Poor Joey, all those thoughts going round and round in her mind. As a child I always found the escape very exciting, I never really thought about the worry behind it all
Thanks, ChubbyMonkey.
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| Exiled http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5606 |
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| Author: | ChubbyMonkey [ 27 Jan 2009, 12:58 ] |
| Post subject: | Exiled |
I'm not entirely sure if this was the right house for the drabble - sorry if not mods! This is set during Exile, when, while on the run, Gottfried finds them a cave to rest in for four hours. It was with a wearisome sigh that Joey collapsed on the rock hard floor of the cave. Badly hewn stone, shaped by Nature’s avalanches and rains, dug uncomfortably into her back and her stomach wouldn’t give her a moments peace. She wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep for at least a day, in one of the lovely, comfortable beds in the school’s San., with Matey on hand to bring her a meal when she woke. Her one consolation was that she had Jack with her. He was curled up next to her, having draped what little layers he could spare over the girls, like Gottfried. It was an odd situation, to be lying next to him, and certainly one that she could never have imagined herself in, at least before her marriage. But somehow it felt right. The feel of his chest, rising and falling with each breath, and his steady, comforting hands intertwined with her own, gave her such strength as nothing else could have. Even once he’d fallen asleep her eyes remained open, for she was highly strung and unable to do anything more than stop herself from tossing and turning. She could hear Cornelia snoring in one corner, and to her inexperienced ear both Jack and Gottfried were breathing far more heavily than the girls she was used to sharing a dormitory with. In the tiny light which somehow wriggled into the cave she was just able to trace the outline of Jack’s face. It was familiar to her already. In her mind, she revolved ideas for her wedding. Nothing else mattered but being able to hold Jack’s hand and say proudly that she was Mrs Maynard. She sent up a fervent prayer to God that, if they got out of this safely, she would forget all of her previous resolutions and become the best wife there ever was. She would do everything she could to devote the rest of her life to him, if only she was allowed to keep him. But he wasn’t her only family. Her heart was an icy cold at the thought of what Madge and Jem might have to endure on their account. She had been largely sheltered from the realities of the Nazi regime until this point, but she wasn’t completely innocent. She knew enough to know of the suffering they could go through if the Nazi’s started to believe it would do any good in finding the fugitives. She tried her hardest not to imagine Madge being separated from her children. She could picture David and pretty little Sybil. They couldn’t survive without their mother. It mustn’t happen. It mustn’t be allowed. If Madge had to choose between giving the authorities information and losing her children, she must tell them. She must. Unconsciously, Joey squeezed Jack’s hand, though only hard enough to make him grunt in his sleep. She had Jack and she had Robin, and so at least she was sure of the safety of some of the people closest to her for now. Of the others she couldn’t be sure. Then another awful thought struck her. Dick’s children! He had entrusted the twins and Bride and Jacky to Madge, if anything should befall them it would be too awful for words. He should have taken them back to India with him, he shouldn’t have left them. Never had Joey been so certain of something. All of the babies of the Die Rosen nursery occupied a very dear place in her heart, and when she thought of any of them being hurt she almost clenched her fists in anger. Then there was Jem. She was sure beyond sure that he would never give them away. No matter what the Nazi’s choose to do to him, he would say nothing. He was also sensible. He would tell nobody anything that could give the group away, and then the Nazi’s would have no excuse, on that front at least, to hurt anyone but him. The trouble was that they had got so many people involved already, and Madge would be so worried. She didn’t know if Jem would have it in him not to tell her something to try and put her mind a little at rest. She only hoped that he wouldn’t suffer too badly before they saw him again. If they saw him again. She thought of the school then. It had been the home to many of her happiest memories, burning holes in the window with a penny on a snowy winter’s day, telling tales around the fire, lazy summer afternoons with a picnic under the pines. That was all gone, now. If they ever got out of this scrape alive, the school would have dissipated, pupils sent back to all their far reaching corners of the globe, if they were lucky. She could only guess at the fate which would befall those who had to remain in Austria or Germany. Her dear school would be all gone. There would be some people who, she knew in her heart, she would never see again. It was a thought that sobered her more than any other. There were people not as lucky as she, people who had to face all of this alone. She sent up another prayer to God, to protect those who had done nothing wrong, to protect those who nobody else could. She didn’t know how long they would have to be on the run like this, or what would happen if they were caught, but she was sure of one thing. The Chalet School was gone, her family could have been broken up without her knowing and she may never see any of them again. But she was still the luckiest of the group. She still had Jack and Robin to comfort and protect her. What it must be like for Corney or Evvy, thinking of their father’s constantly, or Jeanne or Maria or Lorenz, equally separated, or Miss Wilson who was supposed to be partially responsible for the girls, she didn't even like to guess. She must have been squeezing Jack’s hand too hard because he awoke and blinked at her cautiously. Still careful not to wake the others, she still managed to say exactly what was on her mind at that moment. “I love you,” she whispered, and a tear dripped pathetically down her pale cheek. |
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| Author: | Elbee [ 27 Jan 2009, 13:35 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Poor Joey, all those thoughts going round and round in her mind. As a child I always found the escape very exciting, I never really thought about the worry behind it all Thanks, ChubbyMonkey. |
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| Author: | Alison H [ 27 Jan 2009, 14:55 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
That was really interesting. |
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| Author: | Chris S [ 27 Jan 2009, 15:59 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Thank you ChubbyMonkey. I have never been a fan of Jo after she left school, but your story makes her seem rather more caring than her usual interfering. |
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| Author: | PaulineS [ 27 Jan 2009, 19:23 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Thanks for your drabbles. The bunnies have been busy, pleased you could write these episodes. |
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| Author: | Sarah_K [ 27 Jan 2009, 20:09 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Poor Joey, growing up with a vengeance isn't she. Though really there's not much choice on such a terrifying journey and when seperated from those who you love and unable to DO anything to help them. Thank you. |
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| Author: | JB [ 27 Jan 2009, 23:51 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Thanks. I'd never thought about this before. When I read the book (even now), i'm willing them to escape and not thinking what must be in their minds. |
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| Author: | Cath V-P [ 28 Jan 2009, 00:09 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
That was very moving, and so believable. Thank you. |
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| Author: | Meg14 [ 28 Jan 2009, 21:53 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Reading this made me start to realise why Joey must have pretty much collapsed when they reached Switzerland. It must have been terrifying for her particularly as pretty much her entire family were left behind at the mercy of the Nazis and by that time she would have known how dangerous that could have been. The relief when she got the letter through from Jem in Switzerland must have been indescribable. Finally no wonder she always brooded about all the girls that got left behind in Germany/Austria when they fled and she must have known she would never see again. Thank you for writing this. |
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| Author: | leahbelle [ 29 Jan 2009, 14:26 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
I always thought Jo was over-reacting when she collapsed in Switzerland, but now I can see what a strain the flight must have been on them all emotionally. It must have been absolutely terrifying. |
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| Author: | Honor [ 30 Jan 2009, 21:36 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
Poor Joey. I really feel for her in this. Thanks ChubbyMonkey - this is a really interesting view of things. I'd never thought before as well about Jem potentially not telling anyone about their flight. Would have been an enormous strain. |
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| Author: | marni [ 03 Feb 2009, 12:30 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Exiled |
I feel that this is something that fits in seemlessly with Exile and something that EBD should have written. I hadn't gone there to the implications of enormous fear when I read it either. Thanks Chubbymonkey |
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