The Rabbit Girls by Ellory Anna

Author:Ellory, Anna
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2019-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

20

MIRIAM

‘These letters are so important, but,’ Miriam says, ‘they are so hard to read and I had no idea. Did this actually happen? People treated each other this way?’

‘That’s why so many of the stories are lost. People who experienced it cannot find the words, and those around them do not want to hear. Words hold a lot more power than we realise,’ Eva says. Then, speaking more to herself, she continues, ‘Even the darkest words will find the light.’

Miriam picks up the next letter. ‘I suppose what is lost can always be found.’

Henryk,

After the Kommandant, Stella launched herself into me and held my hand.

‘Hello, pretty lady, you take me home now?’ She swung her arm in mine.

The little Dutch children found me by Block 20. The older one spat on the ground.

‘You lied,’ he said.

‘I am sorry – have you tried looking for her in the revier?’ I shrank at the thought of the camp hospital: revier, a place of agony and death, not always from illness.

‘Yes, but she is not sick. You told us you find her, you told us you help. You lie.’ He spat again. ‘Everyone is always lying.’

Stella watched the children, her hand safely tucked in mine. I wanted them to go away. I feared how much Stella understood of this interaction.

‘Maybe we can look for her together. I will help you.’

‘No. We not need your help. You are one of them.’ The younger child pointed to the guard. ‘You are one of them!’ She said it louder and I wanted to make her shut up. The insult vibrated in my chest.

The children held hands and turned from me.

Stella looked up, seeking an explanation, which I did not give.

I called out to their receding backs.

‘Tell me your grandmother’s name, I will help you if I can.’

The boy called back, ‘Grandmamma.’

Miriam takes a long shaky breath, before composing herself enough to pick up the next letter.

Henryk,

I returned to the block where Bunny was quietly sewing and Stella jumped up on the bed next to her, playing happily with a new doll made from a dirty cotton rag tied in little knots to make a head, hands and feet.

I sat in Eugenia’s bunk and told her I had a job.

Eugenia sat straighter and gave me her full attention as I explained.

Henryk, I am worried, this place . . . it would be better than shifting sand, but it feels like a change and I am worried what they will ask me to do. But as Eugenia said, it’s not like I was given a choice.

At roll call Hani joined me under a clear sky at the Appellplatz, where we stood for hours before soup. The guards counting us, recounting us, making us stand. If anyone fell they would start again.

‘It always takes longer in winter,’ Eugenia whispered in my ear.

‘Longer than this?’ I asked, and she nodded.

I was about to relay this to Hani, but she had a deep frown on her face and avoided my eye.

I held her hand, but she pulled away.

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