A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielsen (Chapter Summaries 33-47) – Flashcards

Mama wouldn't let them go to tunnel the next day, so Gerta went to Anna's.They both seem to want to mend their friendship. They get up to Anna's room. She tells Anna they work slower now because they're hungry. Anna offers to make her a sandwich. When she leaves Gerta goes to the window to measure the length of the Death Strip. Anna walks in and sees her. She gives her the sandwich and tells her she and her mother would like to give her some of her old clothes. Gerta notices in her closet, shoes with dirt from her garden on them. She says she has to go. Anna asks if it's about the clothes, but Gerta suspects she knows the real reason. She is convinced Anna is a spy.

She goes home and tells Fritz. He asks about the Death Strip. She tells him, and how she could tell better by a dark spot on the ground. They both realize this means the ground is sinking from the tunnel there, and they go to the tunnel. They find the ground above them sinking where the water sprayed. They go upstairs to get bricks to stabilize it.

They work on making the tunnel stable and as Fritz continues working, while Gerta says she'll go home to explain to Mama. They are discussing how to lift the roof of tunnel when someone behind them suggests wood blanks. It;s Mama, and she's brought a flashlight and food. She tells them she's been demoted at work and they will no longer have enough money for rent, food or anything. She says she knows they must finish the tunnel. Gerta will go to the roof at night to get a door to secure the ground above.

Together they work on the tunnel. Fritz doing the supports, Mama digging like crazy, and Gerta spreading out the dirt. They decide Mama should go home and make noise like they are all there. Gerta and Fritz keep working until dark and before the moon rises Gerta has to get the door off the roof without the guards or anyone seeing her. She's very careful and quiet and avoids the watchtower lights.

They stabilized the ceiling with the door and in the morning Mama brought a bunch of food. She took it from Krause's since he was gone now. Fritz got a letter saying they moved up his military date and he is due there in 2 days. They dug even harder. Mama told them to g sleep for a while and when she woke them they could hear others digging from somewhere. They felt it was ahead of them. It could be others digging west who could help them. It could be Stasi digging an intercepting tunnel across so anyone digging would run into their tunnel. Or, it could be Papa digging from the west and his signals were to tell them that's where he'd meet them, not that that's where they should dig. Night falls. They go home to talk for mics and sleep.

In the morning, on the way out of their apartment they bump into Frau Eberhart. She comments about their appearance and manners. Mama stays to talk with her and Fritz and Gerta go ahead. Gerta feels Mama has changed - she is seems younger and stronger, and the spirit of who she used to be is back. Eberhart admits to Mama she told on Krause and feels bad they killed him. Mama tells her she should mind her business or more people will get killed. Gerta was digging and hears something. A stick pokes out through. They see light through it, then a flashlight beam. Someone found them. They freeze, and then hear Papa singing the song.

Papa's tunnel is higher than theirs and it he thinks the dogs might smell them. They heard them last night. He realizes Mama is there too. His voice cracks and Mama is crying. Gerta feels bad for things she said in the past to her and forgives her. They also hear Dominic. Fritz continues digging but wants to secure top more. Dirt has sealed the little hole they had made. Gerta goes for the rest of the bricks. She decides to go to roof to take a quick peak to see if dark spot is repaired. She sees Papa's whole side of the tunnel is collapsing. She runs to tell them. Papa tells them to get out and prepare to leave. He'll try to stabilize ceiling but either way they have to be ready to leave so Fritz doesn't get put in Army. They run out and Papa is going to try.

The walk home trying to look happy. Gerta reflects how she can't just believe everything her parents tell her is right like she used to. Mama says they need to clean apartment so when they leave the Stasi won't say they were pigs. She leaves after dinner to go see her mom. Fritz left to go to club to see Claudia. He came back looking sad.

Mama came home in morning. She said for the mics she was sick, but it means she can't go out for a few hours. Gerta asks how Oma is. Mama whispers she asked why they waited so long, and that they'd see her again somehow. Gerta and Fritz walk to tunnel and try not to look excited. Mama says do what they have to get through and come get her when they're finished. On their way they hear dogs barking and Grenzers. They're talking about leaking pipes and needing to investigate. Fritz says they need to escape this afternoon. When they get to the tunnel Dominic is there digging. They can see his toes if on their stomachs. They are worried if they make the final connection the tunnel will cave in. Papa is still putting up supports. Dominic says Papa thinks they need to wait 2 days. Gerta says they don't have 2 days. Gerta goes to the pond to get water because Papa says they should secure their side more.

She checks the watchtower as she goes to the pond and suddenly Anna is in front of her wanting to talk. Gerta asks if they're friends or if she with the police. Anna tells her after Peter left the Stasi came and found stuff they had from before the Wall was put up. They promised to do anything to keep from being arrested and Anna taken away. She knows about the tunnel, she went down there. The Stasi are getting impatient and angry, they want names of traitors. She told Gerta they had until tomorrow, because that is when she's telling, and to hurry and leave. Gerta asks her to come too. She says no, this is her home, an the Wall won't last forever. They agree to always be friends. Gerta goes back and tells her brothers. As they wait for mortar to dry, Dominic tells them how the world can see the difference between the 2 sides of the Wall and how tense the Cold War is. He tells them how he would NEVER go back to the east. Fritz tells Gerta to get Mama and stay until evening if they have to because they know she called out sick, but to tell her they leave tonight. And to be careful because they will be looking for him since he did not report in. He gives her the shovel to signal Muller. As she walked home she noticed things she really hadn't before, bits of color and art showing strength, and realized it did give her strength when she needed it.

