White Bird: A Wonder Story

Part 3 opens with a line from Muriel Rukeyser’s poem “Seventh Elegy: The Dream-Singing Elegy”: “But the enemy came like thunder in the wood…” (123)

More than a year passes; by spring of 1944, Sara was taller and skinnier. She also changed inwardly, not caring about the things she used to earlier, such as her clothes and popularity. She used her formally precious red shoes to chase away mice. Sara got used to her new and different life.

Things around town were changing too, including the war. Vincent joined the Milice, a branch of the French police that assists the Nazis; Pastor Luc, in turn, joined the Maquis (the French Resistance). Julien grew taller than Sara and was very handsome—there was an attraction blooming between them.

For Sara’s birthday, Julien gave her a bird figurine that he whittled himself, and the Beaumiers brought her a home-baked chocolate cake for which Vivienne was saving rations for months: “[I]t was the most delicious cake [Sara had] ever eaten in [her] life” (132). Having slipped sleeping powder into the bottle of milk for the Lafleurs, the Beaumiers were able to safely gather and celebrate Sara’s birthday in the barn.

The day’s events left Sara feeling hopeful, and she imagined a future reuniting with Papa and starting a life with Julien someday.