It was a windy but sunny afternoon in June 10th, 1940 when Emma went to Champ de Mars with her brother Timothé and her two close friends Charlotte Jones, and Louis Dubois. A place they would regularly meet just after school. Emma, who lived her whole life in France with her family in the 16th arrondissement, was considered to be in a upper class society. They lived in a big apartment that had a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower and the bright lights of the buildings illuminating the dark blue sky at night. Emma’s mother, whose name was Beatrice, worked as a doctor. Her father, Henry, worked as a polytechnic engineer. They were often invited to special events such as galas, operas, shows, plays etc. 
Emma who just turned fifteen had hazel eyes, that matched perfectly with her long light chestnut hair. She was refined for her age, and her style of clothing was sophisticated yet wild at the same time. Emma, who wanted to go abroad and learn new languages, was very fascinated by history. Her brother on the other hand didn't care much about his future. Timothé was two years older than Emma, he was confident and was never shy. He had many friends but he would mostly stay with his sister, and his close friends Charlotte, and Louis.
As they arrived to the beautiful green space near the Eiffel Tower (Champs de Mars), they laid down and looked at the clouds moving as they were listening to children laughing and having fun. Emma who was always full of energy sat down and looked at the people. A few minutes later people started to leave.
Why is everyone leaving in a hurry? Emma thought...
Everyone was leaving and running. Far off screams and loud, strict voices were heard.
“Maybe we should leave guys.” Emma suggested.
“Uh, but we just came.” responded Charlotte.
“But look everyone is leaving,” Emma exclaimed with her french accent. “I really think we should start heading back home.”
“Yea, plus our mothers will be waiting for us, and the weather seems to be getting worse.” Louis insisted.
“Maman and papa also said that if there was anything weird happening, we should come back home directly.” said Timothé.
“Fine, fine, fine, let's go then.” Charlotte mumbled.
While they were walking home, they noticed that there were very few people in the streets, which was not normal. After walking for about 20 minutes, they finally arrived at Emma and Timothé’s apartment. Charlotte lived two blocks away, and usually stayed at Emma’s apartment just after meeting up at the Champs de Mars, because her mother would always drink a tea with Emma’s mother. Louis would also stay and hang out before returning to his house which was one block away. Emma’s parents were very fond with the parents of Charlotte: Mr. and Mrs. Jones. Every weekend they tried to meet up for a dinner or even for a walk. That's how Charlotte and Emma met.
When the four teens entered the house, both mothers, Mrs. Jones, and Mrs. Beaulieu, rushed to the door and started to ask them questions as if they didn't see them for years.
“Are you guys ok? We were wondering where you were. Did anything happen?” Mrs. Jones said.
“What's the matter? Nothing happened to us, we just came earlier because everyone seemed to be leaving from the park.” Charlotte said.
“Are you sure everything's ok?”
“Oui maman, mais qu'est-ce qui t'inquiète autant (yes mom, what is worrying you so much)?” Emma asked.
“The Nazis… They came. The French government just left and the Germans just took over. I fear it's going to get worse.”
We heard it on the radio, we thought that they saw you, and asked questions such as if you were Jewish...” announced Mrs. Beaulieu. 
Emma, who thought that day would never come, who thought that the Nazis would never be able to come all the way to France, was unfortunately wrong.
As the days, weeks and months passed, Emma wasn't able to hang out with neither Louis nor Charlotte. Emma whose family origins were Jewish didn't take their religion seriously. Yet, they were considered to be Jews. Therefore, after one year passed, Timothé, Emma, and her parents had to wear the star of David on their coats.
Emma was tired of always having to stay at home and let the days pass by. She who was not allowed to go to school anymore was also tired of not being active.
She would usually think to herself…
This useless star of David, that I wear on the left side of my chest, that is stopping me from living. Oh, and those Nazis that have nothing better to do, but to stop people and arrest them for being who they are. Nothing to do but to turn around in my room and think about nothing.
Everyday seemed like the same. Tensions between Timothé and Emma started to appear. Henry who lost his job had to stay home, while Beatrice was struggling with keeping her job as a doctor. Whenever they started to talk as a family, it always ended up as an argument in between each one of them. Emma who was begging to go see her friends was tired of the isolation her parents put her in. She wanted to talk to Charlotte, she wanted to see Louis, as much as Timothé did.
Emma who had thought of many different solutions to go see Charlotte and Louis had only found one, which was to go and sneak out. She talked about it to her brother, and for once in a long time they agreed to do it together.
