Run My Darlings, Run
Chapter 16
I led them all to the hole in the fence. I was just leading them around the corner of the hut, when Mama pulled me back sharply.
“Look,” she hissed sharply. I looked in the direction she was pointing. There, surrounding my hole was a group of soldiers. They all looked very confused. I could almost hear their thoughts. Why would someone want to dig into the camp? The one in charge acted quickly.
“Guard the hole until I come back!” he barked. The soldiers jumped to attention. Glaring at them, he strutted off. The soldiers left on guard exaggerated a sigh, before leaning back on the fence, apparently not caring about the job at hand. They even passed around a cigarette or two, all the while talking loudly.
I drew my family back against the wall. I was at a loss. What could we do? As if reading my thoughts, Tulpe nipped me sharply. I suppressed a yowl of pain, before glaring down at her. She seemed to smile, her tongue lolling out. She trotted in the opposite direction, before turning back to look at us, as if to say “Well, are you coming or what?”
She led our family down to her hole, the hole that she had dug beforehand. I whistled softly. “Tulpe, I am so glad that I found you.” The rest of the family agreed.
I waved them through the hole quickly, one by one, with Liesel going first. Then Mama.Then Papa. I looked around quickly, before squeezing through myself.
Before I was halfway through, there was a shout. I froze. I looked at Mama’s face. It was a mask of fear and terror. Her eyes were wide and staring. She met my eyes, and nodded. Slowly, carefully, I turned my head, and came face to face with a gun.
The soldier holding it regarded me with in a way that someone might look at a piece of maggoty meat. His mouth twisted in a sneer as his fingers inched towards the trigger.
“Stop, or the boy dies!” he commanded. Liesel had turned to flee, but Mama put a restraining hand on her shoulder. She looked tired, like an old, old woman.
“Let him go, and we’ll come,” she said calmly.
“No, I won’t let go until you’re all back on this side of the fence,” he growled. He had a mean look in his eye. Someone was in for it if we didn’t do as he said.
Then Tulpe growled, lunged at the man and bit him, her teeth sinking deep into his thigh. The man reacted as if his leg was on fire. He screamed and yelled and cursed. I took advantage of this distraction and pushed everyone out of the hole.
“RUN!” I shouted. My family needed no encouragement, and we all ran as though all the devils from hell were chasing us. I could hear the man’s shouts and Tulpe’s frenzied barking. Then a shot. Then silence.
“Look,” she hissed sharply. I looked in the direction she was pointing. There, surrounding my hole was a group of soldiers. They all looked very confused. I could almost hear their thoughts. Why would someone want to dig into the camp? The one in charge acted quickly.
“Guard the hole until I come back!” he barked. The soldiers jumped to attention. Glaring at them, he strutted off. The soldiers left on guard exaggerated a sigh, before leaning back on the fence, apparently not caring about the job at hand. They even passed around a cigarette or two, all the while talking loudly.
I drew my family back against the wall. I was at a loss. What could we do? As if reading my thoughts, Tulpe nipped me sharply. I suppressed a yowl of pain, before glaring down at her. She seemed to smile, her tongue lolling out. She trotted in the opposite direction, before turning back to look at us, as if to say “Well, are you coming or what?”
She led our family down to her hole, the hole that she had dug beforehand. I whistled softly. “Tulpe, I am so glad that I found you.” The rest of the family agreed.
I waved them through the hole quickly, one by one, with Liesel going first. Then Mama.Then Papa. I looked around quickly, before squeezing through myself.
Before I was halfway through, there was a shout. I froze. I looked at Mama’s face. It was a mask of fear and terror. Her eyes were wide and staring. She met my eyes, and nodded. Slowly, carefully, I turned my head, and came face to face with a gun.
The soldier holding it regarded me with in a way that someone might look at a piece of maggoty meat. His mouth twisted in a sneer as his fingers inched towards the trigger.
“Stop, or the boy dies!” he commanded. Liesel had turned to flee, but Mama put a restraining hand on her shoulder. She looked tired, like an old, old woman.
“Let him go, and we’ll come,” she said calmly.
“No, I won’t let go until you’re all back on this side of the fence,” he growled. He had a mean look in his eye. Someone was in for it if we didn’t do as he said.
Then Tulpe growled, lunged at the man and bit him, her teeth sinking deep into his thigh. The man reacted as if his leg was on fire. He screamed and yelled and cursed. I took advantage of this distraction and pushed everyone out of the hole.
“RUN!” I shouted. My family needed no encouragement, and we all ran as though all the devils from hell were chasing us. I could hear the man’s shouts and Tulpe’s frenzied barking. Then a shot. Then silence.