The park

It was September 2^nd. It has been exactly sixty nine years since World War ll was over. Two old men were walking around a park like they usually do every day. 

“I’m getting tired, maybe we should sit down,” said Soloman.

“You’re right I’m getting tired as well,” said Abraham. They both walk to the nearest bench and sit down. Abraham catches Soloman staring at the identification tattoo on his arm. Abraham quickly covers the tattoo with his hand and attempts to start a conversation.

“So how is your wife doing Soloman,” asked Abraham.

“She is doing well, thanks for asking,” replied Soloman.

They both sit in awkward silence until Soloman pushes Abraham’s hand away from where he was hiding the tattoo.

“You don’t have to hide it from me Abraham,” said Soloman.

“I am just ashamed of having it in the first place, I don’t want people asking me about it either,” said Abraham.

“I know, it is a sensitive topic, but you can’t keep hiding it forever,” said Soloman.

“I try so hard every day to forget my experience in Auschwitz but it will never happen,” said Abraham.

“I can’t forget about the experience I had fighting in the war,” said Soloman.

“I was ten years old when my family was forced to get on the train to Poland, I had no idea where we were going, everyone heard rumors but we never knew for sure until we stepped foot off that train,” said Abraham.

Soloman just looked at Abraham and listened.

“The ride there was horrible, we were all cramped up in one place, we were treated as if we were animals and I never understood why.”

Tears start to go down Abrahams face but he wipes it away quickly.

“I will never forget the day we arrived because that was the last day I would ever see my family again.”

“My mother and my father caught the flu while we were in the train they tried to hide the symptoms or else they would be left to die in the cold.”

Abraham looks up at the sky trying to hold back the tears from coming faster.

“The day we arrived my parents were already too weak to get out of the train so when the Nazis yelled at them to get out they couldn’t, the Nazis took it as them disobeying orders and shot them in front of everyone.”

“I am so sorry Abraham,” said Soloman.

“I know I am a survivor but sometimes I wish I wasn’t so I wouldn’t have to live the rest of my life with those dreadful memories,” said Abraham.