I turned around to see the small red barn getting smaller and smaller as I went faster and faster. Steadfastly I looked forward and saw the evergreen forest I had grown up in, I could walk it blindfolded and not stumble upon a single stone. The leaves crunched under the hooves of my jet-black-Clydesdale. As I pulled back on the reigns, the beast of a horse slowly came to a halt. I turned around to see my cousin, as usual lagging behind. With a single look back I communicated to hurry up. Though we were not blood related we could still communicate. When I was five, a Jewish family who lived in Russia to escape World War 2 adopted me. I will never forget the day I left.

I could still I close my eyes and smelled the old musty scent I had known for my entire life. It seemed as though reality had become a fantasy that day and I would wake up any moment in a cold sweat to the of depression of the life I was forced to live. I opened my eyes and saw my suitcase packed with a few clothes and common necessities; I was still shocked my whole life fit into an old beige suitcase. As I said goodbye to my room for the last time I turned the corner to see Alyona. She was my only friend at the orphanage since I could remember, I couldn’t believe I had gotten all I wished for to be adopted but I had to leave her behind. I guess nothing in life works out exactly how you want it. No words were said, just icicle tears down our pink faces, I will never forget hugging her for the last time and coldly walking away not looking back at what I was leaving behind. I got into the car and started of on my way to meet my family.


Before I knew it we were passing green forests and beautiful cold mountains with snow on top just like the pictures I imagined in my head when I would read the books at night under the covers. The books always helped me escape from my dreary life. I looked up and dumbfounded in amazement I saw the bold green and white sign, which clearly stated in perfect Russian “Welcome to Vyalki.”
“Anastaysia!” Evgeniya called me loud enough to awake me from my daydream and stop me in my tracks.
“What?” I sharply called back, not even turning my head, for I was uninterested in whatever she had to tell me.
“Where is your family going?” she asked.
I turned around to see my family being put in a black car, on the back I saw a flag, with a white circle and black markings inside. It didn’t take more then a second for me to realize what was going on.
“GO! NOW!” I shouted with all the urgency of the world.
We traveled back as fast as we could, dismounted off the horses and ran straight for the house. It was too late, they were gone, and we were always in hiding from them ever since I could remember being in that family. They had moved from Israel to Russia to escape and finally felt safe after 9 years. They were always a main target of them, because of their extravagant wealth and power I suppose.
We walked back to the house in silence for not a word could be deemed useful for the utter despair we were feeling. The house was in shambles and everything was turned over or emptied out. Obviously they were looking for something but that thing was a mystery.
“Pack your bags, were going to find them.” I said.
About 2 hours later we hoped on the horses and traveled off.
Onward we went for 32 laborious hours with seldom stop or rest. Finally we made a small fire and rested for what seemed like seconds but was awaken with the dawn, which was a sunburst of colors indescribable like a painter had sat for hours, and renovated the black starry sky into a canvas painting. As I turned to my side I saw my cousin suffering from the freezing cold.
“Evgeniya?” I questioned looking her way.
No movement, not even a twitch, I nervously ran to her side. I called her name a few more times. Still nothing, I checked her pulse and it was still moving, but erratically and unsteadily. Finally her brown eyes opened, in a cold stare.
“Do not give up, keep goin-….” She stopped there.
“NO!” I cried, it felt as though every ligament in my body was being torn and my heart ripped to shreads. It was over she was gone forever.
After crying till the ocean was incomparably less than my tears I pulled my self together and left her just the way she was and left.
The journey became slower and slower as the heartbreak became worse and worse. Finally I reached the outskirts of the city.

Far in the distance I saw a small building, it was irregularly shaped and I could not tell the color yet. It took longer than I hoped because now I carry the burden of 2 horses but eventually I saw what it was. I could tell by the chain-link fence, that was where my parents and family were. I dismounted my horse and started on my way there. As I got close enough to press my face to it I surveyed it. Using an old brick that happened to be next to it, I climbed on and looked in the window.
“My family!” I said with glee, subconsciously almost blowing my cover.
I jumped down and hid until I knew my dim-wittedness had not cost me everything. I climbed again and looked until finally I made eye contact. They almost made the same foolish mistake and I silently laughed. Desperately I ran to my backpack and grabbed paper and wrote out the plan for their escape, after seeing them I could never leave them here. I threw in the paper and in due time, they escaped through the laundry bin, classic yet never failing. It was an amazing reunion, I will never forget holding my mother and crying, of course this family pow-wow happened after we had ran a safe enough distance and started our long journey home. We found a highway near by and hitchhiked all the way back to Vhalyki. We did have to move and awfully quick basically abandoning our house and everything we knew. Sometimes we talk about that day and talk about how God saved us.