Peace on earth, goodwill towards men-is a lie. I know this as I kneel down, my cheek touching the nearly as white as one of the falling snowflakes cheek of my dying brother. My brother who has already lost both his mother and his father to this place of barbed wire, cruel guards wearing the twisted cross, guns…and mostly, death. No, there is no peace or goodwill here. Just cruelty.
My parents made me promise two things before they died-to keep my faith in God, and to take care of my brother. I have failed to keep both promises. When my brother became ill, I gave up on my faith. God is the one who put us here, the one who took my parents away and caused Günther to become ill. Now, on Christmas Eve, I am going to lose him. I hope I die, too. Because once my brother is gone, I have no reason left to continue to live in this cruel place. Tears of hopelessness slide down on my face, unheeded as I watched the only person I have left to love struggle to breathe.
I feel a touch on my shoulder. I jump in surprise. Looking up, I see a young woman, perhaps five or six years older looking at me. “Who-who are you?” my voice betrays my tears.
“Someone who is going to help you save Günther,” she answers, already kneeling down and getting to work.
As I watch her, hoping against hope that she can truly do what she says and save my brother, I wonder if-
Maybe, just maybe, there still is some goodwill towards man left.
I notice the beautiful star shining through the cracks of the room as I close my eyes and pray, breaking my vow to never pray again.
300 words. I used the word prompts-star, snowflake, barbed wire.