[i]Marta,

I don’t even know where to start this letter. I haven’t slept in 4 days as part of an endurance training. Isiah has been the only one keeping me company during this time, everyone else is busy doing their other training. I think it was on day three that I finally went out into the towns half asleep, but still I found things to look at in awe. The Jewish neighborhoods here are beautiful and there’s a lake just an hour away. I hope one day to take you there. I have gotten a haircut after needing one for so many weeks, I’m now able to do the physical aspect of training now such as push ups and obstacle courses. I’ve been part of combat training also, but they fear I learned it too soon.

In town I had an incident and now I’m doing restraint training. I need to learn how to endure watching others get spat on so I don’t give myself away. I ran into a man just like Oscar and if it hadn’t been for Harrod I would have killed him. They say I have too much pent up rage so they think talking with Isiah will help since I refuse to speak with anyone else. He’s the only one keeping me going. I enjoy the other boys, but nobody understands the way he does.

I know this letter is not my normal type and I haven’t mentioned my love for you, but just know that when we see each other I will make you remember that night which seems like it happened a century ago and I will show you a kind of love you never knew existed. My body aches for your touch and when I can have you in my arms for good I fear I may never let go.

I love you to the stars and moon
-E
[/i]
Ezra finished penning his letter and handed it to Jeremiah who in return handed him a letter from his father. “Read it in private my boy. You will not enjoy it’s contents,” he whispered to Ezra before turning on his heels and walking out the front door. It would be two days before Jeremiah would be back and Isiah and Harrod were in charge of the group of teenagers. 

He held the letter in his hand a moment longer before tucking it away for later. He did not want to feel sad at this moment. He walked into the den and found Isiah feeding all 19 of the men an empty seat beside him reserved for Ezra. He took his seat and the group began to eat and tease each other. Ezra did not partake though.

His hands were still wrapped in bandages and his shirt had blood splattered on it from the previous day where he had the altercation with the man who reminded him of Oscar. There were no spare clothes in his size so he had to wait for Jeremiah to return before he could change. His shirt also ad tears which showed the new muscles that had begun to form on his body since he began training. Isiah teased him frequently that he was bulking up to please Marta. Ezra would just laugh and run his fingers through the curls that laid tangle on his head. They did not dangle down his face anymore. It was almost cropped short, but a few spirals still laid about. Ezra found himself constantly twirling them around his fingers reminding himself of Marta.
He put his untils down once he was finished and glanced at the calendar. Marta’s birthday was coming up and Isiah had promised to pick her up something nice when he went back into town tomorrow since Ezra was now allowed. He also noted that it took his father a month to write to him about the whereabouts of him and Edith. He took a sip of water and excused himself from the table, but not before Isiah spoke.

“We will be doing combat training in a few minutes. Get Dr. Z to replace those bandages and then meet us outside. It will be elimination rounds. We expect a lot from you after yesterday,” Isiah said with a smile.

Ezra nodded, “You can count on me,” he said returning the grin.

The resistance had talked about an assassination of Hitler, but they didn’t have the ranks yet and none of the men thought they would have the guts for it. After yesterday though they began to put their hopes into Ezra and they all knew if he was asked, then he would do it without hesitation even if it cost him his life. It was a silently spoken between Isiah just know. They expected him to be their enforcer. He was expected to lead the rebellion to war because of the lust he had for blood after the many times he’d been tortured. They would often hear him talk in his sleep about killing Oscar for hurting Marta in the ways that he did and how he wouldn’t be defenseless anymore.

Ezra went back to his room and took out the letter reading it slowly and then again and again. He was positive he read it a dozen times with his tear stained cheeks and the words refused to change. He felt a knot grow in his stomach and an emptiness in his chest as he reads the words once more.

[i]“She did not make it, Ezra. Your mother...she is dead”
[/i]
[i]“Your mother...she is dead”
[/i]
[i]“She is dead”
[/i]
Ezra couldn’t stop rereading that last part. He looked up at the sound of the door to see Isiah popping his in. “Ezra, come on. We’ve been waiting, but we can’t wait…” he paused when he saw Ezra crying, “Ezra...what’s wrong?”

He held out the letter to his friend and let out a scream that seemed to shake the house. Isiah folded the letter up and sat on the bed next to Ezra, “I know this is painful Ezra, but you are needed more than you know. Use her death as momentum to push you forward. We will get through this together,” Isiah whispered but his words fell on deaf ears.

Without Marta’s calming personality to ease his mind, Ezra was a ball of rage now. He stood up from the bed and walked out the door towards the field where the combat training was held. Everyone was cheering for his entrance until they saw the look on his face. He wasn’t playing around tonight. He was fighting for blood.