June 1945

The little girl's blissful innocence colored in the gray landscape with excitement. She swung from her Momma and Papa's hands, marveling at the way her giggles ricocheted off the ribbed tunnel. "Look, look!" She laughed. "See how tall my shadow is? One day, I'll be as tall as that, Momma. Taller than Papa!" The girl's silhouette stretched against the bent iron walls. Peering up at her mother's face, she felt a pang of worry seeing that a sad smile was the only response she could muster. It scared the girl when her Momma and Papa were frightened. If they were too scared of the monsters, who would save her when they slumbered under her little bed, waiting to pounce?

Her small legs tired quickly and her Papa was quick to scoop her onto his shoulders, carrying her for the rest of the journey. They sang old songs together while Momma kept her beautiful eyes concentrated on the dirt ground. "Oh, don't be sad, Momma! The tunnel will end soon. Look Momma! I can see the end!"

What could Momma do but smile and thank her daughter?

The girl's words rang true; soon the family emerged into an empty field. They took a series of strange twists and turns until they reached an abandoned estate.

"A castle! Papa, that's where I'm gonna live when I'm big like you!"

The three snuck into the crumbling manor's backyard. There waited a man inside an old car, smoking his pipe thoughtfully.

Why was Momma crying?

Why would she not let go of the little girl's hands?

Why was Papa taking her away?

Why were Momma and Papa leaving her?

Didn't they love her?

* * *

Fifteen years later, the girl, not so little anymore, walked down an ivory aisle accompanied by strangers she now called parents. Her dad pulled out a pipe and smoked thoughtfully.

* * *

The little girl's Momma and Papa never did get to see their daughter grow tall, tall as her warped shadow against the gray tunnel walls, tall as Papa.

The little girl grew up in America, hardly remembering the life she left behind in war-torn Germany.

She would not remember the things her parents did to save her from Nazi reign.

She would never know that they would become victims of the very monsters they saved her from, just weeks after they wrestled her from her arms and into the hands of a pipe smoking man.

The man who got to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

The man she now calls dad.