Jackie spotted an empty space with a few trees in the circle. She was still too far away to make out everything she saw, but she wanted to know if Cole was there. Jackie trudged through the shrubs, broken branches and spider webs in different areas throughout the forest. Eventually she could make out a few men and younger children. Once she caught glimpse of the clothes and the area itself, she covered her mouth to prevent a scream escaping.

This wasn't any ordinary space, it was a concentration camp.

###

Jackie silently crept around the huge space, not wanting to be seen or she could get hung. Jackie accidentally stepped on a stick and it cracked loudly. Jackie's heart beated fast again, this time it had to deal with nervousness.

"Hey!" A man called angrily. 

Jackie raced behind a tree her backpack slightly falling down her arm. Running in crutches was definitely not ideal, but it had to be done. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail which got caught in her mouth as she ran, the window hitting the hack of her head. As she hobbled over, she was panting harder than ever before. She had to find a tree to hide behind or else she would be put in the camp too. After a few more minutes of hobbling away as fast as possible, the man gave up on finding her and walked away, but Jackie was still beyond traumatized. She did not want to move an inch, but she was dying  to find Cole. 

She had to find him.

Suddenly, a young boy was brought over by the edge of the camp's fence. Jackie could almost make out what he was saying to the boy.

"What did you want to ask me? Hurry up your wasting my time." The man said anxiously as he tapped his watch impatiently.

"Sir, I need to use the bathroom over there." The boy stated pointing to the nice restrooms. 

Guilt surged through Jackie as she watched the poor boy move around. After seeing him, she felt terrible thinking that her life was awful. Her parents had passed away and her brother was nowhere to be seen, but being stuck in a concentration camp was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. The boy was filthy and disgusting and it was quite clear that he needed to use the restroom.

"Your bathroom is the damn woods, you don't need no fancy stalls! There are many trees in the woods you know, dumb boy." He scolded as he slapped the boy's butt. 

He slumped and fell to the ground on his knees," I'm s-sorry master." He mustered.

The boy kept glancing nervously back in the woods. He almost seemed skeptical to go in the woods. The man was growing extremely impatient. He looked around waiting for him to run into the woods to do his business, but he didn't. The man was becoming very ticked off at the boy. He tapped his foot impatiently and glanced at his watch as if he was waiting for something to happen.

"Go, go you stupid boy!" The man shouted with a German accent as he shoved the child forward.

 The boy jumped at his shout and he scurried into the woods with his shoulders slumped sadly. The child looked terrified, hungry, scared and almost dead. His face was as pale as fresh snow, his used to be brown hair, was now almost a dirty black from the hardships in the camp. To add to the disturbing thought of him being starved and unkempt, his body was full of scars and blood. Jackie wanted to cry, she felt so bad for him, but she was nervous that he would spot her and report her so she stayed still. To her disappointment, the boy sensed her presence and turned around slowly. He looked at Jackie and sized her up carefully. He stepped closer and Jackie stepped back, but a tree root her caused her stumble back into the tree.

"Ow!" Jackie yelped, rubbing her back. 

She quickly turned back towards him and stiffened up a bit. She looked at the boy curiously but still stood firmly until he spoke.

"J-Jackie?" The boy asked looking deep into her blue eyes. Jackie scrunched up her nose and looked at him.

"Who are you and how do you even know my name?" Jackie asked trying to hide how terrified she was.

"It's me, your brother Cole." He muttered as he looked dead straight into his sister's eyes. Jackie's mouth was gaping but her mind was racing. She had found him and she did not even know.

Jackie sized him up carefully. Cole looked older, it had only been a little while but he did, he really truly did. His "brown" hair made him look older and his scars on his neck, arms and legs made him look tough. Jackie didn't believe the so to be "Cole".

"You're not Cole." Jackie snorted as she began fixing the strap of her backpack.

"Y-yes I am." He responded confidently. Jackie wondered why he kept shuddering like that but she let that question hang there.

"Prove it." Jackie retorted as she snapped her fingers in his face. She closed her eyes and began listening to what he had to say.

"Okay fine, I'm Cole Dylan Clugsglot, born on September 14, 1927 at 3:44 p.m. a minute before my twin sister, also known as you, Jacqueline Elizabeth Clugsglot was born. Oh, and your favorite color is pink and you love jump ro-"

Jackie was hugging Cole already and crying, "Cole, I've missed you so much!" Jackie cried in his shoulder.

"Me too." Cole whispered, "me too." He repeated as he hugged his sister back, letting her cry on him, "What happened to you though? I mean, crutches?" 

"Nazis, cottage burnt down, back has third degree burn, muscles are sore and weak . . . so not much!"

Cole did not really have to say anything to portray his emotions. His wide eyes and open mouth  said it all. He was beyond stunned and knew that know was not the time for questions, even though he had many.

"Let's go home." Jackie concluded as she grabbed his dirty hand and began pulling him.

"I can't Jackie . . ." Cole started as he stood still looking back at the concentration camp behind them.

"Why?" Jackie mused as she looked at Cole for an answer to her reply.

"I'm at the concentration camp and it is too risky. If they catch me, I would be beaten to death, or worse. Besides Jackie," Cole swallowed," I'm dying." Cole informed as he showed her bleeding wounds on his back and legs.

Jackie examined Cole for moment. She didn't care about the awful concentration camp. Her twin brother was in a life or death situation.

"Come on Cole, I know you don't want to be here." Jackie assured pulling him away again, but he still wouldn't move.

"Jackie! We're going to get-" He was stopped by the man from the concentration camp.

"HEY GET BACK HERE YOU RAT!" The man shouted as many other men came running after them in attempt to capture the children.

"-Caught." Cole finished as he held on to Jackie's hand as they rocketed through the woods.

"Cole, I can't go too fast. They are going to get me. Go. Run!" She urged, waving him away.

Cole ran reluctantly until they spotted the space where the cottage used to be. Jackie knew that Finn and Mr. Vandel would be less than a mile away, which offered her a sense of warmth and comfort. Cole ran further from where the cottage used to reside and climbed up a pine tree in hopes of being hidden. 

"They're over there!" Cole panicked as sweat dripped down his face, "and they've got guns. Oh crap, crap, crap, crap." Cole sighed, running his hands through his mucky brown hair.

"Get down here in three or we're shooting you!" One of the Nazis threatened. 

Jackie, who was a few feet away, pivoted to make eye contact with her brother who had managed to climb up the massive tree. The Nazis were pointing at both children and they were not sure who they were going to shoot first. She held in her breath, knowing that she was going to be the target no matter what. 

Get rid of the crippled girl and make things easier, probably.

Without a warning, a shot was fired directly at Cole. He fell from the tree, hitting a couple branches on the way down. It would be a miracle if the kid survived now. 

Suddenly a shot fired and then others followed. Jackie turned to the left to see Mr. Vandel standing there with a gun in his hand. He had killed the Nazis. Although a sense of relief flooded through Jackie, she was still heartbroken at Cole being shot.

"No!" Jackie screamed as she hobbled towards Cole's unconscious body. Jackie looked behind her to see Finn and Mr. Vandel. Their heads were facing down in sadness.

"Cole, wake up!" She demanded, "please." She whispered, her voice cracking. 

Jackie paused, waiting for Cole to breath, but nothing happened. Jackie put her legs against her chest and cried, cursing under small breaths for the death of her brother. As she cried, Jackie felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She looked on her shoulder to see Finn's hand. He offered a small smile to her, ignoring her blotchy eyes. Jackie didn't want to smile at all, she just wanted to be left alone.

So close . . . too close.