I moved forward with the others and held tightly onto my sister, Elsie. She gripped tightly as we were pushed forward. I almost lost my balance but managed to keep upright.

"Cessia, I'm scared...” she whispered softly. I looked down at her and smiled reassuringly. I was scared too but I couldn't tell her. I promised to protect Elsie no matter what. We walked forward whilst on lookers stared. By looking at Elsie and me, you wouldn't think we were sisters. I had long brown hair and hazel eyes whilst Elsie was blonde with big sapphire eyes. She was almost a perfect Aryan apart from the fact that, like me, she was Jewish. My sister held tightly onto me and I squeezed her hand. I was surprised that Elsie was still carrying her rag doll as mine was snatched away by Nazi solider. Maybe the cold tin solider was not cruel enough to take a doll off such a young child.

I stumbled again as we were pushed forward. I looked ahead hoping to see where we were being taken but I could not see pass the thousands of other Jews. We continued to walk forward until an officer stopped our crowd. We where destined for a different place. Again we marched forward and as I peered over the top of the crowd and noticed that we where headed towards the cattle cars. I pushed though the crowd with my sister in hand to the S.S officer.

“Excuse me sir, where are we going?” I asked politely. I knew better then to be rude to an officer.

“You are being taken to a camp, there you shall be looked after and will work.” The officer replied angrily, he had obviously been asked the same question by another. I nodded and continued to walk. I hoped they would be kind to my sister there. Being only a child of 7 she couldn’t work very hard and was prone to illnesses.

“Where did mother go?” The small voice beside me asked. I looked down at Elsie.

“She has been taken away to a better place” I answered her quietly. It was a sin to lie but in this case, nessary. If Elsie knew our parents were dead, it would destroy her.

“Why isn’t she with us?” My sister often asked me this.

“She has to be with father, like I have to be with you” I answered. This simple answer normally silenced Elsie but she knew better.

“I want to be mother, Cessia. I don’t like being away from her!” Elsie cried.

“Shush Elsie! You must remain quiet. You will see mother again soon but you must wait a while with me and you must be quiet.” I hushed my sister.

We suddenly stopped walking and ushered into the cattle car. It smelt of death and rotting animals. I was crammed into a corner along with my sister. The Nazis continued to pack the car full of other Jews and it was getting increasingly harder to breathe. Elsie gripped onto my hand tightly and let out a shriek.

“You will be at your new home very soon and the trip shall be a short one.” I heard the S.S officer inform me and the others in the car. Then came the clanging of bolts and the car door was shut and all was black.

Elise cried in distress. She had feared the dark since she was young and could never cope when it was night time. For her, this was hell. Another child howled from the other side of the car and many people started to cry. I would have cried too but I knew I must be strong, both for myself and my sister.

“Elise, listen to me, I know this is scary but it won’t be long. We will see mother soon and she will be proud of you, but for now, you have to be brave.” I informed my sister in the darkness. I felt a squeeze of my hand and a small whimper and I knew my sister had understood what I had told her.

I jerked forward along with the others as the cattle car jerked forward. The rhythmic clack of the train started up and the rumbling of the track became hypnotic. I tried to keep my sprits up and started to believe my story that at the end of the journey, mother would be there. The fantasy continued to play in my head. Father would be there too and the Nazis would give us new clothes and feed us good food. I smiled to myself and despite happiness that the story gave me I could not ignore the ache in my legs, I needed to sit down. Elise tugged at my top gently and distracted me from my thoughts.

“Cessia, I’m hungry, really hungry and I don’t feel well. Can’t we find one of those men so they can give us some bread or water?” Elsie begged me. I looked down sympathetically at her even though I could not see her face.

“We shall be there soon” I answered her.

“Soon! I was on one of these for four days last time!” a lady scoffed from the opposite side of the carriage. People in the carriage mumbled softly to themselves at this remark.

“The Nazi said it would not take long” The man beside me answered.

“That’s what they told us last time! Ten people died on the way! And when we get there, we shall be separated and sent straight into the gates of hell!” A different woman impatiently shouted. Muffled sobs came from the side of me.

“Cessia! Say it isn’t true!” My sister pleaded with me.

“You speak lies” I shouted into the darkness.

