Chapter 21

One day after roll call, Anyu grabbed Oscar’s hand. For once, she was smiling.

“Uncle Elemir is here.”

“What!” Oscar looked around the yard. “Where is he?”

“Over there, in the men’s barracks.” Anyu pointed to a section on the far side of the yard. “I saw him in the lineup.”

“Are you sure it’s him?”

“Yes. He recognized us. He waved.”

Oscar was happy to know that his uncle was close by, yet he was sad that he was in this awful place, too.

“Let’s visit him,” said Paul.

“No.” Anyu grasped Paul’s shoulders. “You are not allowed in the men’s camp. Don’t even think about going there.”

Paul folded his arms across his chest. “I want to see Uncle Elemir!”

“Paul, listen to Anyu,” Oscar begged.

“I don’t care what you say! I want to see Uncle Elemir!”

“Paul,” Oscar snapped. “Listen to Anyu.”

Paul frowned. “Yes, Oscar,” he whispered and lowered his head so that his brother wouldn’t see the gleam of determination in his eyes.

That afternoon, Paul waited until his mother fell into an exhausted sleep. Oscar was outside, playing skipping stones with a group of boys. Paul tiptoed in the opposite direction, and when he was out of Oscar’s sight, turned and headed for the men’s barracks. He was careful not to run because the guards might think he was trying to escape and shoot him. When he reached the barracks, he stopped.

Which of these buildings was Uncle Elemir in? He looked around frantically, afraid a guard might catch him standing there. He brought his hands up to his face. They were shaking. I have to go back.

“Paul, come here.”

Paul spun around. “Uncle Elemir!” He jumped into his uncle’s arms.

“Thank God, you are alive.” His uncle set him on the ground. “Who else is here?”

“Anyu and Oscar. Auntie Bella, Magdi, and Kati are with us.”

“How are they?”

“Anyu is sick.”

“What’s wrong with her?

“She’s weak. When we line up, she can hardly stand. Oscar and I hold her up.” Paul looked up at his uncle. “Uncle Elemir, how did you get here?”

“By train, how else? You think I was driven in a limousine?” He smiled.

“I mean how did they catch you? Where are Aunt Lily and George?”

His uncle’s smile faded. “When I was taken, they went into hiding in a convent. The nuns promised to protect them. I pray they are still safe. I worked in an ammunition factory until the Americans bombed it. Then the Germans brought me here.” He placed an arm across Paul’s shoulders. “Come, I have something for you.”

He took his hand and led him into a barrack. The smell of sickness and unwashed bodies hit Paul like a slap in the face. He noticed that conditions here were even worse than in his barrack. Men lay listlessly in their bunks, their eyes sunk into skull-like faces. Paul shuddered and clutched his uncle’s hand. He choked.

“Ah, the hot springs at the Berek this is not,” said his uncle, as he rumpled Paul’s hair. Then he went to a bunk, reached under the mattress, and pulled out a small knife and a block of wood.

“Come with me.” He crooked his finger. “I am going to teach you to whittle.”

They walked to a spot at the back of the barrack and sat on a bunk. “We are going to turn this into a horse.” His uncle held up a small block of wood. Then he took his pocketknife and began chipping away slivers.

“Uncle Elemir, where did you get the knife?” Paul’s voice was filled with awe. The prisoners were not allowed to have tools of any kind.

“I stole it from a guard.” He winked. “And the wood”—he pointed to a broken slat in the wall—“I figured no one would miss it.”

“Really?” Paul looked at the knife in awe. “Did you fight him for it?”

“Ah, Paul, if only I could have.” His uncle shook his head. “No, I had this knife when they took me away. I’ve kept it hidden.” He put his finger to his lips. “So, it will be our secret, yes?”

Paul nodded. Now he had two secrets. The molasses and Uncle Elemir’s knife.

“Paul! Here you are!”

Paul looked up as Oscar stormed over to them.

“Look, Oscar. I found Uncle Elemir.”

“Hello, Uncle Elemir.” Oscar hugged his uncle. Then he turned to his brother. “Paul! Anyu is scared to death. She told you not to come here. How could you run off and frighten her like this?”

Paul folded his arms across his chest. “I wanted to see Uncle Elemir.”

Uncle Elemir turned to Oscar. “He is safe with me. As safe as anyone can be in this place,” he added under his breath. “So, you are all right?”

“I am not sick. Yet.”

“Paul tells me that your mother is ill.”

“Yes.” Oscar blinked hard.

“Oscar?” Uncle Elemir gave him a questioning look. “Let Paul come visit me sometimes.”

Oscar shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I’ll watch out for him.”

Oscar took Paul’s hand. “Say good-bye to Uncle Elemir.”

Paul waved as Oscar marched him back to their side of the camp.

“Paul, what am I going to do with you?” Anyu frowned at her son.

“I’m bored, Anyu. Uncle Elemir is teaching me to whittle, so I can carve animals out of wood.”

“Whittle?!”

“Carving things out of wood.” He put his mouth to his mother’s ear. “Uncle Elemir has a knife.”

“A knife? How can that be?”

“Shh!” Paul placed a finger on her lips. “He keeps it hidden. The soldiers don’t know about it. Please, Anyu, let me go see him. I’ll be careful.”

“Oscar?” she pleaded.

Oscar looked down at his brother. He couldn’t blame Paul. The days were endless. With nothing to do, they all spent their time talking, telling each other stories, or just lying on their bunks staring at the bunks above them. But sneaking from their barrack to the men’s quarters was dangerous.

“Paul, promise me you’ll listen to Anyu.”

“You sneak out all the time.”

“I just hang around outside with the other boys.”

“You never let me come with you.” Paul pouted.

“I do it to get away from YOU!” Oscar snapped.

“Boys, please. Don’t fight.” Anyu looked at Paul. “Oscar is right. It’s too dangerous to go to the men’s camp. Promise me you won’t do it.”

Paul lowered his head. He bit his lip. “All right. I promise.”

And he kept that promise. At least for the next two days.