Tuck Everlasting, The Continued Story.

Chapter 10

Authors Note: I am sorry for the long wait. I started school last week, so things have been a little crazy. But, here is chapter 10! I would like to dedicate this chapter to my Grandpa, who is turning 56! Happy Birthday!

After walking for ten minutes, Winnie and Jesse finally found the place they were looking for. It was an old barn, with peeling paint on the outside, and it looked like it could fall over at any minute. Jesse gently knocked on the barn door, and they heard whispering, and some shuffling of feet. A man with a deep voice asked them in French who they were. 

Jesse said, "Jesse Tuck and Winifred Foster. We are with Miles?" They heard more whispering, and then the door opened slowly, and Miles slipped out and shut it behind him. He turned to face them.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. Jesse stood up straight and looked his brother in the eye.

"We've come to offer our services." He responded. Miles raised an eyebrow, and suppressed a smile.

"Come on, Jesse." Miles began, "I'm busy, I don't have time for your-" Winnie interrupted him.

"Miles we want to train with the villagers." she explained. "We think that we could help defend this village from the Nazi's, if you gave us a chance and trained us." Miles looked from Winnie to Jesse, and sighed as he removed his cap and ran his fingers through his hair.

He fixed the cap back on, rolled his eyes, and said, "Fine. Why not?" Winnie and Jesse grinned from ear to ear as they squeezed each other's hand. Miles pushed open the barn door, and beckoned them to follow him inside. The barn was large, and had hay bales stacked along the walls. A large space had been cleared in the center of the barn, where they were supposed to train, but the villagers all sat on the hay bales chatting.

The barn had a second floor to it, where more hay was kept, but the only way up was by ladder. That was where they would stash the weapons when they were done.

Miles cleared his throat and called the men to attention. They quickly leapt to their feet and formed a sloppy line. Winnie recognized Andre, Erik, and the man from the fire the night before. Jesse and Winnie stood to the side, as Miles walked past the men. "This is my brother Jesse," he extended his hand toward Jesse, and Jesse slightly nodded. "And this is Winifred Foster." He did the same, and Winnie smiled at the men. "They are going to train with us."

The men broke into applause, and the man from the night before stepped forward. "My name is Luiz, and I would like to thank you for what you did last night. I was afraid that I had lost my little girl forever." Winnie saw Miles jaw clench. "If it wasn't for you three, I would have nothing. Thank you." 

He walked up to Winnie, and grabbed her shoulders. Before she could register what was happening, he leaned in and kissed her on both of her cheeks. She blushed madly. Then, he turned to Jesse, and Jesse repressed a look a horror as Luiz did the same to him. When Luiz approached Miles, Miles stuck his hand out, and firmly shook his hand.

Jesse leaned over to Winnie and whispered, "I wish I'd have thought of that." Winnie giggled.

Luiz got back in line, and Miles glanced at Winnie and Jesse, and he nodded his head toward the line. They quickly walked over and stood beside the men at attention. Miles reached behind a hay bale, and brought forth a large sack. He dumped the contents before them, revealing many different guns. Winnie heard someone gasp.

"Lets begin." He said.

Over the next week, Miles worked with the resistance every day; preparing them for when the Nazis would come. He had trained them on how to load and unload the guns, how to shoot, and how to aim. He and Andre had also devised a look out plan, and had trained the men to regularly climb to the top of the Church bell tower with binoculars, and watch out for enemies. The whole village felt the buzz of anticipation, even though nobody but the resistance fighters knew what was going on.