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I S R N 0 582 4Ib5-I 5
rntmductron
Chapter 1 Thc G h o ~ Children
t
Chapter 2 Stefan
Chapter 3 Back in Tiime
T y p r r by Il~gitalTypr,tondon
Set in 1 1 11 4pr Bcmbo Chapter 4 T h t Children
I'rintd ill Spin by Mateu Clo~lrsS.A. Firm (Madrid)
Chapter 5 ATerrible Mistake
Chapter 6 E~capefrom the ]%st

Chapter 7 The Lorries

Chapter 8 Memories
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 Chapter 1 The Ghost Children

'She didn't want to come, Steve,' said Carol. 'And now she says
that she can see ghosts.'She looked out of the window on to the
war memorial jn the village square. Everything w a s silent. Her
new husband called it 5 dusty French silence'. Carol called it a
cIusty hot French silence. It was only April, but it was almost too
hot to move.
'I've tried very hard,' Carol continued. 'But she refuses to be
rny friend.'
'Ghosts?' asked Steve. He was here to rest after a heart attack.
Already he w a s tired of healthy food, n o long walks, no heavy
drinking and no smoking. 'What tort of ghosts?'
'Oh, I didn't ask,' said Carol. 'Ghosts are ghosts.'
'We'll just have to be patient with her,' replied Steve.
'But it's three years since her mother left you.'
Steve answered her with a sad smile. 'Perhaps Elise isn't happy
with you. But that doesn't mean that she's happy with her Mum.
Things will get better.'
'You always say that,' said Carol.'The p r l hates me.'
'She's sixteen, Carol,' Steve said. 'She's unhappy-You're new in
our lives, and she's not sure about you.'
'When I look a t her, she jumps,'said Carol.'When I come into
the room, she leaves it,'
It was very nice to be in love, Carol decided. But it was
different being married and a stepmother. She picked up her bag
of drawing and painting things.'I'm going out to paint.'
Steve smiled at her. 'Don't get too friendly with any ghosts!'
He tried t o put his arm round her, but she pushed him away.
'Didn'e I do that when I joined this family7'she said.
Elise woke up - and there again w a s the same image, in the same
place. I t was exactly the same as yesterday morning.
'It's the light,' she thought. Grey light came from between the
bedroom curtains, like the light of an old black and white film. In
it she could see boys and girls in coats. They were carrying
packages, and some had bags over their shouIders. And was that
an army lorry?
She watched for a minute-Then she got up to look out-The
village square was empty except for a few cars. Some birds flew
above the war menlorid in the early morning sun.
'I can't explain it scientifically,' she thought. 'But I'm guessing
that the village square gets mirrored in the roortr. It's as simple as
that. And the lorry? Well that's the "school bus" in this little
village. But why &dn't I see the lorry drive away? Why didn't I
hear it?'
She stood at the window-The birds were on the war nlenlorial
now, and on the ground in fmnt of it. Could the birds be the
schoolchildren?
Elise began to get dressed. 'So that's my excitement for the
day,' she thought. 'This is going to be illy most boring holiday
ever!'
She looked across at the village church.
'Dad says that there are some wonderful coloured windows in
the church,' she thought. 'Thanks, Dad! And after I see those, I
can read some gravestones! Or there's the wooden Mother and
Child. Dad says I can take photos of it. And Carol can do a
drawing. Well, Carol and I agree on one thing: Dad's idea of an
exciting holiday is worse than two hours of homework!'
Elise could not get the image of the lorry and the children out
of her mind. The lorry was green and dark brawn. 'Was it an
army vehicle? she thought suddenly.
T h e door below went BANG! as it closed. Elise watched
Carol escape with her painting things. 'Is she angry with Dad I T h e y were carrying packages, and some had bags over their sltoeldcrs.
already?' she thou*. 'Poor Carol. I don't make thngs casy for 'But why graves?'
her, but she still tries hard. I'm in the way, I realize that. She wants 'Not graves, exacdy - memorials,' he explained. 'For me,
Dad for herself. And she isn't happy when I talk about ghosts. they're like doors into the past:
She's a very sensible person, and sensible people don't believe in "Butalways wars - people w h o died.'
ghosts. She thinks it's all in nry head. I told ber about the children 'They're people who gave their lives for us,' said her father.
- twenty or thirty of then1 - but she just shook her head. "So 'We mustn't forget that.'
many children in this small village? I don? think so," she said. 'Are there any war graves near here, Dad?' she asked.
"Why don't we see them at other times of the day?" "Because 'Not graves, no."
they're ghosts." But she doesn't believe in ghosts. "You're the only 'Then why are we here?'
person who sees them," she said. She talks to me the way that my 'So I can get better - doctor's orders,' he said.
real Mum does. And she's not my real Mum!' 'You've brought your notebooks, Dad. Why?"
Elise went downstairs. 'Maybe I'll need them,' he said.
'What for?' she said.
Elise's father put his finger to his mouth.'Doctor's orders!'
Chapter 2 Stefan She lefi him to rest. 'Doctor's orders?' she thought.'I don't
think so. He's got a secret.'
She was glad to talk to her father alone.
Wad, d, think I saw some ghosts,' she said.
'Yes, your Mother - sorry - Carol told me,' he replied. The boy on the church steps was local.When Elise, Carol and her
'She doesn't 11keme to talk about them.' Dad arrived in the village, he was with a p u p of other boys
'I don't want you to worry about it,' he said. 'Just enjoy your around the war memorial. He waved, while another boy shoured
