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k me how i felt。
margot stuffed her schoolbag with schoolbooks； went to get her bicycle and； with miep leading the way； rode off into the great unknown。 at any rate； thats how i thought of it； since i still didnt know where our hiding place was。
at seven…thirty we too closed the door behind us； moortje； my cat； was the only living creature i said good…bye to。 according to a note we left for mr。 goldschmidt； she was to be taken to the neighbors； who would give her a good home。
the stripped beds； the breakfast things on the table； the pound of meat for the cat in the kitchen all of these created the impression that wed left in a hurry。 but we werent interested in impressions。 we just wanted to get out of there； to get away and reach our destination in safety。 nothing else mattered。
more tomorrow。
yours； anne
thursday； july 9； 1942
dearest kitty；
so there we were； father； mother and i； walking in the pouring rain； each of us with a schoolbag and a shopping bag filled to the brim with the most varied assortment of items。 the people on their way to work at that early hour gave us sympathetic looks；
you could tell by their faces that they were sorry they couldnt offer us some kind of transportation； the conspicuous yellow star spoke for itself。
only when we were walking down the street did father and mother reveal； little by little； what the plan was。 for months wed been moving as much of our furniture and apparel out of the apartment as we could。 it was agreed that wed go into hiding on july 16。 because of margots call…up notice； the plan had to be moved up ten days； which meant wed have to make do with less orderly rooms。
the hiding place was located in fathers office building。 thats a little hard for outsiders to understand； so ill explain。 father didnt have a lot of people working in his office； just mr。 kugler； mr。 kleiman； miep and a twenty…three…year…old typist named bep voskuijl； all of whom were informed of our ing。 mr。 voskuijl； beps father； works in the warehouse； along with two assistants； none of whom were told anything。
heres a description of the building。 the large warehouse on the ground floor is used as a workroom and storeroom and is divided into several different sections； such as the stockroom and the milling room； where cinnamon； cloves and a pepper substitute are ground。
next to the warehouse doors is another outside door； a separate entrance to the office。 just inside the office door is a second door； and beyond that a stairway。 at the top of the stairs is another door； with a frosted window on which the word 〃office〃 is written in black letters。 this is the big front office very large； very light and very full。 bep； miep and mr。 kleiman work there during the day。 after passing through an alcove containing a safe； a wardrobe and a big supply cupboard； you e to the small； dark； stuffy back office。 this used to be shared by mr。 kugler and mr。 van daan； but now mr。 kugler is its only occupant。 mr。 kuglers office can also be reached from the hallway； but only through a glass door that can be opened from the inside but not easily from the outside。 if you leave mr。 kuglers office and proceed through the long； narrow hallway past the coal bin and go up four steps； you find yourself in the private office； the showpiece of the entire building。 elegant mahogany furniture； a linoleum floor covered with throw rugs； a radio； a fancy lamp； everything first class。
next door is a spacious kitchen with a hot…water heater and two gas burners； and beside that a bathroom。 thats the second floor。
a wooden staircase leads from the downstairs hallway to the third floor。 at the top of the stairs is a landing； with doors on either side。 the door on the left takes you up to the spice storage area； attic and loft in the front part of the house。 a typically dutch； very steep； ankle…twisting flight of stairs also runs from the front part of the house to another door opening onto the street。
the door to the right of the landing leads to the 〃secret annex〃 at the back ofthe house。 no one would ever suspect there were so many rooms behind that plain gray door。 theres just one small step in front of the door； and then youre inside。 straight ahead of you is a steep flight of stairs。 to the left is a narrow hallway opening onto a room that serves as the frank familys living ＇insert map here＇
room and bedroom。 next door is a smaller room； the ）edroom and study of the two young ladies of the family。 ro the right of the stairs is a windowless washroom。 with a link。 the door in the corner leads to the toilet and another one to margots and my room。 if you go up the itairs and open the door at the top； youre surprised to see such a large； light and spacious room in an old canalside house like this。 it contains a stove （thanks to the fact hat it used to be mr。 kuglers laboratory） and a sink。
this will be the kitchen and bedroom of mr。 and mrs。 van daan； as well as the general living room； dining room and study for us all。 a tiny side room is to be peter van daans bedroom。 then； just as in the front part of the building； theres an attic and a loft。 so there you are。 now ive introduced you to the whole of our lovely annex！
yours； anne
friday； july 10； 1942
dearest kitty； ive probably bored you with my long description of our house； but i still think you should know where ive ended up； how i ended up here is something youll figure out from my next letters。
but first； let me continue my story； because； as you know； i wasnt finished。 after we arrived at 263 prinsengracht； miep quickly led us through the long hallway and up the wooden staircase to the next floor and into the annex。 she shut the door behind us； leaving us alone。 margot had arrived much earlier on her bike and was waiting for us。
our living room and all the other rooms were so full of stuff that i cant find the words to describe it。 all the cardboard boxes that had been sent to the office in the last few months were piled on the floors and beds。 the small room was filled from floor to cethng with linens。 if we wanted to sleep in properly made beds that night； we had to get going and straighten up the mess。 mother and margot were unable to move a muscle。 they lay down on their bare mattresses； tired； miserable and i dont know what else。 but father and i； the two cleaner…uppers in the family； started in right away。
all day long we unpacked boxes； filled cupboards； hammered nails and straightened up the mess； until we fell exhausted into our clean beds at night。 we hadnt eaten a hot meal all day； but we didnt care； mother and margot were too tired and keyed up to eat； and father and i were too busy。
tuesday morning we started where we left off the night before。 bep and miep went grocery shopping with our ration coupons； father worked on our blackout screens； we scrubbed the kitchen floor； and were once again busy from sunup to sundown。 until wednesday； i didnt have a chance to think about the enormous change in my life。
then for the first time since our arrival in the secret annex； i found a moment to tell you all about it and to realize what had happened to me and what was yet to happen。
yours； anne
saturday； j