Life after death.
In the first part, the kids Yossi and Matt were trying to find a unique bird. They had found her next to a construction site but then Yossi lost Matt. In the second part, Yossi is worried for Matt but he fails to go back and find him. The morning after he is waiting for his auntie to pick him up for the weekend and while waiting, he vomits. In the third part, Yossi spends a hazy afternoon with auntie and meets an old friend. In the fourth part the old man claims he knows Yossi but disappears after auntie’s inquiry and later grampa is warning auntie from the Germans. In the fifth part the old man enters auntie’s house and Yossi is hiding in the closet. In the sixth part Yossi gets out to find the house is a mess and the old man is about to kill everybody. In the seventh partYossi escapes to the dunes and recalls Matt. In the eighth part Yossi gets stung by a lethal scorpion. In the ninth part a boy dies in the holocaust.
Yossi opened his eyes. It was night. He was still floating in the vast ocean of sand. He was still in the heart of the dunes. He was still far from any road but he was alive.
He checked himself. Though very weak he was alright. The scorpion bite did not kill him after all. He managed to stand on his feet and started walking. He realised to much of his surprise that he felt no fear, no agony. He was walking slowly but firmly and he wasn’t looking back. The old men, his aids or even the lord of hellfire himself won’t scare, neither stop him.
The sun was rising when he reached the base of the dunes. He limped on the dirt road all the way to the house under construction, where he last saw Matt. The house was empty. He looked everywhere for Matt but couldn’t find him or any trace for anything wrong there, only bags of cement, only bricks and metal. He was confused but a little relieved, if Matt wasn’t here and no other sign of disaster then he just might be okay. But the old man, where is he?
He walked outside. The street seemed to have awaken in the few minutes he spent in and he saw a familiar face. “Good lord, where have you been Yossi? We have been looking for you for days! We were sure you were working late in the office but no one had seen you there. We were worried scared. We thought you might have been slaughtered by a random terrorist or the devil knows!”
Yossi just stared at him. It took him a very long moment to remember. “Thanks, Jo-seph. Thanks for your courtesy. I am, I am not sure what had happened actually but... but I’m alright.”
“These things happen.” he replied “They happen to all of us. You think you’re fine and then comes the remission. Let me help you get to your house, you truly look like you came back from the front!” the man said and jiggled “Sorry, it might not be funny with all that had happened but you ought to see yourself!” and he escorted Yossi all the way to the house.
When they’ve arrived, Joseph opened the unlocked door and helped him in and helped him find a seat in the kitchen. He boiled water and made them two cups of black coffee. Yossi observed him and was curious to see how natural Joseph was in operating the kitchen, as if he’d been here before many times.
“Can you get me some water?” Yossi said “I think it had been a few days since my last cup”
“Of course! Ofcourse! Funny me, I should have offered — you do look like it!” and Joseph handed him a cup of water. Yossi sipped it slowly and asked for more.
With every sip he felt rejuvenated and memories of his life started to emerge slowly. “I have to wash my face” he said.
“I’d say you have to wash more than just that” Joseph said with a faint smile.
His first glance at the mirror had shocked him. Yossi saw a man there. He saw a full grown man. But it was himself. He knew it was him but not the boy he’d expected. “Oh boy, oh boy” he whispered and touched his face.
Yossi got back to the kitchen and sat down again. “Joseph, do you know where my parents are? Why aren’t they here? Did you hear about my aunt and my grandfather?”
Joseph did not answer. He just looked at him and sipped his coffee.
“What happened to my best friend Matt?”
“What had happened to them?” Yossi continued.
“Really, what had happened?” Joseph returned the question to Yossi and took another sip “try to remember, Yossi”
Yossi took a deep breath and stared at the window and to the distance
“They’ve never made it, right?”
Joseph nodded his head in consent.
“I am the only one left, right?”
Joseph nodded again.
“Yes, their story ended some ten years ago, at least” Joseph added “but you keep telling it to yourself. You have to shut this door for good. Shut it, like we all did.” after a momentary pause he added “The people at the office really care for you, they miss you and you probably have have tons of work to finish there.”
“Yes, we have to grow chicks and vegetables to feed the pioneers! The ministry of agriculture can’t have me slacking, right?” Yossi said and they burst into laughter.
“You know work is good for you, right? It’s good for all of us - to focus on doing something.”
“Yes” Yossi said with a sigh of relief “Arbeit macht frei”