holiday: something about Manchester United.
'I'm not worried,' said Elisc.'l'rn just interested.' Was he waiting for her now? He seemed very nervous as she
'We'll have a drive out in the car this afternoon,'he suggested. got near the church entrance.
'There are lots of things to see.Would you like that?' 'Bonjottr !'* she said.
Would I like that? I'm not six years old, Dad!' said Elise. 'Oh, Did girls in France just introduce themselves to b q s ? Elise
why did we come here?' was not sure. But she needed to talk to son~etodyher own age
'We often stayed in houses in France with your Mum.' during these two weeks in the middle of nowhere.
Elise thought about saying, Terhaps she left you because our 'And of course 1 need to practise my French,' she thought.
lives were roo boring.' But she decided not to make two enemies The boy turned away, but he fell.
in one day.
'Why do you always visit those war gavesl'she asked. * Bnnjour; merri;padonnex-mois: Je stris a w ~ ~ l a iau ; o i r French words for hello:
s ~w
'I like history,' her father said.'You knmv that.' ~lsdnkyou; sorry; I'm Byliish:goodbye.
'1 work! at thefarm. At Lolirtoq' he said. E'
 'She's not exactly my mother,' Elise said. 'My Dad married 'Perhaps I'll see you another time,' she said. 'I'm here for two
again. Do you have the same parents that you started with?' Elise weeks.'
was pleased with that Fentence. Her French was getting better. 'Perhaps,' he replied. 'Goodbye!'
Stefan shook his head. Me lived with his uncle and aunt on the
farm.
Elise nearly replied, 'Parents aren't always so wonderful.' But Chapter 3 Back in Time
she stopped herself.You can't be rude about parents to somebody
who hasn't got any. So she asked,'Is it a big farm?' She watched him as he walked across the village square. He
Again, a shake of the head. stopped and looked round. And then he ran.
'Animals?' she said. 'Lolinoz. I must reinember the name: she thought. She
'Fifteen,' ht said. 'And we make wine.Very good wine.' imagined a dusty brown farmhouse in the hills.
'Perhaps I can come and watch,' Elise suggested. But why did he h ~ ~ r rawayy like that? Elise looked round.
His nervousness returned. He looked over Elise's shoulder What frightened him? 'There's something strange about this
across the village square. She followed his eyes. place,' she thought.'Carol noticed it too. She feels unconlfortable
He was watching the entrance o f the town hall, a beautiful here - it's so quiet.'
building. Elise looked at the church. She thought about the stories that
'Do you know someone in there, Stefan?' she asked. 'Perhaps it could tell. It was hundreds of years old.What did it see in that
you can show me the inside one day.' time? She couldn't think of anything to do, so she opened the
'I have to go,!Stefan said. church door.
'I can help you with your English and -' -
It was colder inside and, yes ~nysterious.At the east end were
'Pardon - I must go,' he repeated. three round windows. The coloured glass of the centre window
'Are you in trouble?' asked Elise. was very bright. It hurt her eyes to look a t it. Her father was
'Trouble?' right. It was a beautiful window Of course, he could stand and
'With your uncle?' she said.'With the police?' look at it for hours.
'Police?' he said quickly. He looked afraid. Elise sat down on one of the seats at the front and looked
It was a mistake. She was frightening him, when she only around her a t the pictures and the flowers. She imagined
wanted to be his friend. He stepped out of the long ~hadowof ghosts. 'Come and haunt me,' she said, and shc spoke the
the church. words. 'If you don'e, 1'11 die. This place is so boring. No? OK,
'PJease don't hurry away' she raid. 'I'm always ashng people ifon'r then.'
stupid questions. It gets me into trouble.' She thought about Stefan. Was he a friend? 'He's a strange
He answered with a smile - a lovely smile. boy, but he's got a thoughtful face. For a minute or two he was
'You're nice,' he said. 'Thank you.Your French is very good.' very friendly Then . . . I don't know.Why are boys afraid of
Stefan held out his hand. 'Au rtvoir!' girls?'
 Elise got up and walked towards a side-room.Against the far The name in thevisiton' Book was similar to hers, but not the
wall w a s the wooden Mother and Child. She stood in front of .;;une:Eloisc.
it. She said sofcly,'Ynu didn't leave your child for another man.' 'I think I'll get out into the sunlight,' decided Elise.
And then, nrore loudly, 'l..l/hy can't I be angry with them? She remembered the other words: God help us!
They've destroyed my life. Dad, Mum and now Carol. I'm so Elise decided not to add her signature to theVisitorsYBook. Or
unhappy!' ilot now. 'Maybe if Dad come< with me,' she thought.
She closed her eyes. She could sniell the flowers. Suddenly, The silence of the church was broken by a woman's voice:
she thought, 'This i s silly. It won't help if I ' n z dificult with ' Eloise!You must come now.'
people.' She opened her eyes and looked a t the beautiful Elise did not hear the north door open . . .
spring flowers. She felt better, but tears began to run down her
face.
She thought: 'I can tell Carol about the flowers. O r will she . . . but the door is open now. A woman with straight grey hair is
just say, "I don't paint flowers"?' Itloking at her.'You must not walk in the village, Eloise. I t is not
She s~~ddenly felt cold. Even on a hot day these old churches x,\f?,' the woman is saying.
were as cold as the grave. Elirt moves towards the woman. She can't stop herself. 'I arn
Elise walked towards the north door. She was shaking. 'It isn't I l o C Eloise - Elise is my name.'These words are in her head but

