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The guard took the papers, looked at them, then tore them to shreds in front of her.As the pieces of her identification floated to the ground, realisation dawned that she was in deep trouble.
“But I’m Aryan,” she said.
The guard laughed.“Do you think I care, little girl?”He shoved her so that she stumbled.
She found herself at the end of a long line of people of all ages.Some whimpered, and others openly cried.Still others shouted.
I’m innocent, I’m Aryan.I’ve done nothing wrong.I have papers.Please let me go!
It was no use.The Gestapo officer in charge wasn’t listening.He wore a jaunty black cap, and his black moustache was perfectly groomed to curve down over the corners of his mouth.Two dark brown eyes glittered beneath the peak of his cap as he studied the crowd, walking slowly along each line as he tapped a riding crop against one tall black boot.
“Well, well, well, what a good group we have here.No, no—there’s no need to cry or to shout.Everything will work out.You’ll see.”He offered Jadzia a smile, but his stare was vacant and sent a shiver down her spine.“I’mOberführerMeisinger, commander of theEinsatzgruppeIV.Do as you are asked.Please don’t resist.It will not help your cause.”
Jadzia had lost sight of Hanna and Julie.She scanned the crowd for her friends’ cheerful countenances, but saw only a sea of frightened faces.The Gestapo pushed them all forward.She struggled to keep up the pace at first, then it slowed as they headed towards the ghetto.Where were they being taken?Into the almost empty ghetto?From what Jan had told her, the Nazis had deported virtually everyone.Only a small group of Jews remained behind.
They were herded to theUmschlagplatz.A train waited at the station with cattle cars in a row.The windows were barred by strands of barbed wire.The gaping double doors opened to reveal a black emptiness.The guards ushered the people into the yard and had them sit in lines.Then they began the methodical task of going down the lines and writing every person’s details into a large paper ledger.
Jadzia stared longingly at the ghetto and back towards home.If only she’d stayed with Mama, Jan and Danuta today, as she had done every other day.None of this would’ve happened.And now she would be sent away and her family wouldn’t know where.
The apartment was eerilyquiet when Jan got in from working all day at the market.He frowned as he hung up his coat on the nail by the door.In the kitchen, he found Danuta reheating a pan ofpierogi.She looked up as he came in, then her face fell.
“I thought you were Jadzia.”
He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a bite.The sweet, tart flavour burst across his tongue.He and Mama had managed to trade for a few crates of apples the previous day.They’d proven very popular that morning and had been the first thing they’d sold out of.
“What do you mean?Where is she?”
“She hasn’t come back from the movies yet.”
Jan’s heart thudded.“What?She should’ve been home hours ago.”
“Where’s Mama?”
“Right behind me,” he said.“She’s talking to one of the neighbours.”
Just then, the front door opened and Mama stepped inside.“Next time Mrs Nowak stops me to talk, please fake an injury or an emergency, Janek.Anything to get me out of it—she won’t stop talking and my feet are killing me.”She glanced around the living room.“Why has the fire died?And there are no lights on in here.”
Jan strode to meet her.“Jadzia isn’t home yet.”
Mama’s face whitened.“She should be home by now.Jan, will you go and look for her?”
He nodded and hurried to fetch his coat.Outside, the world was dark.It’d happened quickly and early, since winter clouds hung low in the sky.As though the sun had simply given up.
He ran in the direction of the cinema, hoping to come across Jadzia and her friends deep in conversation and unaware of the time.But there was no sign of her.When he reached the shopping district around the theatre, he stopped suddenly at the sound of gunfire and shouting.
He slipped into an alley and peeked around the corner.Gestapo andEinsatzgruppenrounded people up and herded them in the direction of the train station.If he went any closer, they’d pick him up as well, and he couldn’t risk that.
Just then, a girl stepped out of the shadows beside him.“Jan?”
He startled.“Is that you, Julie?”
She began to cry.“I don’t know how to get home.There are soldiers everywhere.”
He rested a hand on her arm.“It’s okay.I’ll go with you.But where is Jadzia?”
She sniffled into her sleeve.“They got her.I don’t know where she’s gone, but they came to the theatre and rounded everyone up.They took them somewhere.I didn’t dare follow.”
His heart fell.“But she’s not a Jew.Why did they do it?”
