The Promise

Eventually Martha came to know young Thom’s mother as a kind and gentle - though fragile person. When they were alone with the baby she seemed open and quite happy, but strangely enough that changed completely when in presence of any other person of the village. In fact, young Thom’s mother avoided going outside as much as possible. She would always claim to have too much work to do in the house.

Slowly some sunlight from the window behind young Thom illuminated the hands of Martha. Young Thom observed how the strong light revealed scared and scratched fingers. Why did his mother behave so strangely? As a young boy he had known her as an open and cheerful person. Why then this withdrawal from public life?
Outside the butcher’s house some footsteps could be heard. Martha stood up to look through the window and then quickly grabbed young Thom by his wrist and rushed him to the back of the house. As the two men entered, young Thom sneaked away through a backdoor.
That night he thought of his father leaving the village for the very last time. Wearing a soldier’s uniform he had placed his giant hands on the boy’s shoulders and promised him he’d return within a year. It was all the young lad could think of, but alas, a year later it was his own turn to leave. And he too promised to be back while waving goodbye to his mother. Young Thom turned over in his bed. Outside the window the moon was getting covered by clouds. To his mother he had failed the promise; to his sister he was bound to keep it.

Next : The Breakfast

The Intruders

Martha remembered well the day a woman and a baby were introduced by her father with the brief statement that from now on they would live in the same house and had to be treated as family. Teenager Martha had never known her own mother of whom she only possessed a tiny painting in a little wooden box. However small the portrait, one could clearly recognize the noble features, the truthful eyes of a woman as perfect as could be.
Martha could well image how it would be if her mother would have been around and she frequently talked to her before sleep. But now the house had changed. How could her father not see that bringing this woman inside their home was a stab in the back of the mother of all his children?
Those first days young Martha made sure to make the guests feel not welcome at all, determined as she was to make the intruders leave - subtly but unavoidably expelled by Martha’s vicious looks. A women’s war was being fought.
But already during the first week Martha’s irritation with the baby’s cries slowly progressed to curiosity, especially at moments when the mother was cuddling and teasing the little girl. At times some little hands and feet raised in excitement above the cradle’s edge. When Martha finally decided to peek inside and was greeted with a broad smile and two large shining eyes, surrender was the only option. Indeed a women’s war had been fought and the very youngest participant had claimed victory.

Next : The Promise

A Firm Rubbing

That afternoon, on the school’s roof, young Thom hammered firmly at some last nails as he replaced a patch of broken tiles. Each nail seemed to resist more and more, but young Thom remained determined. With each hit he felt the roof trembling under his legs. When he swung his hammer right on his thumb, he cried out loud to the sky. In reply a loud roar announced an approaching thunderstorm. Young Thom looked up to the dark grey threat. With yet another patch to go, he hurried to seal the roof as the first raindrops hit his shoulders. The last tile was in place just before all hell broke loose. Young Thom carefully positioned himself so he could slowly lower himself down on the wet and slippery roof. Suddenly, he heard the galloping of a horse down below. A cart with two men on it hastily ran past the schoolhouse. Young Thom recognized the bloodstained aprons. As they moved past he could see in the back of the cart a rope, some big knives and an axe. Young Thom knew the men were off for a good hour’s work. This was his chance and so he perilously slid down the roof and further down the ladder. As he ran through the village, the streets had already turned into mud streams. The butcher’s house was located on the hillside of the village. Pink coloured water ran down from the sloping street. In front of the butcher’s house a table and some tools were getting washed by the rain. Young Thom knocked tree times hard on the door and waited. All houses in the village down below were blurred by gray curtains of heavy rain - not a single soul was to be seen.
The door was opened by a worried butcher’s daughter. She saw young Thom standing there with his white shirt soaking wet and his red curly hear dripping down his face and could not resist a little snigger. Without a word, she stepped aside to let him in. The place smelled of iron. Once inside, she handed him a towel that he used to quickly wipe of most of the rain. Not pleased with the result she took the towel in her own hands and gave young Thom an extra firm rubbing – so much that it put him slightly off balance. She carefully examined her work, pushed away the hair in front of young Thom’s eyes and then offered him to sit down at a working table: a solid wooden construction, partially covered with bones and a couple of pigs’ ears and feet. With a swift move of her arm she pushed it all away and rested her elbow on the table.
Her name was Martha.

