Crissa's Mate

Chapter Six

The next morning as planned, the group packed their belongings into two white minivans parked outside the hotel. By 9:00 AM they were on their way southeast toward the border of Germany and Poland. Crossing over the flatlands across the beer hops farms. They began to move upward into more wooded terrain. Soon Crissa could see only dense pine forests in the distance. The winding asphalt road became just one lane and outside the large windows of the van, she and Julie watched the occasional farmhouses thin out and just wooded tracts at the base of the mountains appear. The highway continued this way for several hours until it eventually forked off the main roadway and passed through patchy areas where the asphalt was in disrepair. In some stretches, there was only a narrow gravel pathway, barely passable for one vehicle.

Soon the two vans entered a small village which was skirted on one side by a narrow river. Its main section of town was a series of stone buildings with steep, snow angled roofs. The settlement proper butted up to a tree line which continued densely up a series of hills with just a few small homes dotting the landscape. This wilderness continued up into mountains much too steep for human habitation or industry. As Crissa began to wonder how many people actually lived in the village, a small sign along the road gave the answer, also welcoming any adventuresome visitors into the remote area. The sign read:

Willkommen bei Erlightof

Bevolkerung 61

Approximately a kilometer further up the road and more into the center of the town was a large, two story structure with a freshly painted sign that read Hotel Weltmeyer. The two carryall vehicles pulled up to the front of this log-constructed building and the drivers shut off their engines. This was obviously going to be the logging for the team, as Dr. Dekker got out of the other vehicle and signaled for everyone to get out as well. At that moment, the entire family that ran the hotel came out from inside to greet their new guests.

It was an awkward moment as the elderly proprietor stepped forward and began his salutations in German. Another man, younger and robust, blond like his aged father, stepped closer to the group and began in broken, but discernable English.

"I am Horst Wiltmeyer. This is my daddy. We welcome you to Erlighthof. You will be staying with us in our hotel these days and nights."

"Yes, Horst. Thank you!" reported the professor enthusiastically. "Our group is six besides myself. We are . . ." He pointed to each. "Mary, Josh, Brad, David. Julie and Crissa." The North American group all smiled and stood helplessly awaiting the next move.

One by one, Horst's family of five stepped forward to introduce themselves individually.

"I am Helga," a woman of around fifty said, looking to be his wife and mother to the two teenage children. She stepped back and made way for a tall boy of about eighteen to nod to the group.

"I am Jannik, yah?" he said shyly. "I am glad to know you."

Lastly, a girl of fifteen or sixteen stepped forward but did not look up. She also did not speak. She just waited for her father to give her name.

"This is Lara," he said a bit sadly. She lost her speech this winter. Like my son, Jannik, she is a very good child. And she will help you with whatever you need here."

The girl expressionlessly stepped back, still avoiding any eye contact with the group.

Following this exchange of names, the family Wiltmeyer offered to help the guests unpack and carry belongings up to their rooms. Crissa and Julie understood they would room together again while in the village, while the others also kept their paired rooming arrangements.