A Country Not Your Own

Chapter 20 An Old Friend

Chapter 20 An Old friend

 Author's note: I dedicated this to Psi in hopes that he will read at least one of my works :)

      I know that during the next two weeks, I will have to recover if I am going to overcome the fatigue that is plaguing my body. Jason is helping me, but I feel as if I can do better. I notice that Alois has a habit of watching me practice, but I know that he is spying on me. Today is a day of rest therefore the villagers are celebrating in the square. Jason and I dress in plain clothes then go to see the amusements and entertainers. As we stroll along, I see Aaron performing his magic tricks for the crowd. We make eye contact, but he eventually looks away. 

My mother, Holle, and Henry are passing out little pocket sized Bibles to everyone that passes their stand. I want to stay away from all of them; thankfully Jason doesn’t question my motives. The night is coming quickly, and many are leaving in order to beat the pending storm.

Jason and I saunter on the road to the General’s house. These last two weeks have been the most fun that I have had in my entire life; and I want to tell him, but I didn’t know how. 

“Hey, Anne, do you want to explore this haunted house that I discovered in the forest?” Jason asks with a mischievous grin. 

       Water was everywhere. I knew this was going to be the end. There would be no happy endings, no prince and no finding the owner of the dog tag. Occasionally I would glimpse a flash of white before the water sucked me back down. Staying adrift was work, hard work, so I let the waves rock me to sleep. Slowly as I dropped to the bottom, I lost consciousness. 

“No thank you, I don’t want to explore some one’s house at night with you. Ilona, Nachum, Jace, and the General will be expecting me to return promptly.” 

“Our time together is limited and you of all people don’t want to explore.” 

“I understand that humans are naturally curious, but I don’t want to explore some one else’s house at night with you.” 

“Well since you don’t want to go with me to someone else’s house. Would you like to go to the garden with me?”

“Now you are speaking sensibly.” 

The darkness is striking, and the stars show clear. While lying on the garden floor, I look at the sky and count all my blessings. God is good to me even though I know I don’t deserve His grace and mercy. 

“The night sky is almost as beautiful as you.” 

Jason is always giving me compliments, but I want to know if God want us to be together.

“We should go home if we are to wake up on time for tomorrow’s practice.” 

“I hear you, but I wish I could stay here forever. Do you ever wish you could be frozen in time?” 

“Jason, I hear you too, but no, I do not wish that I was frozen in time. There is a war going on, and my people are still persecuted day and night. What I want most is peace not war.”

“You make it seem as if all Germans are cruel. Anne you know for yourself that I love you and so does your father, General Corbitant, and Ilona.” 

“My father is incapable of love.”

“That is because you are not always around him. When you leave, your father praises you. From the time you were born to now and you don’t even have enough respect for him; no wonder he didn’t want to take you when your house burned down.” 

“How dare you say such a thing! He married my mother and he made a decision to leave not because of respect, but because he thinks my blood is tainted! You have no place to speak on such matters because you are as low as he is! You say that you love me, but when were you going to tell me you have an arranged marriage?!”