As Mama and Gerta waited, Gerta reflects on her and Anna's friendship and how Anna pushing her away was Anna's way of protecting her. Gerta writes a letter to her explaining her behavior and written for the Stasi to see in order to protect Anna. There was a pile of things they were going to take that was too large. Gerta went through it taking out all their clothes, She didn't like them anyway. There was a China set that had been passed through the family - making it through both World Wars and more. Mama left them for Frau Eberhart with a note saying she forgives her. She decided to leave her childhood bear since she would have her family together again to hold, and she and Mama agreed to leave the Bible, which they wrote was for the Stasi "who need it more than we do." They had a little supper and went to leave. There was a bag of photos and and small treasure of each of theirs Gerta hid, and when Mama opened the door, there were the Grenzers.

The Grenzers say Fritz hasn't reported for military service yet. They are early, but Gerta knows it is because of his file. Mama says he will, and they said they'd wait out front. They ran around the apartment and placed things around to stop it from looking like they were leaving and flushed their notes with the gifts down the toilet. Curfew was coming soon. Gerta considered climbing a rope down from the back of their apartment but they didn't have rope and neighbors would see them. Another knock at the door and the Grenzers came in. They searched and found nothing. Viktor said it was clear he wasn't reporting, and if not back by curfew they'd be taken in for questioning. He asked Gerta where she thought he was. She shrugged and prayed to herself that if they were taken in she'd be able to resist them long enough for Fritz to escape.

Viktor waited with Mama and Gerta while the other police searched the apartment building. Mama offered him tea and put the keys to Oma's car on the table. Cars were hard to come by and expensive. Viktor got the hint. Mama lifted up 10 fingers and holding Gerta's hand started backing up toward the door. Bribery worked with the police. Viktor said he heard something in the back room and not to leave. He took the keys and walked to the back. They ran down the back steps to the street. They started walking when they heard whistles from their apartment. Curfew started and Gerta led them through the back streets. She jumped the ditch but Mama missed and needed help to get out. The watchtower lights came on and they dove to the ground. After they passed, they had a minute to get to the building with the tunnel. Fritz was at the tunnel waiting. Muller and his wife and baby were already there inside. His wife insisted they try to escape. Muller said he called in no one was in this area, but that soon they would use dogs to track them. Dominic and Papa began to dig the final connection on one side, Fritz and Muller on their side. Gerta offered to remove some dirt building up around them and use it at the front to slow down Grenzers. When she went to get the bucket she heard footsteps in the basement. A space opened enough for Gerta and Frau Muller to fit but the were working on a rock blocking them. Muller ran down the tunnel with his gun, said he'd slow them down, and told Fritz to get wife and baby out. Gerta grabbed rocks in hopes to slow anyone down while others escaped. Muller called out a warning, and Anna answered. She and her parents were there, but the Grenzers saw them, and were at the garden.

Fritz motioned they broke through and to hurry. Frau Muller handed her baby to Gerta and went first on her stomach. The baby starts crying. Anna takes him and he quiets down. She hands him to his mother on the other side. Anna, Mama and Anna's mother go next. Anna's mother gets slightly stuck and in a panic kicks the wall. dirt falls on her, but Papa pulls her through. Gerta starts squirming through with dirt falling on her back. Papa pulls her through and tells her to run. She won't leave without Fritz. The tunnel is collapsing. Shots are fired. Muller comes through. Gerta tries to go back for Fritz but Papa stops her. Fritz is trying to through the hole but is shot in the leg. Papa and Muller pull him through. Gerta was trying to carry Fritz out the west side. More shots and a crackling sound. Papa was collapsing the back end of tunnel. They heard digging. The Grenzers were coming from above ground. Fritz tells her to leave him, of course she won't. Papa and Muller come up from behind. Papa lifts Fritz and starts carrying him through. Muller grabs Gerta's arm and she pulls away to protest but he holds on to have her run faster. Dirt caves in from above and a large piece falls in front of them. They have broken through from the top. Muller moves Gert around the dirt. Someone lowers a gun to shoot and it's pointing straight at Gerta. She freezes.

Muller pushes her forward out of the way. She sees him go to grab the gun and starts to run. She hears a gunshot and a body fall. She goes back and sees Muller on the ground bleeding. Police digging at top to make hole bigger. Gerta goes back and starts dragging him. He tells her to go as the hole gets bigger. Gerta apologizes for not trusting him and thanks him for saving her life. He tells her to save his wife and child. He feels heavier. As she drags him around the bend, Papa is there and tells her he's passed. They run. A soldier is dropped into the tunnel. A bend stops him from shooting them. He stops calling for them to stop as they pass a West Germany flag Papa has put up to mark the border. They came out of the tunnel into a graveyard. There are West German soldiers were there to protect them. Gerta sees the protests on the Wall and is surprised. Anna and Gerta are happy and friends again, but Gerta feels bad for the Mullers. Papa says they are part of their family now. They have made it to the other side, and after some sleep, Gerta would like a banana.