once continues 

animal testing

reality of animal tetsing 

cruelty free

alternitives

conclusion 

this is my continuation of once my Morris Gleitzman 

heres the link to the first chapter if you want to read more!

once continues 

My foot gives way beneath me and I grab Zelda’s sleeve as I feel myself falling backwards. Branches scratch my cheeks as we tumble down the slope. At the bottom rocks dig into my body as I lie in the soft grass. Zelda grunts and shoves at me from underneath. I roll to the side so I don’t squash her. I hear voices in the trees and slap my hand over her mouth. She bats it away but I hold tight.

“Zelda,” I whisper, pointing in the direction of the voices. 

Eyes wide she glares at me and slaps my hand off her mouth. 

“I heard them,” she whisper yells “don’t you know anything?”

Leaves crunch and stick crack underneath as they move towards up. I release my breath, look up and before us stand two children. Older than me. Two boys. Brown socks pulled up past their knees and shoes polished so hard they shine. My eyes move up over their uniform to the rifles hanging from their shoulders right beside the swatiska badge sewn on their left shoulder. 

“Well where did you two come from?” says the closest one.

“From up the hill, obviously,” states Zelda

“Is that so?” he replies “And what are you doing all the way out here? The only thing that passes through here is the train line”

Zelda rams her lips together and says nothing. My tongue is thick, it feels like it is glued to the top of my mouth. Words stuck in my throat.

“And the trains that run through here are full of dirty jews” he continues. 

“Dirty!” Zelda snaps. 

I peer over at Zelda and nudge her arm. She ignores it. She creates a ball of mud and pifts it at the first boy. His face is now full of mud. 

“Who's the dirty one now huh?” Zelda crosses her arms and looks them up and down. 

The second boy loads his gun and I get up faster than I ever have before, grab Zelda's arm and run. The gun fires but we’ve escaped. I find a rabbit hole and dig. 

“What are you doing?” Zelda yells. 

“Hiding,” I say. “Just help me dig please.” 

I hear the sound of their heavy boots trench through the mud. Once the hole is big enough I push Zelda down first hoping I can fit on top. But I was too late. I fall bleeding to death by the bullet penetrating through my chest. I am weak. I say three words to Zelda knowing they would be my last. 

“I am sorry.”