There are boys missing. Men missing. The very yeshivah is in a different place, and we all feel it

Elka

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eiba! Get down this minute!” I yelled, pushing her off my bed. “And stop climbing onto my bed!” I pulled Yisroel down, too. Bad enough that we all live and sleep in one room. Shouldn’t I at least have some peace once I’ve set up my bed for the night? But no. Every single afternoon, the minute I lay my mattress on the floor and spread my linen out over it, Leiba and Yisroel come to jump on it. And don’t tell me to wait to set up my bed until they’re asleep, because I don’t want to!

Mama gave me a stern look from her perch at the dining room table. She was mending Dovid’s pants again. I knew I should probably help her, but after hours at school and then more hours watching the kids all afternoon, I just couldn’t.

“Why don’t you go play with Faiga,” Mama suggested. “You’ve helped a lot today already. Go take a break.”

“Okay,” I shrugged, pulling myself to my feet and heading toward the door. “Just make sure they don’t mess up my bed,” I called back in warning before shutting the door behind me.

As soon as the door slammed shut, I felt lighter. I practically ran toward Faiga’s house.