The Safekeep

by Yael van der Wouden

She and some classmates were waiting in a classroom for the teacher to show up, and one of the girls said: They treat us worse than Jews here, and one of the other girls said, God, I wish they’d gas us, at least that’d be a way out.

Eva hitched up in her seat and reached across the table. Her hand was a heat, hovering near Isabel’s face. The pad of her thumb passed over Isabel’s brow. Fingers curled in, knuckles to Isabel’s cheek. She did it again, smoothing the grain of hair.

A riveting account of Isabel's fevered focus on Eva, highlighted by desperate atempts not to engageat all. This magical writing.

Isabel swayed back into her. In the crook of Eva’s neck, she found a heartbeat to put her lips to.