The CBB :: View topic - Before the Dawn

#1: Before the Dawn Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 9:05 am

Thanks to Kat for betaing and telling me to post! Very Happy

It was just before dawn when the dying grey faced women regained consciousness for the last time. She had been dreaming. Well no actually dreaming was the wrong word. It was an insult to what she had seen to call it a dream. Maybe it had been a vision? But was not vision another word for prophecy? And she had not seen what would become of her blonde, beautiful, daughter in the future. Despite that being her greatest wish.
What she had seen, and could still see clearly when she closed her eyes, had been a long dark tunnel with a light at the very end. The weary, thin, delicate, lady was not worried about what was at the end of the tunnel. She knew that it would not be long before she found out.
What she was worried about was what would become of her daughter when she died. She knew that her only child would be devastated. They were each other’s only family after all. She was comforted to some extent in the knowledge that there were people willing to look after her daughter. And these people knew the difference between right and wrong, and good and evil. Something which was very important these days. But still she desperately wished that she could be there for her child, during this difficult age that they were living through.
Her daughter was asleep in the chair, which she had been sitting in all night. Her curls were ruffled and tangled, due to them not having been brushed for a number of days due to the anxiety she held for her mother. The pale sunlight of the early dawn lightly touched her cheek. Her mother could not bring herself to wake her. Even though she knew that she was nearing the end of her life.
She remembered quite suddenly a conversation she and her daughter had had many years ago. It had been in Tyrol. She had been a patient at the great sanatorium, while her daughter had been spending half term close by with friends from the Chalet School.
“Do you know what Madame said last night?” Her daughter had asked one afternoon as they slowly strolled through the sanatorium’s gardens.
“No what did she say?” She had smiled back.
“We were talking about death because one of the patients died. She said that death was falling asleep to wake with God. Is that how you think it is too?”
She considered the question before answering. “Partly yes, but I also believe that when we die all those who we have loved best and who have died will be there to reassure us.”
“I think that is true to.” Her daughter had agreed. “Papa will be waiting for both of us when we die.”
She had forgotten all about that conversation. Now when she was dying however she was comforted by it. There was nothing to be afraid of. Her daughter would be cared for and not left to fend for herself, as she had sometimes feared. In her heart she knew her daughter would find a way through her pain and suffering to be able to get on with life.
Closing her eyes to go to sleep for a final time she saw that the light was closer and brighter. And that standing in it, holding out his hands, was her husband. Her husband who had been dead for eighteen years. She moved towards him and out of life.

Last edited by Cazx on Sat May 14, 2005 7:50 pm; edited 7 times in total

#2: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 10:49 am

That was beautiful Cazx!
Thank you.

#3: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:36 am

Thank you Cazx. Lovely.

#4: Author: Joey, Location: Cambridge

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:37 am

What a wonderful start, Cazx. Beautifully written. Thank you.

Is it too soon to ask for more?

#5: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 11:39 am

*Gloats*

Still love it Caz, even though it's weepy Sad

When the's next bit coming?? Wink

#6: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:04 pm

What a lovely start. Is it all this weepy?

#7: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:58 pm

Thanks Caz - that's beautiful.

May we have some more please.

Liz

#8: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:15 pm

A beautiful beginning Caz, thank you.

I hope more follows soon Very Happy

#9: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 6:57 pm

uh-oh this looks weepy. a lovely beginning though, thank you, cazx

#10: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:07 pm

uh-oh I'm going to need more tissues if it's like this

#11: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:54 am

That's beautiful Caz!

*snif* *snif*

#12: Author: Liane, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:59 am

That's beautiful cazx. Thinks this one will be a weepy one.
*has very large box of tissues handy*

#13: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:48 am

Thank you Cazx, really moving. Crying or Very sad

#14: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:15 am

Thank you Cazx, really beautiful.

