CHAPTER 1
If Jakob sneezed he could die. He pressed a sweaty hand over his nose. Every part of him was shaking. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he peered out from his hiding place, tucked behind the straw bales up in the barn loft. Watching, waiting, praying.
“They say you’re hiding a Jew boy,” the SS officer snapped. Jakob could see his pale face, his tight, thin lips. His eyes were hidden by a cap. Everything about him seemed brutal and sharp.
“What rubbish. Who told you that, Major Bauer? There’s only me and my nephew here. He’s no Jew boy, the authorities know that.” Herr Engel, Jakob’s guardian, stared straight at the officer, not flinching, not giving any clue that everything he’d just said was a lie. He ignored the soldiers around him, stabbing their bayonets into the piles of straw and hay. But Jakob felt every thrust as if it was going straight through his heart.
Major Bauer smirked. “It’s not my business to tell you who. Just rest assured they’re trustworthy.”
“Really? Is anyone trustworthy anymore? Fear and hunger make people mad and selfish, Major.” Herr Engel waved his arm around. “Look, the horses are starving and we’re starving too. Why would I hide another mouth to feed? There’s already me and my nephew.” He shook his head.
“Maybe it’s not another mouth—where is your nephew?” Bauer looked around.
His guardian rubbed his white beard. “He’s out, checking fences for me and collecting firewood,” he said.
Bauer strode up and down, pushing at sacks with his boot. “Never really seen at school or in the village, is he? Bit convenient he’s not here either.” He stopped. “Or maybe that’s your plan? If he’s not a Jew, then maybe he’s old enough to join the army. Tell him he has a week to bring his papers to SS headquarters.”
“Excuse me, sir, I know you’re new to the area and I don’t want to speak out of turn, but we’ve been here three years and everyone knows I need him. It’s just me and him. It’s too much work as it is—look at all these stallions.” He swept his arm in a flourish again. “There’s no time for education. Anyway, you don’t need to read to shovel dung.”
Jakob gulped. That was the biggest lie yet. Herr Engel was a stickler for education. Every day, ever since he’d found him, he forced him to do lessons. The former Spanish Riding School Rider had very high standards.
His guardian sighed. “Nobody’s queried it before, so why now?” He spat before continuing, “He’s only fourteen. But yes, I’ll tell him.” He hesitated, putting his head to one side. “I could get his papers now if you want?”
Jakob held his breath. He had no papers—well, none that wouldn’t get him shot.
Bauer looked slightly flustered. “No, I want to see the boy myself.” He wasn’t used to people calling his bluff, obviously.
Jakob breathed out slowly, wrapping his arms around his folded legs, holding himself tight.
“Of course. I’ll tell him when I see him.”
“Taking me for an idiot is a big mistake,” said Bauer.
Herr Engel shrugged.
This seemed to irritate Bauer even more. He raised his gloved hand and slapped the groom hard across the face. “Show me respect, you old fool!”
Herr Engel stumbled slightly, putting his hand to his cheek.
Jakob wished he could jump down and beat the officer to oblivion there and then. He had the strength, he thought. Every muscle in his body tensed as he watched his guardian recover.
A sneeze began to tickle him again. He knew he mustn’t move. Any sound would kill the pair of them. He held his nose and leaned away from his peephole. A cramp ripped through his leg. He rubbed his calf hard, trying to massage the ache away. While he was distracted by the pain, the suppressed sneeze got its own back.
“Achoo!”
Jakob froze. Had anyone heard? He peered out to see Allegra, his favorite stallion, pawing at the ground. He neighed loudly.
“I heard something.” Bauer angrily brandished a Walther pistol, scanning the stalls in the barn. “Make that horse shut up or I will.”
A soldier walked in, raising his arm in salute. “There’s nothing here, sir.”
“There must be. Search again,” Bauer snapped, waving his pistol at Allegra. “I heard someone sneeze. Search the stalls in here.”
Jakob knew this was trouble. The Lipizzaner stallion would let no one in but him or Herr Engel. Allegra was already snorting, flaring his nostrils in protest.
“But…” The soldier hesitated a moment too long, and Bauer turned to point his pistol at him.
“No buts!”
Clearly shocked, the soldier walked back out into the yard, barking orders. Several soldiers came running in and began to throw straw and hay aside and rip open sacks of feed. As they searched, they threw any horses’ tack they found on the floor and stamped on it. Jakob could see the despair on Herr Engel’s face. All because of him.
Allegra was panicking. Jakob felt it deep in his stomach. A dull, gnawing ache. Peering down, he saw the stallion pacing in his stall, his coat dark with sweat. Now and then he stopped to paw the ground, tossing his head back and calling. Half snort, half whinny. No other horse made that noise. He was calling to Jakob.
“Calm down, boy,” Jakob said to the horse. Forgetting everything, he focused on Allegra. “Breathe with me.” He took in several long breaths, blowing them out slowly.
Allegra stood still, his head held high, neck arched, ears twitching.
“That’s it, that’s right! Breathe with me.”
Bauer glanced from Allegra to the hayloft. He thumped the stall door. The stallion jumped back, squealing.
“Don’t forget up there.” He waved the pistol upward.
A wave of despair enveloped Jakob.
Copyright © 2021 by Vanessa Harbour.
