Rise of the Death Walkers (The Circle of Heritage Saga) (20 page)

"Oh, Sorry I mean forty-one or forty-two wide is how it is in English. I go get some shoes for you." She moved off before I could stop her. She was gone five minutes and when she came back she was sporting more shoes than I ever thought I would try on. After an hour we finally agreed on some black loafers and a couple pairs of sneakers.

She made me promise not to use the sneakers for running since they were designer sneakers.

I had no idea what she meant by that, so I asked her. She informed me that designer sneakers were just to wear for show. They were not designed to handle that stress of any sport activity.

I was not concerned about cost because I had a year's worth of pay, the enlistment bonus of five thousand dollars and another twenty thousand in completion bonus from the special forces training. It was all in the German bank now and at the exchange rate of five German marks to one American dollar. Irma had ensured me I had more than most Germans earned in ten years.

We walked around that store for hours and when we were done I insisted that I take Irma to dinner for the help she had given me. She blushed as she agreed and I asked her where she wanted to go. "You like Greek food?" she asked me.

"I could not say because I have never had any Greek food. If that's where you want to go then just show me the way." We finished putting my purchases in the back of my car and I opened her door and held it for her while she got in. I got in the other side and asked. "Ok where to now ?"

"You know where Kirrlach is?" She asked me.

"Yes I passed it on the way to Philippsburg. Should we go back there because that's the only way I know to get to it." I started the car and drove toward the exit.

"No there is a road here that goes right to Kirrlach. Turn right at first light on the road and stay on there. That takes you directly to Kirrlach. The road to Greek restaurant is first after you get past the Kirrlach road sign." In less than ten minutes we were at the restaurant.

I opened Irma's door for her and offered her my arm to hold as we walked toward the entrance. When we got inside Irma steered me directly to a place besides an open grill in the middle of the room.

I pulled out her chair and the man at the grill looked at me and asked. "American?" I nodded and he broke out in a great grin.

"Ahh my favorite customer has found herself a courteous American man at last." His English was very good but with an accent I could not place. He said something to Irma who proceeded to blush the deepest red I have ever seen before. She said nothing but nodded. "My name is Serjonus. This is my restaurant and you are always welcome here. You are called?"

"Jeran, sir. Thank you very much." His friendliness was a bit disturbing to me because I had never experienced such openness from any stranger before.

"None of this ‘Sir’ stuff with me, Jeran my friends call me Serj and so will you." He held out his meaty hand. He had a very stocky build, a bit on the chubby side but I would find out later most older Greek men had the same type of frame.

He turned to Irma and asked. "My little Ireena wants the same as usual?" She nodded to him and blushed. "And you Jeran will you trust my discretion during your first visit to my establishment?"

Since I had no idea what constituted the typical Greek menu, I nodded. "Good."

He laughed a great bellowing laugh. "We will start out with the same as Ireena. Sheep's Cheese hot from the grill. They call it Schafskases here in this land." He began chopping up onions and what smelled like fresh garlic.

Irma reached and touched my hand to get my attention. "I must use the ladies room now. Excuse please?"

"Certainly Irma. I will be here waiting for you." I watched her as she went toward the back of the open room.

While she was gone Serj was a fountain of information. It seems that Irma had been involved with another American soldier he had not liked at all. The man had carried on with her for a few months and then suddenly dropped off the face of the Earth.

Serj had found out he had transferred back to the States without a single word from him to her that he was going. Before she came back to the table he said to me. "Jeran, you hurt my little Ireena I will hunt you down." He was waving his cleaver as he said this to me and had a dangerous look in his eyes.

I shook my head and said. "Serj I am not like that. I have been hurt myself." Before I knew it I had told him about Katie and what had happened. I had never spoken to anyone about it before, but he had such a personality that I could not help myself. I was somehow drawn to him and he put me completely at ease.

