Horokenesis

Chapter 2

I woke up to a sweet smell and sticky hands on my face. As my eyes fluttered open I laughed at the seven year old boy surprising me on my birthday. A small voice whispered in my ear "Všetko najlepšie k narodeninám Irene''. I smiled at my brother. "In English." I said remembering how Papa wanted us to practice English so we could move to the United States soon. Peter sat deep in thought for some time. Then his small face lit up with excitement. "Happy Birthday!" He said looking quite pleased with himself. "Nice Job" I smirked with a small smile on my face. Peter's head tilted to one side like a confused puppy. "Nice Job..." he repeated. Then smiled at me showing the gap where his front teeth used to be. "Thank You!" he shrieked. As he dissolved into giggles. I laughed at Peter's enthusiasm towards learning the new language.

I removed Peter from my room so I could get dressed. The skirt I wore I sewed with my friend Anna. She is very talented with a sewing needle. The skirt is a warm orange and such a soft fabric. It has an intricate design embroidered around the waist. All I did was hem the bottom. Anna did almost everything else. Unfortunately she recently moved to England with her family because of Hitler's Nazis. I heard Papa tell Mama that we needed to be ready to leave on a moment's notice to America. But I can't imagine leaving here. Bratislava is where I was born and I couldn't leave all my friends here either. I know we have the money to leave and for Papa to start up a business but my friends do not. I couldn't leave them here when the Nazi's to attack. Especially because Papa says the Nazi's attack Jews. We are Catholic but I do have Jewish friends. I am very worried about them. But today is not the day to worry about that. After all, it's my birthday. I step into the orange skirt and pull a blouse over my head. The blouse is from England. Papa got it when he was visiting my Uncle Francis. Uncle Francis wants us to live in England but Papa won' t abandon his childhood home and my grandparents until things get dire.

I sit down on my bed in my birthday outfit feeling a bit remorseful. Cedric opens the door and walks in without knocking and I glare at him. But then I see a flash of something gold behind his back. I raise my eyebrows as he walks over to my bed. Cedric grins at me and slowly starts to speak in English. "I want to give you a gift early because I know father will not..." he stopped thinking of what to say next. "Approve." Cedric finished. He pulled a beautiful golden watch out from behind him. I feel my mouth fall open as I gaze at it. It's perfect. The shiny surface glitters in the light. As I hold it I realize there is a watch face on both sides. I look at Cedric in confusion. He smiles. "One is time in America, One is time at home." I grin at him.

Papa wants him to run the family business but Cedric loves to make watches. He is amazing at it though. I am sure he could be a very talented and rich watchmaker if Papa would let him. I glance at the knobs of the watch. "What..." I start. Cedric looks up. "Are these for?" I ask pointing at the knobs on each side of the watch. Cedric skips over ecstatic to answer questions about his creation. "These stop time." Cedric explains pointing at the flatter knobs. "These make time go forward and back." he pointed at the taller knobs. "When turned" he added hastily. I must look quite impressed with both his watch making and english skills because he beams at me. "America here we come." I shout, making Cedric laugh and with that we travel downstairs together.