Remembering Dresden (Jack Turner Suspense Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

His eyes never flinched.
    Luther knew he wasn’t coming.
    “Be careful,” she finally said. “Don’t stay a moment more than you have to.” They hugged once more and she turned to go.
    Luther quickly hid behind an older couple until she passed. He watched until she disappeared into the crowd flowing across the bridge toward their home.
    Who should he follow now, Eva or Ernst?
     
     
    They were almost home now. For obvious reasons, Luther chose to follow Eva. It was just too hot on that side of the river. And way too scary. Eva was just about to turn down the street that led to their house. It was time to catch up. Things would go much better with their mother if he came home with her. “Eva, wait up.” She didn’t seem to hear, so he yelled louder.
    She stopped and turned. “What are you doing here?” She was angry.
    “I followed you. I wanted to make sure Ernst was okay.”
    “You shouldn’t have. It was too dangerous. You could have been hurt by falling debris or lost in that crowd, and we would never have found you.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Okay.” She hugged him tight. “Let me do the talking with Mother.”
    They walked together the rest of the way home. Every so often Luther looked back. The entire Old Town area was on fire, from one end to the other, the sky glowed orange-red.
    When they got home, they didn’t see Mother outside. It was quite late, almost eleven. But Luther couldn’t imagine how she could be sleeping.
    She wasn’t. Eva opened the front door, she was standing by the sofa. “Oh thank God, you got him.”
    “What?” Eva said. “No mother, I didn’t.” She stepped aside revealing who stood behind her. “I found Ernst, and he’s fine. But some of the firemen are working with the Hitler Youth and Ernst insisted he be allowed to stay and work with them.”
    “What?” Mother saw Luther step out of the shadows. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in bed.”
    “I couldn’t sleep. I was too worried about Ernst, so I followed Eva.”
    “I didn’t know he did this,” Eva said. “I never saw him until we were almost home.”
    “Come here,” his mother commanded.
    Luther braced for a spanking. Instead, she almost smothered him with hugs. After, she scolded him and repeated the same things Eva had said outside. She led him to the sofa and sat, pulling him down beside her. “Sit,” she said to Eva, “and tell me…are you sure Ernst will be all right?”
    “I hope so.” Eva sat in the upholstered chair.
    “I hope so? You don’t know for sure?”
    “How can I be? He wouldn’t come home with me.” Eva sighed and buried her head in her hands. “It was so awful, Mother. The whole downtown area, all of Dresden’s beautiful buildings…they’re all gone. Either blown up or burned up in the fires. And the fires are still raging. You can’t even imagine the sight. It was so hot across the river, I could barely breathe. It’s pointless, what Ernst and his group are trying to do. There’s no way to stop fires like these.” She looked up. “I only hope those in charge will realize this and let him come home.”
    “What do you think will happen if they don’t?” Mother asked.
    Eva looked at her but didn’t answer.
    The look on her face was answer enough.

7
    A few hours had passed since Eva and Luther had returned home. After being given some cookies and milk, Luther was sent to bed. But he couldn’t sleep. How could he after the things he’d seen? Even more so, with Ernst not lying in his bed? They had shared the same room every night. With his father gone so long, Ernst was the one Luther turned to whenever he had a bad dream.
    He sat up and looked at the far wall. Another reason he couldn’t sleep. It was glowing a bright orange. Every other night the wall was either dark or reflected the soft white light of the moon. He quietly stood and walked to the window. The buildings across the street were right where they belonged. It was the sky that was all