Chapter 71- Injured Party (Part 1)
WARNING: UPSETTING CONTENT. DEALS WITH ANTI-SEMITISM AND THE HOLOCAUST.
Leonie cradled Amethyst in her arms, gently stroking her hair and trying to keep her talking. "Come on, stay with me. You need to stay awake."
Amethyst's eyes flew open, only to close a second later. "Mhm... let me sleep."
Panic set in Eli's eyes, but he had to be strong. "We just found her lying like this! It doesn't look like she was pushed."
Miss Laine looked down at Stanley and Isaac. Isaac heard everything through his walkie talkie. "I-I don't know what to do. Eli, find out what happened to her! I need to make sure Stanley has suffered any serious damage."
Hearing the raw emotion in Eli's voice hurt Miss Laine. Having to choose between two of her students was something she prayed she never had to do. And now it was happening in the worst possible way.
-
Leonie looked up and saw something on Amethyst's hand. She looked around, her eyes widening when she saw it. "Eli! She's been poisoned by Mukford Berries!"
Eli rushed towards them and knelt beside Amethyst. "Mukford Berries? I've never heard of them."
"They're native to Moorside. Very rare. Extremely beautiful. Even more deadly", explained Leonie.
Eli frowned. "How are we going to help Amethyst when she's by poisoned by these deadly berries?"
"Do you know what Sorrel and Blunt-leaf Docks look like?", asked Leonie.
"Yes to the Dock, no to the Sorrel", replied Eli. "I think I've got a vague idea. I'll look for them."
Leonie nodded. A common symptom is hallucinations, so Leonie prepared herself for Amethyst to see them. "Amethyst? I know you don't trust me. But... I'm not going to leave you, ok? I'm right here."
"Mm... M-Mum...don't go. I want to play."
Leonie continued stroking her hair. "Keep talking to me... what else? What else about your Mum?"
"Pretty... really pretty. Glimmering eyes. Rosy cheeks. Happy smile."
Leonie smiled. "She sounds lovely."
Amethyst smiled. "I love you, Mum..."
An out of breath Eli rushed back to Amethyst and Leonie. "Here! Are these the ones?" He had dock leaves and 3 different types of greenery.
Leonie stared at them.
A man with a dazzling smile held his hand out to a little girl. "Now, Leonie, every good explorer needs to know how to keep safe. Remember the berries I showed you last week? I'm going to show you how to make a remedy."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Yay! What are the leaves for, Dada?"
He held up different leaves and went through their names. "You only need Dock Leaves and Sorrel."
The little girl watched at her Dad her what to do. She then copied him, getting it right on the first try.
The man clapped. "Yes! My clever girl. I can't wait to see you grow up and become an Explorer!"
"Leonie? Leonie?", called out Eli.
Leonie snapped out of it and looked at him. "Huh? Oh! Y-yes, these are right. Eli, let the others know what's going on please."
Leonie quickly rubbed both leaves on the red marks that Amethyst had. Then, she sat her up so that she could feed some to her.
Eli grabbed a walkie talkie. "Hello? She was poisoned by berries but Leonie knows what to do. How's Stanley?"
-
Maxon's voice was heard. "That's good! We're still dealing with that. We'll report back later."
Darius' voice rang through on the walkie talkie. "Eli... please make sure she's safe. And Stanley too."
Maxon and Camryn stared at the rope Miss Laine had used to get to Stanley and Isaac. "I-I don't think I can get down there", said Camryn.
"Coordination isn't my best skill but... we can do this. I'll be with you. If you really don't want to, you can stay with Weronika", said Maxon.
Camryn looked at Stanley and Isaac. No. She had to be brave. For her friends. "No. I'm coming with you."
Maxon smiled and nodded. Maxon clung on to the rope. He reached his arm out. "Here, hold on to me." Camryn nodded and joined him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body.
They slowly made their way down. They jumped to the ground and rushed to Miss Laine, Stanley and Isaac. "How is he?", asked Maxon.
"He's fantastic", grinned Stanley.
"Stanley!", exclaimed Camryn.
"You gave us a fright there, dude", said Maxon.
"He's most definitely gotten bruises but remarkably, nothing broke. His head's looking good too. We'll take him to the Hospital to get a check up", explained Miss Laine.
"Wait, why did you need us then?", asked Maxon.
"I can bring him back up myself! I'll need your help", said Miss Laine.