#15: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:25 pm

The sleeping daughter was jolted out of sleep four hours later by the impatient knocking of the front door. As she rubbed the sleep out of her grey eyes she turned to check on her mother.
Her heart leapt to her mouth as she saw that there was no movement from the bed. Leaning over she saw the contented expression on her mother’s face. It was the first time for weeks that her face had not shown the torture of her pain and suffering, which her illness ha d caused. Slowly she bent down and kissed her mother on the forehead before whispering “Goodbye Mutti.”
There was still someone at the door. She recognised the two voices, which were evidently wondering where she was. Despite wishing that she could be alone she went to answer the door. They would only have gone and found the spare key if she had ignored them.
“What took you so long?” The elder of the two girls who were standing on the doorstep demanded. Then seeing the distress, which was etched across her friends face she gently added. “Why Alixe what’s the matter?”
Alixe found that she could not say anything. The back of her throat felt raw and as she tried to speak tears started to fall out of her eyes.
“Come on let’s go inside.” The girl said taking Alixe’s arm and leading her into the drawing room. Turning to the younger child she said. “Make us some tea Anne, and phone Mummy-tell her to come here as fast as she can.”
Anne, a slight child of just fourteen, nodded and left her sister to comfort Alixe who sobbed uncontrollably on to her friends shoulder. As the sobs began to subside she daringly asked.
“Is it your mother Alixe?”
Alixe nodded, wiped the back of her hand across her eyes, gulped a few times before saying. “She’s gone Suzu. I’m all alone now. What shall I do? I’ll be so lonely and lost without her.” The tears began to fall heavily again and Suzu not knowing what else to do held Alixe in her arms and joined her in crying.
Neither of them spoke until Anne came back into the room, together with tea and biscuits.
“I phoned Mummy Suzu, she said she’d be here in a jiffy.” She said before asking quietly. “What’s the matter, Suzu? Is there anything else for me to help with?”
“No thank-you Anne.” Suzu said before adding. “I’m afraid that Frau Von Elsen has passed away.”
Tears began to fill in Anne’s big brown eyes as she went and sat on the other side of Alixe, cuddling up close to her.
“Try and drink some tea, Alixe.” Suzu said after awhile. “You need some nourishment.”
“I can’t.” Alixe said weakly. “The very thought of eating or drinking makes me feel sick.”
Whether Suzu would have continued to press the issue is unclear for at that moment a car pulled up in front of the house.
“Mummy’s here.” Suzu said as she left the room to go and meet her.
“Mummy will help you.” Anne told Alixe comfortingly. “She always helps people.”
Alixe nodded, she knew that Frau Haber would know the right words to say.
“Alixe,” She said softly as she came into the room. “I’m so sorry.” She enveloped Alixe in a hug and kissed her on the top of her head before adding. “Don’t worry yourself about anything, I will handle all that needs to be done.”

#16: Author: Caeli, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 4:37 pm

This is a really lovely story, and very sad to read. Thank you, Cazx.

Caeli

#17: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:29 pm

*sniffles*

poor Alixe

#18: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:46 pm

Poor, poor Alixe -pleased her friend was there. Crying or Very sad

Thank you.

#19: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005 8:47 pm

Thank you Cazx!! Poor Alixe!!! Glad she has friends who can help her!

#20: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:23 am

Poor Alixe Crying or Very sad

Thanks Cazx

Liz

#21: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:32 pm

Thank you Cazx - glad someone was there for Alixe but it is a shame she didn't have a little more time on her own with her mum.

#22: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:22 pm

Caaaaaaz!

Come and post more - please!

#23: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:34 pm

Thank you Caz!!! Very weepy Crying or Very sad

*gets tissues and waits patiently*

#24: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:29 pm

The next couple of days would always be remembered by Alixe as one big blur. All she could recall was sending a telegram to her best friend from the Chalet School, Irma Ancockzy, and frantically trying to stop herself from crying during every hour of the day. Fortunately Suzu and Anne’s mother had indeed taken control of the situation, saving Alixe from the stress of having to arrange a funeral.
Initially Alixe had gone to stay with Suzu and her family, something which she had thought would be a temporary arrangement but then the night before her Mother’s funeral Frau Haber had asked her if she would want to live permanently with them.
“I’d be so worried about you living alone Alixe, you never know what might happen, especially as we are living in wartime. Don’t think that we feel obliged to ask you to live with us, we ask you because we want you to. Please say you will.”
Alixe relieved at the thought that she would not have to live on her own had managed to give Frau Haber a watery smile and a nod before beginning to cry. She was overwhelmed at the kindness of her friends and did not know how she could ever repay them for their generosity.
There was no denying that the funeral was difficult but two things helped Alixe get through that day and say goodbye to her mother. The first was Suzu who held her hand throughout the service, and who had encouraged her to talk about her grief and not bottle anything up.
“If you don’t talk about the pain, Alixe, then it will never go away. You need to let it all that, and be able to smile when your Mother is mentioned instead of cry. You have to remember the good times, if you don’t then you’ll forget, and you don’t want to do that do you?”
Alixe understood what her friend was saying and knew she was right. It was so easy to mope though. Yet she knew that this was not the way to go about things. She would have to be strong, like her Mother had wished her to be, and as she had been taught to be at the Chalet School.
The second event which helped Alixe get through the funeral had been a letter from Irma, who had lost two brothers at the front.
“I know no words can express how you must be feeling,” She had written, “So I won’t even try to find them. I just wish that I were able to come to Cologne and be there for you. Maybe there will once more be a time when we are able to see each other again; lets just hope that it will be soon. I read a poem a few weeks after Hans died, which helped with the pain, so I thought I would copy it down for you. It was written during the last war, and is about soldiers, but the message it conveys should still comfort you, I hope.

