"Anukkah," a voice said, gently shaking me awake. "Anna?"
My eyes fluttered open and revealed Luis, my brother, looking down at me, his blue eyes showing concern. "What?" I asked. "What time is it?"
"10:30 in the morning. Mother's worried about you. She wondered if you saw the Gestapo or something."
"No, no," I said.
"Good. Are you all right?"
"Fine," I replied, sitting up. "I think I found a job."
"That's great! I didn't have any luck, but I'm praying that I'll get something today."
I stood, stretched, and yawned. Luis and I walked into the kitchen where mother was doing the breakfast dishes.
"Oh, Anukkah!" she said, drying her hands on a towel. She walked up to me and gave me an affectionate hug. "I was worried about you. You were crying last night when you stormed in here. I wanted to comfort you, but your father insisted I let you sleep. Is everything all right?"
"Yes, yes," I said. "I may have found a job. I must go back tonight to know for sure."
"Oh, honey!" she said. "That's wonderful! Your father fears that Hitler is going to pass that dreadful law that Jews can't own businesses."
"What did you tell him?" Luis asked, sitting down at the table.
"I told him to but his business in God's hands." She turned and pulled out some silverware. "Anna, you must be starving."
"No, actually," I replied. "I'm not."
"Are you sure, dear?"
"I'm sure. Where's Grace?"
Luis shook his head. "Sarah's house."
"Alone?" I demanded.
Luis looked nervously at mom when her back was turned, and put his finger along his neck as if silently saying "cut it out." But then he nodded.
"MOM!" I exclaimed. "You can't let Grace go out alone! With no one to protect her and the HJs all over the streets and… and-"
Mother gasped and turned to Luis. "She went alone? You told me Paul was taking her!"
Paul was Luis's best friend. He was fairly nice, and the best thing about him was that he wasn't Jewish by blood, and his faith was a secret, not even known to his own family.
"He never showed up," Luis replied quietly, as if ashamed.
"YOU SENT YOUR 11-YEAR OLD SISTER OUT ALONE?!" mother raged. "What were you thinking? She may never come back! How could you-"
"The HJs are in school right now," Luis said. "And Sarah's house isn't far…"
"Go get her!" mother said. "Now."
"I have to find a job!" he replied.
"I will," I said quickly. I put my Star of David necklace under my shirt and started out the door. When I opened it, Paul stood there.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," I replied. "Luis can't talk. He's heading out to find a job."
"Can I come in?"
"Of course." I backed up to let him in and was about to leave when he grabbed my arm, yanked me back in, and closed the door.
"You wouldn't believe all the HJs out there," he said. "One of them asked me a million questions before he let me walk here and I'm not even Jewish."
"But you do look a little-"
Paul shook his head. "It doesn't matter. You look a lot. Don't look them in the eye. Don't look suspicious. And whatever you do, don't go to the grocery store. They're swarming around it."
I got a little nervous. "All right. How do I look?"
He reached behind me and unlatched my necklace. He put it in my open hand. "And don't wear that. If it becomes visible by accident, you'll be dragged off before you know it."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. There's actually one right outside the house. He's looking for the smallest reason to kill someone, I just know it. Ignore him and act natural."
"All right. Luis is in the kitchen. And don't tell mother about all the HJs. She'll worry."
Paul nodded. "All right. Good luck."
"Thank you."
I nervously opened the door and stepped out. I immediately saw the HJ that Paul had told me about. He was leaning against the doorpost, looking casual. We didn't have the Star of David painted on our door. We were trying to keep it as secret as possible. But if they found out that we lied to them, our fate would be worse than anyone else's would.
I could feel his eyes on me as I walked in the opposite direction. I heard steady footsteps behind me. Was that him?
Don't look back,
I told myself. That may classify as looking nervous, and I couldn't do that. I couldn't make one single slip, or-My necklace! It wiggled out of my loose hand and fell to the sidewalk. What now? Should I run away, or turn back to get it?
I turned around and bent down to pick it up. A black shoe stepped on it and didn't move. I stood to find myself face-to-face with the HJ.
"Excuse me," I said. "Would you be so kind as to move your foot?"
He looked down at it. "That wouldn't happen to be a Jewish sign, would it?"
"It's not mine," I lied. "It was my friend's necklace. She got dragged off by the Gestapo. It's all I have left of her."
"Did you know that harboring Jews is a crime?"
"I did not "harbor" her!" I spat. "I talked with her! Or is talking with them a crime, too?"
"It could be," he replied. "I'll be sure to check."
"In the meantime, will you let me have it back?"
He bent down and picked it up himself. He dangled it in front of my face, taunting me. But I would not play his game. I would not swipe at it and give him that satisfaction. I stood there.
"Are you done?" I asked impatiently.
"Not quite."
"Then hurry up. I'm in a sort of rush."
"Where are you going?"
My hand flew up and grabbed the necklace before he could yank it away. But he still held fast. "Where I am going is none of your business."
"Is the question so hard? I said; Where. Are. You. Going."
"And I told you that you had no right to ask me that," I replied hotly.
"You're very lucky you're a girl, or you would be dead by now."
"So talking with a Jew is a crime, but killing one is not?"
He chucked. "You'll make a good servant to a worthy Nazi official, I'm sure. So much spirit. Remember, Jewish girl, I know where you live." With that, he punched me in the stomach and stalked off.
A/N: did he go too easy on her? I think he did. Oh, well…