“You will do as we say,” one of the Navy men demanded. “Get into this line, and prepare to leave this ship.”
People began to rush about gathering their families close to them in panic. The tear gas burned Zofia’s eyes, and she had trouble staying focused, her nose was running profusely. Katja was choking and vomiting on the ground. Only Isaac remained somewhat in control of himself.
The Royal Navy began to threaten the passengers with thick wooden clubs. “Get in line,” they shouted. “Get in line now.”
Zofia could not move. She felt as if she were glued to her cot. Then, across the deck, Zofia saw a young boy of about ten years old throw an orange at one of the sailors. The fruit hit the man in the face, wetting his cheek and his uniform with juice. The sailor pulled a gun and shot the boy. Zofia gasped and grabbed Katja, holding her close and covering Katja’s eyes with her hand. The child who’d been shot fell to the ground. The gun blast only caused greater panic amongst the passengers. People were crying. Some were jumping overboard. They were screaming and shaking their fists.
However, some of the refugees who had survived the concentration camps were not willing to take orders without question. They had done that in the past and it had cost them dearly. Now they would fight. Several men began to charge at the sailors using anything they could find as weapons: pieces of wood, knives, broken bottles. In turn, the sailors began to hit several of the resisters with clubs.
Zofia saw Yossi Harel’s large frame reach down and lift a young boy as if the child were weightless. Then in one swoop, Harel spirited the boy out of harm’s way. Zofia recognized the child. It was Mendel, one of the boys who had become friends with Katja. Harel put the boy down in a corner where he would be safe.
The shrieks of the women pierced the night air. Isaac pulled Zofia and Katja up and began pushing them toward the stairwell where he and Zofia had hidden when they needed privacy. Katja gripped Zofia’s skirt with one hand. Tears filled the child’s eyes as she sucked her thumb. Zofia tried to comfort Katja by smoothing her hair. But Isaac insisted that they move quickly. He reached down and lifted Katja, carrying her in his arms as he led them away. He needed time to think, time to figure out what to do. Everything was happening so fast. More shots rang out, followed by louder hollering. Zofia stood still, frozen, unable to move. Blood covered the deck. She looked at Isaac, but her eyes did not comprehend.
“Come, hurry . . .” Isaac said, as he shook Zofia’s arm. “Stop watching what is happening, it will only terrify you. We must act quickly. Follow me . . .”
Zofia gave Isaac her hand and he led her down the stairs and under the stairwell. From where they were, they could hear the chaos but could not see anything. Both Zofia and Katja tucked their faces into Isaac’s chest. He held them close to him. In a soft voice cracking with pain Zofia said “We were almost there, just a few more miles, almost . . .”
Isaac nodded and he squeezed Zofia’s hand.
Zofia was sure the ship was sinking. Water had begun to seep into the belly of the boat and fill the small space where the family had gone to take refuge.
A loud crash of glass shattering somewhere upstairs pierced the screams of the passengers and the shouting of the sailors. Katja covered her ears. Zofia gave Isaac a worried look. The water began to surround them and grow deeper by the minute. Isaac knew he would have to take them all back upstairs. The ship was sinking. If they stayed below, they would drown. But before he could move, four sailors came rushing down the stairs. Zofia felt her heart pumping in her throat and ears. She could hardly contain her fear as the British came around the corner and discovered them.
“Get up. Everyone is leaving this ship.” One of the sailors said, grabbing Zofia’s arm.
Isaac stood and moved to attack the man, but the three other sailors held him back. The one who was not restraining Isaac hit him in the mouth. Isaac struggled to escape their hold.
“You are all coming with us. And believe me . . . if you cause a problem we will shoot you on the spot.”
Isaac knew they had to leave the ship. But he could not think clearly. He wanted to fight these men, wanted to kill them.
“Please, Isaac . . . we must leave here. The ship is sinking. Don’t fight with him. If he kills you, I will die, too,” Zofia said, her eyes meeting Isaacs’. She saw that her pleading had reached him. His body went limp with surrender.
