I sign myself, 'R'

Chapter 2

This so-called ‘opportune’ time came about half an hour later. The workers packed up and turned in for the night.

It was 7:00 p.m. when the girls had left home. Now, the sky had grown much darker. For this, both the girls were glad there was no moon because the mere presence of the moon could mean death.

They slowly crept out. Anne searched the drawers and shelves while Ira examined the many shelves.

“Ira!”, Anne’s voice cracked through the silence like a whip.

Ira whipped around, certain that they had been discovered.

Anne held up a crumbling old (what else do you expect? It to be in mint condition, straight off the shelf of a bookstore?), which, in its younger days, must have been quite a beautiful book. It had a strong brownish leather cover and thickly cut pages. Ira reached out for it, but Anne moved the book out of reach and hissed, “Not here! We don’t have time!”

Ira apologetically withdrew her hand and said, “We’d better go’’.

The two girls, in their excitement, had forgotten to keep a check on their voices. Almost at once, torchlights began to sweep the camp.

“Finally, we agree”, said Anne.

They ran. As fast as they possibly could. They ran as though their lives depended on it (well, their lives did sort of depend on it) almost at once, torchlights picked out Anne’s retreating back.

“Come on!”, cried Ira, “move faster!”

They were now meters away from the hole. Few more feet…

Ira stopped, the sad realization dawning on her.

“You have to go. We won't make it”, she said.

“What? What about you?”

“They saw only one girl”, Ira said sadly, but in an even tone.

“What? No…you can’t possibly-”

“Do not tell me what I can and can’t do, Anne.”, she said. In a lighter vein, she continued, “If I come with you, they will investigate and both of us will be caught. This diary…you have to keep it safe. Don’t tell anyone about it unless you’re in a huge problem.”

“Please…please don’t leave…”

“I’ll never leave. Now, go!”

Anne, choking back tears stumbled through the hole. She heard gunshots followed by screams as she emerged safely on the other side of the wall. Here, she couldn’t stem the tears. They just kept flowing. Unable to see the tears clouding her eyes, she ran off blindly into the dark night.