Migizi

Migizi

Baron Alexander & Lucky Deschauer

Dedicated to

Tommy Prince

Contents

First Day of School

Speak Only English

No Hunting Allowed

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Of Indians and Dogs

Dampening the Pain and Memories

Remember Who You Are

Finding Purpose

The Devil’s Brigade

The Concentration Camps

Operation Magic Carpet

Finding Family

Protecting the Children

Epilogue

Timeline

Chapter One

First Day of School

H

e was the first boy I met when I arrived. He had red hair and skin that was lighter than mine. He smiled a lot. I knew I would like him when he told me his name.

Geezis. You know, like Jesus, just different. He smiled and ran to the edge of the school building, peeked around the corner, and then looked back at me. I ran to join him.

How long you been here?

A year, maybe longer.

What are you doing?

Looking for the shadow.

I looked where he was staring and could only see the grass blowing in the autumn wind.

You see it?

Yeah, I lied. I moved my head to the left and then the right to get a better view.

It keeps moving. I track it.

Have you ever caught it?

Not yet. Sometimes, it comes close. I can almost feel it. Then it disappears. He stopped looking and walked back to where we just were. I followed. His hair wasn’t cut like mine. It was long, past his shoulders. I liked the way the sun danced in it.

I saw a bush and ran to it. Come here. Look. Blueberries! I started picking but stopped when he didn’t join me. What’s up?

He didn’t answer. I returned to him and we played a game that he liked. It involved sticks and a little ball.

Do you like? he asked.

It’s OK. My uncle and father played something like it but they threw the ball with the stick.

You’ve seen it?

I felt important and shrugged. Of course. Everyone plays.

He kicked the dirt and didn’t say anything.

Does the school have the proper ones? I asked.

He shook his head. They don’t give us those things. I made this.

I looked at it again with renewed respect. I think I like yours better.

He looked up and smiled. His whole face beamed. Thanks.

Before I could pick up the stick to play, the school bell rang and we dropped everything and ran. A big woman covered in grey stood on the steps as we all ran towards the school. One look from her got my fellow classmates to stop running and form two lines. The girls formed a line and the boys another line. As this was my first day there, I got in behind Geezis. Everyone became silent and walked up the stairs. I could smell the nun as I passed her. She had a different smell than my mother and nothing like us students. Her face wasn’t smiling.

I followed Geezis to the third classroom on the left. He sat in the back, nearest to the window. I sat in the desk next to him.

Settle down, class. That’s it. When everyone had found a seat, she continued. Today, we have a new student.

All eyes turned and found me. Some smiled, most just stared. I didn’t know why they were looking at me. I didn’t understand her words.

Stand up. Yes, you. Good. She pointed at me and I realized I didn’t have an option. I stood up. Tell us your name.

I stared at her.

Your name, she repeated. Then, she pointed at herself. Sister Agatha. Then she pointed at me.

Migizi, I said. The other students laughed.

Quiet down. I won’t tolerate outbursts in my classroom. She glared at the offending students and I began to feel better. I liked that she stood up for me. Come here, she said to me and waved at me to come forward and pointed with her finger to the spot next to her.

I shuffled towards the front of the class. I could feel every muscle and bone in my body. I could feel their eyes on me. I tried to think what I should say but my mind went blank. All I could see was her getting bigger as I got closer to her.

As you are new here, I think you should introduce yourself to the class. I will start. My name is Sister Agatha. I will be your teacher this year. She smiled and then indicated it was my turn.

My name is Migizi, I said, hoping I was using her words the right way. There was a little laughter, but not like before. I felt myself shaking and couldn’t speak. I held up eight fingers. I don’t know why they laughed at that.

Very good, Mi— Sister Agatha said. But I think we’re going to have trouble saying your name. How about, from now on, we call you David? Would you like that?

I was shaking a lot and just wanted to return to my desk. I nodded because it seemed that’s what I was supposed to do. I had no idea what she was saying.

Good boy. OK, David, you can sit down. Everyone welcome David to our school. As I walked back, she began to clap and everyone else joined in. I was feeling hot and my palms were sweating by the time I got back to my desk.

Now, today we are going to review what we learned yesterday. Open up your desks and pull out your notebook.

I didn’t have anything in my desk. I looked to Geezis and he didn’t either. The woman didn’t take any notice and kept on talking. I raised my hand.

Yes?

I held out my two empty hands.

She paused and then went to a cupboard on the wall and took out a blue notebook. She seemed to notice something as she took out a second notebook. She then took out two pencils and placed them on her desk at the front of the room. She nodded towards the pile and then at me. I figured I needed to pick them up.

When I returned to my desk, I gave one notebook and one pencil to Geezis and kept one of each for myself. I reached into my pocket and gave him a handful of blueberries I had picked earlier. He smiled at me and I knew I had made a new friend.

