Shelly was alone at home. Her mom recently passed away, so when her dad went to work, she had to stay home alone, because he couldn't afford a babysitter. Shelly was bored with playing with her dog, Mason, so she went to the park down the street. She was there for about three hours playing on swing. And then a man came by to say hello. " Are you alone?" Said the man. Shelly, doing what any five year old would do, answered the man politely, " Yup! I'm playing at the park while daddy's at his work." Little did she know what the man had in mind, he asked her if she likes ice cream. " Oh, boy! You bet! I like chocolate, with sprinkles and chocolate syrup!" "Well then, why don't we get you some until your father get's back? Hmm?" "Yummy!" " But first let me see that." He took her doll away. And off they went, but not to an ice cream shop, not even close. They passed the ice cream shop so Shelly asked why he missed it. He didn't answer. "Hey mister!" she said. " Why aren't we going to get ice cream?" He didn't answer. Shelly started to cry. " I want my daddy! I want my daddy!" Over and over again.
"Hey, Mister? Am I in trouble? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry. If I be good, can we still get ice cream?" Finally, he spoke up. " Kid, where we're going, you won't have time for ice cream. You are gonna work with a bunch of other kids. Do whatever me and my brother tell you, or els you won't last another day." " What will happen to me?", She asked very frightened. " You'll find out soon enough." He answered.
When her father got home that night, he saw a horrible sight, and called the police. His daughter was missing. " This isn't like her! Where would she have gone?" for weeks, he searched and searched, and couldn't find her. One day, he decided to go for a walk, giving up hope that he will ever see his daughter again. He sat down at her favorite table, where the flower bushes were. He whispered, " Come back". he closed his eyes as a tear shed town his cheek, when he opened his eyes again he noticed Shelly's favorite doll. " She never puts this down." So he searched some more.
two weeks later, the police called with information. " We have just found Shelly, she is badly injured, hit with a whip, looks beaten. Two brothers we have been looking for for months had them in a factory outside of town. made them do work, Shelly was one of the few survivors. We have her at St. Louis Hospital, she is recovering." So he went to the hospital. He found her sleeping. She looked like she was in so much pain. bruises every where. He touched her cheek. She opened her eyes, and looked at him. "Daddy?"
Transcript of "Hope<span>, </span>Despair and Memory" Excerpts from Elie Wiesel's Nobel Prize Lecture "Hope<span>, </span>Despair and Memory<span>" Without </span>memory<span>, our existence would be barren and opaque, like a prison cell into which no light penetrates; like a tomb which rejects the living.</span>
