The House

We arrived at the big house they asked me to come in. I had always wanted to go into a house but it is not very safe.

With out knowing it I was in it and they close the door behind me. Giovanni had told me that I may go at my own will.
The house was beautiful there were painting, and there was a rug... Well that what they called it. I was allowed to step on it so I would not get the floor dirty. I had told them that i was still black from the fire and that I shall make it dirty but the children laugh so I walked over it. My feet felt comfortable for the first time. I the car I forgot mansion that they gave me a travailing rug I was also scared that I might make it dirty, but they said that its soft and won't irritate burns, so I did what they said but not because they told me because I wanted to.
Anyway the house is full of wonderful things, there are women in black dresses and white aprons who must be maids. I also meet a very beautiful women who turned out to be the children's mother.
I wanted to wash earlier but the said not before the doctor could see me. For I could not but hot water on my burns. I think from what I remember doctors are nice people. They had theme at the camp and they would help people when they were ill. That what Johannes and all the other told me.
When the doctor came, he said I had got of so lightly from my act of heroism. He also said that, I was a little burnt from my hand and harms and legs, but it would not take me long to recover.
The doctor swiped the dirt off and that hurt. Then he but something on my burns and that hurt to. Every thing the doctor did hurt. But he was a good person he was only doing good. He said that I would feel better in the morning. They told me I must go to sleep now. So before I got to bed I used the light from the moon to wright. What happened today.

Carlo apologized but I did not accept. He is evil and used force like the men in the camp.
But I was polite. Johannes always told me that politeness is what you owe to other people, because when you show a little courtesy, everything becomes easier and better. But first and far most its something you owe yourself. You are David. And if you don't allow people to influence what your really like. Then you've something no one can take away from you. Not even they  . He would get mad when I didn't say thank you to even them (the men in the camp) when they gave us our every day tiniest portions. It is about a piece of bread as small as a medium size stone, they also gave us a sip of water. Thats all for today I am really tired.
I can't believe I am sleeping in a actual bed!

The girl how looks like a flower

It is horrible. I went by this big house. There was music playing. It was so...Beautiful. So I hid to listen to it for a while.
All of a sudden this boy jumped at me and started hitting me he said I was a thief. He made my nose bleed and I now have a black eyes. He had noticed after a while I was not fighting back so he asked me why. I simply replied that hitting him back would not make me any better than him. And said you can hit me again, if you can catch me and I ran. He did not run very far he stopped as soon as he heard his name being called and he ran back.
I went to the river right beside his house there was a big rock so nobody could see me. I washed my bloody cloths. I cleaned myself to roughly. I looked back at the house. There were two boys playing with a girl who looked like a flower. I think I heard theme say they were playing a role game from what I had learned there were two Indians who tried to catch the girl and lock her up in the shed. Then they would come back and pretended to save her.
But when my clothes were finally dry. I heard the 2 boys sream. I saw that the shed had been on fire. I took Johannes advise and wet my cloth to cover my face. I went in the shed, I found the girl tied to the chair, her eyes were blinded with a scarf. I untied her quick, I put my wet cloth on her face, and ran out of the shed. My legs were slightly burned. My hands to because when she was finally out of the shed, I saw the her tip of her hair was burning so I pinched it has hard as I could with my 2 hands and extinguished it.
It turns out her name is Maria. She made me smile for the first time.
They invited me to stay with theme I said no but he said that they must at least thank him and that Maria's mother would like to thank me. So the evil boys name is Carlos I apologized but I said nothing to him , because he is very mean. The 2 boys names are Cecha, and the second one Andria, their father had a very long name he was called Giovanni di Levana Del Varchi.

The lorry driver

It seems that god is strong enough because here I am sitting in a lorry's back seat.
He doesn't ask many questions but I had to use my I am off to rejoin the circus.
He talked about he's talking about himself mostly. He has a problem with he's wife though. He is very nice. He is driving me to Perugia.

Americans

I went back to my hiding spot. I watched them. It took a long time before they drove off. After that I went down the slope to find a place to sleep. I am right now thinking about want they said they live in a free country. When i think of a free country I think of police men.
Sometimes I when to town, and practiced reading. About a week ago a lady carrying a big mirror was walking by and dropped it, it was still good to look in, but the lady was frustrated, and left it there. So i went to pick it up.