“We’ll follow you. Please, I beg you; just don’t hurt any of us,” Zofia said as she helped Katja to her feet. The entire bottom of Katja’s dress was wet with seawater. Katja’s eyes were large with terror as she stared at the sailor, sucking her thumb frantically. Isaac gave the sailor a menacing stare. Then he lifted Katja into his arms and took Zofia’s hand, and the three of them climbed the stairs to join the other passengers in a line that had been formed to exit the ship.
“Come on, let’s hurry this up.” One of the Navy officers pushed Zofia a little with his rifle butt. Immediately Isaac handed Katja to Zofia, then he stepped forward, his chest out, unafraid of the sailor or his gun.
“Don’t you ever touch her again,” Isaac said, his English rusty but his eyes piercing the soldier with a threatening stare.
“Please, it’s all right. I’m not hurt,” Zofia said and she grabbed Isaac’s arm, afraid that the sailor would shoot him.
Isaac shrugged her off and stood between Zofia and the sailor, still staring at him, challenging him.
The sailor looked at Zofia holding the little girl, and then he glanced at Isaac. The sailor was a big man, tall and well-built, in his early twenties. He sighed. Zofia saw his eyes soften. He seemed to have a certain respect for Isaac. She wondered if he had a wife and child of his own.
“I’m sorry,” The sailor said.
Isaac nodded, and gently guided Zofia and Katja into the line of terrified passengers.
As Zofia and her family stood on the deck, one of the Navy men jumped over the side of the craft. Zofia turned to Isaac. “Did you see that? That sailor just committed suicide.”
Isaac shrugged. He put Katja down between the two of them.
Across the way, Zofia saw Shana and Rachel. They were being forced into the line to disembark. Rachel shrugged the sailor’s hand off of her shoulder. Then she proudly took her sister’s arm and the two of them walked together. Once again, Zofia was amazed at Rachel’s courage. What a fearless little girl Rachel is, Zofia thought.
Unexpectedly, Katja let out a piercing scream. Zofia was afraid that something or someone in the crowd had hurt her. Immediately both Zofia and Isaac bent down to see Katja crying and pointing to a child’s body that lay in a pool of dark blood, an orange in his hand.
“That’s Abe . . .” Katja said. “That’s my friend.”
Zofia lifted Katja and held her in her arms, turning her child’s face away from the murder of the young boy.
Isaac gave Zofia a worried stare. She nodded in agreement as the line continued to move forward. “Where do you think they are sending us?” Zofia asked Isaac.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. But I do know one thing. Remember that fellow who had thrown you to the ground when I first saw you on the dock?”
“You mean Koppel?”
“I believe that was his name,” Isaac said.
“Of course, how could I ever forget him? He caused me so much grief,” Zofia said.
Isaac motioned with his head to a spot on the deck. “Look over there.”
Zofia turned her head and there she saw Koppel on the ground, blood pooling all around his head.
“At least he won’t be bothering us anymore.” Isaac said.
Zofia stared at Koppel. That man had caused her such heartache, such misery. He’d sent her dear friends Fruma and Gitel to the concentration camp where they had died. She’d spent years hating him, and yet, looking at him now, all she could feel was pity. Zofia turned her head sharply away as the vomit rose in her throat. She glanced out at the vast body of water surrounding them; the dark waves rocked the boat. Th
en an idea came into her mind. She looked around her, feeling her heart race. Then she turned to Isaac.
“Isaac, Koppel was in the Judenrat. He probably has quite a bit of money or valuables on him. We need everything that we can get our hands on to help us get back to Palestine.”
Isaac nodded. “You’re right.”
“Katja, don’t move. Stay right here. I will be right back. Do you understand me?” Zofia said, as she bent down eye level with the child.
Katja nodded. “Mama, don’t go away.” Katja held fast to Zofia’s dress. Then she turned to Isaac. “Will you stay with me?” she asked Isaac.
“All right Katja, you come with us, but don’t ever tell anyone what you are about to see today. Nod your head if you understand me.”
Katja nodded. “I’m scared, Mama.”