18th December 1941, Timothé and Emma put on their coats, and removed their star that were well attached. Their parents went away to check on Emma and Timothé grandparents, while they stayed home. It was the perfect moment to sneak away. They first went to Louis’s house. They talked to him about them sneaking out, and few hours later, they went to Charlotte's house. When Charlotte and her mother saw them at the front door, they were happier than ever, and completely forgot the fact that Timothé and Emma sneaked away from their home.
Mrs. Jones who originated from England placed value on maintaining British customs and would always offer a cup of tea with milk.
“Would you guys like a cup of tea with milk?” proposed Mrs. Jones.
“No I think we are fine. Thanks though.” Charlotte told her mother.
Timothé and Emma left and decided that every Thursday they would meet up at Charlotte's house while their parents would go see their grandparents. Everynight, Emma and Timothé had to put back their star on their coats, for they were scared their parents would suspect something.
Tensions between Jews and Germans were growing. They had restricted rights, and both Emma and Timothé felt like they were in prison.
Emma who was bored out of her mind started writing about everything, yet there was nothing much to write about, except for the fact that she felt like a prisoner.
Why, why are people so cruel? What is their problem? What do they have against Jews? Anyways, I believe it won’t get worse than what it is now, or I hope it won't. Now there's nothing I can do apart from meet Charlotte and Louis every Thursdays. That’s all I do. Eat, sleep, repeat.
21st May, 1942, the day Emma considered as bad luck, as she was going to see Charlotte. Timothé and Emma thought that they would waste less time if they went by another way, therefore they chose to go that way to be able to spend more time with their friends. As they almost made it to the front door, four German soldiers took them by their clothes, and started talking to them…
“Was Machst du hier (what are you doing here)?” said one of the soldiers.
“Was ist das problem (what is the problem),” said Timothé, who knew how to speak and understand some German.
“DU DARFST NICHT HIER SEIN (you are not allowed to be around here).” shouted another German soldier.
“Warum nicht! Wir sind keine Juden (why not! We are not Jewish).” Timothé lied.
“Das ist, komisch, weil du den Stern auf deinen Mänteln hast (that's weird, because you have the star on your coat).” said the other German.
As soon as Emma and Timothé realized they had forgotten to remove their stars, the Nazis took them and brought them to a truck forcefully. About a dozen of boys and girls were in the truck. A long trip was awaiting them.
Timothé and Emma made sure to stay together. They barely had any food. They were squished with more and more children coming everyday in the truck. Some were as young as two years old. Timothé was by far the oldest, and Emma was scared they would get seperated. After four days of traveling in the truck, they finally arrived to Drancy: A regroupement camp.
Emma and Timothé stayed in Drancy for about two days. Unfortunately, they were then separated from each other and were grouped in different categories which included women, men, and children. Timothé who was considered a man was trying to fight and stay with Emma, but had no power compared to the Germans. The conditions were worse: They slept in separate buildings where everyone was sick and weak. Emma was horrified by the reality she found herself in.
On the same day, 27th May, 1942, both Emma and Timothé took a train which brought them to a concentration camp in Buchenwald, Germany. Emma, as well as Timothé, were both thinking of ways they could see each other, but they felt hopeless.
It had been a year of hardship and suffering, however, Emma and Timothé had managed to stay alive. Yet, they changed drastically. They were very weak and had no more energy to do anything. Their bones stuck out from the holes in their clothes that were torn apart.
Emma once had dreams she wanted to pursue in her life. Those thoughts of success were now buried beneath the idea of surviving. Everyday, for hours, they would work and work. Emma saw her brother once in a while between assemblies, but was never able to talk to him. So close yet so far,  she would think to herself every time she saw him. 
Friday, a day in which assemblies occured. A day where Emma could see her brother in the foggy morning weather. As the Germans shouted at the way people were behaving, Emma started running in the crowd. She started running as fast as she thought she could, pushing everyone in the crowd and making them wonder what was happening. German voices were heard screaming at Emma and asking her what she was doing.
“WER DENKST DU, WER DU BIST? (who do you think you are)?!” a German soldier shouted.
Emma, who pretended not to hear anything, continued running. Timothé finally recognized his sister coming closer and closer to him. He started moving towards her. Emma, who could spot German soldiers trying to pass through the crowd, picked up her pace. She jumped and hugged her brother as strongly as she possibly could. Tears fell from her eyes. She heard a gunshot…
Timothé saw blood on Emma’s back as he held her tight in his arms. Emma fell to the ground, and gave her last words,
“I love you with all my heart...”