High Noon

Ch13

Mama pulled out the shards of glass from my arm and I winced and squirmed in pain. 

She bandaged up the wounds and then sighed.

"I don't know how we are going to afford to get that window fixed, we can't even afford electricity or to buy clothes," Mama said with a sigh.

I rubbed the bandages on my arm feeling like my heart was there beating.

The Captain walked in and said, "I reported the incident, they're on the search for whoever it was, and I can get the repairs for the window." 

I thought of Antoine, maybe it wasn't him, but what if it was. I was worried about him getting caught and not knowing where he was.

"Merci Herr Captain," Mama told him.

That night I slept in Mama's room on the floor with a blanket and pillow. 

I curled up pressing the covers against me.

In the morning I went into town and I looked around partly for Antoine, but I didn't see him. I sighed I at least wanted to see him, even if it was from a distance. If I just saw Antoine I would know that he was safe and alive.

As I was looking I saw Ruth sitting on the grass of the park and I sat beside her.

She was picking at the grass and I looked at her, knowing that something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

Ruth picked at the grass even more violently, picking it by the handfuls until her hands were stained green.

Then she sighed.

"They've put up rules against us." 

I knew what she was talking about I had seen the signs and pamphlets. 

They had made Jews seem like they were the scum of the Earth and that it was their fault that this war was happening. Now they put up rules restricting Jews from doing certain things like going to swimming pools, and going into certain shops, they even couldn't work at certain places.

"I'm not even supposed to be here, I'm not allowed to be at Parks anymore, but I want to be here," Ruth told me.

"Well, there's no way for them to know that you're a Jew or not," I told her in a low voice so that no one would hear.

She shook her head and I realized she was covering her right upper arm with her hand as she stood up.

I followed her until we came to a road she uncovered her arm, and I saw she was wearing an armband that had the Star Of David on it.

Tears were overflowing her eyes as she said, "We have to wear these everywhere we go, my Mama got fired last week from her job and now rules are restricting us of our rights." 

I hugged Ruth tightly and she cried into my shoulders.

"I hate them." She whispered into my shoulders tearfully.

I understood her anger at the Nazis, the Jews had it worst than any of us they were discriminated against just because of their religion. Hated because of the God they believed in. 

It didn't make any sense.

"How about we do something fun?" I suggested wanting to get her mind off of the Nazis and the hate she and her family was getting.

Ruth wiped her tears and smiled sadly.

"I'd like that."

I guided her to the ice cream shop just down the street. It was the only shop the Jews were allowed in.

I and Ruth walked in, people glanced at her seeing her Jewish armband.

She covered it with her hand as we walked in.

"What can I get you two?" Madam Bennet told us with a smile.

She was the only person who wasn't staring at Ruth as if she wasn't supposed to be there.

"Can we get two chocolate cones?" I told her.

"Afraid, we can't get cones but I could give it to you in a cup." She told me.

I nodded in understanding.

When we got our ice creams I and Ruth thanked her and left.

The ice cream tasted weird since they used goat milk instead of actual milk and it had no sugar. Sugar and milk have been scarce since the war started.

"Thanks, Sophie," Ruth told me with a smile.

I returned the expression, glad I could make her happy.

After we had finished our ice creams I walked with Ruth home, since she felt unsafe walking back by herself. Just as we had turned a corner a Nazi soldier suddenly stopped us.

"Halt!" 

Me and Ruth froze, I heard her breathing quicken as the Soldier stood in front of us.

He was glaring at Ruth and he said coldly, "You are on the wrong side of the sidewalk Jew."

He said the word as if it were some sort of disease.

"S-sorry, I-I didn't know." She said shakily.

"Didn't know? Can't you read you stupid, Jew, there are signs everywhere telling you what you can't do, or are you illiterate?" He said staring down icily at Ruth.

She was shaking and I could feel the fear rolling off of her.

"Well?" The Nazi snapped lifting his gun to her chest.

I could tell Ruth was starting to hyperventilate, her breathing had quickened even more, her forehead was beaded with sweat and she was shaking uncontrollably.

"I don't have all day." The Soldier said furiously.

I went in front of Ruth without even thinking and said, "She's not illiterate, she just didn't see the signs."

He looked at me his icy blue eyes staring straight into my brown eyes.

My heart was pounding with fear, but I tried not to show him that I was scared as I stared back at him and I gripped Ruth's hand tightly.

The soldier looked at my arm, searching for a Jewish armband, and when he didn't find one his frown deepened.

"Teach your friend how to be more observant." He snapped at me.

I nodded my head and moved off the sidewalk and into the road. 

Once the Nazi saw where we were he walked away.

I grabbed Ruth's hand and quickly rushed her home, to the only place that was safe for her.

When we got to her house her Mama was helping her grandma in the kitchen and she looked up at us noticing us breathing heavily and shaking. 

"What happened?" She asked us concerned.

I opened my mouth to say something but Ruth stepped on my foot before I could explain what happened.

"Ow," I said with a frown.

"Nothing, Mama, we're fine," Ruth told her.

"Are you girls sure?" She said.

Ruth glanced at me and we both nodded.

She took my hand and rushed me upstairs to her room before her Mama could ask any more questions.

"Why didn't you tell your Mama what happened?" I asked her when we got to her room.

She sighed and sat at the edge of her bed.

"My Mama has enough worries, she doesn't need me to add to it." 

I sat next to her and nodded in understanding.

She lay down on her bed and I lay beside her.

"I hate this war," She told me. "I just want everything to go back to the way it was."

I sighed and nodded in agreement, having wished for that ever since the war started.

"Me too."