really very cold,' she told herself. She stopped at a table near the ,hc. can't say them.The light is bad in the church.The woman has
heavy wooden door. She decided to sign her name in the rn.jde a ~nisuke,
Visitors' Book. The wo~nanputs a hand on her arm. 'Why do you do these
She opened the book.'That's strange,' she thought. 'Nobody's ~hing- s and risk everything?'
-
put their name in since 1944!' 'Risk?Everything?'
Was it a joke? She turned back a page, No, there weren't any 'You must remember the rules, Eloise.'
signatures after 1944, but there were plenty before that. There They are going down the church steps into the meet. Everything
were notes about the beautiful windows, and about the Mother loclks different from hewyou can't even see the war memorial.
-
and Child. One was dated 1939 the year that the Second Ellst tries to pull away from the woman.'I think I shall be all
World War began. It asked for God's protection. It ended: God right now,' she says. She tries to be polite. In the sunlight the
I1clp us! woman will realize her nlistakt..
'Dad will be interested in this,' Elise thought. 'He'll spend the 'You like to do what you want, my child, but -'
rest of the holiday studying it. Perhaps that's why he brought his 'Yes, I do,' says Elise.'Now, please leave me -'
notebooks.' 'I can't leave you hew.Wt. will all die.'
She looked again at the last note, and the name after it. She Elise does not know the road that they are taking out of the
could not read the surname. But when she saw the first name, her vjllngc. The woman's hand holds tightly to Elise's arm. She is
eyes opened wide with surprise. t;~llerthan Elise and stronger.
 'Excuse me,' msc vies to s ~ h ~t the p mma
~ pulls her along
the road.
'ToLoIin~z- n o d '
Elise remembers the name,'The farm? she says.
'Of course, chdd,'says the W Q ~ .
'Wbere Stefan lives? & Eke.
'%he= we aU b e , EIeiae+',saystkewomn.'I sametimes think
you are stupid.'
HQWdoes she know my n$m?Qr b s t my name.
There are white rocb betwem the trees above them, and large
black birds on the m c h and in the trees.
'It's dl tight,'U s e says, p W g her a m away h m the mmm.
She des,'I'Il come quietly:
'Won't Stefan be s~pt:is!Zd?'she thinks,
The taad is WSQW. Soon .thespring plan^ will grow and hide
these FOskfaGes-
Sudddy the warnan push& Elise off the mad and into
&e &ern. T h e somd of a car C O ~ ~ EhSr n the d in h n t of
them.
'Qon't move!' says the woman.
'But -'
'Don't move!'
It k 'am old car,frssm years a*. It pmes.The %yamanwaits, hut
does not expIain.Thq she takes Elise back on to the mad.
%e says,'Now you undes&nd?'
Elisedoq not ufldeestand. She is hghtened.
Elise remembers stories fr& the newspapers - stories of
tourists murdered in the lonely French coutatyside. A -man
who went out, on a bicycle, for example, and w a s never seen
a&.
She rernemb.m her father-& 'Stay close to the village
cenm.Alwys tell us where you're ping:
' h b m , Dad! Can ynu hear me?'
 Stay calm. 'I'm afraid 1 can't stay long. I have to get back for Chapter 4 The Children
lunch,' she says to the woman.
The woman is not 1istening.They are coming to some farm The stairs are long, and a t the top the walls open into a roof
buildings.The farmhouse is off the road, and is built of the same ,pace. Sunlight from windows opposite the stairs leavc everything
stone as the church.They do not take the tnain path to the front in darkness.
of the farmhouse. 'Now,' Fay5 the woman, 'you will explain to Sabina.'
Trees hide the road. 'Youire got animals, I think: says Elise. 'I 'I'm not sure what -'Elise stops. Now she call see the rest of
like animals.' Her voice tells her that she is nervous. the room.
Suddenly, a high, windowless wall hides the sun. I t is cold in It is large, half in shadow, the top floor of a farm building.
the shadows.'Where are we goirig?'she asks. 'I'liere are children, thirry of thein or perhaps more than thirty.
No answer; but the strong hand is back on Elise's arm. She is soiue art: playing quietly; some are reading; some are sleeping -
walhng past a door in the wall but is pulled back-The woman hut already there is a crowd of them in front of Elise.
takes out a large key. 'Eloise has come back!'
'In, childT1shesays. 'They know me too,' thinks Elise. She says,'Stefan?'
'I really think -' begins Elise. The younger children move away. A boy coines toward<her.
The door opens on to a dark rooJ.17and wooden stairs.There is 'Uut this isn't Stefan!' she decides.
an old smell of animals. The woman locks the door froin the Now Elise is safely inside, the woman is not angry. She speaks
inside. ltkc a mother. 'He is our Stefan,'she says.
Elise moves hack against the wall. 'I really must ask you to This boy is younger, with darker shn. Good-looking, but not
explain,' she says. I!ii.<ir's Stefan.
The wonla11 does not answer. She pushes Elise up the stairs, She holds out her hand. It is the polite thing in France when
but this time the touch is illore friendly; and there is almost a you are introduced for the first time to a stranger. But Stefan does
smile on the woman's face. 'Eloise, will you never accept the rlot take it.
facts?' asks the woman. H e says,'Sabina is angry with you, But we have all asked her to
'Where are you tahng me?' Elise says. 'I want to know.You've Ilc kind to you.' He siniles - a smile to someone that he has loved
made a mistake. My name isn't Eloise.' JIIhis life.
'You're making me angry girl,' answers the woman. Sollieone has called Sabina. She walks with her head high in
'Really?' says Elise.'Well 1'111 glad. Until you tell me -' tlic air. She is clearly the boss in this place. Her hair is pulled
The woman lifts her hand. She is going to hit Elise across the tightly back ti-oi~zher face. She has a proud nose, and eyes that
face, but stops a t the last second.The speed of it, the danger of it, ~.c*adyou in a minute.
frightens Elise. 'Well, why did you go this time, Eloi~e?'she asks. But she is
'Why fight?' she thinks. '1'11 find out what's happening t ~ o tinterested in the answer. 'You have too much trust in the
soon.' good people of this village. I have told you that before.You think
 that they have taken .tzs to their h e m . And, yes, we are mt a
secret now.
'But they are &aid. An& somethies fear is to6 much for
people. How many times do I have to explak that to you? Eveq
day the vdhgers are caking more risks.
'When you go,off alone like that, you put them in danger - nor
just US. When ane penon's fear becomes too stmq, we are
finished. One person. O n e letter. Q n e short phone call.'
Elise d~esn'tunderstand. She too k ahid. The children are so
silent, she realizes suddenly. phen they speak, they -speak very
aoflly. AH these kIiiIdrea in #& pa% butthe place is as quiet as a
ch~~rch.
'

