Parallel Lives

by Narelle Minton

  “I made some friends today. We walked to the shops together. It turned out better than I thought it would.”

  “There’s a chap at work with a second-hand motorbike for sale. He’s going to bring it in tomorrow for me to have a look at. If it’s all right I’ll buy it. Then we can see around a bit and look out for a house to buy.”

  Delyth threw her arms around Gwyn. “That sounds wonderful.”

  “Not too much of that now. You know the rule about meal-times. Let me get cleaned up so we can join the queue before it gets too long.”

  They collected their meals and sat down with others at a table. Gwyn did the introductions. The clatter of cutlery and blaring of raised voices reverberated through the building. Delyth looked around. “There are a lot of people here.”

  One of the others replied. “We’re only supposed to stay here for a few weeks until we find our feet, but most people hang on longer to save up for a house deposit. Some people have been here for months. It’s harder for refugees. They’ve mostly been forced out of their countries with nothing.”

  It’s nice to hear someone has sympathy toward them.

  Gwyn did, indeed, purchase the long-awaited motorbike. Now they both looked forward to weekend adventures. They explored the local beaches, gradually venturing further afield. Caves Beach was a favourite. They soon learned to surf the waves and, when the tide was out they’d wander through the caves, having to crawl through one of them to explore the multitude of rock pools on the other side. Delyth loved watching the little crabs as they crept about in amongst the different types of sea-weed. Another favourite was Port Stephens, where they explored secluded little beaches and walked around the foreshore. Delyth often lazed on the beach with a book while Gwyn did a spot of fishing. As the weather cooled they took trips into the country, marvelling at the beautiful, green hills around Dungog that reminded them of home. Gloucester Tops was another favourite, where they could enjoy long walks through the rainforest.

  Despite the warning she’d received on her first day, Delyth remained courteous to everyone. Some refugees could speak simple English and would interpret for others. She tried to talk slowly and to limit her Welsh accent, which otherwise created a stumbling block to being understood. Daniela, a sturdy little, olive-skinned woman, dressed in simple peasant clothing with a scarf tied over her hair, shared her story with Delyth one morning over coffee. “The Germans were always coming into my village and rounding up all the young women they could find. We would run away when we heard them coming. I was only fourteen when they caught me and took me away from my home in Poland. I was well-developed for my age. We were taken to Germany and lined up in a town square. All the local farmers came to look us over and take their pick. That is how I became a German slave. I had to work twelve hours a day, seven days a week on the farm and in the house, cleaning and cooking. I did not get any payment and did not have any time off. I was not allowed to leave the farm. The whole time I did not know what happened to the rest of my family and I was worried about my mother. She did not know if I was alive or dead. I suppose that I should think myself lucky that I was not a Jew because then I probably would have been killed.”

  “Did you see your mum again after the war?”

  “No. Everything had changed too much once the Russians took over Poland. I was afraid if I went back I would never get out again. After what I had been through with the Germans, I did not want to live under the Russians. Anyway, life in Poland was too hard. We never had money or enough to eat. I was glad to have escaped the place.”

  Delyth felt tears welling up in her eyes. She reached out and took Daniela’s hand.

  “Don’t you worry about me. I am strong. I had to be to survive. I will manage here in Australia all right. A lot of us have been through similar experiences you know.”

  “Just the same, I’d like to help, even if it’s just giving you a hand with your children sometimes. It can’t be easy having twins.”

  “I get by, but you’re welcome to spend some time with me and the children.”

  “What does your husband do?”

  “He works at BHP like most of the men here. We have put our name down for government housing but there is a long waiting list.”

  The next time Delyth went shopping, she found herself buying toys for the three-year-old boys. As they spent more time together, she put aside her own yearning for children, appreciating the simple joy of time spent with Daniela and her twins. She helped with bathing and feeding, as well as playing games. Hiding-go-seek was a real favourite. It was great fun chasing around looking for them. The cuddles and affection they gave were precious.

  The two women opened their hearts to each other, sharing their innermost secrets. Both knew the challenge of presenting themselves to their husbands as the weaker sex, portraying an impression of servitude that protected the men’s more fragile egos.

  “My husband is not always easy to live with,” confided Daniela one time when they were sitting together in the park watching the children play. “He had a hard time during the war.”

  “What happened?”

  “Things were in short supply in the north of Poland, where Joe lived. They used to barter for food because many people had run out of money. Then the Russians invaded in September 1939, and Joe was taken away to a prisoner of war camp. He was constantly interrogated and nearly starved. Then in 1942, with the German army advancing, Joe and a lot of other prisoners were released. They were so weak from hunger they were not able to fight so they were taken to London to restore their health. In 1943 Joe fought in Palestine in the Polish army under the British. Then he was moved on to Italy when the troops advanced there. He really was lucky to have survived and I do have to make allowances.”

  “Gwyn never talks about the war but he used to withdraw so far inside himself at times, I knew he was thinking about it. He’d get really short with me. He’s much better now. I just hope he’s over it because nothing I tried seemed to help.”

