Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER JANUARY 1947 ABOARD THE ANNA MARINE THE ATLANTIO OCEAN Max stood with Zena at the ship's railing, shivering in the cold. Papa sat on a chair behind them, his head bent over the book of English words they'd all been studying. Suddenly, he looked up and called out to them. "See anything yet?" "No, Papa," said Zena. "Keep looking," Papa said with a smile. "Any minute now you'll see land."

This is what Papa had been saying all day. They'd been at sea for an entire week, and they were supposed to be arriving in New York soon. But as Max stared ahead, squinting into the bright sun, all he could see was the endless ocean. Would they ever get to America? It had been nearly two years since the end of the war, and even longer since they'd left Loda Forest. Hitler was dead. Thousands of Nazis were locked up. Much of Europe was in ruins. Germany had been practically destroyed by bombers from America and England. Everything was different now, and still changing. Hannah and Lev were married and living in Palestine. Martin had gone with them. They were all helping build a new Jewish nation — Israel. Thousands of Jewish people were already there. And Aunt Hannah had almost convinced Papa that he and Max and Zena should go to Palestine with them. But Papa knew how hard life would be for

the settlers of that new nation. He'd decided America was the place for him and Max and Zena. Max would never forget the sadness of saying good-bye to Aunt Hannah and Lev and Martin. "We will see each other soon!" Aunt Hannah had promised, in her bright and certain voice. But her glittering eyes were overflowing with tears as they hugged good-bye, and they all knew it could be a very long time before they were together again. Papa, Max, and Zena stayed with Mr. Jablonski, but there was nothing left for them in Esties. Almost every Jewish person was gone forever, their lives stolen by the Nazis. There seemed to be ghosts everywhere, stains of the terrible things that had happened. Max was sad to say good-bye to Mr. Jablonski. But he was happy to leave Esties. He never wanted to go back. They wandered for months, from city to city, crowded train after crowded train. They were part of a sea of Jewish survivors, hundreds of

thousands of people with no homes, no money, and nowhere to go. Finally they made their way to Rome, Italy. They stayed at small camp with hundreds of other Jews like them. The people working at the camp were volunteers who came from all over the world. A kind woman from America helped Papa write a letter to his cousin Saul, who lived in New York. The only way to get to America was if you had the help of a family member who already lived there. It had taken months for the letter to reach Saul, and several more for his response to get back to Papa. "I will do anything and everything to help you, my dear cousin," he wrote. Saul had a wife named Jennie, three grown children, and six grandchildren who were around Max and Zena's age. "We will all be waiting for your ship," Saul wrote in his last letter. "Your entire family is here for you. We will help you start your new life."

New life. New life. Max had said those words over and over to himself, not sure what they meant. He wanted to forget all of the bad things that had happened, the fear and the sadness that he'd worn like a second skin, the evil of the Nazis, the suffering of those all around him, people who had lived through far worse than what he had experienced. But could he really forget? Was it right to forget? Could Max really start a new and happy life after all that had happened? For months before this voyage, he'd wrestled with these questions. But then, just a few days before they boarded the ship, Max had been getting dressed. His eyes lingered on his scar. He'd almost forgotten about it. Sometimes the wound ached a little, but it had

healed. Max ran his fingers across the puckered skin. And it came to him — that the Nazis had wounded him in other places, too, places he couldn't see. In his heart. In his mind. He had scars there, too. And he would carry those scars with him for his whole life. They would remind him of all of the terrible things that had happened, the sadness and the pain, the evil and the suffering he had witnessed. But he would also remember the kindness of people like Mr. Jablonski, who risked his life to help them. He'd remember the incredible luck of finding Aunt Hannah — and then being reunited with Papa. He'd remember the bravery of the partisans, and how he and Zena never left each other's side. And he'd feel the strength inside him — and the hope — that had gotten him through these impossible years.