Broken Beginnings: Prologue-Chapter Two (Revised)

Prologue:

November,10,1938

There’s shattered glass all over. Everything turned upside down when we were slumbering; they covered roads in fragments of shattered glass. Businesses destroyed, synagogues, physicians, watchmakers, all varieties of businesses. The Nazis take the biggest satisfaction in the destroying our houses of worship.

Naomi slept through it all, the glass exploding, the cries of Rabbi’s and business owners. Naomi sleeps like a rock.

Men went away. They went to work camps.

Father has left. He’s working to get tickets for us to evacuate Poland. It is no longer prudent for us to remain here. We must go for our freedom, especially Naomi’s. We experience considerable risk because we are Jews, because Naomi is special, we are close to nine, identical twins, but something went bad when Naomi came, something went awry, and now Naomi forever keeps the mind of a four-year-old. Ima says having a twin like Naomi has required me to grow up before my time, but I would not trade it for anything. I love Naomi.

Mother has tears in her eyes, looking out the window, seeing the ruin. It is a melancholy time. Mother does not weep, but it’s impossible not to now. Naomi even knows something is not right.