Chasing Colours

8. Neighbour Hubers

I just want to apologise for the late update. I will try to be more regular! Pinky promise! ^_^

Happy Reading!

(Edith)

I hurried back home as fast as I could.

I had wanted to rush outside and apologise to Eva. To wrap my arms around Hans and tell him that it would all be fine. But, the truth was, it wouldn't. Nothing would. I knew it wouldn't have done any good but I had to. After that, I had a silent argument with Peter. I guess he was right. They would search the entire place until they were sure of no "undesirables" around. If that happened, I would be in a pinch.

Taking one last glance at Eva Weber's lifeless form, I had wiped my eyes clean and putting my coat back on, I had turned to go back home.

People had crossed me like haze. It was late afternoon and cold had started setting in. The wind tickled my cheeks as huffs of air left my lips only to dissolve into nothingness.

Millions of questions stayed jumbled in my mind.

Had Alfred seen me? Had he known where I had been? Had he led those two officers to Eva? Why hadn't he stopped the attack? Was my brother really brainwashed by the propaganda? Was it really such a hopeless situation?

THUD!

Ascertain caustic thoughts had occupied my mind, I hadn't realized that I had walked straight into my house door. I heaved a sigh and eyed side to side hoping no one had seen me. Rubbing my forehead, I opened the newly made wooden door with a click.

My house seemed deserted except the rustic sound coming from the kitchen. The sweet smell of coffee filled the atmosphere but I had no appetite. The gruesome scene of Eva's death replayed in my mind making me gag.

"Oh Edith, I have been..... Edith?" I rushed past a smiling form of Ingrid, leaving her confused at her spot. I ran up the stairs without meeting her eyes; Ingrid's voice distant then.

I shut my room's door with a bang and stripping myself off to the last bit of clothing, I entered the shower.

I stood there, under the shower, in my nude form, letting the cold water trickle down my back. The bitterness of the cold water didn't bother me. It was rather mocking me.

Sounds and screams haunted me. I could hear them. Hear them accuse me. Hear them asking for help. Asking for them to stop. I could hear Eva's cries. Arno's desperation. Blood and pants. Destruction and fire.

My knees buckled. My head was swirling. My hands reached to cover my ears shut hoping the sounds and vibrations would go away. I fell to my knees with my hands still covering my ears. Salty tears swiftly streamed down my cheeks. My wet hair stuck to my form. My hands moved to cover my puffy eyes. My voice, hoarse. I could hear Ingrid calling out my name from outside. Her voice was drowned by the gushing of water.

After a while, I wrapped my shaking self with a towel and went out. I put on a clean dress and made my hair into a braid.

As I opened the room's door, I came face to face with a worried Ingrid leaning against the wall. She stood up straight no sooner than she saw me.

"Edith, what...." She had just started saying when I cut her off.

"Eva. Died. No, sorry! She was killed." I corrected myself. She gasped loudly.

A soundless, "what?" left her mouth

Without a second glance at her dazed form, I made my way downstairs.