“Heinz, you won’t let them take me away, will you?” Tomas asked, his little hand sneaking into Heinz’s larger one. “I know you don’t like me being scared and acting like a baby but I can’t help it. I feel like I don’t belong here anymore. Everyone hates us and I don’t know why.”
Heinz squeezed Tomas’ hand. He was torn between wanting to stay to fight with the resistance, limited though it was, and doing his duty by his brother.
“Heinz, please don’t leave me. I’ll do everything you say. I won’t talk, or get on your nerves. I won’t touch your stuff. I’ll even give you Brown-Bear. I hear you walking around at night, I know you find it hard to sleep. He’d help you.”
Heinz bent down and picked up the younger boy. “Papa gave Brown-Bear to you, Tomas. You keep it, but thank you. You don’t have to bribe me to stay with you. I’m your big brother. I won’t leave you. Ever.”
Tomas wound his hands around Heinz’s neck, wetting his shirt collar. Heinz couldn’t say a word, his own tears were flowing too. He had to leave but one day he’d come back and have revenge on all those who tortured his family. They would pay, the Dachau guard with the scar on his face most of all.
The next morning, Heinz had breakfast laid out on the kitchen table before Trudi appeared. She ignored him as she took her seat, Liesl on her lap.
“Tomas and I will go on the Saturday train. I will see what food I can gather before we go. Aunt Chana will help me.”
“You will take Liesl too?” Trudi asked. She held her baby so tight the child protested loudly.
“I think she should stay with you.”
With that Heinz walked out of the apartment. He had to visit Aunt Chana and say goodbye.
10
Station Platform
“Heinz Beck.”
“Here.” Heinz moved closer to the man with the list standing behind the row of desks. He stared straight ahead of him despite his stepmother’s pleas to remain invisible. It wasn’t possible for a boy of his height to hide behind the crowds, particularly in this sea of infants and children.
The man’s gaze flickered over him, his mouth twitching but whether in amusement at Heinz’s bearing or annoyance, Heinz wasn’t at all sure.
“Your papers.”
Heinz handed over the papers with the red stamped J on the front. The man glanced at them before staring at him, a challenging expression in his eyes.
“It says here you are fifteen-years-old.”
Was that a question? Heinz didn’t know, so he stayed silent.
“Jewish pig, I am speaking to you. I asked you a question.”
“Actually, you stated my age.” Heinz staggered back with the force of the blow.
“Be careful boy or I will have you thrown on the train to Dachau, not put on this children’s day trip.” His lips curled over the word children. Heinz squeezed his hands, the nails biting into his palms. How he longed to hit the man square in the jaw. He heard the voice of his stepmother carrying across the crowd.
“Excuse me, please Sir. Heinz, take Liesl.”
“Yes, take the baby. A nursemaid is all you’re good for.”
Heinz couldn’t believe Trudi had shown him up like that in front of this Nazi thug. He didn’t want her brat.
Heinz bristled, as the Nazi gloated. He took a step forward but then saw that this was exactly what the man wanted. He was looking for a fight, so he could mash him into a pulp and then blame the Jewish community for not behaving. If it was just the two of them, Heinz stood a chance. He was well-built, although, given the starvation rations at Dachau, he had lost muscle. Still, he would give everything he had and die trying. But he had to think of the children. The little ones around him who waited to get on this train to safety. If he fought back, others would follow his lead and the Nazis would send the train away empty. He couldn’t do that. Not to Tomas, his five-year-old brother now staring at him, a combination of awe and abject terror on his face. It was this that brought him back to his senses.
Trudi had pushed through to his side. How had she managed that when the parents were detained outside the platform?
“Heinz, take her, please. You are her only chance. Forget what you think of me. She is your baby sister. Please, for your father’s sake.”
Papa. That was low. He closed his eyes, determined to block the last image he had of his father from his mind. His bloodied scalp, the broken bones, the… “Heinz, the train. Go, now.”
“The baby needs papers too.” The man held out his hand, his gaze assessing Trudi. Heinz saw the same expression in his face as the SA men had on the train back from Dachau – admiration fighting with disbelief. Trudi didn’t look Jewish, at least not in the way these monsters thought. She was only twenty-one and despite the lack of food, still looked young and very attractive. Heinz knew his friends fancied his stepmother. Even calling her that seemed ridiculous; the woman was barely six years older than he was. Far too young to have taken the place of his darling Mother.
“Papers.”
Trudi looked directly into the Nazi’s face. Her bravery was inspiring but then Heinz remembered he hated her.
Trudi’s voice shook slightly as
