Teddy



Her feet padded down the hall quickly. "Papa!"
The big man swept the girl up into his arms. "What is it, mein schatten?"
"I can't find Teddy!" She cried over the sirens, now blaring their second warning.
Looking into her eyes, brimming with tears, he saw that they could not leave without looking. "Where did you last see him?"
He was in Bill's room." She sniffed, "But he won't let me in."
"Alright let's go check." He propped her on his hip and carried her back down the hall. "Bill?"
A disheveled teenager appeared in the doorway. "Yeah?"
"Your sister says she left Teddy in your room."
"But dad--!"
"No, we don't have time, let her look." He set his daughter down and she dashed around her brother and into the room.
"Teddy? Teddy?" She called while looking under the bed.
Bill rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "We don't have time for this."
As he heard the sirens wailing John knew his son was right. "Katherina we must go." He went and scooped his daughter up. "Teddy will be here when we return."
"No we can't leave him!" She started flailing her arms and legs. But this did not deter her father. He threw her over his shoulder, clamping her legs tight to his chest.
"William, come on." John ordered before sweeping out of the room.

Katherina fought her father all the way down the street to the ****** house. Theirs was the only basement deep enough on Hammond Street. She was barely aware of the whispered conversation between her father and Herr ******.
The basement smelled of fear. Everyone was huddled together, holding their breath for the inevitable. John finally set Katherina down, only to sit against the wall and pull her into his lap. Bill took up a seat beside his father and surveyed his frightened neighbors.
When he could stand it no more, John broke the silence. "Why don't you sing for me, leibling?"
"Sing what papa?" Katherina asked.
John smiled at her fondly. "One of yours."
So she sang, her tiny voice filling the room. Gradually all of the rustling and fidgeting stopped as everyone turned to listen to her song. It was like they needed to hear her sweet innocent voice to remind them that there was good in the world.
A scream pierced the night, silencing Katherina. John and several other men rose to their feet. "Papa?" Katherina's eyes were wide with fear.
John cast a calculating glance over the basement. "Come here." He gestured to his children and led them over to the stairs. Pushing the under the steps John bent down to look his children in the eyes. "I've got to go help that woman."
"NO!" Bill exclaimed his eyes pleading.
"Yes. She needs help." John cut his son's argument off. "William I want you to look after your sister and stay here."
Bill nodded slowly. "Yes, father."
"Good lad." John said ruffling his hair. "Katherina, mind your brother while I'm away."
She couldn't speak around the lump that rose in her throat so Katherina only nodded.
"That's my girl." John hugged first Bill then Katherina tightly before standing. "I love you both." He turned to leave hearing Bill's reply of love.
Forcing the words past her mouth Katherina cried out. "Papa!" He looked back from the bottom of the stairs. "I love you!" Tears overflowed her eyes.
John smiled sadly, he knew what he was risking, but he had to try and help or he couldn't live with himself. "Don't forget to sing, leibling." And he was gone. Katherine buried her head in her brother's chest and began to sob in earnest.
Then the bombs fell. The noise was deafening as brother and sister clung to each other. Seconds stretched into hours as the world fell around them. At some point the basement around them collapsed, only the stairs saving them from being crushed. They watched realization dawn on their neighbors' faces just before the ceiling came crashing down. Numb, they waited for the stairs to give out.
Long after the bombs had stopped falling their ears were ringing. Only when he saw the first rays of dawn did Bill snap out of his trance. "Come on, Katherina." He boosted his sister through one of the holes between the steps then crawled out after her.
The devastation was immense. Fires were glowing dimly and no house had survived without damage. Many had collapsed roofs or entire walls blown out. A few, like the one they had just come from, were destroyed entirely. The road was barely recognizable with chunks missing and piles of rubble. They saw that their house had been flattened like the Albrecht's.
Bill took Katherina's hand and together they went to survey the pile of debris that was left of their house. Bill kicked aside a brick and spotted a dusty brown arm. Moving a few more bricks and he uncovered a very forlorn looking teddy bear. Katharina took it silently and they continued on their way. They found a silver spoon and, miraculously, an untouched picture of their mother and father from before the war.
As the sun started to rise the horizon turned red. Looking at the picture in his hand Bill remembered his father's last words and took his sister's hand in his. "Sing for him Kat, sing for all of them."