Recap: The woman’s husband came home and demanded to know who was there. He heard voices. He is violent, and the girls are terrified.
“Marranos are fleeing the king’s decree. Children had to report, and parents sent them running. Did you find some of those children? They belong to us – to the church. I’ve sent officers to the main road. Those children won’t get far – we have to save those souls.”
His wife was holding her cheek and whimpering. “No, my lord. No one. Just some Gypsies escaping the storm.”
“Did you give them ham soup? Did they drink it?”
“Yes, yes.”
“I don’t believe you. Go now and make me soup. I am famished.”
He stomped out of the barn.
The wife passed by us and signaled with her hand.
Sabrina took each of our hands, and we quietly left our hideout and slipped out the back door.
“We’ll take a back road.” Sabrina led us over the muddy terrain.
“What if he sees us?” Katie whispered.
“Daven,” I said. “Come on. Don’t stop.”
I kept thinking of the loud slap and that poor woman. She’d lied to protect us.
My heart was thumping. Would we be able to escape the Inquisition officers?
The mud caked our feet and the hems of our skirts. We trudged on and on along a hidden path. “What if that man comes after us?” Katie asked.
“Hashem is with us. You have to believe we will make it.” Sabrina’s voice was weak. We’d been walking for hours. The sun was high in the sky. Our throats were parched, and our stomachs grumbled with hunger.
“I need a drink,” Katie said.
Just then, we heard a rustling in the bushes behind us. I instinctively ducked.
A little boy ran past us.
“No!” A girl around our age darted out from behind the bush. “David!”
She grabbed the boy, who looked to be around three or four years old. He was thrashing around and crying.
“Shh! You’ll get us caught.” The girl noticed us and backed away.
“It’s okay.”
The girl started running away, carrying her brother, who was still kicking and trying to escape her grasp.
“It’s okay.” Sabrina chased after her.
The girl tripped and fell. She broke into hysterical sobs. The little boy climbed out from under her. His eyes were wide.
“We’re not going to report you,” Sabrina said. “It’s okay. Please, they’ll hear you.”
The girl stopped sobbing.
“Hungry!” the boy said.
“I don’t know what to do. My brother is hungry. We’ve been running from the officers since last night. My parents sent us away.”
“I understand. You don’t have to explain,” Sabrina soothed. “We can help each other.”
She whispered in the boy’s ear, and he stopped thrashing.
I wondered what she’d said to make him calm down.
We continued walking with the girl and her brother beside us.
“What’s your name?” Sabrina asked kindly.
“Liselle Rosa Garcia.”
Sabrina introduced each of us. “We’re like you,” Sabrina said. “Tell us what happened. How did you end up alone on this road?”
Liselle let out a sob. “Madre heard the king was rounding up Jewish children and taking them to the church to be baptized. She told me to head to the harbor to Mr. Sanchez. I tried to run towards the harbor, but someone spotted us and started chasing us. I carried David and hid. There were two officers just a few meters away. I sat there all cramped, waiting for them to leave, davening for help. Suddenly, the sky opened up, and there was this horrible storm.”
“Yes, we were caught in it as well.”
“I was afraid we would drown. I found a spot up on a hill and waited out the storm. We haven’t eaten in over 24 hours.”
“We’ll stay together now. I can’t take you to Mr. Sanchez now. We’re heading to Toledo, so we’ll take you to Toledo to meet with this great rabbi, and then, G-d willing, we’ll take you to Mr. Sanchez. He’s my future stepfather.”
“Mr. Sanchez? He’s a hero. He’s saved so many of our people.”
David was dragging behind. I lifted him up.
“We’re really only a day away from Toledo, but we have to find food,” Sabrina said.
“Yes, please,” Liselle Rosa said. “We’re starving.”
“How are we going to find it?” I asked.
“There was a family near here who helped us rescue people. I don’t know if they are still here or if they were caught, but I think I have to try,” Sabrina said. “I just need to get my bearings.” She stepped away and surveyed the area.
“Yes. Look over there.”
I glimpsed a small cabin in the distance.
“I will go alone. Daven for me.”
“No, Sabrina. It’s too risky. What if they are gone and informers live there?”
“I’ll feel out the situation. You all stay back. Miri, make sure everyone is hidden and quiet.”
I couldn’t believe she was putting me in charge. What had happened to fearful, shy Miri? Had I left her behind in my former life?
Sabrina squeezed my hand. “Wish me luck. I mean, daven, please.”
“Hashem should go with you,” I said.
We waited behind the brush. Every sound made my heart jump. David was sleeping, leaning against his sister. Katie sat beside me, listening and gazing around. Any twig crack could be an officer from the Inquisition coming after us. My heart pounded. I said T’hilim by heart. Katie whispered in my ear, “I’m scared. What if those men come?”
I put my hand on my lips. We shouldn’t make any sound.
David stirred in his sleep.
Please hurry. I willed Sabrina to come back with good news.
Liselle Rosa sighed and shifted David’s weight to her other shoulder.
I closed my eyes and davened. It seemed like hours later when Sabrina returned.
I felt like I was letting out my breath when I saw her.
“It’s good. Mrs. Hanan is there. Come,” she whispered and motioned us to follow her.
We followed her stealthily up the hill. Mrs. Hanan, a sweet older woman wearing a white headscarf and a long gown, ushered us in. The first thing I noticed on her mantel was a gold-plated cross. My stomach clenched. Was she an informer? Had Sabrina mistakenly led us into a trap?
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.