Elise is asked to sit d t h the rest..Sh 1s cold d t h W r V

She repectts m herself, slo~1y~'I'venever seen these peo@k,but
they know m e k d 1 hmw I'm not dreaming.'
Stefan sits next to her an +e waodea fbw. She &is$ a
smile.
- 'It is not b a y , Eloh,' he qys.
She wits. Me is angry :wit& h~ and not eady tu foxgive. 'Is
thicmcha~l?' she asks:'& ym hiding?'
Stef2n does mt seem m th$& &at this L finny either. Ha d e s
#&ink of a~ answer.But b e k e he eah put thoughts into-words,
Sabina SQ& in kont ofthe &$drt?'rrh
'You have all been godl ,&e saps.'Verygood; Exeqt E l o k "
Maw d p u haw asked, "Isn?t the a g e safe? They we helping
td,&ie us. so why cm't we ga out an$ play?.
'In your hearb, you. know the answer. The risk k too gfeit. ,
,~B&$leh ~ &at w. we. are he&,ys.But it i alsd a swt.They do '

us, m they try sot to think about us.'

looks round at the children. The word in.her had is -
.They a r i &ed in &tr people's clothes; most of-tlam
big or tao tight. And they look ready to pick up their
nd,leweat my minute.

' 17
 'One thing's sure,' she thinks. 'Thii isn't happening now, in my The Fame thought fills the heart of every child there. Elise
tin~e.'In her mind she remembers her Steps to the church. The rc~ilernbersher history lesson%- and she is filled wjth fear.
sudden cold in the air. And the last signature in the Visitors' The Gestapo! The worst of Hitler's rnen.The men who sent
Book, dated 1944. thousands o f J e w in lorries to the concentration camps.
Nor a joke. To Auschwitz . . .
Elise remembers her morning image of children climbing on To Belsen . . .
to a lorry in the village square.Was that in 1944' She is sure now To Buchenwald . . .
that it was. To Dachau . . .
Sabina speaks again. Elise is right. 'The Gestapo* have visited To Treblinka . . .
Belley,' Sabina says. 'That is a small market town very close to us. She knows them all.Thc sound of their names fill< her with
The Gestapo chiefs at Lyons want very much to find people like I2.1r. She knows from Dad of the terrible things that happened in
us.You know this.' She stops. She does not want to Frighten the t how places. 'It's right to know about these things,' he believed.
children. 'They would like to ask u~ questions. - Wt. r n ~ dremember.'
'The countryside is roo large to search cornplecely,That is why
you are here. We call it Izjeu the Hidden. But Relleyl That is too
near here! ( h i e image stayed in Elhe's head for a long time after she saw it
'In other villages, they are stopping people in the street and I ? ) n book. A photograph of a mountain of shoes.

