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I know I told everyone that today's post would be a review...but I think it's time for something refreshing and new! Next week I'm part of a book tour, so we were already going to have a review coming up anyway.
Even though I'm currently working on another novel at this moment, I thought it would be really neat to do a serial story. I have no idea how long this serial story will be but I'm excited about it!
Hope you enjoy!
~ Echoes of Honor ~
Pt. 1
The cold water came up around her bare feet, making her shiver. Her prison dress, so threadbare it was nearly falling apart, did little to keep the fierce December cold from seeping into her body.
Lifting her head, she glanced at the back of the guard before her, bravery fleeing from inside of her for only a moment. This was it. Long years of hiding precious lives, long sleepless nights traveling on foot to escape detection, countless tears cried for dear friends taken from her...Long lonely years with no reward...Leading to this...Her execution.
The girl bit her lip as a tear rolled down her face. She pulled her small left hand to her chest, glancing down at it. A slender gold band encompassed it, the only thing they had let her keep. Had it been worth it?...Had everything she had sacrificed been of any value at all?...
The longer she listened, the more she remembered....The girl closed her eyes...She could hear the echoes...The echoes of the people....Of the sweet children....
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Gunshots…
“Get down Sophie!”
Slipping on some loose rocks, a young girl tumbled into the ditch after a young man, landing in a puddle of dark mud. Pain shot up her left wrist as she pushed herself up. She glared at her companion, trying to wipe mud from her white blouse.
“This is all your fault Karl Hoffman! I should have never agreed to come with you on this ridiculously dirty and dangerous mission!” As she spoke, she tossed a headful of dark curls.
“I wasn’t about to let you sit alone in the basement Sophie...These are dangerous times.” The young man replied, reaching out to wipe mud from her face.
She swatted his hand away. “So you think running from the Fuhrer's soldiers is any safer? Oh yes Karl, being shot at is so much more to my liking then worrying about if someone will discover our hideout! If you were a nice brother you’d think about my feelings!”
“I didn’t know we’d be running from soldiers. This was supposed to be a simple mission.”
The girl scrunched her nose up and turned away from her brother. “I think you’ve all gotten in way over your heads. This resistance business is getting out of hand!”
“It’s the only way we know to fight back Sis. We can’t let the Fuhrer win this war.” Reaching out, the young man touched her shoulder. This time she didn’t flinch.
“I don’t want any part of your scheming Karl. I’m only here because...Because I have nowhere else to go.” As she spoke, tears started in her eyes. “Mother would never have let you run me around the country like this.”
Gently, the older brother pulled his sister into an embrace. “Listen Soph, I’m sorry. I wanted you to be apart of this.”
“I don’t want to be apart of the resistance. It’s to dangerous...Now can we go home?”
“We can’t go back until we find the man we’re supposed to meet.” Karl said, slipping his satchel back over his shoulder and giving his sister a hand up. “He’s probably hiding from the soldiers too. Let’s find him and then we’ll go home.”
Sophie crawled over the side of the ditch, feeling more mud seep into her stockings. She hated this. Being the only girl in their little group did get her more points, but when all the others wanted her to help them on their missions she felt like being sick.The resistance was a foolish idea. How could a small group of young men and a young woman save the world from the Fuhrer? It was laughable.
Life hadn’t always been so fearful. Sophie had grown up loved and protected by her parents and brother. Things had been so peaceful until her father begin to talk out against the Fuhrer. In a matter of a few months, both her parents had been drug to prison where they died of disease. Her brother, fearing for his life and Sophie’s, escaped the city and moved to a small town where Karl had started a resistance. Sophie had no choice but to go along with everyone else. At sixteen, she couldn’t run off on her own...especially in a war torn country like this.
Today, Karl had somehow convinced her to leave the comfort of their basement home and come to help him meet another resistance fighter from another town. Sophie had come along after Karl had promised it would be safe and simple...It hadn’t been.
Soldiers had chased them at least a mile, shooting at the two siblings with every gun they had. Exhausted now, Sophie plodded on after he brother, hoping whoever they were supposed to meet wasn’t too far away by now.
“Hey Sophie...Do you hear something?” Karl asked as they passed a dark alleyway. Sophie shook her head and pressed up against her brother, afraid of what might be lurking in the shadows. “I’m almost certain I heard someone groaning.”
“Please Karl…” Sophie begged. “I want to go home.”Karl stopped and Sophie saw him glance down at the ground. Following his gaze, Sophie saw what had made her brother stop.
Blood...
“Oh please Karl take me home!” Sophie cried, pressing into her brother even more. “I’m frightened.”
“Someone’s hurt Soph. We have to help.” Karl pried his sister’s hands from his arm and moved into the dark alley. Sophie scowled. Her brother was reckless and never afraid of danger or so it seemed.
“Karl, what if it is a trick? What if…What if it’s one of the soldiers who were chasing us.”
“Sophie!” Karl said, grabbing onto her shoulders. “If it is ever in our power to help someone, no matter who they are, we must do it.”
Feeling ashamed, Sophie followed her brother farther into the alley, her heart pounding. Why was she so afraid? How could she stop being so fearful and anxious about everything?
“Sophie!” Karl cried, stopping so suddenly Sophie ran into him. “There’s a man lying here. Quick, turn on the flashlight.”
From her satchel, Sophie’s pulled out the flashlight and flicked it on. Both siblings gasped and Karl fell to his knees, grabbing the man’s hand.
Bis zum nächsten Mal
Until Next Week!
Laura