Every day I was practiced smiling, cause maybe if I smile people will notice me less. I still did not know what was wrong with dark gray eyes. I also prayed to god for a new bar of soap and
During someday I would help out at this shops but they some what didn't need my help anymore.
I had been still laying on the boarder of the road, when an other car drove by and stopped.
An American couple steps out of the car. Americans were most likely good people, for they were the ones most hated. All that was wrong with them is that they spoke English very badly and always acted as if they were proud of possessing so much. But these American had possessed every thing except for petrol. That as why there car could not go any farther.
The women had been talking in a loud angry voice that did not sound at all pleasant, I was actually a lot more nervous then I usually did before asking them if they wanted any help.
When I had finally decided, to go help them at first they were glad I offered them help. I told them specifically that I didn't have the money to buy petrol with. So when I told them what i could do they didn't trust me. They said I would not return with the money. They started yelling at each other. So I took the money and said that they can take my bundle and when I return with a man to fill up there car they can give me my bundle back. The women and the man looked at me ashamed and said I should have something for my troubles I wanted it but I said firmly no and that I like to earn money sometime, but only when i want to. And that I don't need any money today Evan tough that was a lie. I added I am David and i belong to myself, and no one had any right over me.

So with that I left. And when I got back I didn't except the money but surprisingly , when i got back to my sleeping place I discovered that they had put two thousand Lire! There is also a letter, I had a difficult time reading that tough it took me about an hour. It said:

''Not all strange boys are honest you know.
But were sorry we suspected an honest boy.
We did not mean you understand what we said
We would be glad if you would make a use of this money
To show us that you have no hard felling towards us''

There is some more but I can't read it. Anyway with the two thousand lire, I could buy a new cake of soap, and I will be able to buy bread for many days, And maybe a comb to. But it is better to not be greedy Johannes hated people who were greedy. So maybe just the essential a new cake of soap and bread. So i will perhaps buy a cake of soap and no more,

The results were a new cake of soap, bread a comb, a pair of scissors to cut my hair and to treat myself... a bit of cheese.
Today I brushed my hair with the mirror in front of me. It hurt a lot but i got all the knot out, then with the scissors cut my hair they were really long.
There was one more thing more thing I needed to do I have seen a lot of lorry's, and a lot of people using theme but never had the guts to use them.

God of green pastures and still waters, I am David, And I am frightened.... not just ordinary fear that you always have but-worse then that. I want to beg a lift so that i can get quickly to an other country., but I daren't. If your strong enough to do something about what people think and feel inside them self. Then will you please take this fear away, just long enough for me to wave to a lorry? And if it isn't greedy to ask for two thing at once, will you let it be a good man, that comes in the next one? I haven't found anything i can do for you. I am David. Amen.

The man and the women

Bread is my chief problem. There was so much to eat in Italy, that people would leave food lying about without realizing it. Like an Orange or a Tomato. But never bread. And bread you had to have for if you were not to starve.
Right now I am sitting by the road sides. People often did that. So I feel free doing so. After a while  I took precaution of lying flat on my stomach and facing the road. So i could make sure I could quickly duck out of sight if anything came along. I am thinking about how I won't have any bread the next day and for even quite a while and that i might have to ask God for some more. Thats all for now.

