The Power of Testimony

SAVING MY ASSASSIN
must have gotten all the information they wanted, so Anna
was sent to her grandparents’ home, next door to your house.”
“Why doesn’t anyone help her now?”
“Because they know the truth.”
“I want to know the truth.”
He patted my hands. “Go to sleep.”
I rose, and he tugged my hand. “You don’t think I am
sick, do you, Virginia?”
“No,” I responded. “I think you are very healthy.”
He smiled. “I don’t remember the last time my son said
that to me.”
I hugged him good night. He brushed my hair with his
hands, looked into my eyes, and smiled. Then he reclined
and closed his eyes. After a few minutes, a soft snore filled
the room.
I tucked myself back in my bed. That night I knew in
my heart that I wanted to become a lawyer. I wanted to
find out the truth—what had happened to Anna’s parents
and why everyone was still afraid to help her. I also wanted
to find out the truth about myself and who I really was. Of
all our relatives, only Uncle Carol treated me like family,
and everyone considered him a sick, crazy old man. Were
my real parents taken away like Anna’s? I wondered. At least
that would explain why I didn’t look like anyone else in my
family—and why I was treated so differently from everyone
else. Maybe Stephen and Elena were forced to take me in by
the Securitate. Or maybe I was just crazy, like they said Uncle
Carol was.
30