Disappeared

12th November 1939



Dear diary,

                  Father is dead. Gone. Killed by the Nazi’s. We received the telegram yesterday, but I couldn’t face telling you. Obviously Mother is distraught; she shut herself in the drawing room and refused to come out, all you could hear was her sobbing. Of course Peter doesn’t understand; young as he is. He just keeps saying to me “when is Papa coming back? Why is Mama crying? When is Papa coming back?” My heart aches for him. I wish Simon were here, I wonder if he knows about Father. I wish he would stroll through the front door announcing the war is over and life can go back to how it used to be. Then he would spot me, stood by the staircase and cry out “Hannah! How are you, little one?” and whisk me up into his arms. Oh, how I long for my brother. I pray morning and night that he is safe and sound and will return to us someday. I must bid you farewell for now, my faithful paper friend, for Peter wishes me to play with him.





14th November 1939



Dear diary,

                  Mother has left us! I awoke this morning to find her gone, with a note attached to the living room mirror that said:

                                   

                                    My dearest Hannah,

                                                                    I am sorry to do this to you,

                                    but I must. Take care of Peter and await

                                    Simon’s return. He will return, I feel it. I trust you

                                    will find your way through life without me.

                                                          Your Mother.



You see, she has abandoned us! Disappeared! I know she is my Mother and I love her truly, but I can’t help feeling a little angry; I had to find food for myself and Peter and change him and bathe him. Of course I didn’t do a very good job, how is a seven year old able to take care of her two year old brother properly? Oh yes, that reminds me, today is Peter’s second birthday. I gave him a diary very similar to this one, though the cover is black rather than blue. I know he is a little young for it but I told him to keep it with him forever. We should be being evacuated any day now and there is every chance we could be separated - I want him to have something to remember me by.

         There was yet another air raid this morning. Gosh, it is a challenge to get out there in time with a wailing two year old in tow. Oh, why did Mother leave us! Oh look, now I have blotted my page, drat. Still, I don’t see why she would just disappear, I can’t help feeling there is something else behind all of this. The Mother I know wouldn’t just disappear, she wouldn’t. I will find out why she left, I am determined of it. In fact, I will start now. Goodbye.