Chapter 41 Section 41

"Excuse me," I said hesitantly, "but we must go." They exchanged glances and said nothing. "We have received the best and best care here and I am sure that if I could I would live happily with you until the end of the war because I have you as family and I know the children too .” I reached up and shook hands with Isabella and Wojciech, trying to find the right words.Even in my native language, it is difficult to convey my feelings at this time, let alone the little Polish I just learned. "Isabella, you have been like our mother these months. And you, Wojciech, you have been like our father. But the real mother of me and Nikolai, and Ilo Mom and Dad may still be alive. Like I explained before, we're going to a resettlement camp, somewhere outside of Krakow, that's all I know. Please understand, don't know your loved ones We can't rest assured of whereabouts, no matter the outcome is good or bad, we have to find it."

Isabella took my hand in both hands and assured me: "We understand, Anka. Of course you want to find your relatives, but I must tell you frankly that you should prepare for the worst. will be hit harder." She said, tears welling up in her eyes, "We will be sad if you leave, you have brought us much joy, Anka. But we will not stop you." I thought they would object, and I was relieved to hear her say that. "Anka, there's something we haven't talked about, but now I think it's time to tell you. Wojciech and I had a deceased son named Krzysztof." She thought about how to express it, and we Then listen patiently.

"He died in a battle at the beginning of the fascist occupation of Poland, years later. His wife Mila was still pregnant at the time, and we would have had a grandson or granddaughter." The hostess said with difficulty, "She is also a Jew, Anka, just like your friend Ilo. She...at that time..." Isabella became emotional, and without hesitation I sat down next to her and comforted her as best I could.I hugged Isabella, only to hear Wojciech take her words and continue. "After Krzysztof's death, his wife Mila, who lived in Krakow, was moved into a ghetto, which was a segregated area of ​​the city for Jews. All the Jews were gathered there, you know Yes, regardless of nationality and status. Because of their religious beliefs, they were marked as aliens, tried, and convicted.” At this point, he stopped, and I found that he was also trying to control his emotions.

I put one arm around Isabella and reached out to him with the other, begging him to go on, "What happened to her, Wojciech?" "We don't even know if she's alive or dead, Anka. We hear that the enclave was purged and the survivors were sent to labor camps, like your mother and Ilo's parents. Mira was sent to to a place called Treblinka, in the Northeast of our country. We only know that she did get there because we were notified of her containment. It's been over a year since we heard anything else news, whether it's her or our grandson." "But, Wojciech," I said, "if she's in a labor camp, shouldn't she be safe? You'll see her after the war, won't you?"

As soon as I said the words, Isabella threw her arms around me and began to cry again.Wojciech avoided my blank gaze and refused to meet my gaze. I knew there must be something hidden. So I asked, "Wojciech? What's the matter? There's something you haven't told me, right?" It seemed a century before he answered. "Anka, you are still too young. There are some things that are better not to be said, and those things should not be known to children." "I'm twelve, Wojciech, a teenager. Please don't take me for a little kid like Nikolai or Ilo, okay?"

Wojciech considered my request, and finally said, "That's just rumors, Anka, not facts. In all wars, the first thing to lose is the truth. I can't tell you things you're not sure about." "Please, no matter what it is, I should know. If it has anything to do with my mother's fate, you must tell me." Wojciech shook his head: "I can't let you be misled by rumors, child." He paused, thought for a moment, and then said: "Anka, we understand that you have to leave. We will not stop you, because you have Our own thoughts and our objections are useless. But please let those two children stay. Let us look after them for you while you go to find your mother."

I shook my head before he finished speaking, a suggestion I didn't even want to think about. "No, Wojciech, I can't do this. I appreciate your offer, but Nikolai is my brother and we will not be separated. I promised my mother, and my father, that I will always look after him Yes, I will keep my promise no matter what. And Yiluo..." I looked at them, begging them with my eyes not to object to what I said next. "Even though I've only known her for a few months, I already regard her as my own sister, and I must take care of her as my own sister. Wojciech, Isabella, please understand, I can never leave them alone. Please don't stop us from leaving, we must go together."

Isabella said excitedly: "We won't, Anka. We understand your situation, just like Wojciech told you, we have also experienced the same suffering. If we are not old and frail, we must Will go to Krakow and try to get Mira back. But we didn't know anything at the time. How could we have imagined that things would turn out so tragically?" I nodded understandingly. "Right now we are doing what we can, as you can see, Anka. We are doing our best. I think you can see that we are risking our lives to take partisans and wounded soldiers. This is what we do for this A small contribution to a battle against tyranny."

She squeezed my hand and said firmly, "You will contribute in different ways, Anka, and I know you are as willing to join this fight as we are. But now, find your respective loved ones." It's the most important thing." She paused, thinking about what to say next. "No, Anka, we will not prevent you from leaving, nor from taking two children, if it is your will. You are so young, my child, but you are very brave. Yes, you You should take Nicholas with you, and take care of your younger brother. You also need the help of Yiluo. She is an extraordinary child, and you must have noticed it. It will be better to have her treat you, which I sure."

She turned to Wojciech, whispered something quickly in Polish that I didn't understand, and then she turned to me again. "Anka, if you have to go, let us help you again. Wojciech has a younger brother, Henrik, who still lives in Krakow. He's a good man, Anka, maybe he can To help you, at least it can point you in the right direction. I believe that as long as you go to him, he will definitely help you." I nodded gratefully. "Thank you. We are indeed going to Krakow. I know that's where the Bucharest train goes. Is it far from here? The town of Krakow?" Wojciech said quietly: "It's far away, Anka, but we will make sure you arrive safely. Henrik will let you stay with him for a few days, so that you have time to figure out what you are facing. What. Then...then, Anka, I hope you will realize the futility of your efforts and you will come back to this forest to be with us until the war is over and maybe then we will all be reunited with our surviving relatives of."