Nineteen-year-old Judith Sanders, a talented photographer, is sent to the front lines to capture the unfiltered reality of war.
Assigned to Easy Company, Judith follows them through Toccoa and into the horrors of war in Europe.
As time goes on, Ju...
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Chapter 6:
Summer 1932:
The warm summer sun, the lazy chirping of birds, and the rustling of leaves on deciduous trees swayed gently by the soft breeze. Amidst this idyllic scene, a small mountain, more like a hill, rose from the green landscape. A steep, rocky path wound up one side, but only a few residents of the nearby town ever bothered to climb it.
But today was special.
The father carried the toddler on his shoulders, where it babbled happily to itself. The mother held a woven basket in her arms. The fourth member of the family was a 9-year-old girl who was dawdling behind the others. She only had eyes for the wonderful new camera she had received that morning. She wore it around her neck, and whenever she saw something beautiful, she tried to take a picture. But sometimes it didn't turn out the way she had envisioned, so she would abruptly stop, run a few steps, and catch up with her family again.
They climbed the steep path. Though it was tiring, they were all happy.
When they finally reached the top – the destination was a small cabin in the middle of a green meadow adorned with flowers – the mother spread out the blanket from her basket.
She then produced sandwiches, lovingly prepared that morning in the family kitchen.
When she was done, she called out to her husband, who was spinning the youngest family member in the air, while the toddler giggled.
"Judy!" she called several times in the direction of the 9-year-old girl, who was busy photographing the cabin.
But the girl in the sky-blue dress was too focused on capturing the perfect shot to notice anything but her camera.
She would learn eventually.
After a few attempts, little Judy finally heard her mother's calls and came running across the green grass toward them, beaming.
"Mama! Can we develop the photos right away?" Judy fidgeted with excitement, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Her mother smiled and gently stroked her head.
"Judy, darling, I'll take the film to be developed tomorrow, I promise."
"But for now, eat something."
"Alright," Judy couldn't stop smiling. Her legs bounced up and down as she finally sat down to eat.
By the evening, when the snacks were eaten, the games played, and Judy's camera film was full, the family began to pack up their things.
Judith looked at the horizon. The clouds didn't just pile up; they looked like gigantic, snow-white mountains in the sky, casting shadows that danced over the wide fields. Over the green meadows and, in the distance, over the little town where the family lived.
It was a sight that most would find beautiful, but for little Judith, it took her breath away. Somehow, Mother Nature had managed to make everything perfectly harmonize.
Judith pulled out her camera and was about to take a shot. Suddenly, a black, bluish-shimmering bird flew across the sky. Judith's finger hovered over the shutter. A perfect moment. She pressed down – but no click. The film was full. Her heart skipped a beat.
She had found the perfect picture, but no way to capture it. But she wouldn't give up.
As the sun slowly set, Judith glanced once more at the horizon. The thought stayed with her – she would return. In the weeks that followed, she often hiked alone to the mountain, always searching for that one photo.
And as the months passed, she began to notice more and more of the beauty around her. In the hours she spent waiting, new things caught her eye each time. So it happened that she never returned home empty-handed.
But that one photo – now more of a memory, an illusion – haunted the now 11-year-old even in her dreams.
And over the years, as the little girl grew into a young woman, she climbed the mountain as often as she could, becoming faster each time, and eventually knowing every stone on the narrow path, every bush, and every tree.
And even after she finally achieved her goal, she continued this tradition. It became a place where Judith could be free from everything.
Every time Judith climbed the rocky path, she felt as if she were carrying an invisible burden. The way was arduous, but she knew that at the end, she would find the freedom she sought.
When her mother finally passed away, and Judith inherited the golden necklace, she climbed the mountain and looked up at the cloudless sky.
As she stood there, touching her mother's necklace, it felt as though her mother was still with her, invisible but present in every breath she took.
Somewhere up there, Judith thought, was her mother now. She stroked the golden necklace and lifted her camera, ready for the next shot. For her mother.
That evening, as she descended the mountain, she made a decision: she would become a photographer. And she would show people how she saw the world.
That wish would come true years later, when she built her portfolio – which included the hard-won photo of the view from the mountain – and that portfolio earned her the long-awaited job at a magazine. Not in the way she had always imagined, but photographing the war was something Judith had never experienced before. And she would show the truth, capture her own truth. And the world would turn a blind eye to the horrific images of reality. But not Judith. Not the girl who had promised her mother she would show the world her perspective.
And Judith would do it. She wouldn't look away, she wouldn't run, but she would keep moving forward and report the truth to the people back home – no matter the cost.
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A/N:
I'm really proud of this chapter, so I hope you like it!!
Sorry for the long wait, I was really busy :) Also, thanks for over 400 reads and nearly 30 votes, it means a lot to see that people like this story!!
I'm not sure when I'll be able to write the next chapter, as I'm going to London for two weeks (language stay). I'm really excited but I don't know how much time I'll have.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!!
Don't forget to vote or comment if you liked it <3