“I know, Sunshine. But you must be brave,” Zofia said, and she kissed Katja’s forehead.
“Come now, both of you. Let’s hurry,” Zofia said. “We’re going to take whatever valuables he has on him that might be of use to us later.”
Isaac nodded.
“You keep watch; I’ll go through his pockets,” Isaac said to Zofia as they made their way across the deck.
“Don’t forget to check the lining of his coat. He may have sewn some things inside,” Zofia said. Then she turned to Katja “Turn your head away. It is better you shouldn’t see this.”
“God forgive me,” Isaac whispered. He looked around him and then took a deep breath. Kneeling beside Koppel, Isaac searched the Judenrat member’s pockets. Inside he found several pieces of gold jewelry, some of it half melted. Then, inside Koppel’s breast pocket, Isaac found a small diamond ring. Isaac ran his hands over Koppel’s jacket and the legs of his pants to see if he could find any bumps where something might have been hidden, but there were none. Then he checked Koppel’s pants pockets. Nothing was inside. Meanwhile Zofia knelt beside him, watching in all directions. In all of the commotion, no one noticed as Isaac shoved Koppel’s possessions into his pocket.
“All finished?” Zofia asked.
“Yes, hurry, let’s get back to Katja,” Isaac said.
They arrived back in line where Katja waited, sucking her thumb. A few tears had fallen down her cheeks and Zofia gently wiped them away. Then she kissed the child and held her close.
“You have blood on your hand,” Katja said to Isaac.
He cringed and wiped the blood on his pants leg.
“It’s all right, Isaac. We did what needed to be done,” Zofia said.
“I feel sick about robbing a dead man,” Isaac said.
“Never mind that, don’t think about it. What did you find?” Zofia whispered.
“Jewelry, gold, and a diamond ring. I took everything. These were probably things Koppel stole from other Jews.”
“Yes, they probably were. But we can’t help that now. I know you feel badly but please don’t. The money we get from selling these things will help us. Hide them well. We don’t want the British to find them and take them away.”
“I will,” Isaac said, his fingers folding over the valuables. Then with his other hand he removed his cap and tucked the jewels into a panel just above the brim. With great care he adjusted the fabric so that there was no bludge where the stolen goods were hidden. “They should be safe here.” He whispered to Zofia.
For a few minutes neither of them spoke. They were lost in thought. The noise on the ship seemed far away.
“Isaac,” Zofia said, her voice barely above a whisper, “where do you think they are taking us?”
He didn’t answer, and she wondered if he had heard her at all.
Zofia could see several of the passengers dropping lifeboats onto the Navy ship in an effort to damage and possibly sink her. A passenger came rushing at one of the sailors wielding an ax, but was brutally beaten with the butt of a rifle and subdued.
Even amidst all of the chaos and destruction, the Captain of Exodus and his crew still put up a hell of a fight to bring the ship into the port in Haifa. Many of the passengers continued to resist, and as they did, more people were injured. From where she stood, Zofia could see several of the crew members in a huddle on the deck. Then the crew dispersed and a voice came over the loudspeaker.
“My friends. This is Yossi Harel. I regret to inform you that the Exodus must surrender. There are too many passengers who are in need of medical care. If we agree to surrender, the British promise to bring doctors and nurses aboard. Therefore, I must announce that Exodus surrenders.”
There was a gasp from the crowd. Some of the passengers cried out in angry protest.
Rachel gripped her sister’s hand and pulled her forward as they both came running up to Katja.
“Did you see? Abe is dead.”
“I know.” Katja had tears in her eyes, but Rachel looked angry, her black eyes glaring.
“Bastards, all of them,” Rachel said.
Katja had never heard anyone use that word before and it shocked her.
“Do you think they are going to kill us, too?” Katja asked.
“I don’t know. I hate them. I hate them as much as the Germans,” Rachel said. “And as long as we live, we will fight until we have a Jewish homeland, no matter what anyone tries to do to stop us.”
“Shhh,” Shana whispered. “Quiet, Rachel.”