“I wish I did young one, but I am afraid it is the truth. I watched my own daughter being taken away and burnt.” The woman informed me. The carriage went silent.

I cannot remember how long we waited for. The smell got worse as the hours went on but finally the rhythmic clanging and clacking stopped. Everyone in the carriage became deathly silent and the muffled code of the Nazis could be heard. A loud bang was heard and the carriage door opened up. The pale sunlight shone in and hurt my eyes. I blinked a few times then turned my attention to Elsie who was leaning against me. I shook her slightly to wake her up. Elsie did not stir. My heart missed a few beats and I felt the blood drain from my face, what if she was dead? I shook my sister again and to my relief her eyelids snapped open to relieve her once sapphire eyes.

“I don’t feel well, I want to sleep and the sun hurts my eyes.” Elsie explained. She was an ashen colour. I smiled weakly.

“We are here. You have to be strong for mother” I told her sweetly. Elsie looked up at me, nodded and held onto my hand.

“Get out! Don’t worry about your belongings they will be taken care of.” An officer instructed us.

I started to get out when I felt a tug on my hand. Elsie had dropped her doll. I let go of her and walked back into the carriage to get it. An S.S guard saw me walk over to the carriage and followed.

“Raus schnell!” He instructed me. I looked up at him. Our family had only recently moved to Germany and I did not know the language. The guard looked angrily and shouted again “Raus Schnell!. Jatzt!”

I picked the torn doll up from the carriage floor and got out. The guard walked closer to me and pointed the gun in my face. I didn’t dare move or breathe in case he shot. His small dark eyes bored into mine and searched my soul. I felt naked under his watch. He lowered his gun then kicked me in the stomach. I groaned in pain and doubled over on the floor. The guard looked down on me and spat disgustingly on me. I looked up to see my sister in tears. I gathered my strength and got up, stumbling a little. I walked over to my sister and handed her the doll. Then grabbing her hand I made my way over to the line.

Once in the line a Nazi doctor came over to me. His hands stroked my hair softly then moved to my face. He smiled cruelly and felt his way down my body. I was disguised but did not speak out. Next he moved onto my sister, I felt ashamed for letting a man check her out in an inappropriate way. A general also came over and declared that both me and my sister where to go to the left. I obeyed the officer and held tightly onto my sister. I joined the other women and we proceeded to follow the officer.

“Where are we going?” Elsie asked me quietly.

“To see mother” I informed her. I did not know if this was true but it would keep Elsie happy for a while. Her pale face broke into a smile and she hugged her doll a little closer.

We walked closer until the officer called a halt.

“You will all be moved into you new homes shortly. Firstly, We will need to disinfect you all first. Please removed your clothes and continue to walk forward” the officer commanded. A cold feeling swept over my body. I, along with many others, have just lost any pride we might have had. I stripped down and stood there along with the other women and children. The air was cold and biting. Elsie shivered and I wrapped my arms around her. The commander laughed to himself and I couldn’t help but be disgusted. Again I walked forward, the stones starched alone my feet and Elsie gave out a cry, she had cut her foot on a sharp rock.

“Keep walking, mother shall be here soon” I reassured her.

We finally came to a halt again I looked forward. In front of me was a grey building with no windows just a door. The commander walked over and opened the door with a smile. “Inside you go” He prompted with a smile. Everyone piled in and when the last jew was in, the door was closed. I felt sick. There was little light but I could see the blood on the wall and the skeletons in the corners. I felt Elsie’s soft hair against my hair

“I’m scarred and I can’t find mother!” she declared loudly. Her naked body stayed close to mine and she still kept the doll in hand. The officer had let her keep something.

“Mother shall be here soon...” I promised her. I heard a few screams as the door was locked and many pounded on the walls begging for mercy. I mealy stood there and prayed to the God that got me in this mess.

Then I saw smoke engulf the people taking their souls with them. Cries for help got louder and screams of mercy shouted out. My sister cried loudly and her body was shaking. There was blood on the fall and an arm grabbed out to get me. I moved away but the angel of death approached me. I run for the door but the smoke followed. I heard cracks of skulls and felt the vomit of others on my feet. Then one last scream for help. Then Darkness.