Hi, my name is Mariscol (Mary) Frank, I’m 22 years old, and I’m a Holocaust Survivor.

It all started when I was 13 years old. My brother, Peter, was 5.

It was a Thursday afternoon and my best friend, Jacob, and I were walking from school.

¨So then i was like, you can't just ask a question like that. Right? ¨ Jacob was complaining.
There was a big truck in front of my house. It had a couple of children in the bed of the truck.
¨ What´s going on?¨ I asked Jacob.
¨I don't know,¨ Jacob answered.
My mother ran out of the house yelling at me to come in.
¨I have to go, Jacob. I´ll see you at school.¨ I told Jacob.
¨I don't think I'm gonna see you tomorrow. I´m coming with you.¨ Jacob worried.

¨Ok then come on.¨I walk in the house with Jacob following. There´s 2 suitcases ready at the front door.
¨ You and your brother are going on a trip. They won´t tell me where, be good,¨ my mother said crying.
¨What do you mean, be good? They´re Nazi´s. I will fight until I see you again. I won´t stop,¨ I told my mother confidently.
¨I'll protect them Mrs. Higginson. I promise.¨ Jacob said calmly.
¨Thank you Jacob. I´ll tell your mother when she comes looking for you.¨ my mother thanking him.
¨ Tell her I love her.¨ Jacob said grabbing the suitcases. Jacob grabbed my hand and I grabbed my brothers.
¨ Why isn't mommy coming with us?¨ Peter asked.
¨ She's gonna meet us where we´re going.¨ I told Peter.
¨ Where are we going?¨ Peter asked.
¨I don't know¨ I answered.
¨ Hurry up. We´re on a tight schedule. We have 3 more streets to hit,¨ a Nazi soldier demanded.
¨ We're coming.¨ Jacob snapped back.
Jacob threw the suitcases into the truck, then jumped in. he held his hand to me, i grabbed Peter and handed him to Jacob. I struggled to climb in, Jacob helped me into the truck.

We all sat next to each other. Peter in the middle Jacob on one side and I on the other. Jacob looked at me for a long time. I just looked out into the streets watching my friends walk by.

“ Mari, where are you going?!” My friend yelled.
“ I don't know,” I responded.
I turned away to catch Jacob looking at me. He looked scared that he might never see his family again. I grabbed his hand and held it.
“ You're gonna see them again. I promise.” I told him holding his hand.
“Don’t promise something you probably can't keep.” He held the gaze between us.
“Mari, I-”Jacob cutting off.

He saw his mother walking home. He got up and tried to jump out of the moving vehicle. I grabbed his hand and stopped him from jumping out. He looked so scared that I had to let him go. When I let him go he looked at his hand then back at me.

“ You deserve to say goodbye to your parents,” I told him warmly.

The truck came to a sudden stop and Jacob almost fell out of the truck. One of the Nazi’s put down the door of the bed and Jacob jumped out running towards his mom. He comes to a stop when he's in front of her, he hugs her as tight as he can.

“What's this? Here get a bag and help me inside.” his mom told him.
“I can't. I have to take care of Mariscol and her brother Peter. I won't come back. You know how much she means to me.” Jacob told his mother.
“What do you mean take care of her and her brother?”
“The Nazi's are coming for the children. They already got Mari’s house. I was there when they came. I can’t leave her. I love her,” Jacob responded.
“You be safe and you get the girl. I know you two are meant to be. I love you,” His mother said.
She grabbed the grocery bag and handed it to him. “One last time?”
“Why not,” Jacob admitted.

Jacob grabbed the bag from her and started walking with her. He was so happy with his mother. It's strange that it wasn't the last time I saw him smile.  He walked into his house and his mother closed the door. Peter jumped out and ran to Jacob's door step.

“Jacob come back! My sister and I are waiting for you!” Peter yelled out to him.
Jacob comes running out with a suitcase and picks up Peter in his arms. Jacob runs to the truck and throws both the suitcase and Peter in. The truck starts to move and Jacob is barely climbing in. he stumbles until I run and catch him.
“HEY! WE DON’T NEED HIM! GET HIM OFF THIS TRUCK!” a nazi yelled at us.
“WELL THEY NEED ME!”Jacob yelled back at the Nazi.The nazi didn’t care. He just let him stay. Jacob sat down next to me, still holding my hand.

The ride was long and boring. Peter wanted to play, but knew he couldn’t. I fell asleep with peter sitting on my lap. No one knew what was happening. What happens if I never saw my mother again? My father would be no use to her. Who knows where my father is.