Nest Among The Stars

Child - Part 10

Lacking the all-seeing contact Gabe provided, and not otherwise able to observe what was going on in the field without revealing himself, put him to a disadvantage. Footsteps were approaching his location and he was uncertain whether he had been seen. It might be that this "Herman" fellow was nearby and his friends were hunting for him, it being merely a coincidence they had passed by his own position. Perhaps if he did not move he would go undetected by them.

"Herman, stop playing games. I know you're behind the tree. We don't have time for this silliness."

'They think I'm Herman,' he thought to himself, trying to decide what to do next. 'If I run they may give chase, so running might encourage an aggressive reaction. If I let them approach close enough, I can probably disarm them. 'Them' ..who are they? The voices are human. They haven't expressed a harmful intent. If I show myself, they will know I'm not 'Herman' and will probably continue searching for him; I'll play it by ear, come up with excuses to satisfy any curiosity. But I don't speak German, how can I communicate with them? Perhaps one speaks another language, a language I know. Best to call out, let them know I'm not 'Herman', gauge their response first.'

Remaining hidden Michael called out, "Nein Herman" only to hear himself say, "Not Herman" in the perfect archaic German tongue he heard the other people speaking.

"Of course you are Herman, you half wit," came back the man's gruff response, "if you don't come out from behind that tree, I'll come over there and drag you back to the field."

Michael hesitated only for a second before revealing himself to the approaching man, "I wouldn't recommend you try that," he said in the same archaic German as before.

The man stopped dead in his tracks a stunned look on his face. He was by himself and there were no weapons in his hands, nor did he react by reaching for a weapon he might have concealed beneath the thin cloth coat he wore. He was a heavy set man, in  his early forties with a weather-beaten face sporting two days' growth of beard. He wore a flat short brimmed hat that did nothing to conceal his bright sad eyes. He stared at Michael, his expression of shocked surprise rapidly changing to one of anger. Michael readied himself to ward off an attack, causing a smile to break across the man's furious countenance.

"Oh I see, now the idiot is making recommendations," he said giving way to a laugh. "Come on Herman, let's go," he ordered, turning and waving his arm to indicate the direction they were to go. Michael did not move.

The man repeated his instruction to Michael adding, "Herman? Is there something wrong? We've got to go!"

Michael's mind was racing, realizing the man did not see him for who he was, but as someone known by the name 'Herman'. 'If I play along and follow him out of the forest maybe I can find out where they came from, discover what's going on,' Michael thought to himself. 'But what if the others don't recognize me as 'Herman', what then?'

"Are you blind?" Michael asked.

Again the man laughed, but deeper and longer than before. "No. But I think you're deaf. For the last time, come along."

This time Michael followed. Remaining two or three strides behind, he left the sheltering trees with the unassuming man. Seeing the field, now unobstructed by the trees, confirmed what he had suspected. About a hundred men and boys were at work along the length of a waist high earthen wall running more than three hundred meters parallel to the tree line. Behind the wall, in the distance, stood the village somewhat smaller than he recalled. Both the terminal hub entrance and the shuttle were no where in sight. Michael knew where he was. More accurately, he knew 'when' he was.