I’ve decided to post a story I wrote awhile ago on my blog.  I will post it one chapter at a time, sort of as a serial story.

Now, I have to warn you, this is supposed to be a historical-fiction sort of novel, but I think it is a bit exaggerated on a few of the main facts, such as when the guards wouldn’t let people go through the wall anymore, so heh heh, it’s not too historical.:)  Anyway, just have fun reading it for the story, but don’t hold me to the facts!  At the end of the whole story, I will tell you which parts and facts I know are true, but I won’t spoil the story by telling you now.

Enjoy Chapter 1!

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It was August 12, 1961 in Berlin, Germany. Germany and Berlin were split up into East Germany and East Berlin, and West Germany and West Berlin. I was twelve years old at the time, and I lived in West Berlin. My cousin and best friend, Maria, who was also twelve lived over in East Berlin. The Soviet Union controlled East Berlin; and the United States, Great Britain, and France controlled West Berlin. Sure, I knew that life wasn’t as good in East Berlin as it was in West Berlin, but I never knew just how bad it was until that day…

My cousins and my sister and I were planning one last sleepover before school started. We were so excited that we kept running back and forth to each other’s houses every hour or two to see how the other family was getting along with the sleepover preparations. Our houses were very close to each other, but my house was just inside the border of West Berlin, and my cousin’s was just inside the border of East Berlin.

“Can’t you wait?” I asked my cousin excitedly on one of the trips over to her house.

“I can hardly stand it!” she replied.

“We’re going to have bratwurst and sauerkraut for supper – mmmm!” I said. “You had better have something better for supper than bratwursts and sauerkraut, or I’m not coming!” I teased. We were going to switch houses: Joyce, my cousin who was the same age as my sister, was going to our house for a sleepover, while I was to sleep at my cousin Maria’s house.

“Oh, don’t worry about that!” Maria answered. “We’re having bratwursts and sauerkraut too!”

I laughed. Our families were so much alike we were even having the same meal without knowing it! “OK,” I said, faking reluctance, “I guess I’ll come.”

Just then my sister Korrie ran up. “It’s time for lunch, Greta. Mother says we can’t have the bratwursts yet because we have to save them for tonight, so we’re having cabbage soup.” She made a face. None of us children liked cabbage soup.

“I’m coming.” I said reluctantly. “See you tonight, Maria!” I called over my shoulder as I ran down the path to our house.

Finally, after several long hours and four more trips to see how the other family was doing, it was time for the sleepover. Joyce came over before I had a chance to get all my things out the door, and she and Korrie were giggling and whispering together as I plodded out of the house with my load of sleepover luggage.

“Goodbye, Greta!” called Mama and Papa as I trudged towards Maria’s house.

“Goodbye!” I shouted without bothering to turn around. Later I wished I had turned around. Later I wished I had never even gone to this sleepover, for this sleepover would change my life forever – and not in a good way.

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And thus ends Chapter 1.  Bye for now!

***Allison***