I found out much later he was what the people of Origan consider to be soul healers. He had a natural given gift to help people deal with past troubles. Irma returned and I was out of my chair to hold hers as she sat down. I saw the look of approval Serj gave to me. I sat back down and Serj placed two cokes in front of us. "Compliments of the house my friends." He said something to Irma and she blushed again.

I lifted my coke and looked at Irma. "Here is to a natural beauty unblemished by man made products." I had noticed she wore very little makeup and the way she did use it was only to accent her eyes and a bit of blush on her cheeks. The perfume she wore was faint and not overwhelming.

She looked confused and Serj shot a rapid sentence in German to her. When he was finished she blushed again and lifted her drink. She said something in German and Serj grinned as he translated. "She said thank you and that you are a true gentleman something that is seldom seen in these days."

I smiled and drink to the toast. We did not say much while Serj was singing to the Greek music in the room. He actually had a very good singing voice. He called something out and the lights went one shade darker and a different sort of music filtered though the restaurant. I stood up and moved to the other side of the table where Irma was sitting. She lifted her eyes to me in surprise as I held out my hand.

"Would you honor me with this dance my lady?"

Serj said something and she blushed and nodded. "Thank you." She said softly and took my hand. We went to the open space that was obviously there for dancing. I placed my hand on her back and we began dancing. I was not that great a dancer but I had seen my grandfather dance more than once. The music was obviously a waltz and I did the best I could do.

She followed me easily and did not object when the music changed and we danced another waltz. When the music changed again I guided her back to the table and held her chair while she sat back down.

"Thank you for the honor Irma, you dance wonderfully."

She blushed and dropped her eyes. "You are better than I am."

"Would you believe me if I told you I have never learned to dance?" I sat back down at the table on my side.

"No." she giggled. "Most boys use dancing as a chance to grab my butt. You know how to treat a girl with.. " she struggled for a moment trying to remember something and then said something to Serj.

"Respect." Serj supplied and then his booming laugher overwhelmed the music in the room. Irma nodded at him and smile at me. "Come you two I have kept your sheep's cheese warm and your salads chilled. Time to eat to gain energy for later." I looked at him with a puzzled look on my face. "Ireena wants to take you to the discotech later this evening." I looked at Irma and she blushed again and nodded in affirmation.

I turned my attention to the square of aluminum foil Serj had placed in front of me. As I opened it the most delicious aroma I had ever smelled accosted my nostrils. There was a strong smell of garlic and onions and something else I could not rightly place. I placed my fork in the foil and lifted a small piece of the cheese to my mouth. If there was ever anything that was considered ambrosia to the gods then it would have to be that square of sheep's cheese Serj had served to me.

"Wow! This is great!" The sentence burst from my mouth before I realized I was even going to say it. When I looked at Serj he had a look on his face that looked as if I had paid him the biggest complement of his lifetime.

Irma giggled at me and said. "It's my favorite too." She blushed when I smiled at her.

When she looked down at her plate I asked her. "Is something wrong?"

She looked back at me and said. "No Jeran it's just .." She struggled to find the words she wanted to say to me. "every time you smile at me it's like the sun coming up in the morning. I get this warm feeling all over. I am not used to feeling like this." She blushed even a deeper red than before.

I reached over and took her hands in mine. "When you look at me Irma you have this sparkle in your eyes that captivates me. I have trouble trying to articulate anything." She looked confused again and her eyes shot to Serj who translated what I had said. She blushed again and gently squeezed my hands.

Serj's booming laugh echoed through the room. "Jeran, when you finally learn to speak German properly you will keep this poor girl in an eternal shade of red. You have the true language of the romantics in your soul. I will have to keep an extra fire extinguisher at my side to quell all the fires you two start in here."

Irma did not understand everything he said but she got the gist of it. "Jeran you speak so different from most Americans."

