Isaiah's War

                                   Part 2

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READ WITH Track Suggestion- "The Last Man"
By: Clint Mansell 
"The last Man" Theme Link 

Jolts in his memory repeatedly forced the images of explosion in the shop into his head as Isaiah struggled to forget the events.  When he remembered, he beat his hands on the floor, the process was not working.  Frustrated, Isaiah stood on his knees and decided that keeping himself busy would help him forget.  He hummed as he crawled over to his mother to fix the blanket draped over her knee.  He had found that blanket days earlier in the alley he called home behind Jedynka, the Ukrainian owned night club.  He eyed the short gray blanket as he fixed it over his mother’s knee and let if fall behind her back.  His back ached and though he knew the gray blanket would help alleviate some of the tension, she needed it more.  The alley behind Jedynka had been his home for the last three months.  He realized that if he seemed deprived enough or if he caught one on a good night, the cabaret dancers would provide him with some of their work costumes, food, maybe even some of the tip money they made that night.  Isaiah especially liked Caroline.  She was the second most beautiful Jewish woman he had ever met; he adored his mother too much for her to relinquish that title, 

especially since he helped make his mother beautiful.  

 He would dab any of the discarded make up on her that he could find.  He felt as skilled at applying it as the cabaret dancers and their makeup washed look.  Caroline was also the dancer with the most compassion for she would give him the most.  He had gotten shoes, socks, a jacket, and even started a small allowance from Caroline.  Isaiah was anxious.  Tonight he knew Caroline was dancing at Jedynka.  On other days he would search for goods himself at nearby alleyways but strolling Germans looking for Jewish kids to bully made it dangerous.  The streets were also becoming overcrowded with other homeless families searching for goods.  Luckily, he and his mother were alone behind Jedynka.  He felt safer there because he trusted Caroline and waiting on her was more welcomed than the cries, coughing, and fighting just yards away in the open street of Opole.   So Isaiah waited, and as he waited he tended to his mother after she would cough.  

 He waited…

 and waited… 

and waited all afternoon for Caroline to finish her performances and then retreat to the back of the club to smoke.  That was when he would corner her and smile so she would give him a small portion of what she had.  Isaiah did not want it all however.  She was a Jewish woman, and he understood Jewish women in Poland were as worse of as he and his mother were.  As he waited the long afternoon, cleaned the dry spit around his mother’s bottom lip, and forced the images of the explosion out of his mind, Irwin arrived at the time he always did and asked Isaiah to play with him.  Isaiah pitied his young lad because he was the boy who spoke staring at the floor.  Irwin was also two years younger than Isaiah; a short, pale, and skinny boy who wore a stained burlap sack as a shirt.  Isaiah would sometimes wonder why Irwin chose to wear the heavy beat up sack, though when winter hit, Irwin beamed because he felt like the smartest on the block.  Irwin’s blue eyes would also startle Isaiah by how they pulsated due to the veins on the corner of his eyes.  One upward stare and those blue eyes told Isaiah of Irwin’s anguish and hunger. 

 It was getting darker and Caroline had still not visited him.  Isaiah felt she would soon charge out the club to relax and smoke, but Isaiah also enjoyed giving Irwin a bit of his time because after they played, Isaiah understood Irwin would leave to a separate alley to sleep where he hid all his things.  Irwin was Isaiah’s eyes and ears of Opole.  He managed to attract a lot of goods from willing people since his decomposing look demanded what was understood as “street” praise.  Even the poor in Opole welcomed Irwin until he stole from them.  Since Isaiah first met him in an alleyway, searching for food in a dumpster, Irwin had always been a confident and direct boy, young but very recognizable from the same large burlap sack he always wore with his quick snappy judgments and loud talking inquisitions. 

“You waiting for the blonde lady again?” Irwin asked Isaiah with both hands in the makeshift pockets of his sack.  One close glance and anyone could tell the pockets were cut too wide to reveal some of Irwin’s inner thighs.  As soon as he asked, Irwin picked up a rock and chucked it to the door of Jedynka and both

boys watched as it landed at a spot Isaiah felt was too close to where his mother rested.   

