When Richard woke before dawn, Katrina greeted him with dark shadows under her eyes from having stayed up all night to wash her brothers’ clothes. In contrast to their usual morning routine, he didn’t dare kiss her or even give her an embrace, as she finished stuffing their bags with food and extra clothing.
Instead he busied himself helping her set the table while she made breakfast. To celebrate the special day, she raided the weekly ration of eggs from the new hen and even took a piece of sausage from the hidden pantry beneath the kitchen floor.
Stan and Jarek came downstairs several minutes later, and, after giving mean side-glances at Richard, recounted the rumors about the upcoming closure of the Lodz Ghetto and the deportation of everyone living there.
“It’s true. The Wehrmacht h
