Three Sisters (The Tattooist of Auschwitz #3)(88)

‘Must be the air force,’ Magda says.

‘Israel has an air force, already?’ Livi asks.

But they don’t have time to ponder this or the Peacock Boys any further, as the new Israelis are called to line up for registration and the allocation of a new home.

*

Magda and Livi are aboard an open truck with other men and women, driving through the streets of Haifa. The people on the pavements wave and cheer their arrival and everyone aboard the truck waves and cheers right back. On the outskirts of the town, the sisters marvel at the huge groves of orange trees; the air is heavy with their sharp, sweet aroma.

They are a little way out of Haifa when the truck turns off the road and onto a rough track, which they bounce along for a good half-hour.

They pull up inside a small compound of huts and barns, a clearing within an abundant orange grove. A man emerges from one of the huts and watches the men and women clamber out of the vehicle.

‘Shalom aleichem!’ He is smiling, spreading his arms wide to welcome the travellers.

‘Aleichem shalom,’ they call back.

‘Welcome to Israel. Welcome to Hadera. Welcome to your kibbutz. Thank you for making the dangerous journey to be here, to be part of the founders of your new home.’ The men and women gather around him.

Magda holds Livi’s hand and Livi shakes her off. ‘Too tight,’ she says, and Magda takes her arm instead.

‘My name is Menachem, I am the supervisor and your friend,’ the man continues. ‘As you can see, you are standing in an orange grove. Right now, there are no oranges to pick but there is plenty of work to do as we prepare for picking season. I want you to spend your time here getting to know one another. You are the future of this land – respect her, and she will look after you.’ He points to the huts. ‘This is where you’ll live.’ Menachem gives them a wry smile: ‘Boys on one side, girls on the other. But should you meet in the middle, well, so be it. Over there are the kitchens and dining area where some of you will work, because I’m not going to cook and clean for you. Now, go and find yourself a place to call home and I’ll see you at dinner.’

‘When will we know it’s dinner time?’ a voice pipes up.

‘Ah, someone who thinks about his stomach. Good, you can only work and play if you are well fed. To answer your question, there is a large cowbell outside the kitchen which you’ll all hear when it’s time to eat. Now, go.’

‘He has Father’s name,’ says Magda.

‘It’s a good sign, isn’t it?’ Livi is staring at the supervisor. The girls and boys are all heading towards the huts but the sisters haven’t moved.

Menachem too has not moved. ‘Shalom, ladies, is everything all right?’

‘Everything is wonderful, it’s j-just .?.?.’ Livi stammers.

‘Go on.’

‘You have our father’s name,’ she says, shyly.

‘I am honoured to have the same name as your father. And what are your names?’

‘I’m Livi and this is my sister Magda.’

Menachem glances at the girls’ arms.

‘Show me?’ he asks.

Magda holds out her arm and they both inspect the tattoo.

‘Livi, Magda, you are both safe here and I am honoured to meet you. If there is anything you need, please come and find me. Promise me you will?’

‘We will,’ Magda says.

As the sisters walk away, Livi is still solemn.

‘Are you OK, kitten?’ Magda asks her. ‘Was that upsetting?’

‘I wish we could remove them, Magda,’ says Livi. ‘I wish I could cut my arm off.’

Magda lays an arm around Livi’s shoulders. ‘And give the Nazis our limbs too? They’ve taken enough.’

‘Are you happy, Magda? That we’re here?’

‘I just want to feel safe again, Livi, and isn’t that just what Menachem promised?’

*

‘Magda, wake up. Wake up.’ One of their four roommates is hovering over Magda’s bed. It is still dark outside, but the moon is out, throwing pale white light over the figures asleep beneath their blankets. The camp is quiet.

‘What is it?’ Magda asks disoriented, drowsy.

‘It’s your sister. She’s crying and calling out – I think she needs you.’

Now Magda hears the muttering, the sobbing from her sister’s bed. She’s out of bed in moments, crossing the room.

‘Cibi? Cibi, where are you?’ Livi is repeating over and over as she twists and turns under her covers.

‘Livi, it’s all right, I’m here.’ Magda sits down on Livi’s bed and takes her shoulders. ‘You’re OK, Livi.’

‘I need Cibi. I need Cibi,’ moans Livi.

‘It’s Cibi, Livi. Right here.’

The other girls in the room are all awake now, sitting up in their beds, watching the exchange between the sisters.

Magda wraps Livi in her arms.

Livi seems to hear Magda’s words, as her body relaxes and she falls back to sleep and Magda climbs into bed with her.

The next morning, Livi is perplexed to find her sister asleep beside her. She shakes her awake. ‘Why are you in my bed?’

Magda, once again, wakes up disoriented. For a moment, she too has no idea why she’s there, and then she remembers. ‘You had a bad dream, that’s all,’ she tells Livi. ‘And I thought a cuddle would help.’