Recap: Mrs. Dolar is hiding Esther. Her little sister Ita and twin siblings ran away, and her parents were arrested for baking matzos. Mrs. Dolar sends Sabrina, Miri, and Katie to search for the children.

 Sabrina motioned for Katie and me to follow her down a secret passageway. She was holding shawls in her hand. She handed one to Katie and one to me. “It can get chilly at night in the woods,” she said.

We trudged through a long underground tunnel. It ended in the middle of a wooded area. Tall elms and oaks formed a canopy that blocked the now-setting sun.

The eerie shrieks and whirrs of night creatures sent a chill through me. Those poor children, I mused.

“What if someone sees us?” I asked. I shivered, thinking of what had happened to Esther and her family.

“We’re on a stroll for fresh air. Act very nonchalant,” she said. “Remember, we’re Christians,” Sabrina said.

I sighed.

“We’re deep in the woods now. I don’t think we’ll meet anyone. I just hope we can find Esther’s siblings,” Sabrina said.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea for us to be searching for them? We’re all alone in the woods, and if anything—”

“We have to have emunah. I’m sure you know that,” Sabrina said.

I glanced at Katie. Her eyes were wide.

I davened for protection and that we would find Esther’s siblings before it was pitch dark in these woods.

The shadow of a small animal scampered by. My stomach clenched.

How frightening it would be to be a little girl alone in these woods. An owl shrieked. I grabbed Katie’s hand. It was trembling. Katie is the brave one. If she was scared, that made me more nervous.

Sabrina motioned us deeper into the woods. The buzz and whirr of insects and night animals grew more pronounced. The moon rose with a veil of clouds. It would be beautiful if I wasn’t so scared. “Look for any sign of movement or any noises. Little kids make sounds,” Sabrina whispered.

I wished we could call for them, but that was out of the question. I scanned the nearby trees and bushes. We looked behind them and under them and then kept walking.

I heard a twig break behind me. I jumped.

Katie tugged on my hand and pointed.

A jackrabbit scampered away.

The moon rose higher in the sky. Around us, night covered everything in a mysterious black cloak. My feet ached, and I longed to sit down. It felt like we’d been walking and searching for miles.

I plunked down on the forest floor to rest. Katie sat beside me.

Sabrina kept walking. “Come on,” she hissed. “We can’t stop now.”

I rose and pulled Katie after me, and we continued. There were groves of trees everywhere. In the dark, with the moonlight shining on the branches, they looked like scary monsters.

Sabrina rushed over to us and pointed toward a tall oak. “Look,” she whispered.

Something moved behind the tree.

We crept toward it. What if it was a wild animal?

My first thought was a bear or a snake.

I spotted a little worn shoe and a small leg.

I tiptoed closer. “Ruthie? Naftali?” I whispered.

A little girl ran out from behind the bush, pulling her little brother with her. They both had tawny-colored curls that were flying in all different directions. They looked to be around three. Their clothing was mud-splattered and torn.

“Where’s your big sister Ita?” I asked. Sabrina, Katie, and I surrounded them.

“Run!” a little girl’s voice rang out. A curly-headed eight-year-old darted from behind the tree and raced ahead.

“That must be Ita.” Sabrina ran after her. “Ita, come back. It’s okay.”

Katie turned to me. “You stay with them. I’ll go try to help Sabrina catch Ita.”

Katie is a fast runner, so it made sense for her to run ahead.

I tried talking to the children. They babbled in Spanish, and I couldn’t understand them, but I got the idea that they were hungry and wanted their sister.

“We’ll take you to Esther,” I said.

“Esther!” Ruthie said. “Esther, por favor!”

Just then I heard the loudest howling sound I had ever heard in my life. “Ahoooooooooo!”

My heart pounded. I turned toward the sound and saw two sets of green eyes glowing in the dark.

Two Iberian wolves leaped toward us.

“Help!” I shrieked.

 To be continued… 

Susie Garber is the author of 11 popular Jewish books, including her newly released historical fiction novel The Blizzard (Menucha 2026) and recently published novel Captured (Menucha 2025). She is also the current news editor of Binyan Magazine.