The Secret Message

1944, Poland. ‘Take this message, keep it hidden.’ Shaking, Hana tucks the torn slip of paper in between the loaves of bread. If this secret falls into the wrong hands, her family’s lives are at stake Hana’s heart is beating frantically as she weaves through the bombed-out streets of Warsaw. She prays she’ll make it back to the safety of her family’s warm, sweet-scented bakery. Just the thought of being greeted by her younger sisters and sweeping her innocent little brother into her arms spurs her on. She has to deliver this message. But it might cost her everything. They’ve been trapped in the city for weeks. Nazi guards march past their home every hour and more people are being killed. She’s already lost her father; she can’t bear to lose anyone else. She worries every day about the work her sisters are doing in the resistance. Hana twists her engagement ring on her finger as she remembers Emil, her blue-eyed fiancé. There’s still hope she might see him again. She’s risking her life, but this could be her only chance to save her loved ones. The crumpled paper hidden between the still-warm loaves of bread contains the message that will begin the uprising of the people of Warsaw against their captors. As Hana walks past an SS officer, her whole body trembles. She looks straight ahead, trying to give him no reason to stop her. But he catches her eye and, in that moment, time stands still.