Holes

Chapter 1 Holes

"What have you learned about holes in school?," Grandpa asked Susan, 1 of his grand-daughters.

"Holes are caused by the removal of matter from 1 place when it's deposited in another unless they're black holes."

He knew what she meant. He had read about them, as well, but he wanted to hear her say it.

"Go on." He added gestures to his words, inviting her to continue.

"Well, the pull of gravity in those regions of space is so great that any matter entering 1 is crushed down to the size of atoms. Even light can't escape."

He began. "In World War II, the line of battle had moved past Paris heading north.

At 6 am I left home in 1 of the outer arrondissements. I wanted to see for myself what a war-zone looked like. I had been living under German rule for most of the last five years.

I was moving across what had been, still was, No Man's Land. It was now 10 am. I was passing craters on both sides and looking into each one.

One crater was deeper than the others. The bottom was shadowed. At first I thought it was because the sun had yet to penetrate the depth of it. Was there movement down there?

Abruptly, the feeling of being watched, approached, caused me to spin around. I studied the terrain, scanning it with care. I saw nothing to run from but the sense of being approached strengthened until it seemed like something was going to grab me if I stayed.

The nearest hiding place was the hole at my feet and I jumped in. I landed, half sliding, and cried out. There was movement! The shadow was moving, lapping the crater walls! I cried out and had both sight and hearing stripped away!