Touch the Sky (Young Underground #8) (24 page)

15

T
he Journey Continues

             
“
Slow down, Henrik!
”
But Elise giggled as the boys wheeled her down the short hospital corridor in her wheelchair.

             
“
Oh, come on, Elise.
”
Henrik looked up and down the empty hallway.
“
It
’
s Sunday night. After a week in the hospital, I think you
’
re ready to roll.
”

             
“
I feel better, but I
’
m not ready to run around the city yet, the way you two have been doing.
”

             
“
Yeah,
”
said Peter,
“
I think we
’
ve explored every last street of Silkeborg while you
’
ve been here.
”

             
“
One good thing.
”
Elise looked up at the boys.
“
You haven
’
t seen that awful man again.
”

             
Elise was right. Ever since they had taken Elise to the hospital the Monday night before, he and Henrik had watched for Mr. Broken Nose.

             
“
Except for the time when
you
thought you saw him....
”
began Henrik.

             
“
I saw him,
”
Elise defended herself.

             
“
Okay, except for that time, nothing.
”

             
“
Not even his car,
”
added Peter.
“
I
’
m not sure if that makes me relieved or more worried.
”

             
“
So you think you
’
re ready to come with us to the farm tomorrow?
”
Henrik changed the subject.

             
“
I told you I
’
m feeling much better. Even the doctors say so this time. I was fine for the church service this morning, and I
’
m feeling much stronger now....
”

             
As they continued down the hallway, Peter let his mind wander, and he thought back to the church service they had held in the hospital lobby. It was Henrik
’
s idea. How had his friend changed so much? Henrik had invited people to come out of their rooms, wheeling them out in their chairs, just like he was wheeling Elise now.

             
It was definitely not the old Henrik; Peter was sure of that much. He still couldn
’
t figure how Henrik got the nerve to stand up and read the Bible in front of everyone. As Henrik had excitedly read about how Jesus was baptized and the Spirit of God came down on Him, Peter had thought Henrik was going to suggest they all march down to the lake and get baptized right away.

             
“
What did you say, Peter?
”
Elise looked up at her brother with a puzzled look.

             
Peter shook his head to clear his thoughts.
“
What?
”

             
“
You
’
re talking to yourself again, old man.
”
Henrik grinned and turned Elise around a corner, toward her room.
“
Maybe you
’
re the one who should wear the oxygen mask and get all those medicines.
”

             
“
No thanks. The doctor said people have died from what Elise had.
”

             
“
No more, guys.
”
Elise held up her hand for Henrik to stop, then stretched her legs and stood up.

             
“
Elise
—”
Peter tried to object, but his sister only brushed him off. She swayed for a moment, put out her hands for balance, and took a couple of unsteady steps.

             
“
See? I can walk fine. So no more wheelchairs, and no more talk about me almost dying. Tomorrow we
’
re going to the farm, no matter what!
”

             
“
Cheer up, Henrik,
”
Peter said, looking out the window of their train car.
“
We
’
re almost to the farm.
”

             
Peter looked over at his friend, who was staring glumly at the man sitting in the next row. Henrik looked as if he could use a little cheering up.

             
“
Just think,
”
Peter went on.
“
When you make it to Palestine, you
’
ll get to see all those famous Bible places.
”

             
Elise looked up from her drawing and shook her head slightly at her brother. He saw her but didn
’
t get the message.

             
“
Like the Garden of Gethsemane,
”
he continued,
“
and the Jordan River, maybe even Bethlehem. You can pretend you
’
re back in time
—”

             
“
Peter,
”
Elise finally interrupted,
“
I don
’
t think Henrik wants to think about traveling right now.
”

             
Peter followed the direction she pointed with her pencil to see a man buried behind a large newspaper. On the front page, a big headline screamed out the news that a bomb had gone off in Jerusalem, killing a number of people. Only then did he understand what Henrik had been staring at, and why Elise had been trying to get him to be quiet.

             
“
Oh,
”
he stammered, trying to think of something better to say.
“
I see....
”

             
“
Forget it, Peter.
”
Henrik stood up and leaned out the window of the train.
“
But I was thinking.
”

             
“
What?
”
Peter joined his friend at the window.

             
“
You think there
’
s any way Mr. Broken Nose could still be following us? Or even waiting for us at the train station?
”

             
Peter cupped his hands together like a telescope and looked up ahead. Beyond a cluster of beech trees and a yellow field with a tractor in the middle, he could see the train station and a church steeple. The train gave a jerk as they slowed down, and Peter pulled Henrik back down to his seat.

             
“
How would he know where we
’
re going?
”
Peter asked. He tried his best to mask his own worry.
“
Besides, I don
’
t see anyone through my telescope.
”

             
“
I was being serious,
”
complained Henrik.

             
“
Well, the only person I think will be waiting for us will be Pastor Kai. He said he was coming to pick us up in his new car. And we haven
’
t seen Mr. Broken Nose for a long time, remember?
”

             
“
You boys ready?
”
Uncle Morten folded up his newspaper and looked across the aisle to where they were sitting.
“
Are you still doing okay, Elise?
”

             
Elise smiled and pulled her backpack from under her seat.
“
I walked all the way to the train station, didn
’
t I?
”
Elise held out her arms, took a deep breath, and smiled to prove how well she felt.

             
“
Okay, we believe you
’
re getting better,
”
Mr. Andersen said, getting to his feet.
“
But you
’
re still going to go see another doctor when we get home to
Helsingør
.
”

             
The train hadn
’
t yet stopped, though, and Mr. Andersen was jolted back into his wife
’
s lap.

             
“
Oksbøl Station,
”
said a man walking down the aisle of the train.

             
Peter
’
s father cleared his throat as he stood up.
“
Now, you kids know the plan. Morten and Lisbeth, Elise and her mom will ride with Pastor Kai back to the farm this first time.
”

             
Uncle Morten nodded and saluted at his brother.
“
Under control.
”

             
“
While Henrik and Peter and I will stay behind to watch the bikes,
”
continued Mr. Andersen.
“
And whatever luggage we can
’
t fit into the car.
”

             
“
How far did you say it is from here to the farm?
”
asked Henrik, standing up.

             
Peter looked out the window.
“
Just a few miles. Look, there
’
s Pastor Kai!
”

             
Peter and Elise both leaned out the window to see their friend standing on the platform, waving up at them and grinning. Pastor Kai Steffensen seemed to have collected a few more gray hairs in the year since they had last seen him in the big city of Copenhagen, but other than that, he looked just as he had the first time they had met. Peter still thought he seemed like a pleasant,
absentminded professor.

             
“
Welcome, welcome!
”
Pastor Kai called up at them. They waved before turning away to get off. It didn
’
t appear as if many others were getting off at this stop.

             
“
Come with me, Peter, Henrik.
”
Mr. Andersen took his son by the arm and hurried to the back of the train.
“
We have to get the bikes.
”

             
Henrik and Mr. Andersen quickly handed down the five bikes to Peter and Uncle Morten on the platform while the conductor studied his watch impatiently from the steps of the last car.

             
“
Last one,
”
said Henrik, passing down his own black bike, the one Grandfather Andersen had repaired before their trip.
“
Actually, I should probably just leave it here on the train.
”
He waved to the conductor and swung down to join the others.
“
I
’
m not going to be able to use it where I
’
m going.
”

             
The conductor stepped up on the train and blew his whistle to the driver. Peter and the others stood back as the train huffed and puffed into motion.

             
“
My, this is an occasion.
”
Pastor Kai beamed at all of them and pumped their hands all around.
“
We
’
ve been looking forward to seeing you all for weeks. Your cousins are excited that you finally made it.
”