I took a drink from the coke Sergi had served us and thought about what she said. "Well culturally I am different from most Americans I know." Serj translated while I was talking. "My tribe behaves a lot differently toward women than most Americans. The women are the backbone of our society and we are taught to respect them and the wisdom they have. My grandmother, who I call Mimi, is a leader within our tribe. She heads the council for all intents and purpose. Traditionally the men in my family have been the chiefs of the tribe but their main responsibility was hunting, farming and protecting the tribe in the times of tribal wars. The woman handled everything else. I have seen men literally expelled from the tribe for mistreating their wives."

Irma looked at me with a look of fascination. She lowered her eyes and after a bit looked at me and said. "I feel somehow you suffered a great pain in your life."

Helplessness gripped me for a moment as I was inadvertently forced back to a time I did not want to remember. The pain must have been apparent in my eyes because her eyes grew wide and I stood up at the table. "Irma, I.." I was at a loss for words. “can't talk about that now. Please excuse me for a moment." I saw the pained look in her eyes as I blindly stumbled to the back of the restaurant.

I reached what I hoped was the men's room and walked in the door. I locked the door behind me and sagged against it as I was literally attacked by the feelings I had kept inside me for so long. This morning's episode had been nothing in comparison. I could not breathe. My chest hurt so bad. My heart had been torn apart so many times, but the pain never seemed to lessen.

I could visualize Katie's look of concern in my mind but there was something new. Irma's face was there too and it seemed like they were comforting each other and each trying to lend me the strength to survive this attack. When the pain finally lessened I wondered what did it mean that Irma was in my thoughts now in the special place that once belonged to Katie alone? Why was my mind including someone, who was effectively a stranger to me, in a place I had reserved for the one true love of my life? What did this mean?

I fought to compose myself. When I was finally at a point I felt I could face the world again, I relieved myself and washed my hands and face. I looked in the mirror to make sure I was in control of my feelings and then went out the door. I walked to the table slowly and heard Irma and Serj speaking in German. When I reached the table she looked up and smiled her eyes held me captive and that wonderful feeling spread through my body. "I am sorry Irma." I said softly "I didn't mean to ruin your evening."

She reached out for my hand and held it in her dainty hands. "No, Jeran you have done nothing wrong. When you are ready you will tell me I am sure." She shot a look at Serj and I was sure he had talked to her. Sometimes in the future I may be ready and what he had already told her may make it easier on me. "Let's finish our meals and then we can go for a walk on the river."

I nodded at her and began to eat. My mind was fixed on the meal and the light conversation I heard in the restaurant. When we finished, I had a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Without even asking Serj placed a shot glass of something in front of both Irma and I. "Drink," he said with conviction."This helps your digestion."

I began to object. "I don't drink alcohol Serj."

He placed my hand on the shot glass and said more firmly. "Drink!" I looked at Irma and she nodded to me.

The drink had a very strong medicinal smell to it. When I drank it I did not choke like I normally did with alcoholic drinks. It went down my throat stinging a little, but when it hit my stomach my stomach began to settle down. "That's good. What is it called.?"

Irma smiled at me and said. "It's a Greek drink called Ouzo. It helps work the food proper in your belly."

"Yes it does. Thank you Serj. what do I owe you?" I asked as I pulled out my wallet.

"This time you are my special guest but if you wish you can contribute to the children's fund we collect for here." He waved to a chest near the entrance.

"Thank you Serj I will do that and you can count on me returning soon." I finished the coke on the table and stood up. I walked to the other side of the table and held the chair for Irma while she stood up.

Serj shot his big meaty hand out and grabbed mine. "You do that Jeran and bring little Ireena with you too."

I nodded and said. "I will do that Serj." I guided Irma to the door and when we got there I dropped a couple hundred marks in the children's fund. Irma's eyes went wide and I said gently. "It's for a good cause Irma." She smiled at me and nodded. We walked out to the car and I held her door again while she got in. I got in the other side and started the car. "Where to now?"

"Back to Phillipsburg. We will go out to the Boathouse and you can park your car safely there. It's behind the Kernkraftwerk." She saw the confused look on my face and struggled to remember how it was said in English. "Nuclear Power Plant I think is it called in English."