“Ya” Isaiah spoke while staring at the rock.  “Don't do that.  You should wait for me… I promise I will race you.”  Isaiah’s promise appealed to Irwin as a slight smile beamed at the corners of his mouth and his eyes flared up.  Isaiah smiled too for he enjoyed seeing Irwin smile.  It was an impression that was surprisingly convincing; it comforted Isaiah and assured him that he didn’t need to feel sorry for Irwin.  The young lad was well liked and supported by a lot of the poor Jews on the streets of Opole, but he was also unlucky.  As Irwin slowly walked away and kicked up rocks with his bare legs, Isaiah ogled his back and thought how the Germans had taken Irwin’s parents and left him and his bigger brother, who later passed away, to take care of each other when they were both five and six.  Isaiah especially liked Irwin because they shared the loss of family at the same age.  The minute Irwin had turned the corner while now lifting and chucking the rocks as high in the air as he could, Caroline sprang open the door and rested on the rail attached to the short stairs, eyes sorrowful and head pointed to the heavens as if surveying the top of the alleyway for God himself to reassure her everything will be fine.  She did not see Isaiah at first as he beamed with a deep impressed smile right under her feet, his head raised and his eyes on her chin.  Caroline then faced down and, for a second, seemed to jump back at the sight of Isaiah.  

As he suspected, she was beautiful. 

Her large eyes glowed and pierced through him.  He felt she knew his story by just the way her eyes rested on his.  The heavy blue shade around her dark eyelashes matched perfectly with the green and bluish glow from the club.  Her glittery skin, feathered leggins, and glossy lips made the cold chill in the alleyway simply, disappear.  

She looked warm, rich, someone he felt he could shower with his collectibles.  He immediately glanced at his opened jacket and torn shorts.  He knew he should have changed for Caroline.

          “It’s you little lad.” She said with what seemed to be a sigh.  “It is too cold to be out here” She spoke as she eyed the heavens once more and then huffing as she threw her cigarette away.  Isaiah remained smiling and staring at her cabaret gown.  Caroline seemed flustered as if she was in a hurry to get back to work.  He wanted to ask if she was in a hurry but remained frozen and smiling at her. 

         “Look, lad, you have to understand, I cannot be seen giving you things.  Ma employer would put me back on the streets.”  Caroline turned around and stared at the metal door opened slightly ajar, with her hands on the rail, swaying back and forth as if ready to jump to her death.  She then turned back to Isaiah with a worried look that stung a bit in his chest.  He sensed fright in her voice. 

   “Sorry if I get you in trouble Ms,” he said shamefully dropping his head.

“No, its okay, its not you.”  She spoke softly and dragged her words as someone would when attempting to apologize for a mistake they had made.  She even tried a smile to mask her nervous expression to comfort the solemn boy. 

“Thank you,” Isaiah blushed and uncurled his toes in his socks.  His bunions hurt and short jabs of pain raced up his legs when he tried moving his toes without moving his feet.  He began wanting to run and leave Caroline standing at the exit of the club before she could disappoint him as others had done in his past, but he knew he could not leave his sickly mother sitting in the alley.  “I was just wondering if today you had any-”

“I’m sorry no.  And I cannot keep giving you what I have.”  Her quick confession pained him in his chest as if the stabbing jolts in his foot had raced to his heart.  Her answer felt rehearsed.  He thought to himself he had already lost Caroline.  He had to keep her, anyway he could he wanted to keep talking to her, he understood this was the last time since she wanted nothing more to do with him.    

"Oh I understand, well do you have any medicine for ma mum?” 

“Medicine?”

“Your mum?”

“Yes,” Isaiah turned and pointed in the direction his mother sat resting with her legs spread straight in front of her.  As he looked at his mother, he began smiling.  For once, she seemed peaceful there.  He then turned back to Caroline who he saw had a different expression.  She was looking in the direction of Isaiah’s mother but with a gaze like the German soldiers give when they curiously speculate the fitness of the Jews they wish to put to work.  She kept her hands on the rail and inched her body closer, almost falling over as if trying to get a better look at the resting woman.  She frowned as she turned back and gawked at Isaiah with a befuddled expression on her face.

 “You need medicine for your mum?”  She slowly raised her head to Isaiah and then stared back at the mother.  After what felt like the longest minute, Caroline relaxed her shoulders as she slowly took her hands of the railing. 

“Oh son…” Caroline mumbled under her breathe and then reached into her bosom to draw several bills.  Isaiah was less concerned with her perplexed manner than he was with the items she was able to remove from a hidden breast pocket.  “Here, you need to leave.  It is cold out here.  Take these bills.”  After gently tossing a ball of money to Isaiah, Caroline reached once again into her breast pocket to retrieve a small torn piece of paper. 