They shall not grow old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them

Whenever you want to write to me then do, Alixe. I’ll always be here for you, I just wish that I were nearer so I could be with you now.”
Love Irma”

As the coffin containing Alixe’s Mother was lowered into the ground, Alixe had silently repeated the words Irma had sent her. She had been comforted by the poem, she knew that her Mother would not be forgotten. She would live on, in her own memory and if she ever had children then in her children’s memory, the Haber’s and Irma would not forget her either. She would be remembered and loved for as long as Alixe was alive to tell people about her.

#25: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:45 pm

That was beautiful Caz, thank you Kiss

#26: Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:51 pm

I've just found this, and it's beautiful. Thank you, Caz.

Are you also investing in tissue manufacturers' shares? V. worried in case recent influx of sad stories on CBB leads to national tissue shortage, and panic buying.

#27: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:51 pm

Beautiful, and that poem still has the strength to move people to tears.

Thanks you Cazx.

#28: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 6:59 pm

Lesley wrote:

Beautiful, and that poem still has the strength to move people to tears.

Including me. Thank you Caz.

#29: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 7:06 pm

Including me, as well.

Absolutely beautiful, but very sad. Crying or Very sad

#30: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:52 pm

Thank you, Caz, that was a very powerful piece of writing.

#31: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 9:44 pm

Thank you Cazx - I'm glad Alixe has somewhere to go, and that she can remember what the Chalet School taught her.

#32: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:10 pm

Another lovvely but sad post Cazx. Thank you so much, glad Alixe had someone to live with.

#33: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:19 pm

Cazx thank you for including the Ode in your post - which was posted at about dawn my time - appropriately enough on Anzac Day.

