Under Amber Skies

by Maria V. Snyder

  "Did you marry him for love or for Poland?"

  She won't answer. But deep down I know. With such different views of the world, it must have been difficult for them to be together.

  "Why didn't you leave him?" I ask.

  "It was my duty to my country. If I had succeeded, we wouldn't be worried about another war."

  "Why didn't he leave you, then?"

  A strange wry smile twists her lips. "He wouldn't leave you, Zosia."

  Her answer reminds me that she didn't answer my other question. "Has Father sent you any letters?"

  "No."

  Her answers don't match. If Father wouldn't leave me then why was he in America? Unless ... I stand on weak legs. My mother calls to me as I pass her and stumble down to the basement.

  Kneeling by the rough patch of dirt, I cry. What has she done?

  "Zosia," Mother says behind me. "What are you doing?"

  I whirl around. "You killed him." It's not a question.

  "He was a traitor."

  "Are you going to kill me, too?"

  "Why would I do that?"

  "Because I'm leaving." Fanned out behind her is my crab army. It's almost as if they know they should keep a respectful distance from us.

  "Don't be silly. You're staying with me."

  "Why do you want me to stay?"

  "You're creative and can help me design weapons."

  She says nothing about me being her daughter. Nothing about love. Nothing about family. "Did you make that statue of the girl with springs for her hair for me?"

  Confused, she's slow to answer. "Yes."

  "Why did you make it?"

  "To keep up the ruse. To make you think your father was still here. He was always making you worthless things."

  I close my eyes for a moment as pain rolls through me. The statue was part of the deception. Not a gift to comfort me when I was lonely and missing my father. "I'm taking Inek home and then I'm leaving."

  "No. You're not. You're going to go to your room. I'll take care of Inek." Her cold tone coats my shattered heart in a layer of ice.

  "Like you took care of Father and the Nazis?" I shudder. "No."

  When I fail to move, she pulls a Luger from her apron pocket and aims it at me. "Go to your room. Now."

  I gape at her. By the set of shoulders, I knew she'd kill me for being a traitor. She has only one love. And it's not me or my father.

  My crabs sense a threat. Silent on the dirt floor, they overwhelm her in mere seconds.

  She yells my name, but I turn my back on her.

  Her shrieks follow me as I climb the steps to check on Inek.

  Like she said, it's war.