asking questions. And knocking on doors. God will protect us. 'Where do you think the owners of those shoes went?' Dad
HEhas until now. But we must be very, very carefuI.' .~\kedher.'Whar do you think happened to them?'
Sabina sn~iles.'Wehave been here for ten months. Perhaps one 'Ilead?' she said.
day roon the war will end. The Gerrnans will leave France for 'Dead! And how d o you think all those people died?'
ever. People in town say that American and British soldiers aren't She did not want to knoiv. But she knew t h a t he wanted to
far away. So there's hope, you see. 1(.11 her.
'Tomorrow, I shall look for new hiding places for us. But I am Uut he did not. W e kept his feelings to hil~iself.'Thereare a lot
afraid that you won't all be able to stay together.' t l ipeople who do not want to remember these thinp,' he said.
A cry goes up from ehe children. Stefan looks quickly at Elise, "l'hry prefer to forget history.'
then says to Sabina,'We art: all friends!' 'But not you: thought Elise. 'You want to continue fighting
'We want to stay together!' says a voice from the 'back of the ~ i )those
r dead people. But does it really help?'
group- When they arrived in this stran,ge village, Elise said,'Dad, why
Another asks, 'Did the Gestapo take our inurns and dad< (lid you bring us to thiq place?"
away?' And he answewd,'There is a secwc here.'
Carol was also nervous about Ilad's interect. 'You think too
* Gestapo: Grrtuany's ~ccrrtpolice in thc Second World War (1939-45). 1111ichabout the past, Stephen,' she said.
 Elise did not lister1 to Dadi reply-At that time - but not now - name. 'Eloise promises not to go 0'8 alone again. She promises
she agreed with Carol's feeling. I t WAS unhealthy to think too not to escape.'
rlluch about the past. For a ~ e c o n dthe
, word 'escape' worries Sabina.That is not the
word that she used. It is not what she was thinking about. She is
going to speak when Stefan says,'I'Il be Elei5e's special Cerbtrus.
Now (he retnmmbers Dad's ansurer:'I think 1 have a dlfferenr idea 1 Ton't worry.'
of time to other people.' Elise is living now through tthlng-, that Elise is nor pleased by tlijs.'I don't need a spy to help llle keep
happcned to people in history. Terrible things. Too terrible to 111ypromises: she says.
think about, eve11for people who art: safe and fi~raway She has hurt hint. He nioves away but Sabin2 is thinking about
For Elise the past has beconit her future. 'Come and save me, other thing. As <he goes out, she calls softly to all thc children,
Dad - please!' she thinks. ' tttmember Cerberus!'
Sabina f niqhes speaking. 'l'vz told our helpers, "When I'm
away, keep your eyes and ears open!"You wmember the story
that I told you? The story about Cerberus, the watchdog who Chapter 5 A Terrible Mistake
never sleeps?'
'He had three heads,'says one ofthe children. Eillw fir~dsa dark corner and look? down from the window.
'Yes,and when hc lms on guard, one of his heads never, ever Ilc-low ic a yard. She can j u ~ tsee the corner of t l ~ ebuilding
slept .' tq'pos~tc Between the farml~oustand another building she can
The children smilt.They rcpcat after Sabina:'Ntver+ever slept!' ~ c trees c clln~billg~tetplyto walls of rock.
'And we murt b t as careful as the eyes of Cerberus.' 'That's nly path back to real life,' she thinks. 'If I stay here,
Sabina has turned to Elisc.'I want you to promise something, twrh~ps1'1 begin to forget n ~ yreal life. I murt cell nlyself - I ail1
Eloise,' she saps. 'l'rornise that you will never, ever go off alone r r r k r I?rrr..This IF not 111y time. HOWcan it be?'
again." Elire I? not left to her om711 thoughts. Stefan conies and sits
Elise is suddenly tired, not just afra~d.But she says, 'And if I 11cxt to her.
don't?' 'Sorry about that,'he begiur.'I meall -'
'All our lives will be at ri<k - you know thartlsays Sabina. She I C not =ally angry with him. 'Nobody likes it when they
SteL~nis standing near them, and sonre of the children are ,)rc called a spy.'
lirttning. It seenls to be important to them that she lisitens to 'I didn't -'
Sabina. Elise u n d e r s ~ n d sthat shc tnust be sensible !low. She must 'But that's what you meant.' She speaks more kindly. 'Ia-l't
be an example to the other children, But if she prolnises not to 1 t?'
go off alot~eagain, she will risk Ilcv life. HOWcan .nhe escape? He shakes his head. Clcarly there is soi~~cthing
special betweer1
She speaks her t ~ c x words
t carefully. thcin. Uetwttn Stefan and Eloise. He watches her. He is younger.
'All right. Eloise -' She ctops. Then she repeats that other Fitkt he seems to think that he is wiser.
 'You will not find your parents like that, Eloise. It doesn't help 'No, not difticult! It's nut possibk!'
to run away.' Stefan does not look surprised when she is angry and
'I wasn't running away. And my parents are perfectly all right, unpleasant. Perhaps Eloise i s like that. But Elise does not want to
thank you.' be like that.
'So you really believe what Sabina tells us all?' he says. Elise is She notices that oueside it is btgnnitlg to get dark. Sht looks
silent. 'We older ones knou).' ;it Stefan. 'He's the only person who can help me: she decides.
'Know7'She thinks,'I am so afraid. I can't get away fro111 here, llut if she tells him the true story, he will not believe her. How
Sabina has locked the downstairs door.5he says,'Eloise is not my c-3n he? She does not want to believe his true story. She smells
name. And also - ' ~lust.Thiqis a different world. Not the world of Dad's rest afeer
She stops.The words will sound so silly. I~isheart attack. Or of Carol's oil paints. N o t the world of
'We will probably never see our parents again,' continues ix)nnputcrs andTVs.This i q a world where death is everywhere.
Stefan. 'We have been Jucky here. But Dcllty! That is close,' Now Elise feels the terrible fear that Stefan feels.The fear that
Elise turns away. There ate tears in her eyes. For herself, yes. 11itwomen feel, and the children. But it's worse for her because
But also for Stefan and the children. ~ I I C knows. She knows some o f the terrible thin9 that a r t going
'So what do we not tell the younger chrldren?' she hears I t r happcn.The women and children do not.
herself ask, but she knows the answer. She can look back on all this from the future.
'About the arrests,\ays Stefan. She thinks about the danger that she is in. Suddenly there is
Elise thinks: 'Does Stefan really know?' But she says, 'My [hot enough air. She starts coughing.Thi~is real fear. Stefan inoves
parents haven't been arrested. I'm sure of it.' She is surprised at <.loserto her. He thinks he understands. He takes her hand in his
herself. Is this Elise talking, or Eloise? Ii;ind,and his touch is a help to her.
'That is what you always say: replies Stefan. '1 understand. We She needs his help to save herself. They are both on their
all have our ways - " kiiers now, face to face. It feels good. She begns to speak slowly.
'What do you mean?' 'Stefan . . .there are thinff that I can't explain. But I want you to
'We all have to live with this.' Iwlp me to get away from here.'
'So what's your way?' His face, now in shadow, shows ehat he dots not understand.
Stefan does not answer immediately. Me is too calm for Elise. 'Alone?' he asks.
'What do you think i s going co happen to you, Stefanl'sht asks. 'Yes, alone,'says Elise.'I'm a danger to you all, you know that,'
He looks at her strangely. 'Why do you say "you"?' he says. 'If c h C says.'Sabina was right.'
something happens to me, to us, it will happen to you too, Eloise.' He seenlr very surprised. 'And the rest of us?' He shakes his
She is tired. She is frightened. Without thinking, she rays Iic.i$. 'No, \ye are all in chis war so~ciher.'
angrily,'Oh no, it won't. It won't. It can't. It's not possible. All this The words come out before she can %topherself: 'They won't
can't happen.' w;int me.'
He does not understand. 'Yes, it? difficult,' he cays. 'Not want you?' he says.'What do you mean?"
 'They m'tmt ta take we,'she rep&=.
' ~ h GmapoF
a Stefan la&s. 'Ymthink thep won't take yau?
t
Because p u aie p%@'
'No,they won't want. mel'
Too loud. aother hear?
'why are ym g e @ d d y ? he sap-
She shuub: 'Fpu mqst &ow - became lin!not s'&~!' The
silence is full %ofern*Ail -eyesrn . m e d an. he^ She k-els& is
..-
f d h g . . .down, .
,.. '1hw sz6d cbewomt dung: h e &inks.
Stefan ab,230 w b have p u hidden with us dl this time? 3s
your m-er bh&? A& there aazy.pesplein your f d @ - Y o u
are hew for a @$on.'
'Jt'sa mist&$ she tells Usm'A terribk rmiSt&.'
&we all IZI&O~S, E ~ Q hpL pp.
~ 'B<~GLW F jm.~bat
is why our && s.d mum had to we= yell* stam- on their
coacs. %u told Gs W t &at, Bl~ise. And you t&d bt,ws.Y&u
were m e df a. &I phen p a are one of us, you cmkjwt stop
being one dus.Tby come -'
'&Iz she sh&u@,angrily W d w&utir thinking, 'M! They
&1: @'w..@xq ~,avhy ~ m~ dpput p u WI trairas.Thy &&
you t~.* CF*&6qn C+.J
kliow,.I how!*
She s t o ~ &;thc-~'utd
r ofhtern'ble *or&. ? sdd &e mrst
&gbm didtlJtx,aPI,&ediirxh.
0%bf&e %mgej:t%ikk&~a, ' W b t trains?" 4

&eL &t.,~n A m dfthe o t h e ~wia

, S&a & &e wmt
@stmn?The q~errionabout-&q w m t thing? Bur the word goer
r'gnd
. about ~ ~ a i n s .
- "what>W*?
.

b WC &iWen.a tr&$
"'Where C?
1
' -:t I love &.'
r I 'Will it be safe?'
He t&i her b d in hi$ had, atad hi~t011ch
k a help to h~ I 'What doer Madam Sabina say?'
+ 7

Elise kcls Stefan's eye"$on herltj+ .+e nher qu~$on that he '
&,%king-inhis &ni:e. ,$beGU ~j *:%my him fro& -
&?m. qfijust..s,.....
~m& .. q-,&b I -:& , , Saysi.
, ..
. .>-.>,> <.,

'iq&,h*? I .

fmq.' - $

&t:
-r *@;F#&:,!&

, act lrke children.

