Chapter 6

Summary

• Hazel receives an evacuation notice confirming the children of London are to be evacuated due to the German invasion of Poland.
• While her mother and sister Flora are sleeping, Hazel reads Grimm’s Fairy Tales, hoping for comfort but finds the unsettling story of the Pied Piper instead.
• Hazel is determined to protect her sister Flora and decides she will have to create her own comforting stories.
• The next morning, Hazel comforts Flora and tries to delay the moment of facing their evacuation as long as possible.
• Before leaving, their mother takes a photo of Hazel and Flora and they join the other children on the somber walk to the train station.
• They pack essential items like gas masks, identity cards, ration books, and personal care items for their journey.
• At the train station, their mother puts name tags on them, similar to luggage tags, with their personal details but with no destination, which is kept secret for safety.
• Hazel and Flora board the train with uncertainty, not knowing where they will be taken. Hazel reassures Flora with a tale of "a river of stars."
• Hazel holds onto the pink ribbon from Flora's hair, symbolizing the connection to their mother as they leave.
• The train journey is long and anxiety-inducing, with stations along the way unidentifiable to protect against enemy action.
• Upon arrival in Oxford, Hazel feels an intense loneliness and is overwhelmed by the thought that their survival might solely depend on her.
• Hazel and Flora eat the snacks their mother provided and save a note from her for later, to give them something to look forward to.
• Miss Plink, their teacher, tells the children that they will first go to the town hall and be chosen by families to be taken in, but Hazel feels skeptical and remains worried about their future.