A Country Not Your Own

Chapter 10 Gone

Chapter 10 Gone

The next morning, I go to meet with Marie for my usual lesson, but I can’t find her. I go to Santiago, and he tells me that she is in what is left of the Stables; all the horses have been moved to paddocks. He seems sullen; then to mention it, the whole village seems sullen; but I don’t have time to ask. Nachum and I run to find Marie. We find her in the barn.

“Marie!” 

She turns around startled. She is putting a bridle on the mare.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“I’m leaving.”

“What,warum?”

“Marcos is gone. I guess because he heard that we are definitely getting sent away. I have to find him; I’m all he has.” She hugs me. “I’m going to miss you and Nachum and Ilona.” She scratches Nachum under the chin, and he licks her cheek.

I smirk, “And don’t forget Santiago.”

She blushes and jumps on Rosa bareback.

“Why are you taking Rosa?”

“Because she’s the fastest.”

“What about her colt?”

“He’s with another mother. Rosa couldn’t take of him; she was too weak. He’s alright, and she’s better. Sometimes I hear him call to her…like we must have called to our mothers.” She paused. “I can’t let him go through what I went through. I know he’s just a horse, but no being deserves that feeling. I’ll make sure they’re together again.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but I have to go now… don’t forget Spanish, and if you ever need me, I’ll be where the sky touches the earth,” she says.

She smiles and gallops away. I watch until she disappears into the distance. 

San Juan doesn’t really care that his servants are gone, but when he finds out that Rosa is gone, he is outraged. Soon after, the colt is missing as well. There is much commotion by the time the General comes back, and they summon me while Nachum and I are cleaning out the dog place the day after Marie left.

“Hello, my little Jew…” the General greets. “San Juan here wants to ask you some questions.”

“Where is Marie?! I know she took my horses!” he yells.

I shrug, keeping a straight face.

“You do know!” he accuses.

“You have no proof,” I point out.

He glares at me.

“Well…that being the case, you are dismissed. We will send out a search party,” the General says.

Nachum and I depart and run into Ilona.

“Is she okay?” Ilona asks.

I nod.

Ilona shuffles into the office; I can almost assure that I hear sniffling.

We go home since there is nothing else to do, no one to hang out with. I don’t want to go to the Peruvian camp because I don’t want to feel the grim mood. A knock at the door makes Nachum growl. 

“Come in,” I call, holding him back; since everything has gotten out of control, he has become more protective.

“Pack your things, you are leaving,” the General commands as he enters.

“Warum? I have done nothing wrong.” 

“Because I am sending my mother home, and she will miss you. She has not been this happy in a long time. You have become very important to her. She has come to love you,” he explains.

“But what about the dogs? They need me,” I argue.

“There are dogs back at my estate that need care, and you will also be working in the stables. Now do as I said. The car will be here in ten minutes.”

I don’t argue anymore. Instead, I begin packing my and Nachum’s things, what little we have. 

“Let’s go,” I sigh; as always, he is at my side in a minute without hesitation.

The fancy black car pulls up, the driver gets out to open the door and put our bag in the trunk, and we get in beside Ilona.