⁑

Are we supposed to eat this? I asked when lunch was served. The rest of the morning had been uneventful. Sister Agatha talked at us and I tried to understand what she was saying. I sat in the back, so she didn’t see me. I wasn’t called. I was happy when the lunch bell sounded.

Just wait, he said.

I’m starving, I said. I put my spoon in and tried it. "Eww! This is awful!"

Shhh. Just eat it. Geezis waited with his hands in his lap. I didn’t understand why he didn’t try it. It was disgusting but it was still lunch.

David! The voice was loud. There were three teachers in the room now, all dressed in the same funny grey with something over their heads. The voice sounded like Sister Agatha. I guessed she was angry at one of the boys.

I took another bite.

David! The voice was right next to me. I turned around and saw my teacher standing there, face becoming reddish. I looked around to see who she was yelling at.

Sister Agatha? I said with a small voice.

In response, she grabbed my ear and made me stand up. She then led me to the front of the room where the other teachers were standing. I could see the eyes of the entire school on me. I didn’t know what I had done wrong.

I thought you were a good boy, she said, loud enough for the entire room to hear.

I began to shrink. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to answer.

I guess I was wrong. Are you a bad boy?

I couldn’t say anything. I had begun to shake. All those eyes burned on me. And I had never had a strange elder yell at me before. If I had done something wrong, my mother or father would deal with me in private. She was still holding my ear and it hurt like nothing I had felt before.

You know what we do to bad boys? We discipline them. She nodded to one of the other teachers who took a long wooden ruler off the blackboard on the wall. I noticed that this room wasn’t just for eating. It was for teaching as well. It was like a very big classroom.

Put your hands on the desk over there. She pointed to the large wooden teacher’s desk as she directed me there by my ear. She let go and I put my hand to my ear. I said, hands on the table. The voice cut through the room and it became more silent than if there had been no people in it.

I put my hands flat on the table, fingers together. I didn’t see the other teacher until I felt the pain. She slammed the yardstick on my fingers. I could see it raised to strike again but I had taken my hands away. My fingers were in my mouth and I could feel the tears begin to swell.

"You are turning out to be a very different boy than what I had hoped. Hands on the desk. Now!" She grabbed my other ear and I didn’t know where the pain was coming from anymore. My hands hurt and, now, both my ears hurt. I did what she said and felt the wood hit my hands again. I began to cry.

That’s enough, Sister Christina, Sister Agatha said. The other teacher nodded and returned the yardstick to the blackboard. Sister Agatha turned to me and asked, Are you going to be a good boy?

I didn’t know what she was saying but I nodded. Agreeing with her seemed the right thing to do.

Then go back to your seat.

I did.

She waited until I was back in my seat and then she began to pray. All the other students bowed their heads and repeated what she said. I didn’t know the prayer so I bowed my head and let the tears run slowly down my cheeks. I wasn’t hungry anymore.

I heard Geezis say something to me after the heads were up and eyes opened. I couldn’t understand what he said either. My head was swimming in anger, confusion, and shame for what had just happened.

What? I asked. It came out a little too loud and the students from the next table turned their heads. Geezis waited until their heads returned to their food before repeating himself.

Your name.

What about it?

You didn’t respond to it.

They never said my name.

Your new name.

I don’t remember what she said.

David.

Oh, I said.

Remember. It’s hardest the first few days. Keep listening for it.

OK.

And the food.

What about it?

Never eat it before grace.

⁑

I deserved it. I know that now. I just didn’t know the rules. I told myself I wouldn’t break any more of the school rules. I was always a good boy before I arrived here. My parents told me that every day.

We had to pray after our meal and then form two lines to go and work outside.

Just do what I do, Geezis said.

OK. I followed him outside.

Watch out for the fat one. The one with the red face. She uses the strap faster than anyone.

I scanned the teachers and found the nun he was talking about. She wasn’t shorter than any of the others, just fatter. I could see her laughing with one of the other nuns. Why do they wear those strange clothes? I asked.

Those? I don’t know. The sisters and Mother Superior wear funny clothes. Some of the brothers, too. But the outside teachers are better.

How can you tell?

You’ll see.

Who’s that guy?

He’s Father O’Flaherty.

He’s also dressed funny.

I know. But never say anything or it’ll mean the strap.

I tried to understand. When I arrived, before I met my friend Geezis, I had to give all my clothes and belongings to one of the brothers. They said I’d get them back when I left. They gave me new clothes. I didn’t mind. I looked like everyone else now.

"How come they didn’t shave your head?" I asked. I was still getting used to having hair that showed my scalp. I noticed all the other kids had the same type of cut—except Geezis.

I don’t know, he said. The Father specifically told them not to cut my hair.

I wanted to touch his hair. I’d never seen a boy with long red hair before. No one else in the school had red hair, not even the girls. He didn’t seem to mind and began to run towards the garden.

Why are we running? They’re just going to make us work.

He turned and looked at me and smiled again. His hair covered his face as he did so. We want to get the best job.

What is the best job?

One where we can eat while we pick. He sped up and we got to the edge