Sarah’s Star
There was a strange quietness in the street leading to her house. Sarah had taken almost all back roads from the meadow where she had been amusing her friends with stories of monsters before dinner. An alley with a hole in the fence between the butcher and the florist shop, where the butcher discards innards and juices, and the florist leaves empty boxes that were used to store delicate and fragrant flowers. Sarah stepped carefully, but quickly, she did not want her mother to yell at her for holding up dinner by having to wash up.
As she quickened her footsteps to her house, she became more aware of the absolute silence. The lampposts seemed to loom over her and watched her as she walked. The buildings on all sides grew taller and leaned forward onto the street. The decorative wrought iron fence that enclosed the little square of Mrs. Petersen’s rose garden became a sea of sharp spikes. She thought she heard a growl as she passed, but she was mistaken. She could hear nothing. She could feel no wind, and the late afternoon shadows began to play tricks on her. She quickly rounded the corner to the backdoor of her house, and flung the door open.
“I’m sorry if I’m late, “ she had started her sentence when she noticed the dishes and bowls of uncooked vegetables and potatoes still on the counter. The stove was still lit, and one burner had completely cooked the pot dry.
“The stove is still on, “she yelled out as she turned off the gas.
It was just past dusk and the house was too dark anymore to see without turning on the lights. She couldn’t find the switch in the living room without fumbling and knocking over the few precious trinkets her mother liked to display for company. She went upstairs thinking her family might be trying to surprise or trick her because she was always playing pranks on her family.
The first room at the top of the stairs belonged to her crazy, sick aunt, who had been staying with them for too long, and always kept her door closed. But now, the door was not only open but also lying on the floor. She didn’t need to count the number of broken and torn furnishings for the air itself had changed. As she entered, the ceiling seemed to close in on her and crush her lungs. Images of her family, panic stricken and attempting to escape while being brutally arrested and taken from their home flooded her mind.
Sarah grasped at her chest frantically searching, but she couldn’t feel it. Where had it gone? She felt the back of her neck and could feel the chain, then followed it downward until she could feel it. She held it tightly and closed her eyes. With a breath she opened her eyes and opened the locket. Looking at the portrait of her mother and father, tears that had been building got caught in her throat, taking a breath to calm herself she heard a noise.
Sarah looked frantically for somewhere to hide as she heard a car come screeching to a stop just outside her house. Remembering her mother’s formal dress was stored in a hidden closet, she dove headfirst into the closet. Her mother’s only good dress was housed in a framed garment bag that could hold two dresses. Sarah unzipped the bag and climbed inside. She was seventeen years old, but her slender, underdeveloped frame told her age closer to fourteen. As she finished zipping up the bag, she heard someone smash the door open.
“Auf Machen! Auf Machen! Schnell! Schnell!” She heard someone ordering.
She heard a handful of people in her house breaking dishes, and throwing furniture, yet through all the noise, she heard a creak on the stairs. The sound of well-polished boots making their way upward grew louder. The strength in her legs left as her pounding heart flooded in her ears in deafening bursts. The smell of expensive American cigarettes slithered towards her nose almost gaging her and making it even more difficult to breathe inside the bag.
“There is one downstairs, Captain.” A young solider shouted from downstairs.
“We haven’t checked the upstairs,” in a gruesomely seductive tone he replied.
The Captain’s voice spoke of late night brandy, and packs of cigarettes washed down with scotch. His deep voice was smooth as gravel.
“Captain there is no one here, you saw a shadow,” belted the young solider downstairs.
She could hear the well-polished boots suddenly stop, then slowly turn on the carpet.
“I am mistaken, am I?” Who else agrees that I am mistaken?”
Sarah could only hear silence, and she gripped tighter to the frame that housed her trying not to pass out. Then she heard the cocking of a gun. She closed her eyes tight and squeezed her lips closed to keep herself from screaming. Beyond the booming of her heart, she could hear nothing. Finally, with relief from the silence, she heard a bang and a loud thump.
“I smell starched white cotton and damp leather shoes that have been in fresh dirt. And I am not mistaken, ever.”