  “We’ve just got to look forward and make the most of things. It’s no good complaining about the past.”

  The friendship between the two women continued to grow. With each other they could afford to be real, glorying in their abilities and supporting one another to remain strong in their endeavours.

  In the dining room, Delyth’s attention was constantly drawn to a slightly built girl who always seemed to be coughing and spluttering, struggling to eat her meals. Initially, she’d paid little attention, assuming the child had a cold, but as the weeks went by, she showed no signs of improvement. “How old’s your little girl?” she asked the mother.

  “Eleven.”

  “She’s so tiny. She looks like she’d be lucky to be six.”

  “It’s because of the war.” Anneke, an attractive, blonde woman, introduced herself.

  Delyth followed suit. “What happened?”

  “Where we lived in Amsterdam there was hardly any food. The Germans cut off supplies to the western part of Holland. Everything was rationed. By October 1944 all we could get was a small amount of bread and potatoes.”

  “We had rationing in Britain but people didn’t actually go hungry.”

  “In Holland thousands of people starved to death. There is nothing more pitiful than walking down the street and seeing a child dying from hunger and not being able to help.”

  Delyth gasped.

  “We weren’t as bad off as some. My husband worked for the underground and was able to smuggle in a few supplies now and again. People were eating tulip bulbs and sugar beet just to stay alive. What was just as bad was the freezing cold. The supply of coal had been stopped and gas and electricity turned off. We had to cut up and burn our furniture for fuel. Everyone was hungry that winter. People called it the ‘Hunger Winter’.”

  Daniela joined then at the table with a cup of tea.

  Delyth welcomed her. “Anneke was just telling me about the ‘Hunger Winter’ in Holland.”

  “That was where I was b
etter off working on a farm. I always had enough to eat. For me, the biggest problem was the shame of being a slave in someone else’s country and having no say in my life. I thought it was never going to end and I was always going to be under the control of those wicked people who liked to tease and laugh at me. I wanted to fight back. I got so angry.”

  Anneke turned to Daniela. “Yes, I understand that humiliation, living in an occupied country. The Germans took away our pride and destroyed everything we’d created. They bombed our dykes and flooded our farmland with sea water. Being under someone else’s rule is so demeaning and frightening. The Germans decided they wanted to round up all the men and take them to Germany to work, like you Daniela. My husband hid from them, but whenever we heard a vehicle or the sound of those heavy boots outside we were afraid it was the Germans coming to get him. They would just come into our house whenever it suited them. We had no rights. Peter was away a lot with his work with the underground, which is maybe what saved him, but I was always worried, never knowing if he was alive or dead.”

  Delyth joined in. “That was one thing we shared. Gwyn was away for six years. We wrote to each other regularly but sometimes he wasn’t able to write and I was left fearing the worst. It was a relief to have him home but he’s not the same.”

  The other women nodded. It wasn’t necessary to say any more on that note.

  Anneke continued. “It was horrible when the Germans did find men hiding. They would round them up and shoot them in the street. Sometimes they made us watch. Then they would leave the piles of bodies there as an example to us. Some men gave into them after that but it made many of them more determined and they joined the underground to fight back. It rained right through November and, with the dykes in a mess, our house got flooded and I had to go and live with my parents. My two sisters were living there with their children too. We’d take it in turns to queue up for hours at the food kitchens and then sit huddled up in the evening around a candle trying to keep warm with blankets around our shoulders.”

  Delyth and Daniela sat riveted. “Most of the surrounding trees, fences and park benches were cut down by people trying to get wood for a fire. When I went back to see our house after the flood, I found it’d been demolished by people who’d taken the timber for fires to cook and keep warm. It broke my heart. It was then that Peter and I decided to migrate. There didn’t seem any point in continuing there. The obsession that everyone had to just get enough food to stay alive made us feel like animals. We thought the Allies would save us but no one seemed to care if we lived or died.”

  Delyth put her arms around Anneke who began sobbing, the tears running down onto her shoulder.

  “At least you’ve still got Peter and Hanni. You can make a new start here in Australia.”

  “Hanni was only four at the time of the ‘Hunger Winter’. In her weakened state, with the lack of proper nutrition, she contracted scarlet fever. It left her with permanent damage to both her hearing and her lungs. That’s why she coughs all the time. We hoped by coming to Australia it would be easier for her but it seems now that the damage is done and there’s not much we can do about it. The doctor said she’ll have bronchial problems for the rest of her life.”

  Delyth was shattered. “How could people be left to starve? That’s not war. That’s cruelty.”

  “Tell me about it. We didn’t even want to be in the war. Holland declared itself neutral but Germany invaded us anyway. We didn’t have the army to fight back.”

  Chapter 46

  Anneke’s story continued to disturb Delyth. “How did you survive what you went through?” she asked her, one day when they were alone in Anneke’s room.

