When Love Runs Away

A Brief Reconciliation

Anna barged her way through the crowd of the famished people at the marketplace before making her way to Harold's house and then she began to bang her fists on the door. Hastily, Harold ran down the stairs and opened the door and immediately felt Anna jump on him and embrace him tightly.

"Harold! We have to go! We have to go now!" Anna shouted and cried on his shoulder.

"Why? What happened? Anna, tell me!"

"Agathe's been arrested."

"Arrested? No way!"

They let go off each other and Harold quickly ran in to grab a few coins and placed them in his pocket.

"Let's go now!"

Harold and Anna darted out of the house and moved past the crowd.

"Do you even know where the prison is?" Anna asked him which made Harold stop in his tracks.

He turned around to see Anna fall to the floor and immediately burst out crying. Harold knelt down, cupped her face in his hands and fervently began to kiss her. Anna kissed him back and ran her fingers through his raven-black hair. They let go off each other and Harold sighed.

"I'll ask someone if they can find the prison for us."

Anna nodded her head and watched Harold stand up and ask random strangers where the prison house was.

"Madame, pardon me for asking but, do you know where the prison house is?" Harold asked her.

"The prison house. The one down there! I saw a woman being escorted there in handcuffs a few hours ago."

"Thank you."

Harold ran to Anna and helped her up on her feet.

"Come with me."

They entered the prison house and immediately, Harold and Anna twitched their noses in disgust. The air was heavy with the stench of unwashed bodies and dampness. The walls, once white were now covered in grime and dirt. The narrow corridor echoed the sounds of distressed inmates. Harold and Anna looked to the right of them to see the jail cells, cramped and dimly lit, filled with hay and flea-infested blankets. The floor was littered with debris which attracted rodents to crowd the area and feast on what was left over.

"Excuse me! How may I help you?"

Harold and Anna turned around to see Faustine walking towards them, with a piece of linen in her hands.

"Can we visit Agathe Louins please? I'm a friend of hers, Anna Bauer."

Faustine raised an eyebrow and then turned to a police officer who had just recently downed a bottle of beer and was now severely intoxicated.

"Dammit, he's of no use now. If you want to see Agathe, you have to pay fifteen French francs up front." Faustine stated.

"Fif--"

"It's fine Anna, I got it. They always ask for money here. More than it is legally required."

"Shut up gentleman," Faustine told Harold while receiving the money, "keep saying those kind of things and you'll join Agathe."

Harold rolled his eyes and he and Anna followed Faustine to Agathe's cell. When Anna caught a glimpse of Agathe, she gasped and ran to her, kneeling down and extending her arm through the bars of the cell.

"Agathe! It's me Anna! Please. I'm so sorry for everything."

Agathe turned to Anna and faintly smiled. She crawled to Anna and held her hand firmly and they both cried together.