"I don't think that rope will carry us all", said Camryn.
"Stanley, Miss Laine and Maxon should go first", said Isaac. "Then I can give the bags to Camryn."
Maxon nodded. "I'm fine with that."
Once everyone was in agreement, they assumed their positions and got Stanley to safety.
"Wow! I felt like Tarzan!", exclaimed Stanley.
"Can we just throw him down again?", asked Weronika, though she seemed relieved to see him well.
"Come up now, Isaac!", exclaimed Miss Laine. Everyone stood near the rope, waving for Isaac to come up.
Isaac climbed up the rope, feeling pretty proud of himself for remaining so calm. As Isaac was about to pull himself up, the rope broke. "Ahhhh!"
Weronika surged forward and grabbed Isaac's arm. "Woah! I got you... I got you."
Weronika pulled him up, with Maxon helping her. Camryn helped them pull his body up and once he was safe, she wrapped her arms around him.
Isaac hugged her back, but looked at Weronika. He mouthed 'thank you' to her.
Darius' group made their way to them. Darius suffocated Stanley in a hug, which the other boy seemed to be grateful for. "Never do that again! Not until you've written your will saying all your assets go to me upon your demise."
Weronika sat apart from the others, looking out to the dangerous, yet beautiful cliffs.
"Mind if I sit?", asked Isaac, sitting down when she shook her head. "Today's been pretty crazy."
"Just a normal day in the life of a Moorside Theatre Club student", said Weronika.
After an uncomfortable silence, Isaac spoke. "Look I'm really sorry for saying-"
"-No. You don't have to be sorry. I know about History", said Weronika.
"My parents... they've got very strong views on Germans. They used to hate them. My Dad still does but my Mum...now she's just wary."
Weronika nodded. "My parents have had to carry that around with them for years. Wary eyes. Most of my family were Nazis so... that doesn't help. Not my parents though. Not me."
Isaac frowned. "I lost a lot of family. Family I never even got to meet. How can I miss people I never got to meet? I don't know how but I still do."
"Monsters tarnished what it means to be German. And real Germans. The good, kind, honest Germans have had to pay the price."
"I wish it didn't have to happen. I wish that part of History... never existed. I wish people weren't evil", said Isaac.
Weronika nodded. "I do too. Evil people... they blemished my parents' home. All we are to the world is monsters."
Isaac looked at Weronika, then at the tears in her eyes. When Weronika looked at him, he spoke. "I don't think you're a monster."
Weronika's eyes widened. Her relaxed demeanour showed her relief. "You don't?"
Isaac shook his head. "Those bad Germans....those bad people. They gave you a bad name. But... we also didn't help to remove it."
"Why would you have helped? They committed terrible crimes, did horrible things to your people. They tore babies from their mother's arms and they robbed the elderly of a chance to see their children grow into parents like them. You didn't forgive... because you can't. And I shouldn't have assumed that you had to", said Weronika.
Isaac stayed silent. He just looked at Weronika. This girl with German Heritage. Sitting with this Jewish Boy.
Weronika sighed. "I'm just worried that people will never see me or my parents as normal. We'll always be blamed for things we didn't do."
After a few more seconds of silence, Isaac spoke. "We're not our History. It makes up part of who we are but... we don't have to be like that. We don't have to be enemies."
Weronika smiled. "Peace will come. Don't lose hope."
"You remember Azim from the Shelter? What he wrote for us?", questioned Isaac.
Weronika nodded. She looked in her rucksack and took out a purse she put in there. She opened up the piece of paper that had the message written in Urdu. "I keep it with me all the time."
Isaac smiled and reached in his trouser pocket. He placed the paper next to Weronika's and opened it up. "So do I."
The pair looked into each other's eyes. They smiled at each other. Maybe not every German and Jew could do this, but it still brought them hope. Hope that they could reach an understanding.
_____
This topic/storyline between Weronika and Isaac is something I feel very strongly about. No one should be blamed for mistakes others have made. Whilst our History helps to make up who we are, it is not the sole thing that defines us. German, Jewish, Asian, African, Colombian, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Athiest, regardless of who you are or what you believe, you're welcome here ♡
Stanley's safe! What about Amethyst?
It seems both Amethyst and Leonie are missing a parent, just in different ways.
Characters not included in this will be in Part 2!
What are your thoughts on this Chapter?
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