Nestlings

by Nat Cassidy

I can’t be in a vampire story, he thought wildly. I’m Jewish!

“No,” Reid said, defensively covering Charlie’s shoulders with his hands. “No, you’re wrong.” “Am I?” An ironic grin. “I think I’m a little more well versed in Judaism than—” “The lesson of Judaism is we survive. We’re survivors.” “But why do we always have to survive so much, Reid?” Isaac leapt to his feet. “Is that really survival? Running from one set of jaws to another? What did we do to deserve the Shoah? Or bondage in Egypt? The destructions of our Temple? The pogroms? The ghettos? Why do we need armed guards at our synagogues now, today? What did I do to deserve my son’s death? What did you do to deserve your own sorrows? ‘Happy is the person You discipline, Adonai!’ Why are we so damned disciplined? I know you agree with me! What was it you said when we first met? When you were asked if you were Jewish?” Real Jews know not to answer that whenever strangers are at the door.