The Devil's Arithmetic

Hannah wakes up to a loud noise. Her head hurts, her back aches, and she has a large scab on her shin. As she remembers the horrors of the past days, a guard comes in and tells the Jewish prisoners to hurry outside and line up if they want food.

On their way out, Hannah notices Tzipporah. She’s curled up; a fly is on her cheek. Gitl orders Hannah not to touch her. When she doesn’t listen, Gitl slaps her. Hannah cries, and Gitl weeps. Gitl doesn’t know what to tell Yitzchak. She calls the Nazis monsters.

Outside, a girl, Rivka, tells the Jewish prisoners about the importance of their bowls. Hannah eats diluted potato soup from hers. She also has dark bread. The blokova then lines up the women and abuses them. Hannah sees smoke and hears loud birds. She remembers the forest and telling stories to the girls, but she forgets the details of the stories.

At night, Rivka tells Hannah not to be afraid. The Nazis don’t choose people for the gas chambers at night. She’s alive now, and that’s what matters. Esther is less reassuring. Her dad and aunts are missing. Her grandma died on the train, and Yente and Rachel aren’t around.