Page 122 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

know when to fight and when not to. To know who
to talk to and who to avoid. Listen. Never stand next
to someone with a G in her number. She is a Greek—
and Greeks do not speak Yiddish and do not understand
German. Greek Jews disappear quickly."
"They become these musselmen?" Shifre asked.
"They become . . . gone," Rivka answered. "Be-
cause they do not understand commands fast enough,
they do not react fast enough. Anyone standing next
to them may be gone with them, sent off to Lilith's
.
Cave alongside a Greek. And here is another rule . . "
"Those aren't rules," Hannah argued. "Those are
crazinesses."
"Nevertheless, you must learn them," Rivka said.
"See my number? It is lower than yours. Someone with
a number like mine has been here a long time. We are
survivors. We can tell you things. Read the numbers.
My lower number tells you I can organize things."
"Organize?" Hannah shook her head. "What do you
mean?"
"Organize," Rivka said. "As I have organized some
shoes for you, and not wooden clogs, either. And sweat-
ers. You will need them because the nights are cold
still. And if you need medicines, though we have few
of them, even in the hospital—and you do not want to
go there if you can help it—you must find Sarah the
Lubliner, J11177. She works in the sorting shed and
sometimes she can organize ointments from the pockets
• of coats or valises. And sometimes pills. I think some
bandages, too, though you can wear them only where
no one can see or Sarah would be in trouble. The com-

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