Next : The Intruders

Empty Handed

The next morning young Thom walked to the back of the schoolhouse. There was a small room attached to the main building – you could see it had been added more recently. There was a door and a window covered by a curtain. But the door itself had a small window that was uncovered and young Thom took a peek inside while calling out the teacher’s name. Anna. She had left early as young Thom very well knew. He carefully looked inside. There was a table, one chair and a small bed in the corner. The room looked generic - no personal belongings of Anna could be seen. Young Thom turned away and with his hands in his pockets he slowly strolled back to the Inn. At the front gate he took a pause and looked up at the stone building – most of it covered with leaches and ivy. Anna was right, it could be restored to its full glory again but it would be a lot of work, and young Thom had other things on his mind for now.
Young Thom hurried towards the bakery while making up a list of things to do that week. He looked up into sky and realized he hadn’t thought about his family the day before. Suddenly a voice spoke out from behind him. It was the butcher’s daughter, this time her dark-blond hair tightly pulled back and tied in a knot and wearing a still clean white apron.. If the lamb had been good she wanted to know. With a face bearing professional interest she awaited reply. Of course, yesterday’s lamb! Young Thom was surprised by the question until he realized the young woman facing him was indeed the butcher’s daughter. He quickly confirmed with enthusiasm. And if it had been well cooked, she also wanted to know. A polite smile appeared on her face while Young Thom wet his lips at the thought of that mint sauce. Indeed, the cooking had been divine. He looked the butcher’s daughter straight in the eyes and replied with a modest yes.
Pleased with the replies, the butcher’s daughter thanked young Thom and went of to the bakery. But young Thom had questions for her too and with a few fast steps he stood in front of her again. A wide smile appeared on her face. But as young Thom asked his question the smile quickly disappeared and with apparent resentment she bluntly replied she would talk to him later and quickly rushed into the bakery. Young Thom followed but the place was crowded. After she left with her bread, he impatiently awaited his loaf and then quickly ran outside to find the street empty.

Next : A Firm Rubbing

Dinner at the Inn

One hour later, the sun had set, and young Thom lit some candles on one of the Inn’s dining room tables. Having placed the best chair for the teacher to sit on he sat uneasily at the edge of a wobbly one while examining his washed hands that still revealed some scars, a blister and some persistent dirt under his fingernails. With his fork he tried to remedy most of it until suddenly the kitchen door opened. He quickly moved his hands under the table as the teacher - bearing a broad smile - brought forward a slightly tarnished silver plate. Young Thom remembered the food of the factory’s kitchen where everything was also presented on metal plates – tin or iron. But this silver one offered a feast to his eyes and soon to his stomach, he imagined. He shared his excitement with the cook who blushed while she instructed him to hurry before it got cold.
But young Thom did not hurry. He had heard of the peculiar ways at the table of well raised people and knew they were quite different that what he was used to. Following the example of the teacher he carefully cut as small peace of lamb and dipped it gently into the mint sauce. Young Thom had never tasted something like that before. He quickly took a larger peace of lamb and yet another one...
The teacher smiled and assured him there was more lamb in the kitchen. Young Thom could recognize a hint and slowed down again. Suddenly he stood up and ran away leaving the teacher wondering what might be wrong. She worriedly called out for him twice and before she could do so a third time young Thom entered the room again holding a dusty bottle of wine. He had remembered the cellar was still full of them and many would no doubt still be good. Two crystal glasses were soon found, filled and raised. To the restoration of this once glorious guesthouse!
The moon raised high above the Inn while many stories were exchanged and a midnight bell could be heard in the distance.

Next : Empty Handed