#34: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:04 pm

It was a couple of weeks later. Alixe, slowly recovered from her mother’s death, and began to smile and laugh again at Suzu and Anne’s jokes and exploits. The friendship between Alixe and Suzu was a strange one. They had both gone to the Chalet School together but as Alixe was two years older than Suzu they had little to do with each other. Suzu, it may be noted, had held Alixe in awe due to her reputation as a practical joker. Alixe however had barely noticed Suzu, being to busy with her own group of friends to pay attention to someone who was beneath her in the school. After they were forced to leave the Chalet School they had ended up in the same school in Cologne. On the first morning there, they had recognised each other and had instantly become friends, both wanting to reminisce over their old school. Their friendship was now so strong that they would quite often remark to each other, “I can’t believe that I hardly knew you in school, it seems so crazy!”
Alixe though she liked living with the Haber’s felt that something was not quite right there. There were times when Suzu or Anne would disappear for hour’s end, and Alixe would know that they had not left the house. There was also the fact that despite there being more than enough food in the house, there were often remarks about not eating more than you need to.
“What are you thinking about?” Suzu asked Alixe one evening.
“Oh nothing.” Alixe said quickly, not wanting to seem rude by saying that she was trying to work out the mystery of the Haber’s.
“Very well.” Suzu replied raising her dark eyebrows. “Mummy and Daddy want to talk to you in the study.”
“Why?” Alixe questioned. “Have I done something wrong?” Her thought flying to times when a summons to the study had meant trouble.
“No.” Suzu told her with a smirk. “They want to tell you something.”
Her curiosity aroused Alixe followed Suzu downstairs, wandering what it was that she was going to find out. Anne and her parents were already in the study, where the windows were shut despite it being a warm evening. Suzu shut the door behind her, and followed Alixe to sit down, next to Anne, on the sofa.
“Alixe,” Megan Haber began, she and her husband Eugen had told Alixe to call them by their first names stating that they could no longer be Herr and Frau Haber to her when she was now a member of the household. “There is something we need to tell you, but first you must swear that you won’t pass this information on to anyone.”
Thoroughly confused Alixe said, “I won’t tell anyone anything.”
“Thank-you.” Eugen told her with a smile before asking. “Have you ever thought that there was something strange about this house Alixe?”
Alixe paused before answering the question; “Well I was wondering about where you all seemed to disappear to from time to time.”
“So you have noticed then.” Megan said leaning forward.
Alixe nodded, “Where do you go?”
“To the attic.” Anne told her.
“Shush Anne, let us explain.” Her Father told her. “We are hiding people in the attic, friends of ours.”
“Are they Jews?” Alixe asked, knowing that there had been reports of Jews hiding in people’s homes.
“Yes, there is a Jewish family, but also two British soldiers, who got left behind at Dunkirk and who managed to make their way here. They’re sons of friends of ours in England, they’ve been here since 1940, and the Jewish family came here at the end of 1941. Now I’m sure you understand the Nazi’s position towards those who conceal what they see as enemies and aliens, and so we wanted to tell you about them and give you the option to leave if you felt that it would be safer for you not to live here. Obviously we don’t want you to go, but we felt it were only fair to give you the choice.”
“I don’t want to go.” Alixe said simply. “I understand the danger but I’m happy to be part of it. It’s the Nazi’s fault that my Mother is dead. If it had not been for them then she would have been able to travel for her health, as she was supposed to have. Anything that I can do to fight against the Nazi’s I am more than willing to do.”
The whole Haber family smiled joyfully at Alixe, they had all been hoping that this would be her attitude.
“Oh thank you Alixe.” Megan told her with a smile.
“Come on.” Suzu said pulling Alixe to her feet. “Now you know about them, you must come and meet them.”

#35: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:51 pm

intriguing. please do keep posting Cazx

#36: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:51 pm

That was very brave of the haber family - glad Alixe was so positive.

Thank you Cazx.

#37: Author: ravenseyes, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 10:03 pm

Looking forward to more Very Happy

#38: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:15 am

Gosh!!! How long have the airmen been hiding by now then??

Brave Habers and brave Alixe for agreeing.

Thanks Cazx

#39: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 5:14 pm

Wow!

Have just read this in it's entirety and it's wonderful, but that last post was very unexpected

#40: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2005 10:05 pm

I guess they felt they knew her well enough to know what her reaction would be. Really, it would be riskier having her in the house, noticing things but not knowing.

#41: Author: Jodi, Location: Glasgow most of the time

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 12:39 pm

wow! I've just read this up to now, and it's fantastic. I just guess that it's going to get more weepy though

#42: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 2:57 pm

Thanks Cazx a very intriguing post.

