Chapter 21- A glimpse of the past, and a vision of the future
The year was 1918.
A figure shrouded in darkness walked silently across the dirt road; it was a boy, with light brown hair, and he wore a short black cloak and trousers. The road eventually led to a city, but instead of continuing, he turned right, where a small, overgrown path lay hidden in the forest. He followed this path, like he always did on his way home. Soon, he reached a cottage. It was small, built with wood from the forest, and was completely hidden from the outside world. No one had ever found them, and perhaps no one ever would.
The boy opened the door to the cottage, only to find that no one was there.
"Damn" he cursed. Hadn't he told her to stay inside while he was gone? It was too dangerous for her to go out alone.
He called her name. "Alice!"
She answered quickly. "Here!" the voice came from his left, so he began walking in that direction.
Searching the darkness, he saw a girl emerge from the cover of the trees. "Sorry, Nicholas. I was out picking berries, and then it got dark…" she apologized, but trailed off as she saw the anger in his eyes.
"Do you ever stop and think before you do something? Has it ever occurred to you that if he catches you, they'll send you straight to the wack house?"
"Of course I know that. I'm not stupid." she insisted. Alice brushed past Nicholas and walked straight into the cottage. "Come on." She insisted, "These berries are really good."
His anger subsided as quickly as it had formed. He had to remind himself Alice never meant any harm; it was rather the fact of losing her that angered him.
After all, they had been friends as long as he could remember.
So? Do you like it?
This chapter was an "intermission". This chapter is connected a subplot in the story; I also wanted to give Alice more of a background story (I did my research on her). The title says it all: it is a glimpse into Alice's past, and Nicholas will certainly be in her future.