not worry. I will be leaving soon, me and Anja will be leaving to Denmark, then Sweden, we will be running away together.? I told her.
?Please be safe, do not get caught Peter, I don?t know what I would do without you darling.? She replied. I was shocked by her calmness, I was expecting her to flip out.
?Mother, I love you, I will return for you.? I told her.
?It?s time I tell you son. Sit.? She said.
?Ok, I?m not Jewish. Your father is Jewish. I?m German like your friend Anja. I told you that so I wouldn?t confuse you.? She confessed. I could tell she was scared of my reaction.
?Mother, that?s ok, I know you were trying to protect me because you love me.? I calmly said. A tear weaved through her slightly wrinkled face.
?That?s very true honey, and I?m only letting you do this because I want the best for you. Now, you best start packing so you can get sleep.? She said.
?Ok Mother, thank you I love you.? I told her. Stood up and headed toward the room to start packing my clothes. I grabbed everything I could find and shoved it in my worn out jean shoulder bag. As soon as I was done, I crashed on my bed and dozed off, counting on mother to wake me at 1:20.
***
?Peter, it?s time to go darling.? Mother whispered.
?Thank you mother.? I replied. I threw on my sweatshirt grabbed my bag, kissed mother goodbye, and silently slid out the door.
I began to walk into the city. Everything was dead silent, and the only things with beating hearts out on the streets were the street rats and the snow owls.
I arrived at the tiny Jewish bakery and I was just waiting for Anja?s arrival.
?Young man, Stop right where you are at and put your hands above your head.? A man said in a deep, strongly accented voice. I turned around to see a large, beefy German soldier walking toward me.
Three words. I am dead.
?What are you doing out past curfew?? He asked.
?I?m very sorry sir, I was just umm? returning from my job at the deli.? I answered
?One: No one works past curfew. Two: you are way too young to be working at the only Deli in Berlin, which requires you to be over the age of 21 and you look like you are 15 or so, and Three: Why don?t you have a German accent?.? He said.
?Umm, I uhh?? I stuttered.
?You?re a Jew aren?t you?!? He said excitedly.
?No sir.? I reassured him.
?Do not lie young man, Germans have accents, and no German that ive ever seen has blonde hair and blue eyes.? He said.
?Come with me.? He directed.
?I mustn?t sir I have to get home, I have to-? The last thing I heard was a gunshot. Everything went black and I fell to the ground. My vision blurred and my voice faltered.
?Peter!! No!? Anja Screamed. She fell on her knees next to me, face buried in my chest, bawling.
?I love you Anja, my sweet girl. My angel.? I faltered. My voice faded.
?I love you too Peter. I do? She cried. That was the last thing I heard. All of a sudden I was watching her cry over my own body. Standing next to my earthly body I leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head and then everything turned white, goodbye Earth.



Anja
I charged toward the soldier at full speed and with all my might, I started blindly throwing my fists everywhere, I missed most of the time, but my vision was blocked by my tears of depression and anger so I couldn?t see a thing. He bombarded his hand at my face will full strength. I fell to the ground crying and bleeding. He grabbed my hair and started smashing my head into the concrete, then when he was done, he took his gun, and shot my leg so I couldn?t run. I was laying there in the middle of the street about to die. I opened my eyes one last time to see that the soldier that just tried to kill me and that had killed Peter, was my very own flesh and blood, my father. He stood over me, gun pointed in my face,
?I hate you, you are a worthless mistake.? BANG. The gun was fired, and my world turned white. The last thing I heard was my own father laughing at me, a hysterical, insane laugh. I left my own body and left the Earth to reunite with Peter.