“I will not be quiet. I am not afraid.”
“You should be,” Shana said.
“But I am not.”
Katja whimpered softly and tucked her head into Zofia’s skirt. The voice of an officer of the British Navy came over the loudspeaker.
“You may sit. However, you must remain in line. Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with severely. If you need to use the facilities, you must request permission from one of the guards.”
Doctors, nurses, and naval men carrying first aid kits had begun to board Exodus and tend to the injured.
Isaac squeezed Zofia’s shoulder in reassurance. She looked up at him. The sun had just begun to peek through the clouds and its bright glare burned her eyes. The compassion in his gaze made her afraid she might cry. Neither said a word, but the glance that passed between them bound them in emotion.
It was an extremely hot day. The sweat trickled down Zofia’s back as they waited under the rays of the glaring sun to see what the British had in store.
Late that afternoon, Zofia assumed it was somewhere around four o’clock, Exodus pulled into port in Haifa.
“Stand up, all of you. Rise, please, and prepare to disembark.” An announcer with a proper English accent said over the loudspeaker.
Katja had fallen asleep with her head on Zofia’s lap. Gently, Zofia rubbed Katja’s back and whispered, “Wake up, Sunshine.” Katja was clammy with sweat, her face flushed from the heat.
“It’s all right, let her sleep. I’ll carry her,” Isaac said.
Rachel had fallen asleep as well, but when her sister nudged her, Rachel stirred awake. Her long dark hair was stuck to her neck with perspiration, but her dark eyes were alert with malice.
Zofia, Isaac, Katja, Rachel, and her sister Shana were pushed into a line to board a waiting ship. The waiting boat had a large metal cage installed on the deck to contain the Jewish refugees. When the cage was loaded—beyond capacity—a British sailor slammed and then locked the steel door. Then the rest of the passengers were led to another ship that had a cage just like the first one.
The children were awake now. They all stood huddled together.
“I wish I had my doll, Ethel,” Katja told Rachel. “I miss her so much.”
“I don’t care about dolls. They are just toys. Toys are silly. I wish I had a gun and I could kill all of these sailors..”
“Ethel was not silly. She was my friend. She talked to me and she understood when I talked to her.”
“No, she didn’t. Dolls are not real. They are only bits of cloth or whatever they are made of. They don’t talk and they can’t answer. And they can’t help you when you’re in trouble.”
Katja began to cry.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so cruel to you.” Rachel shook her head, and then she said, “Come here,” and put her arm around Katja’s shoulder.
Rachel smoothed Katja’s blond curls and began to sing her a song in Yiddish.
“I can’t believe Rachel still remembers that song. Our mother sang it to her when she was very young,” Shana said to Zofia.
“It worries me to think just how much of this they will remember,” Zofia said.
“All of these children have seen so many horrible things, and they are only children. No child should go through what they have been through,” Shana said.
“Yes, they have witnessed far too many terrible things,” Zofia said, biting her lower lip as she watched the children.
Chapter 20
When Zofia, Katja, Isaac, Rachel, Mendel, and Shana got to the front of the line, they saw the three prison boats lined up and being filled with passengers.
“Mama, those things look like the cages that we saw when we went to the zoo, the ones where the animals live,” Katja said, her eyes wide with fear.
“It will be all right,” Zofia said as they watched the other passengers being led to cages on two other ships.
As they got closer, they could see and hear the imprisoned passengers. Some were crying, others were pleading to know what fate had in store for them, and some were praying.
Two young boys who’d been locked into the wire cage on one of the ships were pleading for help.
“Please, can I have some water for me and my brother?” One of the boys reached his hand through the bars, trying to grab one of the British officers in charge.
The officer ignored the child.
Isaac was so moved by the boy that he halted in front of the cage.
“Don’t stop. We have to keep this line moving,” a guard said while pushing Isaac with his rifle butt.
“Don’t touch me,” Isaac spat, his eyes glaring at the man.
The Promised Land (All My Love, Detrick Series) (All My Love Detrick Book 3) Page 9