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20
7th January 1943
There were clouds covering the sky like a blanket of grey when twelve-year-old Jadzia Kostanski skipped out of her apartment with a group of friends that shifted like a flock of gulls in the direction of the movie theatre.She was glad to get out of the apartment.
Ever since the Nazi occupation, she’d spent more and more time at home and was sick of the confinement.School was one of her few means of escape, but now that she was older, Mama had said she could go out with friends if she was careful, and the liberation filled her with a euphoric feeling that made her giddy.
“Which movie are we going to see?”Hanna asked, a plump girl with a ruddy complexion who laughed a lot.
“I think it’s a Tarzan movie,” Jadzia replied.“But I don’t honestly care.It could be the three little pigs, for all I’m concerned.I’m so glad to be out of the apartment and having some fun with my friends!”She pushed her arms out and twirled in a circle.The other girls laughed.
“Me too,” Julie, another friend with red curls and a freckled nose admitted.“Mama says I have to come straight home after, but I thought we could go for a walk.There’s a park near the theatre that has some wonderful trails.”
“Good idea,” Jadzia agreed.“Mama will kill me if she finds out, though.”
Hanna giggled.“So we won’t tell her.”
The group of five girls couldn’t stop giggling the whole way to the movie theatre.They chattered so much that the ticket saleswoman almost lost her cool.Finally, they had their tickets, and Jadzia marvelled at the red velvet upholstery on the couches in the reception area and the gold gilding on everything.It was luxurious and beautiful, and she couldn’t believe she was able to be there without so much as a parent in sight.
It was too good to be true.
They each bought a box of popcorn and found seats in the front row.Jadzia stared up at the large screen above her with wide eyes.
“This is so great,” whispered Hanna.“I can’t believe we’re actually here.”
“I know.I’ve been so looking forward to it.”
“Do you think your mother would let you come over to my place next weekend?I’m helping Mama mend first thing, but after that, I’m free as a bird.And Julie says she can come.”
“I don’t know.Mama works at the market, and weekends are her busiest time.”The truth was, Jadzia wasn’t sure when her family might move, and Mama had warned her not to tell anyone about it.It was hard to keep the secret, especially from her friends who had no idea.But she knew it was a life-and-death matter for Nacha’s family, and for hers.
It was important that no one in their lives knew about their plans to help the Jewish family escape the ghetto and live with them in an apartment in another part of the city.But it meant Jadzia wouldn’t get a chance to tell her friends goodbye, and that thought caused her smile to fade.
“That’s okay—maybe another time.We hardly see each other these days.Especially when school is cancelled or during the break.”
“I know, but maybe things will get better when the war is over.”
Julie shook her head.“Whenever that is.I know I shouldn’t say it or even think it, but part of me believes the war will never end.”
“Of course it will,” Jadzia said.“It can’t go on like this forever.And besides, I heard…”
There was a bang at the back of the theatre.The dancing boxes of popcorn on the screen slowed, then faded to black.and the lights in the large, sloping room flickered to life.
“Raid!”
A woman screamed.A man shouted.Then there were more screams coming from outside the theatre and shots rang out.
Jadzia leapt to her feet and tugged a frozen Hanna after her, spilling their popcorn to the floor.“Let’s get out of here.”
The other girls ran ahead of them, squealing in fright.Jadzia and Hanna lost sight of them as soon as they melted into the surging crowd.Everyone had bolted from their theatres at once and converged into the velvet and gold reception area.Gestapo guards raced after them, beating those within reach with batons.
“Over here!”Jadzia led the way to one of the exit doors, Hanna and Julie following close behind.
She sprinted for the door, her heart in her throat.She was always so careful, rarely going anywhere without Jan or her mother.And today, she finally had a chance to do something with friends, something for herself, and the Gestapo had chosen to raid the theatre right at that very moment.If she wasn’t so panicked, she might’ve laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
When she reached the doorway, she found it blocked by two Gestapo guards with guns pointed directly at her chest.She halted and raised her hands over her head.
“Aryan,” she puffed, her head light.“I’m Aryan.”She reached for her papers inside her skirt pocket and held them out.
