The Life That I Have

Chapter 12

Anya had spent most of the nigh pacing back and forth the Vestry. For a while, he had tried shouting, but it was hopeless. The cave was too far away for anyone to hear.

  Suddenly, she heard footsteps in the church, then the sound of a key turning in the lock. There was a sudden commotion  outside, and the door was flung open and François ran in and grabbed her, harshly pulling her hair and jerking her head back.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Anya saw the glint of a knife's blade being held a few centimeters away from her throat.

  He roughly pushed her into the church, and held her just in front of the alter.

  Dominique, Adele, Phillipe, Leon and Rudi were all gathered, a safe distance away from them. Safe for François that is– it didn't help Anya much. 

  "Don't come any nearer or I'll kill her!" François snarled, and Anya felt the pull on her hair tighten.

  "Don't do anything stupid, François," Leon said cooly.

  Just give up! Even if you do manage to get out of the church, the whole Maquis are waiting for you!' Adele said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Anya could see that Rudi was circling around the back of them. If she could only distract François for a minute...

  "Let me go!" she chocked.

  At that moment, Rudi, in a sudden burst of speed, Rudi grabbed François' arm and twisted it violently behind his back. Anya, suddenly free, stumbled away.

  Rudi had be now, made François drop the knife and had wrestled him to the ground.

  Anya looked at Rudi's face and saw such anger and fury she found herself screaming:

  "Rudi! Stop! You'll kill him!"

  Rudi was now holding the knife, but he didn't need to. Behind him, Phillipe was standing, gun pointing at the bewildered François.

  They were silent for a moment.

  "Rudi, what are you going to do?" Anya said slowly, but she already knew the answer.

  Rudi, ignoring her, muttered:

  "Come on, Phillipe. Let's take him outside."

  Phillipe, obeying, yanked François up by his jacket collar and Rudi followed them as they exited the church.

  Anya knelt down on the hard, cold stone floor, quietly sobbing as the single gunshot echoed through the church.

When Anya at last came out of the church, a cold blast of wind hit her smack in the face. At first, she couldn't see anyone, but after a moment, she noticed Rudi leaning against the church wall, a cigarette in his hand.

  She went over to him slowly.

  "I didn't know you smoked," she said, trying to make conversation.

  He looked at her, then threw the cigarette away.

  "I don't. I've given up."

  She felt like laughing, but strangely it came out as tears. When she had managed to get a hold of herself, she said quietly:

  "Rudi, do you have anyone waiting for you at home? A Mama or a Daddy?"

  Rudi shook his head.

  "I have a father– but he will have disowned me by now. he is very much a Nazi."

  Not being able to help himself, he asked:

  "What about you?"

  Anya paused before saying:

  "My patents abandoned me. Left me with an Uncle, who packed me off to school, first chance." She suddenly burst into tears again. "Nobody cares!"

  Rudi, on a sudden impulse, gently pulled Anya forward and held her tightly in his arms. Anya, for a moment, for the fist time in months, felt safe. She put her head on his shoulder, and Rudi felt the hot, damp tears soak through his shirt.

  "I care," he whispered.