فصل 16

emilia

The giant woman, Eva, told me that the nurse girl was Lithuanian. Her name was Joana. She seemed kind, but how could I be sure? If she was going to treat the knight I felt I should stand watch. I owed him a debt now, didn’t I?

He told me to go away. His voice was another in the chorus of those who wanted the Poles to disappear. Forever. After fleeing through Nemmersdorf, I met an old woman from Lw?w on the road, her eyes stormed with death. She told me the Nazis had killed thousands of Polish Jews in Lw?w.

“The Weigels?” I asked.

“Gone.”

My voice fell to a whisper. “The Lempels?”

“Why do you keep asking? I told you, they’re all dead. Probably hundreds of thousands.”

Why was I asking? Because Rachel and Helen were my friends. When Father sent me away to East Prussia, they sneaked over the night before and brought me sweets and gifts.

Dead. How could she say it with such finality? I didn’t want to believe it.

The pretty Lithuanian girl, Joana, had told me to find a large stick. I walked outside the barn. Wind and snow lashed my face. Every movement felt awkward in my layers and bulky coat.

Should I confide in Joana? Maybe she could help me. But I knew what would happen. She would be disgusted.

I heard a noise and looked up. That’s when I saw it. Perched on top of the barn was the largest nest I had ever seen.