The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

I knew Mam had guessed at least part of my secret. I was getting stronger.
She didn’t like it. As soon as she went out I got to my feet, and I made myself
walk all the way across the room.
It was late August already. I knew it wouldn’t be long before Jamie started
school. I wasn’t as afraid of Jamie leaving as I had been, but I was dreading
being alone so much with Mam. But that day Jamie came home early, looking
upset. “Billy White says all the kids is leaving,” he said.
Billy White was Stephen White’s little brother, and Jamie’s best friend.
Mam was getting ready for work. She leaned over to tie her shoes, grunting
as she sat back up. “So they say.”
“What do you mean, leaving?” I asked.
“Leaving London,” Mam said, “on account of Hitler, and his bombs.” She
looked up, at Jamie, not me. “What they say is that the city’s going to be
bombed, so all the kids ought to be sent to the country, out of harm’s way. I
hadn’t decided whether to send you. Suppose I might. Cheaper, one less
mouth to feed.”
“What bombs?” I asked. “What country?”
Mam ignored me.
Jamie slid onto a chair and swung his feet against the rungs. He looked
very small. “Billy says they’re leaving on Friday.” That was two days from
now. “His mam’s buying him all new clothes.”
Mam said, “I ain’t got money for new clothes.”
“What about me?” My voice came out smaller than I liked. “Am I going?
What about me?”
Mam still didn’t look at me. “’Course not. They’re sending kids to live
with nice people. Who’d want you? Nobody, that’s who. Nice people don’t
want to look at that foot.”
“I could stay with nasty people,” I said. “Wouldn’t be any different than
living here.”
I saw the slap coming, but didn’t duck fast enough. “None of your sass,”
she said. Her mouth twisted into the smile that made my insides clench. “You
can’t leave. You never will. You’re stuck here, right here in this room, bombs
or no.”
Jamie’s face went pale. He opened his mouth to say something, but I shook
my head at him, hard, and he closed it again. When Mam left he launched
himself into my arms. “Don’t worry,” I said, rocking him. I didn’t feel