SMALL CHILDREN IN LABOR CAMPS
Benjamin shook and shivered against the wood. His skin crawled with splinters and anything else the bed pricked inside him. He could not evenly sleep because he dreamt of family memories, it could’ve also been because his expiration date was unknown. He dreamed of how he would sing "My Little Sunshine" to his screaming daughter before she would sleep. When she woke up, she would kiss his forehead and sung it back to him. The memories caused him to be anxious and hungry day after day, it was increasing his suffering by the millions. Food was the least of his worries, he had family to think about.
The metal door scraped against the slit of the window. Two beady eyes peeked through with an angry stare. The guard opened the iron door and shouted commands at the young man. He was told to take off his shoes and walk with him. Fear practically melted his brain. He wasn’t sure what would happen to him at that point. The guard stopped approximately ten feet away from a rusty orange guillotine. He sternly asked for last requests of the puny young man. Benjamin collapsed to his knees with dry, cold and fearful tears dripping from what used to be his hopeful blue eyes. He exclaimed he wanted to see his family before he had to leave earth. The guard nodded and shuttered under his breath, “Pathetic.” Guards tramped off to receive the unaware family, all seven of them.
Nearly fifteen minutes later, fourteen polished eyes appeared in front of Benji. He said while inhaling patiently, “First time I have seen you all since I have been here.” The family shook their heads and sobbed in disbelief as they were told the execution date was reached.
The guards chuckled and brought the family around behind the guillotine. He whispered to the family to stay where they were placed. All of them longed to go back to their frigid cells. The leader of the four guards brought Benjamin into place inside the rusted guillotine. Benjamin, voice muffled, said, “I love you all.”
His youngest daughter, at the age of seven, ran over to him and kissed his forehead. She then whispered close to his ear, “You are my sunshine.” The blade snapped and everything fell quiet. Flushed panicked tears ran down all of their faces. The guards were speechless, it was silent when they led the sad group back to their dark cells. The family was not imprisoned inside the labor camp anymore, they were imprisoned in depression and guilt.
She sat inside the bone chilling cell, scratching her head. She looked up at the flickering light bulb towards the ceiling. Boiling tears trickled down her face as she started to sing, “Sunshine you were my sunshine, you made me happy when skies were grey.”
The door slammed open violently, a booming voice shouted, “Take off your shoes. Please follow me.”
Appreciate everything you have, and what you have had.