Number the Stars Chapter 12 By Saanya Kapasi 4-P

Chapter 12 Page 96  The Rosens and the rest of the group leave for Sweden  Ellen and Annemarie say goodbye  Annemarie goes back to the house crying suddenly  Annemarie knew the path very well, but not as well as her mother did because her mother walked on that path everyday with her dog Trofast (Faithful) following behind her

Chapter 12 Page 97  Annemarie had gone to town many times along that path and she remembered the turns, the twisted trees that had their roots gnarled up that pushed the earth now and then into knotted clumps, and the thick bushes that often flowered in early summer  Annemarie walked with the group in her head and she thought that they would take 30 minutes to get to Uncle Henrik’s boat, then stop for a final hug, no more than a minute, and then Mama would come home quickly, sure-footed back to the house and her children. It would take her about an hour  It was 2:30 in the morning, Annemarie thought that Mama would come at 3:30  Annemarie thought about Papa who was back in Copenhagen, who wanted to come, but had to stay and keep his normal life. He would be scared for his family and the Rosens.

Chapter 12 Page 98  Annemarie went to sleep in the rocking chair  Light woke Annemarie, but it wasn’t morning yet. Soon the light would go to Sweden, then Denmark, over the North Sea, and then Norway  Annemarie stretched and walked over to the old clock  It was past 4:00  Where was Mama?

Chapter 12 Page 99  Annemarie thought that her mother went upstairs to sleep  She went up the narrow staircase  Annemarie looked in the room where she and Ellen had slept. The beds were neatly done with the old quilts. The room and the beds were empty  Then she went into Uncle Henrik’s room and again the beds were unused and empty. Annemarie smiled slightly despite her worry because some of Uncle Henrik’s clothes were crumpled in a chair, and a pair of shoes, covered in dirt, lying on the floor.  Finally, Annemarie went to the room that Kirsti and Mama were sharing. Quietly, she opened the door, not wanting to wake them, and went inside. Thor (the little kitten) came to Annemarie. Kirsti’s arm flung itself on to the other pillow.  There was nobody else in the wide bed.

Chapter 12 Page 100  Annemarie quickly moved to the window, trying to see through the dimness, looking for the opening in the trees where the path was, and for Mama coming home.  Then, Annemarie saw a dark shape at the beginning of the path, a blurred heap that was unfamiliar and that wasn’t there the day before.  Annemarie squinted her eyes to make out the shape on the path  The shape moved.  Then Annemarie knew  It was her mother, lying on the ground