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1、SHORTSTORYCOLLECTIONHistoricalShortStories…©Copyright,PeterStone,2010www.inscribedinstone.blogspot.comDreamsForsaken―SowhyamIhere,exactly?‖queriedmynineteen-year-oldnieceasshesatnexttome.ThelanternIhadplacedbesideuscastflickeringlightthroughouttheabandonedtannery‘sdarkened
2、interior.Eerie,dust-ladencobwebsclungtoeverywoodenbeam,workbenchandtable,causinghertoshudder.Iglancedatherinnocentfaceuntouchedbygrief,andwishedyetagainthatIhadbeenborninherdayratherthanmine.―Foremotionalsupport.‖―ThenI‘mnotinanydanger,AuntMargryte?‖sheaskedunsurely.―Ofcou
3、rsenot,Geruscha,‖Isaidwhilesmoothingdownaruffleinmythreadbareblackmourningdress.―Doyouknowwhoownsthisplace?‖―Iusedto.Well,IguessIstilldo.‖Memoriesofbetterdaysfromdecadespastsuperimposedthemselvesoverbrokenchairsanddilapidatedbenches.Ibitmyliptokeepdeepinnerpainatbay.―Sowhy
4、don‘tyousellit?Seemsstructurallyintact;surelythere‘satannerwhowouldbuyitfromyou?‖―Youaskalotofquestions,Geruscha,‖Iprotested.―Youdidaskmetocometonight,‖shepouted.―SoIdid.Ikeepthisplacebecauseitsuitsmypurposesontheoddoccasion,suchastonight,‖Iansweredafteramoment.Geruscha‘sn
5、extquestiondiedonherlipswhenthefrontdoorsweptopentoadmitabadlyscarredmandressedinthegarbofacommonmercenary.Ilaidahandonherforearmtoreassureher.Agedwoodenfloorboardsgroanedunderunaccustomedweightasthemanapproachedus.Coldeyesmetmine,andthenstudiedmynieceasthoughshewasahorsef
6、orsale.―Who‘sthis?‖hegrunted.―ThisisGeruscha,myniece,‖Irepliedinanicytonethatmatchedhisexpression.―Whyisshehere?‖hesnapped.―Well,letmesee,‖Isaiddramatically,―perhapstoaddsomelighttotheseenchantingclandestinemeetingswehave.‖Returninghisattentiontome,themanslappedaclothpurse
7、ontherun-downtablebeforeus.Irefusedtogivehimthesatisfactionofacknowledgingthemoney.Angerflashedbrieflyinhiseyes.―Willyounoteveninquireastomyprogress?‖―Oh,whynot,sinceitobviouslymeanssomuchtoyou.Tellme,whatyouhaveachievedoflate?‖Heheldupthreefingers.―Ittookmenighonthreeyear
8、stocombeveryinchofStühlingen,butthirteenmoreofourenemieshavebeenbroughttojustice.‖Ileaned
