Subject: Silence
I’m left alone to have people mourn over me. I was left to forever listen to the hysterical screams, ringing of the machine guns, the roar of the flames. I’m left to stand here while people walk through me and witness all the pain and misery I brought to the millions of people that once had a voice but now are gone. All that is left of me now are the quiet footsteps you hear as people walk through me looking at me, and whispers people share as they try not to disturb the silence that I have made for myself.
Subject: Sonder Kommandos
Dear Momma, I can’t explain the pain I’ve been through and the pain I’ve given to others. I took this job to extend my life so that I would be able to survive to see you again. Out of all the bodies I’ve seen and all the people that have asked questions about loved ones, the hardest face to see put into the crematorium was my best friend. Having his mother come to me to ask if I had seen him was the hardest thing I have ever faced. It’s harder than being anyway from you. I’ll return soon enough, I just need time for now to try and escape all the pain I’ve been through.
Subject: SS
For some reason, this train carried few men and a great amount of women and children. As we got to the changing room where we striped the people of their clothes, I saw this little girl that was probably of the age of four. She seemed very excited to take a shower as she kept giggling while her mom tried to calm her down. The little girl had the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen, the color of the sky and her hair was a dark brown, almost black that was perfectly curled. As they entered the gas chamber I watched as she held her mother’s hand with the brightest little smile. I could still see her as they dropped the gas into the chamber and her smile immediately dropped. She didn’t cry or whine but instead, accepted her fate and as I watched the sparkle fade from her eyes, I felt a part of me die as everyone else cheered about the Jews dying.
Subject: Death
Death. I come unexpected and never give anyone a warning. I take the weakest of the weak and wait for the strongest to fall. No one understands why I take who I take but it’s for a different reason each time. Everyday I take more and more people in and give them a blessing, an escape, a safe spot but I’ve never taken as many people from one place as I did while the camps were a thing. I ripped families apart and caused so much heartbreak that I have to deal with everyday. I give so many people an escape but I can’t get an escape myself so I’m forever stuck in this cycle of pain and heartbreak.
Subject: Suitcases
We’re leaving today and we have to pack a suitcase. The first that I put into my suitcase is my grandmother’s jewelry that I was given after she passed away. It has a bunch of her old earrings and necklaces in it and it means a lot. The next thing I pick is the old photo I have from when my parents got married. Next, I pack the blanket I’ve kept since I was little. I then pack the letter I got from a friend who lives a lot of towns over. I’ve never met her in person but she’s still one of my closest friends
Subject: Wiesel’s Father
My beloved son, I’m sorry for having left you so early and for having left you alone. I’ve watched you achieve all of your dreams from up here and I’m so proud of you. After everything you’ve been put through and all the tests you had to go through, I can’t believe you survived this far. I’ve seen the lives you’ve impacted and seen the trail you’ve left for the next generation and I’m so proud to have you share our story. I love you Elie.
