Charlie's Requiem Novella (16 page)

“If you believe in saving these children,” Sister Sanaa replied, “then you must ... WE must do what has the best chance for success.”

Both nuns went silent and contemplated their situation. On a logical level, Sister Nami knew that sending Sara was their best chance of rescue. She couldn’t get past the desire to protect them all. She, and she alone was responsible for their safety.

Just then, Sister Elishiva came in with a questioning look on her face.

“Sara sent me in, what is it?” she asks.

“We are at the end of our food,” Sister Sanaa states. “It is too dangerous to venture out again and forage for more. Last week we were almost caught, and all the abandoned homes around us have been searched.”

“In fact,” the nun continued, “I am worried that we may have been seen by one of the town people. I don’t know if they knew who we were; but when we passed by the church, there was someone in the cemetery that looked our way as we passed up the street. If they told the terrorists, there will be no stopping them from finding us in the next few days.”

“That would explain why we saw the men patrolling this area of town yesterday. I wondered why they were here,” Elishiva said. “I hadn’t seen them for over a week.”

“Then time is critical,” Sanaa said. “Someone has to go now.”

“I will go,” Sister Elishiva suddenly says. “I am the youngest, and I have the best chance to get there.”

After she finished, she put a thin smile on her face and turned abruptly to leave the room.

“Just a moment, Sister,” Sister Nami said. “Please stay so we can talk.”

Sister Elishiva stood silently, facing away from the other two nuns. She slowly started to turn back towards them. Within seconds, the poor nun started to gently shake. She tried to look at her two friends, but could only keep her eyes cast down on the floor in front of them. She tried to speak, to reassure them that she would be alright, but the words didn’t come. They were stuck in her throat like some vise was tightening around her chest, keeping her breath from coming out. She finally looked up, and the terror and panic of the situation showed starkly on her face. She was in the early stages of a panic attack, and was praying and fighting to keep it at bay. It wasn’t working.

“Sister Elishiva, my dear and sweet Elishiva....” was all that Sister Nami could say. She went forward and embraced the trembling nun, whispering into her ear and soothing her.

“This is not your battle, my friend,” she said. “This is not your cross to bear. We need you here with the little ones. They need you. They trust you more that the two of us!”

Sister Elishiva looked up into Nami’s eyes, questioning and afraid.

“Then who is to go? Who is to bring us help? Who is going to save us,” she blurted. They were both silent for a moment or two, then Sister Nami looked at her and smiled.

“Sara,” Nami replied. “Sara will save us.”