The most unexpected thing happed to me just a while ago. A car drove by and it stopped. A man got out of the car and said loudly 'Blast, my spectacles...!' He spoke in English not in Italian. As I watched him groping about in half-light along the edges of the road. I didn't know why but I rose to my feet, and told him 'I'll help you find your spectacles'. As soon as he rose to take a look at me I bent my head so he could not get a good look at my eyes. The man had smiled and said, ' Thank you very much! Its not much good looking for glasses when you haven't got them on, is it?' I said no politely and set about searching the edge of the road. Has soon as I found theme, I told the man. He took them, he opened the door and talked to someone inside. When the man had put his glasses on I could not tell what, but something looked different about him. He smiled at me. I thought before he was one of them, but now i am sure he's not. I could not imagine him striking or shooting anyone. The man put his hand in his pocket, took something out and offered it to me. It was a coin as he held out he's hand he said '' You must have something for you're trouble''
I told him no, and them to be more polite I said no thank you. At first he looked at little disconcerted then he smiled. I knew that in this case I must accept his thanks, and ask if i  could say How do you do to his wife. I did not know how to say so but entered the car. A women sat inside she was pretty, she had a pleasant clean smell, and she was smiling, so I said good evening to her. The man spoke to her in French. He asked her if she had ever come across a little Italian tramp, who spoke English with an Oxford accent and was offended when he was offered money.
I was just about to say I wasn't offended, when I decided not to, since they already thought i was strange because I spoke English, it was better not to let them know that he could speak French as well.
They had asked me a hole bunch of stuff what was my name, who i was, were I come from. I told them that my name was David and that I was off going to join the circus, farther north. They did not seem very interested. So they told me they were on a vacation, from a free country called England,. The women suggested we get this thin called sandwiches. I told her yes please. After the sandwiches. I asked her won't you let me go? I didn't  take your food before you said I could. The man said Of course you can go David. He sounded like Johannes. The  he continued: If there were any way we could help you you would tell us, wouldn't you?
 I replied "Yes sir". No there isn't good bye. The women didn't seem that she was OK with me going, it seem that she wanted to keep me. I got out of the car. And I ran back down the slope and here i am telling you guys this.

Chosing a god

Oh, God! As i got up I stumbled over a lose stone and triped. My compass went flying over the edge of the rock, were I had been sitting. Before I could put my hand out to catch it, it was to late. The sea was very deep under the rocks, and i know i will never find it again. I could not even hear the plop.

I don't know why a I said that ( Oh, God). It was the men sometimes in the camp that said that, in the camp when they were most in despair.
But as for myself I have no god, And no compass either.Freedom is precious and now I have nothing o defend it with.

OK. I think i must have a god. But which one should I chose? It is important to find the right one. I'd only I had listen to what the men ( I mean the other people ) had talked about in camp in the camp. I had only been interested in learning new words. If i had asked more questions i could of learned a lot more.
Here are the gods I know of:
There is the ones that Jews, had made so many demands in return for his help. But what do I have to give him. Nothing! And since I am not a Jews Perhaps I had no right to chose him. The god of the Catholics seemed to leave things to a women called Mary. Not that I have anything against women, but I know so little about them that maybe, it would be better to chose one who looked after things himself. Johannes should have taught me something about God. Instead, he had only told me about a man, also called David, who had, lived a long time ago. I am digging into my memory. I got it! That other David had said of his God, '' He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, He leadth me beside the still waters.''
That is the one I will chose!
I will note down my prayers, so that I keep track of what i say to him and what I ask.

'' God of the green pastures and the still waters, I am David  and I chose you as my God! But you must please understand that i can't do anything for you, because I've always been in a wicked place, were no one could think  or learn, or get to know anything, and I know nothing about what other people ought to do for there god. But the David Johannes used to talk about, knew that even if he couldn't see you, that you were there and stronger than any men. I pray that you help my that they will never catch me again. Then perhaps I can gradually find out about you so that I can, do something in return, and if you know were Johannes is now, will you please thank him for me, for going to Salonica , and tell him that now i am free and i can think about him again. I am David Amen.''
Perhaps it was a mistake saying Amen because thats what Catholics did, but I know it is a holy word, and that if you did not have an ending God would not know when you finished you're prayer.
I am glad I tough of that. I am now even more determine to go on living.
No every morning, and every evening too. I am able to tell by the sun which way i am going. I will be able to manage even with out a compass.

My own master

I am not used to traveling at night time anymore. It seems I am always tired. But as soon  as I am far enough from that town. I will begin traveling at day. Right now its not safe. By the way traveling in a terrain at night that has root, holes, and rocks that you can trip on isn't very safe either.
During a while yesterday Irealized that as long as people weren't able to take a good look at ,me, they would just think I was a normal boy passing by. There must be a lot of boy's just passing by, in that town. I didn't notice them because I was to busy trying to learn.
If only I could get a mirror. Then I could see what was wrong with my eyes. The sailor on board of the ship said something about my eyes. I think he said '' Mama Mia! '' Thats what he said alright about my eyes. And the man who was selling loaves. Said something about them to including one of his customer.
I am tired i should find a place to sleep.

