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by Caleb A. Palacios (Author)
Opened Eyes is a World War II historical fiction story told from a perspective rarely seen AND by a teen author.
When Rainer Vogel, a German soldier, turns his back on the SS, he begins a desperate escape across a war-torn Europe with Lev, a Polish boy he rescues from a concentration camp. Together, they travel through snow-covered forests, ruined villages, and shifting front lines, searching for a place where war cannot reach them.
But escape is never simple. Rainer is haunted by the things he once believed-and the things he has done. Lev holds tightly to hope, dreaming of bread shops in France and a life beyond fear. Along the way, they encounter French soldiers, American allies, and reminders that even in war, kindness can survive.
This is not a story of generals, strategies, or nations. It is a story of people-of friendship, guilt, identity, and the fight to reclaim one's humanity. Opened Eyes explores how war changes us, how we choose who we become, and how even in the darkest places, something good can still take root.
This novella offers a personal, emotional view of World War II from the ground level-where every step is survival, and every choice matters.
Sometimes the hardest battle is the one fought inside yourself.
