CHAPTER 4

Logan was standing in an unfamiliar street, with burning buildings surrounding her. She blinked a couple of times, thinking that she was imagining or dreaming. It wasn't until a spark flew onto her hand, making a large red welt, that she knew she wasn't. Logan hissed in pain, flinging her hand around. That's when the boy slammed into her. He knocked her to the ground, his blue eyes wide with excitement.

"Take this Jew!" he spat, slapping her hard in the face.

Logan stared straight into his eyes, shocked. A few seconds passed until she came to her senses, she pushed him off roughly and punched him straight in the nose, making him stumble. He shook his head a few times before looking back at her, his eyes wide. Logan suddenly realized that the boy was not alone, another one stood off to the side, his mouth hanging wide open. She took a few steps back and pointed a finger at them.

"Don't touch me again" she stammered, trying to sound brave.

The boy that had slapped her narrowed his eyes.

"You'll pay for that Jew" he hissed, opening his coat, revealing a dagger.

Logan swallowed nervously and suddenly turned around. She started to run, faster than she had ever done before. She heard the boy behind her and she urged her legs to go faster. Soon she heard him fall behind and she stopped, her lungs screaming. She fell to her knee's, panting hard. Her mind was racing. New smells drifted into her nose and she coughed. 'Where am I?' she thought franticly, glancing around.

The last thing that she remembered was the Willow tree, and its silky smooth bark. She shivered violently and stood up shakily, her heart pounding. The scene around her was horrifying. Burning buildings, trashcans were overturned, broken glass littered the ground also, crackling every time she took a step. That's when she saw her clothes. She was wearing a dark red dress that came to her knee's, a dark brown coat and plain shoes. But something on her coat made her pause. A yellow star was printed on the coats pocket, in it were the words written 'Hebrew'.

Logan couldn't believe her eyes. This was a scene that she had read about in her history book. She was in Germany, in World War 2, and the worst part about it, was that she was a Jew. Now she understood why the boy had tackled her, and why he had slapped her. He was part of Hitler youth, and was told to persecute Jews, like her. 'But I am not a Jew!' she thought franticly.

"Help!"

Logan whipped around, expecting to see the boy that had attacked her. But no. There was no one. Then she looked to the ground. A body was half buried in the rubble of a downed building. She rushed toward it, her nose protesting as she smelt burnt hair. She knelt next to the body, realizing that it was a woman, and she was alive. The woman looked into her eyes, brown meeting green.

"Take care of him, please" she whispered, pointing to a section of the rubble.

Logan shook her head, not quite understanding what she was saying.

"You need a doctor" she protested, looking around.

"No! there is no hope for me. You must get him, get him out of here!" the woman coughed, grabbing her hand.

Logan watched helplessly as the woman died, her breathing quickly turning shallow until it stopped. Logan felt a lump enter her throat and she stood up quickly, a tear escaping from her eye. She left the woman's side and solemnly walked over to the spot where she had pointed. What she saw, made her gasp. An infant, barely 4 weeks old, was sleeping, wrapped in a tight blanket in a crib. Logan glanced around, her heart pounding. She crouched down next to the crib and studied the babe inside. It was boy with surprisingly long brown curly hair. Logan bit her lip, not knowing what to do. But she got her answer when she heard screams coming from down the street where she had been a moment earlier. She quickly grabbed the baby, held him tightly, preparing to run. Before she did, she glanced back at the woman, who was the mother of this child she was holding. She blinked and opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. Instead a single tear slipped down her cheek. She grasped the baby tightly in her arms and started to run blindly down the street, not knowing where she was going and why. She didn't even know she had been transported back to the past. Her mind kept racing back to the willow tree, and she soon realized that the tree had indeed done something, it had burdened her with the bundle she held in her arms, she wished she could take back her request.