blackbird by Gina Frisken

A paper trail leads me from a biography to a small article, but it’s finding a human link to this story that propels me to follow this tale further.

 

I ask an older friend if she recalled the horrific incident that the locals of Five Ways talked about over 50 years ago.

 

“I know where the murders took place,” she says. Then she talks of the trauma it caused the family, especially to her friend Rita.

 

We call Rita, who continues to live at the home that was once filled with her parents, brother, sister, grandfather and the Rabe family. “He died of a broken heart,” says Rita. Her grandfather, Rabe’s landlord, saw the babies every day during their short eight months of life.

 

“The Rabes had money problems, you know. My grandfather tried to help, but Klaus was proud. It was a terrible day. Terrible.” Rita pauses.

 

“I still have the article, but not the note.”

 

Whispers now become words.