#43: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 6:21 pm

The Haber’s house had three floors. Alixe had not ventured up on to the third floor much, the rooms on that floor were given up to the sole use of guest bedrooms. It was on the third floor, that Suzu stooped in front of a very large grandfather clock.
“We had a fair amount of trouble finding something which would fit and look in place.” She told Alixe, who looked at her in bewilderment until Suzu pulled open the door of the clock to reveal a gap and a set of stairs. “The mechanics are all in the face of the clock-clever isn’t it?”
Alixe nodded and speechlessly followed her friend through the clock, pulling the door shut behind her.
The stairs were steep, old and rather creaky. At the top there was another door, which Suzu pushed open to reveal a large room with a sloping ceiling, the windows overlooked the Haber’s large garden. Alixe gasped as she saw how home like the room was. A sofa and comfortable armchairs surrounded a stove; there was a sink in one corner, a table and chairs in another. Pictures and posters hung on the walls and there were many rugs sprawled over the wooden floorboards, there was also a radio set on a small stand next to the stove.
As she had entered the room people, who had been sitting around the stove, stood up to greet her. There were eight of them. A couple, who appeared to be around the same age as Eugen and Megan, a tall dark girl possibly the same age as herself, a younger lanky boy, identical twin girls who seemed to be the same age as Anne and two evidently British men, who to Alixe’s surprise did not seem that much older than herself.
“Alixe,” Suzu began, “These are Herr and Frau Luxembourg, their elder daughter Klara who is nineteen, their son Karl who is sixteen, and the twins Marguerite and Melanie, who are thirteen.”
“Nice to meet you.” Alixe said shyly.
“We’ve heard a lot about you.” Frau Luxembourg said smiling. “It’s nice to meet you at last.”
“Thank-you.” Alixe said smiling back at her.
Turning to the two British men Suzu said in English, “Tom, Dan meet Alixe, you’ll be pleased to know that she can speak your language!” There was a glint in her eye, which Alixe recognised as meaning mischief.
“Well it wouldn’t have mattered if she couldn’t have.” Tom told her haughtily, “Our German is just as fluent as yours is!”
“I think not.” Suzu declared spiritedly. “Klara back me up, you’re supposed to be tutoring them, how good is their German?”
“When they want to learn, it can be very good.” Klara said causing the two men to smile smugly at Suzu. “But they only want to learn on rare occasions, most of the time they are oh so very lazy.”
It was now Suzu and Klara’s turn to exchange smug glances.
The twins now came up to Suzu, “Where is Anne?” One of them demanded. Alixe was unable to tell them apart.
“We want to talk with her.” The other said.
“She said she’ll come up later.” Suzu told them. “She’s clearing away the dinner stuff at the moment.”
“Oh very well.” They said in unionism, looking at each other impatiently.
“You’ll get used to the twins.” Spoke the until now silent Karl. “They speak and act as one.”
The twins glared at him. “We don’t!” They told him together before looking at each other and beginning to laugh. Alixe laughed with them, though as she laughed she thought of what a waste it was for these bright funny girls to be spending their learning years shut away in an attic. The Nazi’s had a lot to answer for.

#44: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 7:27 pm

Quote:

The Nazi’s had a lot to answer for.

Too right!

I love this, Cazx - The Diary on Anne Frank was one of the most moving books I ever read and this is provoking the same emotions

#45: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:40 pm

Thanks Cazx, how long have they all been hiding for? And what year is it?

#46: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 8:18 am

Oh Cazx now I'm starting to well up...that post was very like Anne Frank (and many others)...

#47: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 8:54 am

Great drabble, Cazx! Thank you.

#48: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 9:28 pm

Thanks Cazx

Also thinking of Anne Frank and The Hiding Place - at least these people seem to have a reasonable amount of space.

