Page 55 - LEIBY

Chapter 6 55

They climbed on the stacks, their shouts and laughter ringing
through the air. Here, too, Yosef shook his head, disappointed.
No, Mirushka was not there.

Leiby sighed.“Are you sure you remember her?”he asked gently.
“It’s been a long time since you last saw her, perhaps she looks
different now than she used to.”

“Just as I remember what you and I look like, I remember what
Mirushka looks like, and I tell you that she isn’t in any of the
places that we have seen.”

They carried on to the last village. There too, in the square
beside a large farmhouse, children ran around and played.
Suddenly, Yosef let out an almighty scream that could be heard
in the entire village. “M-i-r-u-s-h-k-a!” He ran like a maniac
towards the group of young girls and hugged one small blond
girl tightly.

“Mirushka, it’s me, Yosef, I’ve come to fetch you.”

The child looked at him in alarm and pushed him away.

“Mirushka, I’m Yosef, your big brother, and we are Jewish. Do
you remember that I told you never to forget that you are a
Jew?”

“Jews!” Mirushka stared at him in distress. “They kill little
children and use their blood to make matzos for Pesach.”

Yosef just held her close, and she began to cry. Leiby approached
them quickly.

“Go away… I’m not Mirushka, I’m Maria, and I don’t have any
brothers at all.” Mirushka pushed Yosef again, as hard as she
could.

Frantically,Yosef grabbed at the pendant dangling at Mirushka’s
neck. “Mirushka, I also have one of these, Mama made them
for both of us.” He pulled at the necklace and pressed on a
concealed spring. The pendant opened up, revealing a tiny
rolled-up piece of paper inside. On it were the words Miriam
bas Dovid and Batsheva Lieder. “Mama made exactly the same