My Dear Brother,

 

Anna is gone. She couldn't work, so they took her and I haven't seen her since. She didn't even resist. There was no life left in her. I have not seen her since that awful day. I must get up early to work, mostly burning the corpses of our fellow Jews. I occupy my mind with songs, or by praying for the many dying and families of the dead. Most of all, I pray for your safety. I know that you will never get this letter, for I can't send it. But I wonder all the time, how are you, are you well? How do they treat you in the army? You never did like Mass, and you have the light hair and those grey eyes that Mama loved. I am guessing that is why you fit so well in the army. Nobody can believe that your Jewish. I often have nightmares of that  night, when they took Mama and the babies. The babies were in bed and Papa was telling us one of Grandpa's stories. Suddenly, Nazi soldiers burst through the door, screaming "Filthy Dogs, onto your feet!" The babies started crying and Papa jumped up to comfort them, and they shot him. Mama and the babies were taken, and Anna and I were left in the house with Papa's body. We left the house, unable to stand looking at Papa's broken body any longer. We stayed with the little Christian lady down the street, the one we used to get bread for. One day the Nazis broke in while she was away. They took us and set fire to her house. That is how we ended up in this horrible place. Now I am alone, left to wonder, 'Why me? Why did I live when so many others perished?' It kills me to think that I will never hear Papa's boomimg laugh, see Mama's sweet, round face, smiling up at me, ever again. I ponder that every night, before I fall into a fitful, nightmare-filled sleep. The last thoughts I have before I sleep is that one day, we will run in the grass again. We can have children and teach them to accept everyone, even people that are different than us. They will be free to play with their Christian friends, to pick flowers for the table, to choose the life that they want. But for now, I must wait. Wait and pray for these changes to occur.

 

                                                                                                   With Love to my dearest Brother,

                            

                                                                                                                                            Mina