Liz

#49: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 7:19 pm

“How did you get here?” Alixe asked Tom and Dan one evening shortly after she had learnt of their presence in the house. The three of them along with Klara, Suzu and Karl were sitting in the small attic room, which the three men shared. Klara shared a similar room with her twin sisters, while Herr and Frau Luxembourg had the third room.
“Now that is a tale worth hearing.” Karl said, at sixteen he never tired of listening to the story of how two British soldiers got away from the Nazi’s.
“Why don’t you tell it for us Karl.” Dan said yawning. “You should know it just as well as we do the amount of times you’ve heard it!”
“No you have to tell it.” Karl declared. “I’ll only say something wrong and will have to be corrected.”
“Please do tell Alixe about it.” Suzu implored, seeing that her two friends were planning on not being very co-operative.
“Oh very well.” Tom said rolling his eyes at Suzu whom gave him an exasperated look. Turning to Alixe he said, “It all began in 1939, we were eighteen just out of Harrow and about to go to Oxford. We were staying with cousins of Dan’s when war was declared, the twins are the same age as us too and we’d been through school together and had been friends from long before we can even remember.”
“Anyway,” Dan continued, “All four of us decided that we would enlist and fight against fascism. Tom and I were put in the same regiment; the twins however were not. For the first six months of the war nothing much happened. But then in the April all our regiments were transferred to France, again nothing much happened but then all of a sudden when nobody was expecting it the Germans invaded Belgium and we were quickly transferred to fight against them.”
“We were taken by surprise,” Tom took up the tale again, “There were more of them than us and there was nothing we could do but retreat. When we eventually got to the beaches they were in a state of chaos. There were masses of boats in the water come to evacuate us but they were mainly quite small and it soon became evident that some of us would be left behind. We did not want to be left behind but we knew that the injured should have the priority so us, and a few others managed to get them to the boats.”
“The last time we saw my cousins was when the boats were beginning to get scarcer and scarcer. Rob had been hit in the shoulder by a bullet, and Josh was trying to get him on to a boat. We managed to get them both on to a boat, one of the last to leave Dunkirk. Once we had done that we realised that we were not going to get out of here.”
“We, along with a few others made our way off the beach and headed towards the countryside. We hid in a barn while deciding what to do. All the other men we were with decided to try and get the local population to hide them. However we thought that this could be risky, and so we decided to make our way here, we knew that we would be safe here and that Megan and Eugen would willingly hide us. The other’s thought we were crazy and that we would get caught for sure.”
“How didn’t you get caught?” Alixe asked incredulously.
“We got hold of some German uniforms and papers.” Tom told her shortly.
“But how?”
The two men looked at each other briefly before Tom answered; “We killed some German soldiers, and then put our uniforms on them and made it look as if they were two British soldiers who would rather commit suicide than be prisoners of the Nazis.”
“We made our way to Germany, in a truck we had stolen from the same two we had killed, we got over the boarder safely. It was so disorganised that our stilted German as well as our accents managed to pass by unnoticed.”
“The truck eventually ran out of petrol, and we didn’t dare risk filling it up so for the rest of the way here we walked during the night and hid during the day. We ate whatever we could find and tried to be discreet.”
“Finding this house once we got to Cologne proved to be a problem, and we spent two nights wandering around trying to find this district and then another night trying to find this house.” Dan said with a sigh.
“What a shock you gave me!” Suzu said with a smile, “My heart leapt straight to my mouth when you two appeared at the back door.”
Tom did not share Suzu’s smile; all he said was “Suzu let us in and since then we haven’t been outside for three years.”

#50: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 9:02 pm

How terrible - not to be outside for three years. Wonder how Alixe feel about the fact that the two killed German soldiers - must be a very strange feeling, knowing that you are taking care of people techinically the enemy.

Thanks Cazx.

#51: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 10:29 pm

((Tom and Dan))

They've been through a lot - it makes you think about people who really did have to do that to survive. Chilling.

Thank you, Cazx

#52: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 9:08 am

Thank you Caz. The idea of staying inside in one room for three years.

It makes me wonder what my grandfather felt knowing the last boats had left Dunkirk - he got picked up by the Germans trying to find a boat further along the coast.

#53: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 9:56 am

Thanks Cazx

Liz

#54: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 9:16 pm

Thanks Cazx, that must have been really awful for them.

#55: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 7:45 pm

Alixe after hearing Tom and Dan’s tale had felt desperately sorry for the pair. She could not imagine how she would be able to cope if she was unable to go outside and be stuck in the same room’s day in day out, year in year out. The very thought of not being able to breathe fresh hair, feel the wind against her cheek, or smell the scent of freshly mown grass made her feel restless. She knew that if she were ever to be in the same situation as they were then she would be unable to cope. She had been shocked to discover that they had killed German soldiers in such a brutal manner, she wondered if the soldiers they had killed were loyal disciples to the ideology of Hitler and the Nazi’s or just two young men who had got forced into fighting this war, just as what had happened to her friend Irma’s brothers. She hoped that they had been supporters of Hitler-at least then, she reasoned, there would have been another reason for why they had to die.
Alixe had never experienced any sympathy for the Nazi’s and their transformation of Germany, the nation that she had used to love. The more she thought about it the more convinced she became that it was the Nazi’s who had caused her Mother’s decline and eventual death. These thoughts had convinced her that Tom and Dan had been right in their actions, she did not look on what they had done as murder. Instead she saw it as a necessary act to ensure their survival. To Alixe concealing Tom, Dan and the Luxembourg’s was the least she could do to help resist Nazism and the evils it spread across the globe and she was proud in the small role she played in the German resistance.
Alixe and Suzu worked together in an armaments factory in the industrial area of Cologne. Both of them had tried with all their might to get out of it, but as it was strongly encouraged for young women with no responsibilities to work for the greater good of the Reich there was little they could do to get out of it without attracting suspicion. Besides as Suzu had pointed out there were times when working for the Nazi’s had their uses. There was the odd day, here and there, when Suzu or Alixe would have the opportunity to steal food which was becoming scarcer and scarcer, with rising prices on the black market. One memorable day Suzu had come across a small bag of sugar, outside the kitchens of the factory, she had quickly snatched it up and hid it beneath her coat not taking it out from there until she was in the safety of her own home. That sugar had been carefully stored away, as an emergency precaution, for the day when it would be needed. That day seemed to be growing ever closer.