Chills of disgust covered Sarah’s body as the Captain’s words penetrated her ears.
The well-polished boots resumed on the stairs. Each step echoed throughout her body. She could feel him standing in her parent’s room. His nostrils opened and closed rhythmically.
“Girls are my favorite. They fool so easily.”
She could hear him walking, each step became louder. Finally, she could feel his hot breath filling the small closet.
“Because their minds are so simple.”
Sarah heard footstep of the other guards coming up the stairs.
“God made man first. Women were made after man. Do you know why?” Women were made to serve man in any way he desired. If that wasn’t true, he wouldn’t have made their skin so soft to touch.”
The Captain’s words slithered on Sarah’s skin, and she could feel bile rising at the back of her throat, Then, from across the street Sarah heard a rifle shot, and a solider screaming in agony. A second shot came from the rifle, and the solider stopped screaming. She heard the Captain run to the window and commotion on the stairs.
“We have a sniper in the house across the street, everyone to the front of the house. You and you, come with me to the back.”
The soldier’s scrambling was all Sarah could hear. Then, shots were fired back and forth, and it sounded as though the sniper was picking off the solider’s one by one. Sarah could hear the solider’s yelling in the street. Then a car started up with such a panic that it screeched on the pavement and sounded as though it burned the rubber off its tires, as it grew fainter from their ears.
Silence crept back into Sarah’s ears, and it seemed even more deadly. Unzipping the bag slowly, she tried to control her breath and her heart from panicking. She grabbed a coat and boots and headed for the back door darting out the door and into the now darkness. Creeping along the shadows, she slowly crawled back into the hole in the fence. Knowing there were woods beyond the meadow, she started to run towards the safety of the woods.
Faster and faster her feet moved. Her mind was running just as quickly. Only a few hours ago she was telling of fantastical realities and laughing about it, yet now she felt as empty, as the hollow truths she made up in her stories. The scenery was no longer recognizable. But, she heard water. Stopping to take a good look around, she realized that she heard a creek.
Sarah knelt down to wash her face and hands. She could see the moon in all its fullness in the reflection of the water. The damp, cold night air was filling her lungs and chilled her. Thankful for the coat now, even though it was cumbersome during the running. She sat on a low tree and watched the water flowing over the rock bed in a continuous cycle with no end. Trying to calm her frantic breathing, she closed her eyes. Suddenly, someone covered her mouth from behind.
She tried to flee from the grasp, but it tightened.
“If I take my hand away you have to promise to be quiet. Are you going to be quiet, or do I have to report you?” He said and slowly removed his hand.
“I thought I was alone here, “ she tried to say with courage.
“You are never alone in these black woods,” he said.
“I am sorry, I’ll leave now,” as she tried to run off, but his hand gripped her arm so tight she tried not to scream.
“Were you going somewhere?”
Just then her locket swung around her neck, as he twisted her back to face him.
“What’s this?”
“Please don’t,” she begged.
“It looks like real gold.”
“It’s the only thing I have left of my family.”
“What do I care about your family?”
“Please don’t take it. Please. I can’t even remember what clothes my parents wore today. Please, at least let me have the picture inside.”
“A blue floral print dress, navy slacks with a white shirt and a striped tie.”
Gasping for air, “What?”
“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand.”
“Follow me.”
Sarah was unsure of the stranger and felt trapped to follow him. They started walking into the woods.
“There is a small cabin near a watermill. On top lies a weathervane with a star on top. In that cabin, hidden in the attic, walls, and under the floor are a dozen people like yourself waiting for the train to Holland,” Henri explained. After an hour, Sarah pleaded for a rest, and he conceded.
They sat down on the dewy ground, leaning against a sturdy oak for support. “I was in the cellar getting canned beets my Mon wanted for dinner when I heard them, Henri struggled.
“I locked myself in the cupboard behind the string beans and pickles.”
He continued talking, and she could just make out the fine features of his profile in the dark. His hair was dark and wavy, and looked blue in the moon’s shade.
“I don’t know why God didn’t let them find me.”