. .

-9d.q ,,

-,q+]-'
<
:.. , -
-&$&&&r~, -
. %&-&@,
, '- ..--2 n ,? .. .-
<-
.. <
.
, &-,'-*.y
,c.*.,-.,A.,, .:.:.:/
. . - - I

1' :
*;;W?dren
1r:-*-
-e3 @
---
*. *my;

q >-
I
,~gple&nes to pick up mote p a s s e w . Elise is lef~afoti'tvrii& I
<,.

wan.
-. , I
-.
. . .-

'What do you know?'he asks her. "Did someone tell you p" && h a d ,l&tl&,tk OJLEchild i n j o n r *iftd b
samthing in the village today?'

C ~mih' & h&wq d:mc4re roav -

 -. -

The pictures in her head are keeping her awake; pictures that
'I spoke to no one,' she says.
she has seen in Dad's books. She can hear Dad's voice: 'Some
'But YOU know something,' he says.
trains went Compiigne. We stayed there three years ago,
Elise shakes her head.'I've no idea what happened ;to you?'she
says- She is
remenlber? When t h i n g were all sight with your Mum. From
about histoy now It happened befoe she w a s
CompiL.gne they were taken to the camp at Dachau. Hundreds of
born.
them were dead when they arrived.'
Stefan does not understand her.'We have all talked what
happened to us,' he says. 'Why?'
'Illness, no food - they were pushed in together like animals.
'No,I mean - ' Elise stops.
No, worse than animals!'
Now Stefan asks, 'Concentration camps?What they?'
Dad got very angry when he talked of these thing. 'How
Elise thinks quickly. What story can she tell him? he'll Illany days can you live without sitting down? Without a toilet?
look into my eyes and he'll know,'she thlnks. 'He'll ask questions
until he knows.' And, worst of all, without any water?'
Elise rtmembexd the French children horn pictures in Dad's
'I feel sick,' she sayr.'Have you got some water?'
b o o k . ~ h ywore prison clothes, and their heads were shaved. It
Stefan crosses the room to a table near the stairs. H e returns
t{id not matter if they were old or young, male or female, healthy
with a bottle of water. He pours the water into a glass and looks
o r r;ick.They were shown no kindness.
at Elise. He is trying to understand her.
' ~ h Nazis
t it the "final solution7',\aid Dad.
'He)a clever boy, but how can he understand me? she think.
no one kind?' Elise asked her father when she saw the
She drinks the water.
pi~.tures.'Not one person?'
'Merci,' she says. 'YOU'R kind. And I'm sorry I said chose things,!
' o h yes, a fe\$ he said. 'Like Schindlcr. Remember the film?
'Then rest: he says. T h q are friends again. He kisscs her.
'Perhaps tomorrow the English will come, or the Americans. I3ut never enough people.'
What do you think?' 4

'They'll come,'she replies softly, and she thinks: 'But they

be too late?' must get out,' Elise thinks now 'Dad, help me!' Suddenly she
tllfnh,'Did all this happen because of him?'
4
Chapter 6 Escape from the Past
%Ile renlembers ~ m e when
q Mum w a s angry with hi1n:'I'm tired
foHowing you around war graves and concentration camps. It's
The sun has dropped behind the trees and rocks the farm.
The mom is dark now Elise lies in the darkncsq, but her eyes are iiot healthy!'
Her *lother's final solution was simple. She walked out and
open. The farm is not far from Izieu. She can hear the church
left them. But ~twasn't a solution, was it? Not for Elise, or for her
clock as it qounds three. She looks at the sleeping children. ~0;orty-
four of them, safe, but never safe. lither.

