The Journey Back Read Online Free PDF Page A

farmhouse-ours.
    We couldn’t see it, not yet. Soon, though, part of it would be visible-the chimney, painted white like the rest of the house. In the meadow to our left a cow was grazing around molehills that stuck up like fray black dunes. There was a piglet, too, all pink, and some sheep. A woman was tugging at the barbed wire on which fluffs of wool had caught.
    She must have heard us. She raised her head. We stopped.
    “Hello, rouw Droppers. How have you been?” we said, and went a little closer. Maybe I could ask her about Frits. We were about to cross the plank. We didn’t. She was staring in such a funny way and shaking her fist at us.
    “Why did you have to come back?” she yelled. “You should’ve been killed.
    It’s all because of you …”
    What did she mean? Fast, away from her, whatever she had meant. Part of our house was in view now, the chimney and one whole side. I held tightly to Sini’s hand as we hurried on.
    “Girls”
    Was that her? Coming after us?
    “You didn’t even see me you’re in such a hurry. It’s me, Maria!”
    Sheepishly we laughed. Sure, we remembered Maria, the woman who always had a goat with her.
    “It’s nice to see one Jewish child back,” she said to me. “Ja, ja, it’s been a bad time for a 1o, t of people. Take your neighbors, the Droppers. They lost their oldest son. You remember ‘m-Hans. He tried to save a Jew’s life by pulling him off a train before it left for Poland.
    A stranger yet. The Get-mam saw what he was doing and shot him right at the station.” She paused. “The Droppers may not be very friendly,” she warned. “They hate all Jews now. Well-” Maria changed the subject. “You girls mus wonder where’s the goat. Ja, she’s gone. I go faster without her.
    “rem me, I have o h. I never hded m rao oers d. I’s old, he me, bu we this work.” She ed. “I he’d we’ have no ouble geg ood nex well. The freight e ready be haed home d w be ng aghn by r for se.” She sed to leave. “People e cog on me. ey even op me h the seet to
    “M what’s g( on?” No new spa at’s why, I .” Bry she walked towed to.
    We were front of the ho, on e pat I to e back dr.
    “Faer d Rachel wl take cme of you now, nnie.”
    at? Shi didn’t want to y more? at &d she me? But ere w no e to k. e droned d out Faer md Rachel. We hued, we d, we cried. We were back ag —at 1. 2.
    Still holding on to one another, we walked inside, t! king, iring about things but not waiting for answers. “How are you?”
    “Fine.”
    “And you?”
    “F;me.” And out of the kitchen. Sini and I had to see the rest of the house. “Come,” we said, laughing shyly and pulling each other along.
    There was very little furniture, though, and the floors were bare. I tried to tiptoe. Still, the living room looked beautiful. There, as if they had never been away, were the old sofa and the chest with the tea cozy perched on top, a little bit of the teapot showing. And in the middle of the room, where they always used to stand, were the chairs with the plush seats that scratched your legs.
    “Annie, put on something longer,” Mother used to say, “or don’t sit on those chairs.”
    I had anyway, telling her it was fine, but secretly I had put my hands underneath my legs and wondered why Mother loved those chairs so. I was glad they were back, though.
    I had not thought about Mother for a long time. I stood there for a minute; then I rushed up the stairs to catch up with the others.
    My room was much bigger than the one at’ the Oostervelds, gigantic almost. I bounced on the bed -perfect. Then I went to the window.
    Sure, just as I’d thought. Through the treetops I could see the clock on the church tower.
    In Rachel’s room there was something new-wooden plaques with Biblical.
    sayings painted on them. Funny, we never had those in our house
    I SUMMER
    before. She must have made them herself. They were pretty, with curlicues and flowers everywhere. “Come, Annie.”
    Yes, yes. I