“You can find him at the Cove passed late.”  He may be able to help you.” Caroline gestured to the paper as Isaiah read the name Sparrow sloppily written in black ink. 

“Be careful with him lad, he is a dangerous fellow if you git on his wrong side.  I shouldn't even be given you his name, so if he asks tell him Caroline sent you and she will give him double.”  She then turned around, and after straightening her back and radiating a confidence that seemed to re-energize the color in her rainbow streamed cabaret uniform, she strutted back into the club.  She did not wait for Isaiah to thank her as she loudly closed the door, completely shutting Jedynka’s rhythmic beat from the quiet alley, where Isaiah stood with mouth wide open and grinning at the loot his love just handed him.

  

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READ WITH Track Suggestion- "London"
By: James Newton Howard
"London" Theme Link

          As Isaiah played with the money in one hand and stared at the piece of paper in his other, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Caroline even though she had already retreated inside.  He remained smiling and skipped to his mother to show her what he had collected.  Upon reaching his mother, Isaiah dropped to his knees and drew the torn paper close to his face.

“Spa-r-o… sparrow?”  Isaiah read again to himself the name Caroline had handed him.  He retuned to smiling and glanced at his mother who he was happy to see smile back at him through half rested eyes.  His heart raced. 

“We are going to get you some medicine mama.  I think Caroline just saved us.  She saved us mama, God bless her.  See mama, there are good people still living in Poland.  You know mama she is just like Irwin… she is nice and sweet, just like Irwin.  And you know what; this person, Sparrow, must be nice especially if he knows Caroline.  Don’t you think so mama?”  Soon after, he relaxed his grinning face as he watched his mother cough.  As he watched her, he thought to himself that he could not wait to get her the best Christmas surprise that will be better than rough blankets, and better than money, but a trip out of Opole.

          Isaiah slumped over the mattress and waited for his mother’s eyes to close so he could run to find Irwin and join him.  He played with the socks on his feet and took in the smell of dirt and lead from the cemented alleyway.  As he watched his mother’s eyes, he listened to more explosions in the distance.  He could hear the fast beating music reverberating from the club, though the distant bombs were more deafening.  The bombs drowned out everything and swallowed the city of Opole into complete chaos and desolation.  Isaiah bit his cracked lips as he grew more scared of the fighting that he sensed was drawing closer to him.  He wondered why the Germans insisted on fighting and grew more furious because he suspected they were coming to take his mother away.  The stark realization that his mother may be a sitting target caused him to struggle his way up from the cardboard, and after dusting of the jagged rocks from the asphalt that stuck to the palm of his hand and the bottom of his chin, Isaiah climbed into the club’s dumpster.  The wind grew colder as the air in Opole glazed into a dark and smoky fog.  Isaiah searched for a cloth he could share with his mother.  Sharp edges of tossed cardboard and boxes stung him as he searched.  He smeared his blood from the small cuts on the moist and sticky sides of the dumpster.  It was a process he became accustomed to.  Dried blood on his fingers from past scrounging relieved the pain from the blisters and the deep wounds on his hands.  Finally, he stumbled across a thick garb that he then tore in half and draped over himself before climbing out of the dumpster to place over his mother.

          “I’ll be back mama just rest and relax, going to play with Irwin okay?” Isaiah slowly inched closer to his mother’s face and gently kissed her on the lips.  He thought to himself that she must be getting very sick, her lips felt like a wet and cold slab.  
  

Isaiah ran as fast as he could in his race against Irwin, with the same intensity he watched the Jewish men run from the German soldiers.  He was already tired having to track down Irwin whom he found in a bustling alleyway down from where he kept his mother, shuddering and tossing rocks on the wall adjacent from him.  There were many Polish and Jewish people there, mostly men pushing and shoving their way into the door of a dilapidated building.  Other men lounged on short stairs or smoked cigarettes while leaning on the walls in front of the entrance.  When they remained still, they resembled lifeless silhouettes as their gray and damp looks fell in place with the dry dullness of the bricked shops and homes.  Oddly, they looked right at home here in Opole.   

          “Why are you waiting all the way down here?”  Isaiah had asked Irwin when he found him.

