by Jessica Huray age 13

"Adam! I have something for you!"

Adam looked toward his house to see his little, five-year-old cousin running toward him with a half-filled pitcher of water. He smiled gratefully, dropped his hoe, and staggered tiredly out of the vegetable garden. Becca was already sitting under the shade tree when he got there. He dropped down next to her, leaned his head against the tree and closed his eyes. "Mamma said you might need a break," she informed him.

Adam raised his eyebrows, "She was right." Becca nodded her agreement, "She said you might want some water too. It's over there," she leaned over Adam to get it, then squealed and jumped back.

Adam looked at her quizzically, "What's your problem?"

"You're all sweaty," she answered disgustedly.

"I've been working in the garden all afternoon!" he laughingly defended himself.

"Oh," was all the little girl said as she sat down again, leaving plenty of space between Adam and herself. "Well, you can get the water yourself."

Adam chuckled again as he picked up the water and took a big gulp. Mmm, ice cold. He took a couple more drinks then stood up and dumped it over his head.

"A-adam!" Becca hollered.

Adam looked down to see his cousin as dripping wet as he was. He grinned, "Feels pretty good doesn't it?"
"No!" Becca struggled to keep a straight face on. Then her face broke into a grin, "Yeah, it feels good."

"Good," Adam reached down and tugged one of her black pig tails and said, "Tell Mom we loved the water." Becca laughed and started skipping toward the house.

"I will!" she called over her shoulder.

That night at supper Adam's mom announced, "We're going to town tomorrow."

"Yippee!" Becca cheered.

Adam groaned. Becca stared at him, then imitated him. Adam's dad hid a grin behind his cup, then said, "Time for bed Becca."

Becca slid off her chair, walked over to Adam's dad and kissed him on the cheek, "Night, Daddy."

"Sleep good."

The little girl walked over to Adam's mom, "Night, Mommy."

"I'll be up in a minute to pray with you," she answered.

Becca nodded and went upstairs.

As soon as he was sure she was out of earshot, Adam said, "Why don't you guys go alone, Becca and I will stay home."

"No!" Mom shot out. She closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. "I'm sorry for snapping. You can't stay home, though."

Adam tried once more, "But I'm thir-"

"I know your thirteen, Adam," Mom interrupted. "The same age your cousin was when the Nazis came and took him and his family! You just can't," she stood and went upstairs to pray with Becca.

Adam went out onto the porch and thought about what happened three years ago.

His family had gone on a little trip to Sweden, which is separated from Denmark by the Ore Sound. The night they got back they were suppose to go to his mom's brother's house for supper.

Everyone naturally did their work at his uncle's house without a thought as to what might be happening in the next two hours. No one knew that the Nazis were going to come and capture Jews to bring them to prison camps in Germany.

While the Germans checked the barn and other out-buildings at his Uncle and Aunt's, Becca had wandered into a field to pick some flowers. Then, while the Nazis were capturing everyone in the house, Becca followed their pet Collie into the barn and fell asleep.

When Adam and his family had gone to the house that night they couldn't find anyone, so they checked all the other buildings and found Becca. From then on she had lived with them.

Now, Becca had kind of adopted Adam's parents as her temporary parents, until they could find hers.

"When the war is done, better fruit will come," Mom promised - probably more to herself than anyone else - as she put some small, dried-looking lemons in her shopping bag.

"I sure hope so," Adam couldn't remember the last time he had had a good lemon.

"I don't notice any difference," Becca commented from where she was perched on Adam's shoulder.

Mom laughed, "You wouldn't remember anything different." Her laughter died on her lips as she saw her husband practically running out the door of the newspaper office across the street with a gray face.

"Rumor has it the Nazis are making another surprise raid; within the hour. We haven't got time to go home. Wouldn't be safe there anyway," he looked uncomfortably to Mom. "I know you hate to bother her, but we've got no choice. We need to go to Emma Sandfry's."

"Yes, I do hate to bother the poor lady, but this is an emergency. Let's go."

When they got there, Dad quickly knocked on the door. They didn't wait long for Miss Emma to answer. She was an older lady with grayish-white hair and kind eyes. "Hurry! Come in!" she seemed to know why they were there. She ushered them into the parlor where a sea of anxious eyes met them.

Miss Emma tried a small smile, "You're not the only ones who need help," she raised her voice a notch. " All right everyone, listen up. There are two hiding places upstairs. When I give the signal, you need to go up there quietly and do as Carl and Jim say," She gestured to two men. "And -"

A door slammed. "Gran! Where are you?" A bobbed blonde stuck her head in the door. Her eyes grew big as saucers. "Wow," she breathed stepping in the room and closing the door behind her.

Adam heard the girl mutter, "Oh, Gran, why are you doing this? It could cost us both our lives."
Before Miss Emma could scold her, the girl whipped around and glared at the crowd, "You might as well know that Gran and I totally disagree on this issue, but since you're already here you need to hide. I mean right now. On my way home from school I saw Nazis going through houses. They're not ten minutes behind me. Get moving."

