Number the Stars

by Lois Lowry

“When the soldiers leave.”

“That’s the worst thing in the world,” Ellen whispered. “To be dead so young.

She looked down, and saw that she had imprinted the Star of David into her palm.

Outside, she knew, the sky was speckled with stars. How could anyone number them one by one, as the psalm said? There were too many. The sky was too big.

“The God of Thunder has fallen into the milk pail!”