Read Online The Dark Room by Rachel Seiffert - Free Book Online Page A

the twins play under the table. Unable to contain themselves, they fill the room with their whispering games.
    On clear days Lore can make out a small town in the far crease of the hills: the pencil-lines of smoke from the chimneys, the darker smudge of a spire. Lore listens for gunfire from the other end of the valley. Sometimes she opens the window a little, in case the battle noise is too faint to make it through the glass. Eyes searching the cloudless sky for the Luftwaffe, she imagines bombs in the valley, fire and death. Hears only birdsong.
    At night, after Mutti blows out the lamps, Lore pulls an edge of curtain back from the window. In the morning, she opens her eyes to the chink of blue sky above her head. The last and first thought each day is of Vati, strong and clean-shaven, and of the end of the war. In the quiet dark of the curtained dawn, Lore imagines the valley transformed by victory. From high on the mountain she sees the parade through the villages, the fields thick with flowers, the slopes awash with people, sunshine in her eyes, hands holding her hands, voices raised in song.
    Dusk, and Lore helps Mutti put the children to bed. Through the window she sees the farmer coming, and behind him, his son. Mutti pulls on her coat and Lore goes to the door but Mutti shakes her head.
    —Stay in here. I’ll be back in a minute.
    She goes out and Lore pulls the door over behind her, leaving a gap just big enough to watch the three figures standing in the yard.The farmer has brought bacon, a small sack of oats, but he also wants to talk. Lore can’t hear what he says, but she can see his mouth set in the same blunt line as his wife’s. He points down the valley, and Mutti’s fingers fly to her face. The farmer’s son shifts his hard, flat gaze away from Mutti and spits on the ground. When he looks up, Lore feels his eyes on her and she ducks away from the door.
    —Where’s Mutti gone?
    Liesel is up and standing at the door. She leans her bed-warm body into Lore’s, shifting her to one side. Reaches for the handle, but Lore catches her arm.
    —She said we should stay inside.
    —Why?
    Liesel twists against Lore’s grip, so she digs her nails into her sister’s skin.
    —Ow!
    —If you stay still I won’t have to hurt you, stupid.
    Liesel starts to cry. The twins sit up in bed and watch their sisters tussle at the door.
    —Now you’ll get it, Lore.
    —No I won’t. Be quiet, Liesel, I didn’t pinch you that hard.
    —Mutti will shout.
    —Shut up, Jochen. Go back to sleep.
    —We’re not tired anymore.
    Lore tries to comfort Liesel, but she won’t look at her, keeps crying and pulling her arm away. Lore knows the twins are right: that Mutti will shout, and that it will be an unbearable night in the tiny room after that.
    —Lieschen, please. Anne-Liese. If you stop crying, I’ve got something for you.
    Lore climbs up onto the chair, takes the sugar pot off the top shelf in the corner, where Mutti keeps it out of sight. Liesel stops crying immediately, licks her finger and dips it inside. She sucks, dips, sucks, and lets Lore dry her cheeks, wipe away the evidence of their fight. The twins have been quiet, watching, but now Jochen gets upand slips across the room to where his sisters stand. Jürgen follows, trailing the blankets behind him off the bed. They both lick their fingers, hold them out ready to dip.
    —No. Not you two as well.
    —Why not, Lore?
    —Just go back to bed, Jochen. You too, Jüri. Please.
    —We’ll tell Mutti you pinched Liesel.
    —We’ll tell her you gave her the sugar.
    Lore sighs and holds out the pot to them, but Liesel pushes it away from the twins’ reaching hands.
    —No, Lore. It’s just for me.
    Jochen shoves her angrily, and Jürgen drops his blankets, steps forward to stand next to his brother.
    —Shut up, Liesel.
    —No, you’re not allowed, Jüri.
    —You can’t tell us what to do.
    —I’m older than you.
    —Lore said we could, and she’s older than