Everyone looked questioningly to Miss Emma. "NOW!" the girl hollered.

Miss Emma nodded her approval and there was a mad rush for the doorway leading upstairs.

Adam, squeezing Becca's hand so he wouldn't lose her, did his best to find his parents. He couldn't fight the current, though, and was swept with half the crowd to a hiding place behind a bookshelf on a swinging wall.

Not two minutes after everyone was situated there was a big BANG, BANG, BANG, on the front door. Adam heard mumbling through the floor that told him the Nazis were talking to Miss Emma. Then everyone held their breath as they heard boots tromping up the stairs. From the sounds of it there were more than one.

"I'll take this room, you two take the others," came a deep voice.

The door to their room opened and a man walked in. Adam laid a warning finger on Becca's lips. In answer she nodded.

The man went over to the bed first. That was obvious because they heard the mattress creak up then go down with a whoosh. He obviously wasn't worried about being too noisy. The dresser drawers were the next to be investigated.

As if someone could fit in those, Adam thought.
The man walked towards the door then stopped. Everyone heard a tap, tap, tap. Adam's eyes widened. He felt the air get even more tense. The soldier was checking for any hollow sounds!

He went on tapping around the room. Then he came to the bookshelf. Tap, tap. Pause. Tap, tap, tap. Finally he went on. When he got back to the door he walked out and closed the door behind him.

"Find anything?" he questioned the two who had returned to the hall.

"Nah, nothin,'" they answered.

Everyone started to breathe a smidge better as the soldiers started down the stairs when, from farther back in the cubby, Adam heard a scream. "Help! A mouse just ran over my hand!"

Adam's heart jumped to his throat. They were doomed. "Didja hear that?!" one of the soldiers exclaimed.

"No, we're deaf," answered another as they charged into the room.

The little girl was still whimpering. Someone desperately clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Judgin' from where the noise is comin' from, they're all behind this bookshelf," guessed the man they had just heard talking.

The wall was thrown open and the light flooded in. "Wow," whistled the man who appeared to be the youngest: around eighteen or nineteen. "There sure are a lot of 'em."

"All right, everyone out!" bellowed a man with spiky, light brown hair.

Another man stood by the door. He had red hair and his eyes glittered with anger. He led the train of about twenty Jews down the stairs. Miss Emma met them in the parlor with wide eyes.

"Miss Sandfry, I'm afraid you're coming with us for harboring these Jews," said Mr. Red.

"Gran?" Miss Emma's granddaughter peeked in the door. Her eyes met Mr. Red's and for a quick instant a look of surprise crossed both of their faces.

"Uh, Miss. . ." Mr. Red spoke first.

"Anna," the girl offered.

"Miss Anna, I assume you knew about the Jews, so you've got to come too," the man informed her.

"Everyone out to the truck," Mr. Spikes ordered. "And don't try anything funny."

Five other distraut looking Jews already in the back of the truck made room for the extras.

Adam was both relieved and disappointed to note that his parents weren't with the group.

After riding about fifteen minutes, Becca looked up from where she was sitting on Adam's lap and asked, "Is this what happened to Daddy, Mommy, and my brother and sisters?"

Adam looked down at her scared face. "Yes," he answered quietly.

Anna was sitting next to them and she put her hand on Becca's shoulder. "It's going to be alright," she encouraged with surprising gentleness.
Suddenly they heard a pop, then ku-thunk, ku-thunk. The truck screeched to a stop and the two soldiers who rode in that truck jumped out and stared at the back wheel.

"I s'pose you'd better fix it," sighed the teen.

"Not a chance, Timothy," answered Mr. Red. Timothy stared in shock at the older man, "What?!"

Mr. Red threw a cold glare at him, "You're going back to town to get help. I'm going to stay here to watch over everyone."

Timothy kept on staring at him until he shouted, "Move it!"

As soon as Timothy turned the corner, Mr. Red's angry face slid off and was replaced by a kind, anxious look. "We've gotta hurry."

In ten minutes the wheel was replaced and they were whipping down the road.

Anna took on her 'I'm in charge' attitude and said, "That's my dad in there. Whatever he says, you do in a hurry because he's obviously on a time schedule."

They cruised through some back streets, sometimes turning the corners so fast Adam thought they would tip over. They all went crashing forward when Mr. Red slammed on the brakes in front of a lone, nice looking fishing boat. He rolled down his window, gave a shrill whistle, jumped out of the truck and said, "This is the Ore Sound and this boat is going to take you over to Sweden, a country where you'll be safe."

Everyone quietly ran to the boat and disappeared below in the hold. Adam, Becca, and Anna hung back.

"Aren't you coming with, Dad?" Anna looked worried. "No, but I'll be fine. Get moving now."

Anna hugged her dad and ran to the boat.

Adam looked gratefully to the German Officer, or whoever he was, "Thank you, Sir."

The man grinned, "It was my pleasure. You'd better get your little sister in that boat now."

Adam nodded and ran with Becca to the boat.