#56: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 8:27 pm

Thanks Cazx, horrible situation for them to be in - ansd likely to get far worse before it gets better. Crying or Very sad

#57: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 8:38 pm

Poor Alixe - I can't help feeling that something big and not very nice is going to happen. Do we know what eventually happened to her after the war?

*getting very worried*

#58: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 10:04 pm

Thanks Cazx - it must have been so hard for people to accept what others (and themselves) had to do to survive.

I've not put that very well, so I hope you know what I mean.

Liz

#59: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 10:44 am

I can't believe I've missed this up to now. It's very enthralling. Thank you Cazx.

#60: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 9:31 pm

Wow. Thanks Cazx.

#61: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 7:50 pm

I'm sorry if this seems to be moving rather slowly but it's the kind of drabble which simmers rather than boils, if that makes sense!

As the summer began to begin in earnest, with long sunny days and short heat filled nights, Alixe noticed the small community in the attic grow ever more restless. They all longed for the day when they would be able to go outside into the sunshine and not experience another summer locked up in a sweltering attic.
Summer to Alixe was her favourite season, mainly because her “best” term at the Chalet School had been her first summer term there. It was during that summer that she, along with Irma, and other friends, some of whom had vanished, others who were in Britain or away at least from the Nazi tide which was sweeping continental Europe, had taken part in the legendary prank of Baby Voodoo and had in general caused the prefects to pull their hair out in despair. Alixe always wished that she could re-live that summer again but no matter how hard she tried to turn back time it always progressed, never going back.
Of her friends from school it was only Irma who she was still in contact with. It was impossible to write to her friends in Britain, she had done before war was declared, while Emmie Linders who she had remained in touch with had disappeared the previous summer. Alixe and Suzu had spent hours speculating what had happened to her but not one of the possible solutions that they had come up with was one, which they were happy with. Despite Alixe being grateful that she had Suzu there were days when she wished that Irma were closer and that it was possible to visit her. Suzu, with her light hearted nature, did not always appreciate Alixe’s philosophical outlook on things, while quiet, serious Irma would have understood exactly what Alixe meant. Due to her Mother’s illness Alixe had had to grow up and become responsible, something which no one from the Chalet School had believed to be possible during her time there. Suzu had failed to mature with her, or if she had then she had matured in different ways.
It began to become the case that Alixe saw increasingly less and less of Suzu, she saw her at work and at meal times but after that rarely. Suzu spent nearly all her spare time in the attic, either chatting to Klara, Tom and Dan, or helping the twins with their French and English. Alixe knew that Suzu was not neglecting her intentionally but there were days when she wished she would spend the evening with her instead of in the attic. Before her Mother had died there had been plenty of these days. Of course Alixe could have gone up to the attic herself, she would have been welcomed by the folk living there with open arms, and although she did spend two or three evenings a week there she still felt uncomfortable in going up there all the time. There were so many in jokes, and “Do you remember?” that she felt left out.
So when Irma wrote to Alixe with the news that her best friend Heidi was moving away from Hamburg and to the country Alixe knew exactly what to say and how to sympathise with her friend. More than ever Alixe wished that she could see Irma and be able to talk freely with her. There were so many things that she wanted to tell her, but which were not safe to put in a letter.

#62: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 8:38 pm

Oh, poor Alix, surrounded by people yet still feeling so lonely.

Thank you Cazx, and you take as long as you need with this!

#63: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 8:54 pm

Poor Alixe.

At least we know Emmie ended up OK!

#64: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Sat May 14, 2005 11:28 pm

Poor Alixe what a dreadful time she is having.

#65: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sun May 15, 2005 2:04 pm

Thanks Cazx - am quite content for this to unfold gradually Smile

Poor Alixe

Liz

#66: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sun May 15, 2005 8:29 pm

*agrees with Liz*

it makes it all the more tense and intriguing. Thank you Cazx

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

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