          “The rest of the street is cold and quiet.  At least here there are people like me.”  As they raced, Isaiah stared at the back of Irwin’s shirt as it flapped in the wind.  As he chased Irwin, he thought the boy was small but a lot faster than he looked.  Isaiah wondered how many times Irwin has had to run from Germans.  The two friends had decided that for their race, they would start from where Isaiah’s mother stayed and run to the busy alleyway with the Polish and Jewish men.  As the boys ran, their bare feet tapped at the pavement and for several seconds, some men watched them and were pleased to see the playful competition by two boys.  For that split second, the pleasure the men had in seeing the two boys run resembled the joyous parades that once gave Opole life.  One man in particularly, who wore an overcoat that covered his neck to his shoes, grinned at them as he calmly smoked his cigarette.  There were no German attacks or screaming mothers, only the soft beating music from Jedynka in the distance, the rustle and competitive jeers of the men on the other end of the street, and the joyous laughter from Isaiah and Irwin.

          Isaiah had now caught up to Irwin and was running beside him.  Soon after, a slight grin formulated at the sides of his mouth when he realized he increased several paces past his friend.  Irwin was fast, however since the two met Isaiah had never lost a race to Irwin.  For Irwin, the race was playful and a way to challenge his friend Isaiah.  For Isaiah, beating Irwin was a matter of life and death.  As the two boys ran, they neared the finish by the crowded alleyway.  There was nothing stopping Isaiah’s victory, not even the thick garb around his neck was going to slow him down.  Isaiah’s grin turned into laughter because he was going to reach the end before Irwin.   He wanted Irwin to know that he was still faster than him, though a sudden abrupt stumble on the garb that hung loosely around his neck and fell to the floor caused Isaiah to stop running.  Irwin hurriedly passed his friend but also stopped before nearing the end to turn to Isaiah.

 

READ REST WITH...

Isaiah's War Theme 

“Isaiah what’s wrong why did you stop?”  Irwin slowly crept back as if expecting Isaiah’s abrupt standstill to be a trick.  Isaiah remained dazed, however, and was not answering Irwin’s calls. 

“You okay Isaiah?”

“I do not think we should race to there.”

“What?  Why?” Irwin stopped walking towards Isaiah and turned to face the crowded men who were still jeering and beaming for the race to finish. 

“My mama, she is not safe I need to go back to her.”  As Isaiah spoke, he too was unsure as to why he suddenly did not wish to run to the men in the alleyway.  The two had gone racing up and down the streets by Jedynka many times before, though a burning feeling in the pit of Isaiah’s stomach warned him to turn around, something has happened to mother.  

“I have to check on mama,” Isaiah mumbled to himself as he stared with teary eyes at Irwin.

“Why am I crying?”

“If this is a trick you do not win this race.  You cannot cheat, Isaiah!” Irwin angrily glared at Isaiah before deciding to turn and carry his worn feet to the finish line.

“Stop, Irwin I don’t feel right!  We should go check on her, I think we have been away from her too long,” but Irwin was already determined to finish and was farther away from Isaiah.  Isaiah grew frightened; his stomach tightened and began to agitate him the same way it had soon after the explosion that took his father and two sisters.  Confused, he hesitated and inched closer to the crowd of men Irwin was now a part of.  Isaiah panted as he turned back as if searching for his mother. 

“I need to check on her”

After several hesitant paces in the direction of the crowd, Isaiah once again decided to stop and turn to where the race began, where he left his mother.  As he focused his gaze at the alleyway he remembered leaving his mother, he began retreating towards her and then…

Shrieks and ominous yells engulfed from the crowd of men.  Isaiah, startled, turned to face them.  He noticed the bulky man with the overcoat now holding what looked like a metal box in one hand and a string of wires in the other.  The crowd seemed to be fleeing from him and so did a teary eyed Irwin who ran in the direction of Isaiah. 

“Irwin!”  As soon as Isaiah called his young friend’s name, an explosion shook the windows from the buildings surrounding the bulky man as Isaiah dropped to his knees in the middle of the street with his hands covering his eyes.  Everything and everyone beside the bulky man however were swallowed by the explosion and the already damaged cars and street signs were carried from their posts and scattered in the air, ultimately landing in new muddled positions.  Irwin was fast, but unlucky.  His small feet was carried into the air as he was engulfed by the rising orange and red flame that swallowed him like the blast that took Isaiah’s sisters.

     “What is happening?”

 Amidst car horns, screams, and moaning, Isaiah hurriedly retreated to the alleyway where he left his mother.  The explosion was deafening and vibrated in his ear, his legs shaky and smeared with blood that was not his, his eyes a blood shot red and nose also trickling with black, dry blood.  Isaiah did not care.  He had to make sure his mother was still safe.