others were led away from Moissac.
CHAPTER 13
Camp Volant
Shatta called it Camp Volant — flying camp. It meant that the children would move to a different location every night, in deep thick woods offering shelter and cover.
Shatta and the house leaders led the children farther and farther from the danger in Moissac. The group marched in pairs toward their destination. At first, they passed small farmhouses dotting the countryside around Moissac. In the distance, Edith could make out the farmers tilling their fields. The group leaders marched the children in wide arcs away from these farms. They did not want to be seen, and these farmers could be witnesses to their escape. But eventually the farms disappeared. Then there were only trees, birds, and flowers growing wildly on the hillside to watch the children as they continued their march.
The children spoke little. They needed every ounce of strength to hike and carry their packs. Edith’s seemed heavier by the minute. The daily exercise at Moissac had helped strengthen her young legs, but such a long trek was wearing her out. The sun beat down on her head, and her legs felt like lead weights. But apart from infrequent, brief stops to drink some water and grab a quick snack, the group leaders urged the children on. Just when Edith felt she could not take one more step, Shatta raised her hand, signaling the group to stop.
A camping expedition from the house in Moissac.
Edith dropped her pack and sank down into the tall grass, sweat pouring off her. Sarah flopped next to her. “I don’t think I could have gone on for a minute more,” said Sarah. Edith nodded. But there was still work to be done.
“We have to set up camp before the sun goes down,” Bouli said. “There will be plenty of time to rest after that.”
Edith groaned slightly but pulled herself back up. Quickly and efficiently, the group leaders assigned tasks to the children. Some were sent to scrounge for kindling; others gathered larger branches for a fire. Edith and Sarah joined a group of children assembling tents. They unfolded each tent and lined up the ropes and stakes that would secure it to the ground.
Edith hammered a stake into the ground and wound the thick rope around it, using the double half-hitch she had learned atMoissac. “Loop, pull, and cross over. Loop, pull, and cross over,” she whispered, as she secured each rope to a stake.
In a short time, the tents were erected and a fire crackled, big enough to cook the food but not large enough to be seen from a distance. The smell of burning wood mixed with the aroma of a simmering stew soon wafted across the camp. Now everyone could relax.
Edith lay on the cool forest floor. It was so peaceful here in the woods, away from Moissac, away from any danger. Birds sang or squawked at their uninvited visitors, crickets chirped, and small animals scurried in the undergrowth. The fire crackled and the soft sound of voices drifted above Edith’s head.
Sarah leaned back against a log. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a tree.”
Edith was famished as well, but she had other thoughts on her mind. “Sarah, what if the Nazis find us?”
“They won’t,” Sarah replied. “No one can find us out here.”
“But what if they do?”
“Stop worrying, Edith. We’re safe here. Shatta and Bouli have done this many times. They know what they’re doing. Besides, what good does it do to worry? There’s nothing more we can do. So relax and enjoy the adventure.” Sarah turned and looked at her friend. “Just try, Edith. Try to believe we’ll be okay.”
Edith closed her eyes. She wanted desperately to believe, not only that she and the campers but that Mutti and Papa, Thereseand Gaston would be safe. Once she had innocently believed in the future, but now all her hope had evaporated. Besides, this war seemed to be getting worse, and for Jews the news was increasingly bad. Just last week, Bouli had told the children that the Nazis had ordered
CHAPTER 13
Camp Volant
Shatta called it Camp Volant — flying camp. It meant that the children would move to a different location every night, in deep thick woods offering shelter and cover.
Shatta and the house leaders led the children farther and farther from the danger in Moissac. The group marched in pairs toward their destination. At first, they passed small farmhouses dotting the countryside around Moissac. In the distance, Edith could make out the farmers tilling their fields. The group leaders marched the children in wide arcs away from these farms. They did not want to be seen, and these farmers could be witnesses to their escape. But eventually the farms disappeared. Then there were only trees, birds, and flowers growing wildly on the hillside to watch the children as they continued their march.
The children spoke little. They needed every ounce of strength to hike and carry their packs. Edith’s seemed heavier by the minute. The daily exercise at Moissac had helped strengthen her young legs, but such a long trek was wearing her out. The sun beat down on her head, and her legs felt like lead weights. But apart from infrequent, brief stops to drink some water and grab a quick snack, the group leaders urged the children on. Just when Edith felt she could not take one more step, Shatta raised her hand, signaling the group to stop.
A camping expedition from the house in Moissac.
Edith dropped her pack and sank down into the tall grass, sweat pouring off her. Sarah flopped next to her. “I don’t think I could have gone on for a minute more,” said Sarah. Edith nodded. But there was still work to be done.
“We have to set up camp before the sun goes down,” Bouli said. “There will be plenty of time to rest after that.”
Edith groaned slightly but pulled herself back up. Quickly and efficiently, the group leaders assigned tasks to the children. Some were sent to scrounge for kindling; others gathered larger branches for a fire. Edith and Sarah joined a group of children assembling tents. They unfolded each tent and lined up the ropes and stakes that would secure it to the ground.
Edith hammered a stake into the ground and wound the thick rope around it, using the double half-hitch she had learned atMoissac. “Loop, pull, and cross over. Loop, pull, and cross over,” she whispered, as she secured each rope to a stake.
In a short time, the tents were erected and a fire crackled, big enough to cook the food but not large enough to be seen from a distance. The smell of burning wood mixed with the aroma of a simmering stew soon wafted across the camp. Now everyone could relax.
Edith lay on the cool forest floor. It was so peaceful here in the woods, away from Moissac, away from any danger. Birds sang or squawked at their uninvited visitors, crickets chirped, and small animals scurried in the undergrowth. The fire crackled and the soft sound of voices drifted above Edith’s head.
Sarah leaned back against a log. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a tree.”
Edith was famished as well, but she had other thoughts on her mind. “Sarah, what if the Nazis find us?”
“They won’t,” Sarah replied. “No one can find us out here.”
“But what if they do?”
“Stop worrying, Edith. We’re safe here. Shatta and Bouli have done this many times. They know what they’re doing. Besides, what good does it do to worry? There’s nothing more we can do. So relax and enjoy the adventure.” Sarah turned and looked at her friend. “Just try, Edith. Try to believe we’ll be okay.”
Edith closed her eyes. She wanted desperately to believe, not only that she and the campers but that Mutti and Papa, Thereseand Gaston would be safe. Once she had innocently believed in the future, but now all her hope had evaporated. Besides, this war seemed to be getting worse, and for Jews the news was increasingly bad. Just last week, Bouli had told the children that the Nazis had ordered
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