up the road. Yes, he did miss trees. He laughed to himself about what he had read - in World War II the army told young soldiers that there was a woman behind every tree in the Aleutians.
He passedthe caved-in high-school building and the still-standing facility of the University of Alaska.
That's what he would do here eventually, he thought. He would go back to teaching. When the population of convicts increased on Adak, he would get the university going and he would teach.
As he walked higher, he saw Kuluk Bay in the east and yes, it was almost sunrise.It was Sunday morning. After sixteen years he was watching a sunrise again.Black storm clouds billowed just to the south of the sunrise, and Frank knew the sight would soon be gone. He stopped on the road and looked. Judy was waiting for him, but she was probably asleep anyway.
Rudy.Rudy. Why did you have to die? If only you could see this sunrise.
If only Rudy were here. He knew the secret. He knew how to melt the bars, how to become a free man. That's what was wrong. These others were out of their cages, but they weren't free.
The tip of the sun appeared over the island to the east. The sun was fire on the horizon.
He shook away his reverie. He had to get a few hours sleep and then find Joe Britt and line him up as his cop. It couldn't wait because Gilmore might try to recruit Britt as well.
Unsure of what sort of reception awaited him, he trudged up the hill, up the three flights of stairs and knocked quietly on the door. "Judy, it's me."
She opened the door almost immediately, as if she'd been right by the door. A blanket covered the couch and a large butcher knife lay on the coffee table.
"What time is it? It's daylight."
"I'm sorry, Judy, there were - "
"The power went off and… Do you have any idea what this place is like?"
"That was one of the problems I - "
"I went to put some curtains up and my hand went right thorough the wall. This place is unlivable ."
Hold her.Hug her, an inner voice told him.He was too tired to figure out if it was Doc or Rudy talking to him or just himself.
He sat down on the couch and invited her to sit with him. "Once we get settled . . . "
She sat next to him. "I mean I heard rifle fire all night. Other men were with their wives. That Maggie person came over to check on me. Her husband was home all night to protect her. Where were you?"
Frank kneaded his forehead, but said nothing. When she got out her frustrations, he could tell her about the people dying.
"I suppose you and that foul-mouthed doctor were playing some of your prison war games."
"I'm sorry, Judy." Frank put his arms around her. "I'm just sorry."
She rested in his arms and said nothing. After a few minutes he led her to the bedroom. She got under the covers while he sat on the edge of the bed and set the clock for 9:15 AM.
"Why are you setting the clock?"
"I have to get up early to talk to Joe Britt."
"It doesn't stop, does it?"
"Six people died today."
"Oh, Frank.That's terrible."
He kicked off his shoes, pulled down his pants and got into bed. He put his arm around her. "I don't know what to do."
She sat up."Well, I know one thing. You can get me out of here."
He said nothing and after a while she lay down again and stared at the ceiling. "It's been so hard, Frank. I've been all alone. I've missed you." She rolled over onto her side, faced him and tentatively put her hand on his face.
He was fast asleep.
Chapter 11
The sun disappeared shortly after sunrise on Sunday morning and a black cloud covered Adak.Maggie woke up early as she usually did, but for the first time in twenty years another person slept in the bed with her. She sat up.She was married. She was no longer Maggie Krueger. She was Maggie Britt, wife of Joe Britt, and she was very much in love.
She touched the massive shoulder of the big man next to
He passedthe caved-in high-school building and the still-standing facility of the University of Alaska.
That's what he would do here eventually, he thought. He would go back to teaching. When the population of convicts increased on Adak, he would get the university going and he would teach.
As he walked higher, he saw Kuluk Bay in the east and yes, it was almost sunrise.It was Sunday morning. After sixteen years he was watching a sunrise again.Black storm clouds billowed just to the south of the sunrise, and Frank knew the sight would soon be gone. He stopped on the road and looked. Judy was waiting for him, but she was probably asleep anyway.
Rudy.Rudy. Why did you have to die? If only you could see this sunrise.
If only Rudy were here. He knew the secret. He knew how to melt the bars, how to become a free man. That's what was wrong. These others were out of their cages, but they weren't free.
The tip of the sun appeared over the island to the east. The sun was fire on the horizon.
He shook away his reverie. He had to get a few hours sleep and then find Joe Britt and line him up as his cop. It couldn't wait because Gilmore might try to recruit Britt as well.
Unsure of what sort of reception awaited him, he trudged up the hill, up the three flights of stairs and knocked quietly on the door. "Judy, it's me."
She opened the door almost immediately, as if she'd been right by the door. A blanket covered the couch and a large butcher knife lay on the coffee table.
"What time is it? It's daylight."
"I'm sorry, Judy, there were - "
"The power went off and… Do you have any idea what this place is like?"
"That was one of the problems I - "
"I went to put some curtains up and my hand went right thorough the wall. This place is unlivable ."
Hold her.Hug her, an inner voice told him.He was too tired to figure out if it was Doc or Rudy talking to him or just himself.
He sat down on the couch and invited her to sit with him. "Once we get settled . . . "
She sat next to him. "I mean I heard rifle fire all night. Other men were with their wives. That Maggie person came over to check on me. Her husband was home all night to protect her. Where were you?"
Frank kneaded his forehead, but said nothing. When she got out her frustrations, he could tell her about the people dying.
"I suppose you and that foul-mouthed doctor were playing some of your prison war games."
"I'm sorry, Judy." Frank put his arms around her. "I'm just sorry."
She rested in his arms and said nothing. After a few minutes he led her to the bedroom. She got under the covers while he sat on the edge of the bed and set the clock for 9:15 AM.
"Why are you setting the clock?"
"I have to get up early to talk to Joe Britt."
"It doesn't stop, does it?"
"Six people died today."
"Oh, Frank.That's terrible."
He kicked off his shoes, pulled down his pants and got into bed. He put his arm around her. "I don't know what to do."
She sat up."Well, I know one thing. You can get me out of here."
He said nothing and after a while she lay down again and stared at the ceiling. "It's been so hard, Frank. I've been all alone. I've missed you." She rolled over onto her side, faced him and tentatively put her hand on his face.
He was fast asleep.
Chapter 11
The sun disappeared shortly after sunrise on Sunday morning and a black cloud covered Adak.Maggie woke up early as she usually did, but for the first time in twenty years another person slept in the bed with her. She sat up.She was married. She was no longer Maggie Krueger. She was Maggie Britt, wife of Joe Britt, and she was very much in love.
She touched the massive shoulder of the big man next to
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