Run My Darlings, Run
Chapter 8
Gunshots echoed in the distance. My head snapped up and Liesel let out a small scream. Realising her mistake, she clamped her hand over her mouth. But it was too late to recall the sound. They knew there were people nearby. I instantly scrambled to my feet, tugging Liesel’s arm to follow. Then we fled through the trees.
The crashing of undergrowth behind us made us run faster, running blindly to get away. Branches appearing out of nowhere whipped across my face, leaving lines of blood over my freshly cleaned face. A thorn bush sprung up in the middle of our path. I just had enough time to swing Liesel out of the way before I ran into it. Pain seared in my feet. I had to ignore it though.
“Ignore the pain, ignore the pain,” I said through gritted teeth. I couldn’t stop and pull them out – our enemies were close enough as it was – I just had to keep going. I ran again, wincing as the thorns pressed deep into my flesh. They slowed me down immensely, and Liesel was soon in front of me. I had to pull them out, I had to. I hopped along on one foot while I yanked out the thorns on the other. Then I did the other foot. The blood now flowed freely from my feet, leaving a clear, red trail to follow.
“Go!” I whispered to Liesel. “I’ll catch up.” Liesel looked at me, tears in her eyes.
“That’s exactly what Mama and Papa said,” she whispered. “and they didn’t come. They’re probably dead by now; I don’t want you to leave me as well.” Her words sent a pang of loneliness through me. It was true. Chances were they were dead. My heart thumped painfully.
“I promise,” I whispered desperately. “I promise that I’ll catch up.Go about a mile north, and I’ll meet you there. I’ll whistle.” She looked at me wistfully and disappeared into the trees. I looked around. There was nothing to save me, nowhere to hide.
When the first soldier burst through the trees I flinched, awaiting the shot. But nothing happened. The soldier was a mere boy, of eleven or twelve. The gun that he held in his hands shook uncontrollably. He hesitated when he saw me there, wounded, helpless.
“Please,” I whispered. “Please, let me go.” He hesitated, and took a step back.
“Is there anyone there?” someone shouted from behind him. The boy cowered in fright, then looked at me again. He pitied me; I could see it in his eyes. But I could also see that he thought I was the cause of all these troubles. “Please, I haven’t done anything wrong, please.” He looked from me, to the unseen soldier. Then he did something I never expected him to do. Turning back to the voice, he called:
“There’s no one there.”
I stared at him in shock. He gave me a small smile, then turned and walked into the trees. I don’t know what happened to him, if he was punished for this act of mercy, but I remembered his small deed of kindness.
I realised that I was shaking. That was a bad sign. The blood still flowed freely from my feet. I was losing too much blood. I waited until I could hear the soldier’s footsteps no more, then ripped off my shirt and pressed it firmly against my feet, stanching the flow. When it was only a trickle, I rose unsteadily, then stumbled in the direction that Liesel had gone.
“Please be there Liesel,” I gasped. “Please be waiting.”
The crashing of undergrowth behind us made us run faster, running blindly to get away. Branches appearing out of nowhere whipped across my face, leaving lines of blood over my freshly cleaned face. A thorn bush sprung up in the middle of our path. I just had enough time to swing Liesel out of the way before I ran into it. Pain seared in my feet. I had to ignore it though.
“Ignore the pain, ignore the pain,” I said through gritted teeth. I couldn’t stop and pull them out – our enemies were close enough as it was – I just had to keep going. I ran again, wincing as the thorns pressed deep into my flesh. They slowed me down immensely, and Liesel was soon in front of me. I had to pull them out, I had to. I hopped along on one foot while I yanked out the thorns on the other. Then I did the other foot. The blood now flowed freely from my feet, leaving a clear, red trail to follow.
“Go!” I whispered to Liesel. “I’ll catch up.” Liesel looked at me, tears in her eyes.
“That’s exactly what Mama and Papa said,” she whispered. “and they didn’t come. They’re probably dead by now; I don’t want you to leave me as well.” Her words sent a pang of loneliness through me. It was true. Chances were they were dead. My heart thumped painfully.
“I promise,” I whispered desperately. “I promise that I’ll catch up.Go about a mile north, and I’ll meet you there. I’ll whistle.” She looked at me wistfully and disappeared into the trees. I looked around. There was nothing to save me, nowhere to hide.
When the first soldier burst through the trees I flinched, awaiting the shot. But nothing happened. The soldier was a mere boy, of eleven or twelve. The gun that he held in his hands shook uncontrollably. He hesitated when he saw me there, wounded, helpless.
“Please,” I whispered. “Please, let me go.” He hesitated, and took a step back.
“Is there anyone there?” someone shouted from behind him. The boy cowered in fright, then looked at me again. He pitied me; I could see it in his eyes. But I could also see that he thought I was the cause of all these troubles. “Please, I haven’t done anything wrong, please.” He looked from me, to the unseen soldier. Then he did something I never expected him to do. Turning back to the voice, he called:
“There’s no one there.”
I stared at him in shock. He gave me a small smile, then turned and walked into the trees. I don’t know what happened to him, if he was punished for this act of mercy, but I remembered his small deed of kindness.
I realised that I was shaking. That was a bad sign. The blood still flowed freely from my feet. I was losing too much blood. I waited until I could hear the soldier’s footsteps no more, then ripped off my shirt and pressed it firmly against my feet, stanching the flow. When it was only a trickle, I rose unsteadily, then stumbled in the direction that Liesel had gone.
“Please be there Liesel,” I gasped. “Please be waiting.”