Turned Away

by Carol Matas

The World War II Diary of Devorah Bernstein, Winnipeg, Manitoba,1941

January 9, 1941 - A letter arrived from Sarah, again tucked in with mail from Uncle Nathaniel. - 'Chere Devorah, Our worst fears came to pass. Three huge bangs on the door. Maman ran to my room and told me to keep the door closed and not to come out. Within minutes she came back and sank down to my bed weeping. "They've taken him," she said. "To Drancy. Arrested."
I can barely sleep anymore. I keep hearing that pounding on the door. Sometimes I feel the sound will explode in my brain. Chere Devorah, what is wrong with the world? I don't understand any of this. Do you? Your loving cousin, Sarah'
The letter from Uncle Nathaniel told of being arrested, but little else, except another question about how the visas are going. I could hear Mommy crying from her bedroom.