Chasing Colours

16. Stay with me

The war on the Eastern front was fiercer than ever. Soviet Union had joined the Allied powers, fighting against the Axis powers. At the same time, Hitler was also worried about increasing American support of the allies after the attack on Pearl Harbour by Japan. The war was starting to take a deadly turn.

Germany declared war on US.

The United States had entered the war in December 1941.

(Edith)

I spent two consecutive days taking care of my sister. Father wouldn't utter a word to any of us. Even though he had heard the news of mama's death calmly, he had become dangerously quiet ever since. It was like Papa had grown twice his age in just a few days. Ingrid spent her days sleeping and I, tending to her fast recovery.

Our lives had become more monotonous than ever. There was a crushing darkness that surrounded the house which threatened to suffocate us any moment. We had become strangers in our own house.

I took a deep breath, making a slight "pop" sound as I let the breath out. I finished feeding Ingrid soup and made her sleep. I rubbed my throat feeling something choking inside. Grabbing my coat, I decided to take a walk outside.

I walked out of the house, rubbing my palms to warm myself. The black coat of the sky hovered high above me. But, it struck me that the sky didn't look as majestic as it should. There were no stars above. All covered with an invisible yet opaque black blanket. The sky was leaded. It was saddened.

I looked up at the night sky wondering where all the stars were. Then it struck me that it had been a long time since I had seen the stars. I remembered how when I was young my mother used to point out bright stars and made me count them as she fed me. She would point out two brightest stars and say that they were my grandparents looking down at me.

A ghost of a smile found my lips as nostalgia filled me through. I looked up again at the eerie sky, squinting my eyes to find the stars. Just then I found a star trying to shine as bright as possible through the cloudy darkness of the night sky. My eyes softened at the look at the star.

I don't know how far I believed about people being stars after death but for some reason, that bright star gave me warmth. My mama's warmth. She had been the brightest in the darkest of my nights.

I clenched my palm into a fist and beamed at the star.

Words found my lips as I whispered, "Stay with me"

I let my hand fall back to my side and clenched my coat tighter around myself as I started to walk ahead.

---x---x---

I stood in front of Gunter's house, staring at the darkened door for a moment. I made my steps slowly ahead looking from left to right making sure of no one around.

I knocked softly at the door and waited patiently for Gunter to open it.

A while later, Gunter's silhouette appeared, opened the door silently and let me in.

I tried to give him a slight reassuring smile and walked inside towards the basement.

As soon as I turned the knob of the basement door open, a stale smell filled the air making me scrunch my nose in disgust.

Something about the silent air of the basement sent chills down my spine. I was getting a déjà vu.

I parted my lips to call out to Arno.

Just then, he came into sight.

The horror struck me then. I took a step back, afraid of what was to come.