29
28
 Elise renicn~beredher father's answer. 'Not healthy? Can't we It is difficult to open. She hurts her hand trying. Will it open?
rcnzembtr the millions who died? Can't we fighc for a bercer Has it ever opened?
world? Must we forget?' Elise looks behind her. Is one of the children watching her?
'I never said that: Elise's mother told him.'But we can fight for Perhaps Stefan. 'I can say that I need air. It's so hot in here,' 5he
a better world without crying in fmnt of war memorial<.' thinks.
'That's not all that I do. I protest - I go on marches -' At last the window moves! But the noise! She looks at the
'And who did that help?You were arrested.' children, but no one moves. She can just see their faces in the
'You protested too!' darkness.They \rill be in her memory for ever, like Dad's pictures
* of the concentration camps.
But perhapr it will all end differently - a story with a happy
Elise thinks about Eloise. In her thoughts, she asks Eloise, 'Did ending. Perhaps British or American soldiers will stop the lorries
yo11 have the same problein with your parents? She also has silent ar they move through France. Who will ever know?
words for Dad:'Yorr should be hew now, not me.' For a full minute, Elise waits. She cannot rllove - her feeling
But she has a plan. A dangerou~one for everybodv, perhaps, of pity for thew new friends are too great.And there is also in her
but she has to do it. k a r t a sudden love for them.
During the afternoon, Elire ha< seen that the farm is built into Does Eloise love Stefan? Uoeq Elire?
the hillside. The ground outside clitnbs up <teeply €TOITI right to She remembers that morning's Image in the town square of
left. Izieu.The image of the children clinlbing into an army lorry. She
This end of the building opens on to the shortest drop from a ~t~lderstands now. Sabina is working so hard to hide the children.
window. It is time now for her f nal solution - her only so'lucion. tlut she will fail. By accident or on purpose, sonieone has told
Go! Go, now! Don't wait. This is you, and this is also Eloise. the Gestapo about their hiding place.
Kernember? Eloise likes to go off alone. Elise pushes the window open. 'When I've gone,the children
But can Eloise really leave her friends? 'I'm noc Eloise!' won't remember me,'she tells herself.'I don't exist in their time -
No one can help her now. She is not part of this history. But 11ot on 5 April 1944.'
she must act now, or she will be lost in this time for ever.There She cannot set the ground. She won't be able to see it until
will be Eloise, but n o Elise. 5lle i~ almost out of the window. S h t won't be able to change her
Go! -
~nind to go back.
Elise passes between the children. She stops at the end She Juir~ps. . . she is faUing.The ground is far below her.
window. Pale moonlight comes through, and she l o o h at herself Elise hits the ground. She hears the CRACK! of her foot
in the glass. '1 thought that ghosts could not see thtnxelves in before the pain fmrn her fall shoots up her leg. She wants to
mirrors,' she thinks. 'That proves I'm not a ghost.' cuream with the pain. And more pain is cotling from her chest.
The window is too cold and too hard: this cannot be a dream. 'You can't screain,'she tells hersdf.'You'lt wake the children in
will n m r see it. And the river will not stop moving. It knows She is not safe - she is too near the farm. She reacher for the
nothing of people's happiness or pain. fork.'! must get into the tree?, and lie dolvn.'
Elise continues, taking small steps.The Fork is a good 'leg', but Suddenly there are sounds Fmnl the village. The sounds of
it doesn't like hills. lorries!
'What will I tell Dad? He'll have to take me to hospial. Well Elise pulls herself towards a low \\all of rock.
here's a story for your notebook, Dad. I'll have to stay rn the The lorrier, are leaving the mad now and %toppingin the yard.
house. Carol won't like that. She'll have to stop painting and feed Soldiers jump out of the back. An officer steps down from the
me with hot soup. But then I won'e have to be silent all the time. front of one. He shouts ordtrs.The Gestapo have finished their
And you - wait! You avc crazy! This isn't Stephen country. It"s work at Belley. Now it is the turn of Izieu.
Stefan country. It's 5 April 1944. Or, 1 1 0 - this pain! - it's 6 April.' Elise forgets the pain in her foot and chest. She stands up now.
She remembers the other Stefan. The mysterious boy on the The yard is full of soldiers, holding wns.
church ~ttps.'Whywas he afraid of me? Now I know! Sabina? There is no Sabina. Was no one on guard last night?
'I need a place to lie down. I must sleep - rest.' Elise falls over What happened to the careful q c s of Cerberus?
a stone.The fork catches behind her good leg and she falls . . . She A t the Lqr tend of the building, a ground-floor window has
is roo tired to protect herself. She falls o n to soft earth. aprned. Someone drops into the shadows at the side of the yard.
Onc will e~cape.'Fotell the story.
T h c children art brought down. Some of them are only
Chapter 7 The Lorries li~lf-dressed.Thtre are adults with then1 too. They are ordered
into the lorries. Elise can see their faces: serious, pale and tired.
Elise wakes up and the pain is the same. It is early morning and N o question?, n o tears. The gates of the l o r r i e ~are shut and
there is a pale sun in the sky. locked.
'I can't get away from here,' she thinks. 'Dad will miss me. And Tlic officer is giving an order to someone that Elire cannot
he did tell me: In this beautiful countryside, there are murderers ~c-c-. HI, speaks in French.

. . .That's truer than you realize, Dad. And what wilI Carol chink? EToisc understands: 'We will stop jn the village. We will show
Wasn't she cold towards me? Didn't she want me to live w i ~ hnly ttw cl~ildrento the village people.Then they will understand that
Mum?Perhaps people are looking for me already. O h please find ttw Ciestapo knows everything. If anyone protests, shoot them.'
me before it's too late!' As quickly ar they came, the l o r r i e ~leave. There are no
She checks her state of health. She has slept on her left side. children now a t the farm of Lolinoz. But one got away. Was it
Her chest hurts. She tries to move, but then her head hurts. She Stefan?
exercises her neck. Inside her head, Elise talks to the children. 'Someone told the
'I can do it,' she tells herself. 'I've got to.' She smells the fresh Germans about you . . .'
graqq. It gives her hope.And from somewhtre above her she hears +
the bird5 singing.'l've got to get away But where to?'
Strange, but the foot doesn't hurt now.There is only an ache, like 'DOYOU?'
the ache in her heart. 'I must hurry,' she says to herself. 'Dad likes 'We really must learn to be friends, Elise.'
us all to sit together at lunch.' 'Today I was called Eloise,' said Elise.
But not this way, not part the farm. No. The path above her Carol looked ac her strangely.'Are you a11 right?"
goes up and down between white rocks. It got5 into the village They were walhng together down a dusty path towards the
from behind the church. church. Without thinking about it, Elise put her hand around
Poor Sabina. She will return this evening, walking up the road Carol's arm.This wnr a surprise; to both of them.
as usual.Wjl1 the farmer tell her? Or will he be too afraid to look More kindly now, Elise asked again, 'What date is it, Carol?'
at her? She used her stepmother's name for the first time.
'It was the girl!' Is that what they will say? 'People saw her in Carol noticed and smiled. To Elise, she seemed different,
the village. She probably picked up a phone. Who told the almost another person.
Gestapo? How will we ever know? Eloise - she w a s trouble. And 'Well yesterday was 5 April,' said Carol. 'So today . . . Oh,
she wasn't Jewish, remember.' there's your Dad by the church. I'll go and heat the soup. Bring
As she climbs ehe hill above the valley, Elise l o o k back at the him in five minutes, OK?'
farm.There is no sign that there were children there. But Elise 'Thanks, Carol,' said Elise.
will tell the story of the children of Lolinoz; the ghosts of Izieu. 'For what?'
'You know - for trying.' Elise's thoughts returned to the
f a r ~ ~ ~ h o and
u s e her angry talk with Scefan.'And I've said terrible
Chapter 8 Memories thin@.'
Carol put an arm round her stepdaughter and gave her a kiss;
'What happened to you? What's wrong with your foot?' their first kiss. 'We mustn't stop trying, must we?'
It was Carol's voice. Carol with her painting things in front of her.
And the beginninp of a picture of the river, the trees and the rocks.
'So I wasn't missed,' thought Elise. T h e time is the time when ' Y t ~ tk11t.w about chis place before we came, Dad. Am I right?'
I left. Nothing has happened. But everything has happened. It did ;tskcd Eliw. She put her arm through his, too.
happen.Things only sccm to be the same.' 'I warn you to read this,' said Dad. There was writing on the
'I just fell, that's all.' nietal plate of the war memorial. Below it were some fresh
Carol's work for the morning was finished. She was happier flowers. 'Can you understand the French, Elise?'
now. 'Isn't it beautiful here? So quiet.' 'This morning I met a boy called Stefan,' said Elise. 'He told
'What date is it?' asked Elise. me everything.'
She was always cold with Carol, so her stepmother was nos Her father read out the story of forty-four children taken fro111
surprised. Elise tried again. more softly: 'I'm sorry.' their hiding place in the village. Taken by the Gestapo. There
'That's OK,' said Carol. 'I understand.' were tears in his eyes.
 'They were never seen a@+,' he said. He looked at the spring

