My daughter, Sarah

He had been walking for three hours and a half, lost in his mind, in his revolt. The picture was running in front of him, he could still feel the sadness in her eyes. Wherever he looked he saw again the desperate light of her hair behind the grey uniforms. How old was she? Six? Seven? How could people leave her alone in this place, desperate in her purple coat? Then he suddenly stopped in the street. It was past midnight, and obviously, he was back to where he started. He had been walking in circles. The weight of guilt was pressing on his shoulders, he couldn't breathe anymore, and he started to walk to the village main square. Slowly, from walking, he was running, faster and faster until he couldn't see his feet moving anymore. At least, he looked around, then his eyes fell on her, she was sitting on the ground. She was crying.

He sat next to her and said:

“What's your name ? What are you doing here ?”

“...”

“Don't worry, I'm going to help you. What's your name ?”

“My name is Sarah.”

“I'm Louis. Are you hungry ?”

“... Where is my Daddy ?”

“I don't know but we're going to look for him.”

He took her hand and began to walk to his house.

In the lane...

“Where am I ? Who are you ? Who are they ?”

After all her questions, Louis could see in her eyes her distress.

“Don't be afraid ! Follow me, I'm going to bring you to a safe place and to take care of you.”

Once arrived in his house, he gave her a piece of dry bread and a blanket to warm her up.

After this, he answered her questions: “ Listen, two months ago, Hitler declared the war to the Jews .These people are trying to take you and all Jews away to kill you. You must hide ! You are in danger ! I am going to find your parents...”

Suddenly, they heard screams, gun shots and foot steps up the stairs.

Afraid, he caught her brutally and he hid her in the hatch which was hidden under the floor.

Just when he closed the hatch, someone noisy knocked on the door. At the first knock, Louis got up. At the second knock, he put the carped back over on the hatch.

“French police ! You have two seconds to open that door, or we'll break it !”

“Calm down, I'm coming !”

He opened the door as fast as possible, and faced a group of four policemen, jewish repression.

“We have the order to search your house from the cellar to attic. Please don't interfere or you'll be arrested.”

“You're welcome...”

And the search began. They turned over the bed, the table, they opened all the cupboards and moved the library. Then, the youngest one lifted the carpet, and his eyes fell on the closed hatch. He looked at Louis, and noticed that he was terrified. The young policeman slowly got up, and put the hand on his bat.

The young policeman took his bat and began to hit Louis. He fell down but the policeman continued to scream “Where is the Jew ??!” and shouted to Sarah “Go out ! Run ! Run !” She went out but she didn't understand anything. She panicked when two hands grabbed her..

Scared, she saw the second policeman who took her and she cried “Let go of me, let go of me !” While she tried to free herself, Louis got out a firearm and killed the four policeman. Panic stricken, he ran to Sarah and he caught her in his arms. Then, he tried to reassure her :

“Stop crying Sarah, it's over... Stand up and go with me to the car please stop crying!”

“Wha wha what's happen? “ she said tear-filled.

“Now SHUT UP!!! and get in the car without talking, our life is in danger!”

When she saw he was very angry and afraid too, she decided to follow him without retort.

Then they went in the direction of Paris. At this moment, they passed near the Velodrome d' hiver and she saw her parents.

She began to shout “STOP! STOP !”

“What's going on with you ?”

“I saw my parents STOP PLEASE !”

He slowed down the car and she came out “MUMMY, DADDY....”

Her parents turned around to this young girl. Her parents' eyes met hers. They recognized their daughter and they ran toward her... Sarah had finally the hope to return with her parents. But at this moment two policeman killed her parents because they came out the crowd. Sarah stopped and remained here for a long time until what Louis came and said : “ Sarah...come with me, let’s return to the car and go away from here...”

“Why ? I want to go nowhere ! Leave me alone I want to see my parents. Look ! they are over there, they are waiting for me!”

“No Sarah, The Nazis killed them... I'm sorry !”

“It's not possible Louis ! Look they are over there I’m telling you! Don’t you see them?”

“I know that it is difficult for you but it is too late...they died.”

“No no NOOOOOOO YOU TALK NONSENSE I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOU !!”

Full of sadness ant pity for Sarah, Louis carried her and went toward the car : “We are going far very far , don't worry !”

Sarah, with her eyes full of sorrow and horror, said nothing for a very long time and after that she said “Ok I’m going with you”.

At this moment, Louis promised to himself that he would never leave her and that he would consider her like his own daughter.