A journey through Poland

chapter seven: out of Poland

Knock, knock, knock.

they were at Harls cabin, waiting for him to arrive. "Where is he?" Wondered Maria. she stepped back and looked up at the cabin then walked round the back to see if he was there, chopping wood or something. "Well that's a shame." Said Maria

"Hmm" grunted Julia. "We should head to the water line and get on some sort of boat if we can't stay here. We can get on the ferry if we can. hopefully theres one traveling over the baltic. maybe to Sweden or something. Maria had explained everything to Julia about her meeting with Harl the night before, and they had been debating where their journey would go from here all the way to the cabin.

The most preferable alternative was to go to the water and travel to the other land across where there were less wars and less fighting, just as Harl had recommended. So if Harl hadnt been there this was what they'd do.

They went back to their hut and gathered some berries for their journey. They also collected apples and refilled there water bottle in a little creek running through the rocks. 

Once they'd done this they walked out of the forest and Julia said "well, if we can get to the main road then hopefully we can get on someone's wagon and it will take us to the water. We should hide so that we can hitch a ride in secret." Mostly Maria would entirely shun this idea and suggest less of a criminalistic solution, but in the situation she thought that they'd have to use Julia's tactics.

They looked up the road and saw a cart coming. It trundled along and they crouched down. The driver looked like a soldier. "What do we do?!" Asked Maria in fear.

"Just hide and hopefully he won't see us." Whispered Julia back. They lay down flat and silent behind a big bush and the guard and the cart went by without seeing them.

The next cart that came by was belonging to an old man, his cart being pulled by an old mule.  Maria didn't feel right sneaking onto his cart, so they let this one pass too. As they waited they saw a truck with a trailer on it. And this Seemed like one that would work. it was carrying a great mound of hay in the back, wich would be great for hiding in. "Ok here's our stop." Said Julia and they crept out. As it went past them they ran behind it and jumped onto the pile of hay.

"this is great! they won't see us here because the pile covers the back window of the truck. And if they get out we can just hide in it!" Exclaimed Maria excitedly.

"Yes but don't talk so loud they might not see us but they could still hear us." Whispered Julia. "We need to be quiet."

"Oh." Said Maria lowering her voice. "Sorry, i'll try to keep it down." She crept backwards into the hay and peered out, Like a rabbit poking its head out of her burrow.

"You don't need to hide yet Maria." Laughed Julia "no ones gonna see us, no ones here. Once we get back into the town we will need to hide though."

"its cozy in here." said Maria. "this is my new home." Julia chuckled.  They looked out at the dusty road and as the trees grew less again and the houses grew more there were also more and more people. they were both hidden inside the pile of hey, and  were waiting out the time.

"look out your side, and see where we are." said Julia quietly.

"No one noticed us." Maria said "but i think were near the docks. it sounds harboury"

"good." Answered Julia. "i hope this truck is boarding the ferry. They were getting very near the docks now. the air smelt salty, and the cry of sea gulls rang out. 

Maria lent back into the hay and said "I don't think anyone will find us. can't we just sit back and relax?" Julia agreed and the rest of the way was quite quiet and peaceful.

"Ok I think we're there now." said Julia as the cart stopped moving "lucky that it came all the way really." Julia peered out of the hay. "yes! we're on the ferry!" 

Suddenly a voice said "You've got to stop there." it was a mans voice. "We need to check your trying to transport anyone in there." They heard a grumble of annoyance from the man driving, and the truck stopped.

"Quick!" Maria whispered urgently. "Move!"

"Yes I know just be quiet!" Whispered Julia. They both crept back into the hay. They felt long sticks poke into the mound but they weren't touched by them.

"Is there anyone there?" The drivers voice said.

"Don't think so. If there was any one we would have felt them. Carry on!"

They felt the cart Beneath them start moving again and soon they felt the rocking of water as they boarded the ferry and it took off.

"Well." Breathed Maria "that sure was close."

"I know," said Julia. "If we had been caught we might have been..." Julia stopped and listened. They waited for a few seconds.

"What is it?" Maria asked.

"Doesn't matter I thought that..." suddenly a pair of hands reached in and grabbed Julia's arms! She knew Maria must have been given a similar treatment because she heard her a sharp scream beside her. They had been discovered.