Sarah noticed his face changing from a hardened man to a scared boy hiding in a cupboard. She took his hand and stroked it gently.
“It’s been 8 months,” he said.
“Do you have a rifle,” she asked.
“I used one today.”
“I didn’t know anyone was following me.”
“I saw you leave and followed you out the fence. I thought you might know a quick way out of the city. I was surprised when you headed the direction I was going.”
Henri looked down and Sarah had fallen asleep leaning against him.
“Okay, “ he said as he closed his eyes.
“Wake up now!” Henri shouted.
She opened her eyes so quickly that the sunlight blinded her for a minute.
“We have to leave now!” You have to get up and run now!” Henri continued.
“What, I don’t understand,” was all she could blurt out.
“In the bushes on the other side of the creek, I spotted a couple of the Reich. We must leave now. We must run there as fast as possible, the truck leaves at 8:00 this morning,” he said.
She jumped straight up and started running with as much speed as she could muster. Henri was behind her, she hoped she was running south towards the peak, she still had a hard time seeing clearly. Branches seemed to appear out of nowhere and slashing niches into her face. Uncertain of the direction, once the sun started to filter through the trees she righted her direction. After a half and hour of running, she saw the sunbeams. She realized she had reached the star on the weathervane a top the cabin near the watermill.
“Wait until I am in the house, you go into the watermill and find Sonja.”
Henri with so much speed darted into the house. Then, she quickly sneaked into the watermill. She looked for signs of Sonja, but the watermill was deserted. There was no one.
“Please step outside,” came a threatening and familiar voice from outside.
Her heart sank as she heard the steps of well-polished boots walking towards the door.
“I’ve been waiting for you,“ he whispered.
Sarah stepped out of the watermill.
“I knew I could smell your dirty flesh. A soulless animal like yourself could never outfox me,” snarled the Captain.
With that remark Sarah looked at the Captain and saw him for the first time. His uniform was well fitted with sharp edges, He stood much taller than her. His hands and face were freshly washed smelling of a woman’s perfume. But, as she looked closer she could see the pores of his oily skin.
“What a tasty morsel, I think I shall eat her,” as the Captain smelled Sarah behind her ear.
She didn’t speak.
“I want to know where the base of your operation is? I know you are working with him, “ he said.
She spoke nothing in return.
“Maybe I will let you live in you tell the details of the operation,” he said smiling.
She did not answer.
“I know you aren’t capable of too much, girl! But, I want to know what house is the base of your operation,” he insisted.
He grabbed her by her shirt and pulled her towards him, she could smell the lies as he spoke.
“I want to know now,” he growled.
He slapped her across the face, and she was thrown to the ground by the force. The star she had worn for so long on her breast was now lying in the dirt. She slowly stood up and brushed the dirt away. She lifted her head fixing her gaze on the Captain.
“Do you remember the house in town by the rose garden?” She said.
“Of course, I remember,” he snapped.
‘I have been running people in and out of that house for months right under your nose,” she said calmly.
“Is that right,” he snarled.
“At least ten people are hiding in that house now.”
She could see his pride swell as he smiled.
“Please, don’t hurt me. I told you the truth. If you hurry you might be able to round up everyone in the house,” she pleaded trying to disguise her false sincerity.
His hand rested on his hipbone.
“What makes you think I would ever care about hurting someone as ugly as you,” he said.
A warm trickle fell down her cheek. The ground hit her face so sharply, she thought she must have broken her jaw.
Henri saw the bloodthirsty Captain leave Sarah quickly. His ego and pride allowed him to believe her lie.
Henri came rushing out of the house, and held Sarah’s body. He could see crimson bursts flowing over her star on the ground in a steady continuous stream. The smell of the gunpowder mixed with the sticky warm smell of her blood filled the air. In the morning light, he could make out a bright star above the cabin. Henri’s eyes were fixed on the star, he had never seen a star while the sun was out.
Looking at the star, Henri said, “We’ll name that Sarah’s star. For it is shining even though it is daylight. Just like you, Sarah.”
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