children? Dachau, probably. Did I ever tell you,Elise -'

'About the trairrs, Dad?' :Elise said. The trains, yes. She

'We are going oh a tmin?'

'Where to?'
'1 love miw.'
I
'Will it be safe?' I

'What does Madame U i n u say?'

'Terrible,' said Dad. 'The deaths. I just can't forget.'
To herself, Elise said, 'Yoatre not the only one who can't

As they walked back to &eir holiday home, somebody was

watching Elise from the steps of the church. She turned. For a
second, the entrance to the ckurch was the inside of a G a q o
1orry.The children were c l i m b in.No questions, no tears-The
lorries moved away - to the b i n s . One person was left in the
shahws ofthe church. He lifted a hqad and waved to her.
'Have you hurt your foot, my p~?: asked Dad, noticing.
.
Elise fought back her teq. 'Yes, I . . Dad, cm we put down

'Why nod' Dad put bis ar@ round his daughter. 'Thing are
going to get better now, I pra&~ne.'
'I how: amwered EZise. 'But Dad?' Her thoughts were with
ghwts of Izieu, her hie@ for ever. 'Flower$ lyill never be
 ACTIVITIES
6 Make one or two sentences with each pair of words. Find the
words in your dictionary.
a concentration camp refugee
Chapters 1-2
b haunt yard
Before you read c arrest risk
1 Look at the pictures in the book, What do you think the story is d God frust
about? Read the Introduction. Were you right?
After you read
2 Answer the questions. Find the words in italics in your dictionary.
7 Finish these sentences.
They are all in the story.
a Nobody has signed their name in the church Visitors' Book
a Who fights for an army?
since . . .
b Where in a bedroom do you find curfains?
b The woman calls Elise by the new name of.. .
c If your room is dusty, what do you do?
c The woman takes Elise to . . .
d Do you believe in ghosts?
8 How do these people feel?
e Is a grave for a living person or a dead one?
a Sabina about EloiseIElise
f Where can you see your image?
b Stefan about Eloise
g What are war memorials ushally made of?
9 Why did Stefan's parents have to wear yellow stars on their
h Who is married to your stepmother?
coats?
i Who works in a town hall?
10 Work with another student. Act out this conversation.
After you read StudentA: You are with the Gestapo. You want to know if any
3 Answer these questions. Jews are hiding in the area.
a When did Elise's mother leave her father? Student 8: You are a villager. You know that there are children
b What does Elise see in the 'image'? near the village. You do not want to tell the Gestapo.
c Where does Stefan live and work? But you have a family and you do not want to risk
their lives.
4 Who says these words? Who are they talking to?
a 'You're new in our lives, and she's not sure about you.'
Chapters 6-8
b 'Why do you always visit those war graves?
c 'Don't look so worried. Nobody's going to hurt you.' Before you read
d 'Your mother, she is the painter?' 1 1 What do you think will happen to the children at the farm? What will
happen to Elise?
Chapters 3-5 12 Find these words in your dictionary.
march protest solution
Before you read a What do people do on a protest march?
5 Will Elise see Stefan again? Where? What do you think? b What is the 'final solution'?
After you read
13 Choose the best question-word for these questions, and answer
them.
Why What How
a . . . happened when Elise's father went on protest marches?
b . . . does Elise wait by the window?
c . . . does Elise hurt her foot?
d . . . does Elise use to help her walk?
14 Find and correct the mistakes in these sentences.
a Three lorries come into the farmyard with the German police.
b Someone escapes from the Germans through an upstairs
window.
c The story of the children is in a book in the church.

Writing
15 Why does Elise's father visit war memorials? Do you agree with his
opinions?
I 6 At the end of the story, Elise says, 'Flowers will never be enough.'
What does she mean? Do you agree with her?
17 You have a time machine and can travel back to a time in the past.
Which time would you like to visit? Why?
18 Did you enjoy this story? Why (not)? Think of another possible title
for the story.

Answcrs for thc Acriv~tic~ in this L I I H ~ an.

~ puMidlrd in our fw RYUUWC pack\ for rcaul?crr.the
I'cnpiilin R c ~ d r mF.acohcrf~,111 a\?ilahle b11 a \epantc \hc~r.Plelw writ? to your local I'eamn
Educark,~io f i c r nr ro: M.lrkrring J)rpirt~iic~lt. I'eii~vlii~ I'ublisliing. 5 Ucnti~lckStreet,
I.r>l~pan
Lnndun W1 M 3RN.