Strong for Us
The room was hot with body heat and outside air seeping in through the thin walls. The smell of sweat hovered over everyone as they lay on the floor. If someone coughed or snored everybody could hear it, the next room too. Families huddled together to sleep, inches from the strangers next to them.
“Sardines! They must think we’re sardines! What are we supposed to do with no space to walk, much less sleep in this place?” Edith Goldberg’s voice carried, as usual, throughout the apartment. She was using her hushed voice to no avail. Harry Goldberg, on the other hand, said nothing.
“And yet,” she continued, “we get less to eat than my little toe. What about that, Harry?” He kept silent. She tried to lower her voice even more, which seemed to be a strain on her. “What about our babies, Harry? What about them? We can’t
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“It has been a miracle the last few days he did not get caught.” The children were all sitting inside talking amongst themselves, Sara sitting on her sister’s lap. Her face was rosier than it had been in a while. For once Edith’s voice was inaudible to mostly everyone. Isaac sat against the wall closest to them, listening in silence. “You know, there’s so many things that could go wrong Harry. I don’t think he knows the full scope of what could happen if the Nazi’s find him.” Her eyes kept shifting back to the room behind Harry. “I don’t think my heart can take much more of this, any more of this. My heart races as soon as he leaves my sight and long after he walks back into our arms.” Harry took her shaking hand. “He is smarter than you think. He is small and quick too.” “No, no, no,” she said pulling away, “You’re putting too much pressure on him, and the more we send him out, the less likely it is he’ll come back!” A few heads turned inside. Isaac kept his eyes on the floor, he was paler than