I woke up a few minutes ago i woke up. I is still daylight, and i found myself looking straight out at sea! I already looked at my compass. Perhaps it it broken? But the needle moves as it should so it could not be. I am thinking perhaps I lost my way in the dark and i wondered round in a circle till I as back again in the neighborhood of the town. But perhaps the coastline curved right around and i had crossed a strip of land, with the sea on both sides of it.
Yes, that is it!
I just went towards the shore, so I could see alone the coast. I have found i had been right. The point of land and sea and the sky faded into one another, and it was blurred into the same shade of blue, now it lays in the opposite direction. But what now?
I have to go northwards thats what the man told me. But aren't I my own master. In the camp you had to listen to what the man or the others told you or else you had to face some horrible conscicwences. Now i am free. I learned to be my own master. I have to conserve my freedom. So why listen to what the man says. I am David I am my own master. And now there are no reasons why I should obey him. Or is there? The bundle lain under the tree, and I had gone south to Salonica, and had been a ship sailing for Italy. I had not yet discovered a trap, the man had set for me. But perhaps there was one in that country called Denmark. It was very puzzling. So far I don't got any answers.
But I've no need to worry about that now. If the bit of Italy I've been in so far juts out into the sea, as I think it does, then I better go more to the east. For that direction the land deems to follow. I will go and crews it now and I've better keep an eyes out for some oranges. Because I have no food left.

I am just stopping for breakfast now. I have found, a lot of oranges and i noticed that they grow on trees. I picked up two oranges because I will have on for breakfast, and one in reserve. For breakfast I had a piece of bread some fresh and clear water. Not muddy and tasteless like the one in the camp. But fresh and clear. To finish it of I had an orange. I better go now.

It's not safe anymore

I was really testing the man who sold the loafs. After he gave me a loaf of bread i would hide around thee corner and listen to him talk. Before every thing was fine he didn't talk about me or ask me anything he would just give me a loaf of bread and i would go around the corner, and listen.

Yesterday as i went around the corner. I heard him say i was strange, and that I had no expression. That i would look at the loaf and go. An other lady came and talked about me to. I decided this town was not safe for me anymore. I was sad for a bit I got used to my Rock, I was even quite attached to it. I even had a spacial place for my clothing, my treasures and everything.
I forgot, to tell you about the church. It was so beautiful. Each day as i went back to my rock I would stare and wonder. What religion I was in.
Johannes, had looked at me one day and said that i was not Jewish. He said that he was sure.

But i had to go it was not safe anymore.

A place to stay

I found shelter, It is kind of a big rock with two walls and a bit of a roof but i had to jump across a ledge. I had found kind of a big piece of wood that would work as a plank to get over it.
I had also found a town were every one is happy and this men who sells loafs gives one to me every day.
No body pays attention to me and I am practicing my writing. I am also reading every thing I can. Words are coming to be more easily every day.
But every day i am a bit more suspicious every day of him it seems as tough he is on to me he's the only one that has been taking to me.

What i know of

On the way... were ever I am going I saw some trees with weird orange things on theme I was starving. I picked one. I was wasn't sure if I could eat it. So with all my might I split it in two. Maybe it was poisonous. I was to starving to care and I licked it and waited to see if I felt sick afterward. I didn't so I tried the insides of it. I will not every thing down here
Taste: It has a quite bitter-sweet taste.
The peel: Tastes awful I spit it out.
smell: sweet.
I decided it was not poisonous. I ate a few.
Right now i am wandering. How come i didn't now these things. I am running trough every thing i now of right now.
Languages I know: First of course I know what they speak at the camp. Then i know French... thats what Johannes spoke. I know German, Italian, English. I know some, Spanish and a bit of Hebrew.
Knowing all these languages helped me. When I was speaking with that Italian on the ship, got me here.

