Run My Darlings, Run
Chapter 11
A howl awoke me. My head ached, my throat dry. From the position of the sun, it was obvious I’d been unconscious for hours. I looked slowly, painfully around and shivered as the wind reached out, touching me with icy fingers. Another howl came through the trees. I sat upright, immediately wishing I hadn’t. A searing pain shot through my head, making me gasp. My head whirled, and I collapsed on the ground. Huffing in frustration, I tried again, this time slowly. I drew myself up to my elbows, panting heavily. It took me several attempts to sit up properly, and when I did, my head whirled again, but this time, I managed to stay sitting.
My mind was a blur, I couldn’t remember anything. I stared dumbly around, shaking my head to try and clear the jumble. I could remember faint images, blood covered feet, men in uniforms, a gun whipping through the air, a scream… My eyes snapped open. Suddenly it all came back to me. They were my blood covered feet, from the thorns; the men in the uniforms were the soldiers, the soldiers that had taken Liesel, Liesel, the one who screamed. Liesel… Oh God, what had I done?
My heart thumped painfully, as I felt guilt. Guilty for not protecting my sister well enough. My parents had entrusted her to me, I was supposed to look after her, and now she was gone. Gone like my parents. Tears trickled down my cheeks. I had failed them. I traced random squiggles in the dirt. I neither knew nor cared how long I sat there, I was too wrapped up in my sorrow.
Finally, the tears stopped. I got shakily to my feet. Then a thought came to me. What if they were not dead? What if Mama, Papa and Liesel were alive? The tiny strand of hope grew bigger and bigger until it was the only thing I could think about. What if they were alive?
I toyed with this new idea carefully, thinking it through. It was possible. Unlikely, but not impossible.But I had to find them quickly. Before it was too late.
My mind was a blur, I couldn’t remember anything. I stared dumbly around, shaking my head to try and clear the jumble. I could remember faint images, blood covered feet, men in uniforms, a gun whipping through the air, a scream… My eyes snapped open. Suddenly it all came back to me. They were my blood covered feet, from the thorns; the men in the uniforms were the soldiers, the soldiers that had taken Liesel, Liesel, the one who screamed. Liesel… Oh God, what had I done?
My heart thumped painfully, as I felt guilt. Guilty for not protecting my sister well enough. My parents had entrusted her to me, I was supposed to look after her, and now she was gone. Gone like my parents. Tears trickled down my cheeks. I had failed them. I traced random squiggles in the dirt. I neither knew nor cared how long I sat there, I was too wrapped up in my sorrow.
Finally, the tears stopped. I got shakily to my feet. Then a thought came to me. What if they were not dead? What if Mama, Papa and Liesel were alive? The tiny strand of hope grew bigger and bigger until it was the only thing I could think about. What if they were alive?
I toyed with this new idea carefully, thinking it through. It was possible. Unlikely, but not impossible.But I had to find them quickly. Before it was too late.