June 13, 1942
Annalise kept walking and walking all day, only attempting to rest when the sun lay down to rest as well. She would try to sleep, but the sadness of losing her family kept her up most nights. The unknown was haunting her like a ghost haunts a house. Pestering, scaring, until you just break and can't take it anymore. Every morning, when she would wake, she would start walking again. Her feet ached and her body hurt with tiredness, but she kept going, walking to find safety with someone willing to help her. She kept going for her family and for her brother. One night, as she tried to find a good enough hiding place to sleep, she bumped into a pair of people, probably husband and wife. The woman looked up and down. Annalise didn't look very well; her hair was tangled, her dress was ripped, her shoes had holes, and her skin was caked with dirt. The woman felt bad. She looked to her husband, who nodded, and Annalise just looked between them, confused.
"What's your name, sweetheart?" The woman asked with a gentle smile, and Annalise didn't know if she should answer or not. She decided to go against her gut and tell her.
"My name is Annalise, and you?" Annalise responded in the kindest tone she could. She tried to smile, but when she did, the woman noticed the sadness and hurt behind it.
"My name is Emily, and this is my husband, Adam. You seem sad, annalise. Is something wrong? Where is your family?" Emily questioned. Annalise's face immediately went sad.
"I don't have a family," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. Emily noticed and turned to her husband. She said something to him that Annalise didn't catch, and he nodded.
"Annalise, would you want to live with us?" Emily had a kind and caring expression that made Annalise trust her. It was the same look her mother would give her. With a silent nod, the couple and Annalise went to her new home.
1943, January 10
"Annalise, me, and Adam are planning to leave Germany," Emily says, and Annalise frowns and turns to pack her belongings, but Emily stops her. "We'd like you to come with us," she said, smiling at Annalise.
YOU ARE READING
Journeying Through WWII: Annalise's Quest for Safety
Narrativa StoricaIn the midst of wartime Germany, Annalise and her family struggle to survive as Jewish individuals targeted by the cruelty of their fellow citizens. Packed into unsanitary and overpopulated spaces, Annalise and her younger sister Adele navigate a wo...
