Golden Stars

The streets filled my ears, it was so noisy, so busy, but it wasn't like it was yesterday, people were scared. Plans are flying above us now, big and black. My nieveness had led me far from my mother in the rushing crowd and I was scared. More than scared, my heart thudded against my chest so aggressively that I was worried I was going to die of the same disease that had killed my father. Mom said it was called a heart attack and that there wasn't anything we could do. Is there nothing she can do for me now, Ill never find her, all hope has thrown itself out the window. Sweat gathered on my rounded face as my mind began to repeat a message of doom that lingered over me. Again and again. I'm dying. Soon I greeted the floor like a long lost sibling, embracing its cold, firm hug as tears fell down my face.

Planes continued to soar above the crowd of people that trampled over me like I was just a minor inconvenience in their panic. I could make out a red symbol painted on the sides and knew immediately what the fuss was about. Mom said this symbol was the marking of the devil and only bad men wore it with pride. Men that want us dead. She says it's because we are jews, they don't like our faith and they want us all dead. Just a few weeks ago in my kindergarten class my new teacher was shot. Mom told me he is in a better place. A warmer place with lots of food and everyone got along with everyone. The streets in this place she described were plated in gold and never got dirty. She said dad was up there running his bookstore in peace without soldiers breaking things and marking their hideous symbol on the outside. My Mind pulled itself back to the present and a new emotion filled my body.

Anger.

These people have taken away everything I have but they wont get their hands on my mom. I stood from the place I had earlier despised as my death bed and shoved past people to a pole where I climbed, my tree climbing skills going to waist against this smooth metallic surface. I pulled and climbed for what felt like forever but I finally made it to the top where I could sit and gaze out upon the crowd for my mom. I saw a girl my age fall on the ground in Exchosten, unable to keep up with her parents. As I watched them pick her up I saw a glimpse of a velvet scarf. Mom. My gaze followed it all the way to the neck of the best woman I've ever met.

“MOM!” I shouted, waving frantically like a fish on land. “MOM!”

She spun and looked up to see me. Her smile plastered her face and to me it looked like a warm sunset made just for me. I continued waving and she started to run towards me.

There was a sudden flash and I can feel a sudden warm charge over my very being. I was falling. The world was now suddenly slow, quiet, and peaceful. It wasn't till a few minutes after I hit the ground that I felt pain.The world was still quiet besides a small humming in my ears. My flesh felt like it had melted off and my bones suddenly felt a much greater proportion than I had thought originally. I tried to get up, my eyes blacked out and splotchy like when I look at the sun too long in the summer. The pain sent signals throughout my body and my arm gave out from under me. I cried out but no sound came from my lips. I didn't stop trying and soon my vision gave me some leniency allowing me to take in what was around me. There were fires and the streets seemed a darker color than they had before. There were flocks of people laying on the ground, they must have not gotten up yet.

I dragged myself around the heaps of still people, horror pealing across my face. The faces are of those you would assume took a bath in lava and death. Many of which you could see the bone escaping in multiple places. My shuffle quickened now as the panic set in much more than it had before. Only one thing raced in my mind. Mom. I shuffled and shuffled as fast as my half melted legs could carry me, looking for a face I could recognize in the carnage.

There she laid against the pole that had once held me which now laid in two pieces on the ground. Her scarf was shredded yet swayed against the wind. Her body was limp like the others and a single tear rested on her soft cheek. Her face was not as bad as the others but it still looked like it just came back from a night in hell. I rushed over and hugged her and cried. I was mentally pleading that her hand would come up and pat me on the back, that her voice would whisper a comforting lullaby like it had just a night ago. Her voice was of an angel but that angel was not here right now.

I waited for a few seconds.

Minutes.

Even what felt like an hour.

No movement. No sound. No life.

What was left of her tattered coat was now soaked in tears that had failed their purpose. The night was coming and I knew If I was going to have any chance to survive I needed to go, I know that's what mom would have wanted. The evening air smelt of overcooked pork and a cold breeze wiped at my exposed flesh. I took moms coat off and wrapped it over my shoulders. I took her scarf with me too, keeping it to act as a promise that I would live on.

The stars that had once separated us here on earth like the one on the very coat I wear now feels like a blessing compared to the stars now keeping me separate from you.