  “I prayed and I received an answer.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I heard a voice inside my head talking to me, telling me to be strong, that it was part of my journey.”

  “What journey?”

  “Our spirit continues from one lifetime to the next. We come to earth to face challenges that enable our soul to develop. That’s the journey of the soul. God never puts more on us than we can cope with.”

  “I used to hear a voice speaking to me when I was walking in the Welsh hills. Is that what you’re talking about?”

  “Exactly! The energies are much higher in natural settings, making it easier to connect with the spirit world. We all have guides to help us with our lives. That’s who we hear speaking to us. When you experience their presence you can ask questions and receive answers. Just make sure you ask for God’s protection first, to make sure only good spirits can reach you.”

  “How do you connect with these guides?”

  “The spirit world has a higher vibration than our world. We need to raise our energy level so they can reach us. We do that by focusing on our breathing to limit thoughts coming into our head. We can try it together if you like.”

  Delyth nodded.

  “Close your eyes and sit with your palms face up. Now breathe slowly and deeply right into your stomach. Put all your concentration into watching the breath come in and then flow out again.”

  Delyth focused on her breathing for several minutes.

  “Now, imagine your breath is a golden light flowing right through your body, cleansing and purifying it.”

  Delyth felt a wonderful sense of peace. “My hands are tingling.”

  “That’s the divine energy flowing into your body with the help of your spirit guides.”

  As she went more deeply into a trance-like state, Delyth heard a voice speaking to her, “The reason for life on earth is to build loving connections. By connecting with God’s love and spreading it to others, the world can be made a better place. That is your purpose.”

  After a while, she opened her eyes and looked at Anneke, for whom she now experienced a supreme, divine love. She told her what she’d heard.

  Anneke nodded. “It all makes sense when you understand the purpose behind it. The trouble is the world is off balance. There’s so much pain around. People try to escape it by getting drunk or focusing on material gain. This can’t bring real happiness. That’s why those of us who understand have to stick together to work toward a more loving world.”

  Life in the hostel, with its cramped space, uninspiring food and overcrowding, had become monotonous. Gwyn now disappeared most evenings to drink with his work-mates. With his focus on their material well-being, he had no idea what was going on in her mind. How would he respond to hearing about the spirit world? One evening she braced herself and told him about her experiences with Anneke.

  He looked at her aghast. “I forbid you to speak to these women again. You should realise they’re witches. We don’t need these types in Australia.”

  “You’re not in a position to forbid me from doing anything. I’m an adult and I’m my own person.”

  “You’re acting like a child. I’m trying to protect you. It’s only through the grace of Jesus Christ that you get into heaven. Without faith in Him, you can’t be saved. You need to start attending chapel again.”

  “I’m happy to go to chapel with you if you decide you want to go, but I’m convinced there’s more than one path to Heaven. Anneke believes in God too.”

  “You know there’s only one God, comprising God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Anyone not worshipping our God is under the influence of Satan and is a devil worshipper. The Bible makes it clear other forms of worship are unacceptable. She’s on her way to Hell and if you let her jeopardise your Christian faith she’ll take you with her.”

  Delyth sighed with frustration. He’s so set in his ways. The Bible should be an inspiration, not a rule-book. “I’m an adult with a mind and soul of my own. You’re not going to bully me into giving up my precious friends or taking your point of view on everything.”

  “That’s the problem with coming to a place like this. You come under foreign influences. It’s time we got our own place and moved out. In the mean-time, keep to your own kind.”

  “
You work with people from all over.”

  “Yes, but I’m not gullible like you. I work with them, not live with them. You’re over with your so-called friends day and night.”

  “I only go over there for a cup of tea when you’re off drinking with your mates. At least I don’t come home intoxicated.”

  “Better than crazy!”

  The following day, as soon as Gwyn left for work, Delyth rushed to Anneke’s room to tell her what’d happened. “I’m furious with him. He always thinks he’s right. And I don’t want to lose our friendship.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I want us to be friends forever.”

  Anneke took Delyth in her arms and held her while she wept.

  As the tears subsided, she felt an electric current passing through her body and with it a myriad of coloured lights. “He doesn’t mean to be bossy and nasty. I know he loves me. It’s hard for him after all he’s been through. I want to help him. I do love him.”

  “So what does he need from you?”

  “I think he needs reassurance that I love him. I won’t tell him about our continuing friendship. I have plenty of love for everyone. I need to forgive him and keep reaching out with love.”

  Anneke held Delyth more closely and the warmth of divine love flowed through them. “And can you forgive yourself for your anger towards him?”

  Delyth felt herself tense up and the tears well up again.

  “Breathe slowly. Feel the spiritual presence.”

  Delyth focused on her breath and experienced an amazing sense of peace as all the tension and pain drained from her. It was as if God were right inside her. She could hear him speaking to her. Delyth, I love you and forgive you. She found herself repeating it, to herself, and then out loud, “Delyth, I love you and forgive you.”