Sewer Girls: Chapter 3

I stare at the tiny room, meant to house Mother, Izabella, and me. It’s no more than eight paces long and five paces wide. I don’t see how we are all meant to live here in such a tiny space. There were too many people crammed into this ghetto in the first place.¹ Why were we brought here? We didn’t do anything, anything at all. The Nazis took our freedom, Father, and our home. What on earth did we do wrong?

I turn my gaze to little Izabella, huddled in a corner, staring into space. Not again. No, they couldn’t do this to Izzy.

Mother walks in through the door, her face pale. She takes a deep breath and sighs.

“Home, sweet home,” I murmur sarcastically, kicking at the ground. I make a dent in the dirt floor, kicking up dust.

“Now, honey, we have to be…optimistic in times like this.” Mother says. “Think about the good things. Like…at least we’re together.”²

“No, we aren’t. And you know that. Father isn’t here, they took him--” I stop and look at Izabella, her eyes growing wider and wider. She starts to whimper, and I go over to comfort her. She snuggles into my arms, and I start to whisper soothing words when three small chunks of black bread are thrown into the room.³ A few molding potato peels are also tossed in. I walk over and inspect the bread. It’s hard as a rock, and even darker.

“Are we supposed to eat this?” asks Izabella, eying her piece of bread suspiciously.

“I suppose so, sweetheart. Try to eat it, but save some of it. We don’t know when we’ll be fed again,” Mother says, picking up her bread and the rotten peels. Izabella bites into hers.

“Ouch…yuck!” She yelps, spitting out her bite “That’s disgusting! This is a rock! It’s horrible! This is worse than dog food! I hate this place! I want to go home! Now!” Mother rushes over to her and comforts her with soothing coos.

“Try not to spit it out, sweetie. This is food. It’s good for you,” Mother says uncertainly.

I eye my piece of bread and try to nibble it, but, like Izabella said, it's as hard as a rock. I toss my bread to Mother. I'm just so generous.

1 “The ghetto was enclosed by a wall that was over 10 feet high, topped with barbed wire, and closely guarded to prevent movement between the ghetto and the rest of Warsaw. The population if the ghetto…estimated to be over 400,000 Jews…with an average of 7.2 persons per room” (“Warsaw” 1)

2 Many people lost almost all of their family members, and they only had themselves. Luck was needed very badly if you wanted to survive. Some of the soldiers killed people for no reason and you heard of your family member’s deaths from friends in the camps (Zullo and Boushun 184).

3 Food was very bad quality, things not wanted by Germans or Gentile Polish people. Bread was filled with sand and ash, though food could keep them alive. The people in the ghetto shared with and took care of one another. Some, though, who were starving, literally, stole packages from people walking down the street. If there was food, they ate it. If there wasn’t, they threw it away. (Stewart 55-59).