THE SENTINEL 

By Tessa Harvey

    A boy's voice was yelling "mum!" and a lad barreled out of the darkness and engulfed his mother in an enormous hug, struggling not to cry.
    He was speaking more clearly, Eliza thought in a small corner of her mind, but she was crying herself - tears of relief and gratitude.
    "What was all that light?" she suddenly asked, bewildered. "Angels," said a small voice, "they were angels you saw, mum!" 
    "Yes they were," Anemone confirmed. "They saved your son, Mrs. Schonbaum."
    Confused, Eliza looked around. Nothing, just a few moths. No bats tonight. Too many people. Too much light and noise, but she wondered.
    "God saved me. That man pushed me. I was too near the edge. Sorry mum." He looked up at her seeing bruises and noticing tiredness.
    "Where was Sylvie? Why are you hurt?" Theodor asked. "Where were you?"
    His mother stood there, bewildered, remembering. So it was not because they thought I was Jewish, she thought. My husband, but why?
    Her son was upset she realised , looking at her precious boy. Somehow he looked taller. "Theodor," she whispered, wondering, "you are TEN! Happy birthday! I had an accident, and Sylvie is hurt, but the doctors said we can see her tomorrow."
    Theodor felt a sense of guilt. "Mum," he whispered, "no surprises. Only you and Sylvia and friends." He turned, indicating Alice and her mum, Anemone Wintergarden.
    Aware now of the terrible biting cold, the battered Eliza limped towards the small cottage she owned.
    "Let's go in, get warm, get some food and drink...." she trailed off, her words falling to the ground unheeded. This was another man there. "My name is John Dixon. I am here to help. Police." He officed his ID card. "May we all go inside? Please," he added, smiling i n the darkness, holding a torch, pointed towards the home.

TO BE CONTINUED

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