Page 161 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

with the spoon didn't rest, but her other hand was held
stiffly by her side. It was wrapped in a broad bandage,
the white stained with fresh blood.
"Gitl. . . ," Hannah said as they walked back to-
ward the kitchen. ''Did you see?"
"I saw," Gitl said, her voice ragged. "I saw every-
thing."
"I mean, did you see that Yitzchak wasn't there?"
Gitl turned, took Hannah by the arms, and stared at
her. "Yitzchak?"
"He wasn't there. He wasn't in the lineup either."
"Hush," Gitl said, turning away, but her voice held
a measure of hope. "Hush."
Hannah said no more, but in her mind's eye she saw
a swift shadow racing into the dark trees. She smiled
with the memory.

Later that afternoon, the cauldrons all set for cooking,
Hannah walked with Rivka and Shifre to the water
pump. Esther was there already, filling a bucket in slow
motion for the women in the sewing shop. She had lost
a lot of weight, the dress hung in loose folds on her
frail body, her eyes were dead.
Overhead the swallows dipped down to catch bugs
rising from the ground. Then they soared back up be-
yond the barracks. Hannah watched them for a mo-
ment, scarcely breathing. It was as if all nature ignored
what went on in the camp. There were brilliant sunsets
and soft breezes. Around the commandant's house, bright
flowers were teased by the wind. Once she'd seen a fox
cross the meadow to disappear into the forest. If this

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