I also know different methods and traps they set ( the concentration camp ). The sudden crafty friendliness, that meat they were hiding something, there pointless brutality. I am familiar with treachery, and i know what death looks like.
At the camp. Attempting at escaping were never successful, but that was not there fault. It was because there chances were to slender. Thats what I will do. I will make a plan of action, weighing what i know against what i did not, and carry it out with out allowing myself to be depressed, by my doubts or misled by hope.

However there are a lot of things I know nothing about. I know there are maps but I don't know how to read theme, I have never seen one. I don't know the any countries. There was food I didn't even know if that Orange thing, was good or bad.
Worst of all there are people. If I wanted to preserve my freedom I have to stay clear of theme but if I wanted to learn of theme I would have to come up close.
 I have to continue walking now and find shelter.

Scrubbing away all my troubles

I knew what I was going to do now.

It didn't take long before I had found a lake. I took all my dirty close off took my piece of soap and started scrubbing my self and my close.

Now I am clean as I could be. I had washed the sent of the camp, the dirt of the camp and the smell. I fell really clean now. I will wash myself each time I find a lake or some water. Now i just need to walk south using my compass.

what do you do with the drunken boy

I woke up a while ago. First thing I saw was the water-line...
Sorry  there wasn't enough light. I had to use the last of my treasures. My box of matches.
Then I saw a ship clearly bound for Italy. As soon as the truck had stopped I got off, and ran towards the ship.

Here I am in some kind of room. There are a bunch of bags in this room. Which is good if I need to hide. I really need water. I have gone 3 or 2 days with out it. I know what happens when you do not have enough water. I have seen men in the camp die.
All I can find is this strange red water. I am not sure if I should drink this. Then again I would die if I don't.

I decided I will drink it for my sake. There are many bottles so I don't think anybody will notice if I drink a few.

 Oh my dear god. Next thing I knew I was talking with a sailor that spoke quite weirdly. He seemed startled with me drinking the weird tasting water. He also explained to me a plane which I could get off, the ship. The only thing I was worried about, was that the plan included me going off into the ocean and swimming to shore. Then he explained to me what a life belt was.

Here I am safe. I started crying as I saw the many wonderful colors. All I really saw before were trees. But now I see so many different colors. Before all I knew was gray, and black.
I think now I have seen my will to live. I see something to live for. I see a hope in those many colors.

Off to Salonica

I don't know exactly why i got in. Its as my feet mechanically just started to walk on their own. I have to try to get a hiding place in here there are plenty of boxes i might as well hide in one of those boxes in the back.

Cheese!!!!! There is cheese in these boxes. I know i am stealing but its for my own survival.

I am full now. I haven't got a chance to explain why I am writing this journal. Well I just escaped from a concentration camp. I am scared and is someone or they finally kill me then, they will know what i have been trough how i thought and fell about the hole thing this might even become a documentary.
And if who ever reads this doesn't know who I am.
I am David. I am 12 years old and I escaped from a concentration camp. I am off to find a better life.

The most amazing thing happened to me yesterday. I fell asleep and I got woken up by the hummer of the engine as if it were starting again. But it was still night I now knew what it had felt like be locked up in one of the cells, Johannes had once talked about. It was like inky blackness with out being able to move, with out being able to die.
In these past few days I wanted to die I didn't mind my legs and feet bleeding. Cause I felt and still feel like i don't care if i die i lost my will to live. What if Denmark isn't better I never trusted the man. We never talked we just looked at each other and walk away. Why should i trust him he's like the others. He doesn't care about us.

I had to shake away that thought. When I did I thought about Johannes. I whispered '' Johannes... Johannes'' Ever since Johannes died of what they so call a heart attack. I had to be a rock I was not supposed to talk about Johannes, was not supposed to think about Johannes, I was a rock.
I thought about how Johannes was there for me ever since I could remember. He had thought me every thing he knew. What it was like not to live in here. What the food was like, everything. He was my best friend..
I was thinking about the horror when i saw him laying there...dead.
After a while memories flashing back into my head I had hear a voice. Somewhere far away and it said that it was going to come with me to Salonica. I already knew who it was. It was Johannes. His spirit came to make sure I travel well. I had said thank you.
I am really tires I will go to sleep now.