The Kitchen

The household gathered in the kitchen for supper. Julius, as head of the family, was already seated at the top of the table. To his right sat a much younger, thinner version of the farmer, obviously his son. However, he lacked the patriarch's aura of respect.

In addition to Leni, two other women were present who looked similar to her and must have been her older sisters. The middle woman, who was about the same age as the young farmer, sat next to him. The oldest, probably in her late thirties, stood at the stove, stirring a large pot of vegetable stew that had a strong aroma and made Eva's mouth water.

Julius introduced everyone, starting with Adrian, the family's only son. Then came Grete, his eldest daughter, who had been running the household since the **** of the farmer's wife. Last of all, Adrian's neighboring seat.

“And this is Lisi, my daughter-in-law.”

Eva was taken aback. She hadn't realized from looking at Lisi that she had married into the family. She tried to keep a neutral expression on her face so as not to offend anyone. Then she introduced herself to the others and sat down.

Grete brought the steaming pot to the table and Leni handed everyone a rustic wooden spoon. Julius took the first bite and then everyone shared the meal together, simply spooning from the cooking pot in the middle. Although simply prepared, it tasted spicy and filling. Eva ate heartily and felt increasingly warm and sheltered.

When everything was devoured, the old man lifted himself up with his strong arms and leaned over the table.

“I have something to discuss with the other heads of the family,“ he grumbled in his deep bass, ″Good night.” Then he left the house.

Eva wondered how the people in the solitude of this remote mountain village spent their evenings. But she was too exhausted to find out on the first day. She apologized, wished everyone a good night and climbed up to the small bedroom.

An enamel basin served as a washtub, but there was no water in the room. So Eva grabbed the jug standing nearby and returned to the kitchen. Here she found only Leni, who was doing the cleaning.

“I wanted to wash, but the jug is empty,” she explained.

The girl looked into the bucket next to the stove and said regretfully, ”There's hardly any left here either. I'll get fresh water from the well in a moment, when I'm finished.”

“No, don't trouble yourself, I can do it myself. Should I fill the bucket as well when I step out?

“She was glad to be able to contribute to the housework, so as not to be a burden on the others. With a vessel in each hand, she stepped outside. The sky was overcast and starless. Only a faint glow indicated where the moon was hidden. Pitch-black shadows covered the village square. On the gables of the houses, she made out the outlines of large black birds. Eva was overcome by an eerie feeling of being watched by so many eyes. She wondered why the ravens were gathering in such large numbers, as if they were monitoring the place.

The darkness surrounded her like a black cloak and Eva felt her way carefully forward, following the sound of splashing water. The icy wind bit painfully into her skin where it was unprotected, and Eva regretted not having put on her warm scarf.

While she was filling the bucket, she suddenly felt an icy shiver spread across her back and her heartbeat quickened. The creepy impression that she was being watched made her look around nervously. A dark, sinister figure seemed to rise out of the impenetrable blackness between the houses and float towards her threateningly.

The long shadows cast by the surrounding trees and buildings intensified the eerie atmosphere. Her hands began to tremble violently and she was unable to let go of the bucket, which teetered on the verge of falling to the ground. It was only when she realized that it was not a ghost, but Julius, who was approaching her, that she let out a sigh of relief and felt her body slowly relax.

“Oh, it's you. I didn't hear you approach.”

“Are you alone?” he asked with a stern, reproachful undertone in his voice, while he fixed Eva with a dark look. ‘I've told you before that it's not safe to walk around here unaccompanied.”

“I know, I'm sorry," Eva replied nervously. Her heart was racing as she felt his piercing eyes on her skin almost physically. “I just wanted to get water to help your granddaughter.”

He growled without saying a word and continued to stare at her, unimpressed by her explanation. Eva's pulse was pounding in her temples as she wondered what he would say or do next. She continued to justify herself.

“Nothing bad can happen to me here in the middle of the village, even if it's dark, can it?” Eva asked tentatively.

“Few things are what they appear to be at first glance. Often, the places where you feel safest are the ones where the greatest danger lurks.”

Eva could feel a twinge of unease in her gut. He made no move to explain this cryptic remark, so she went back to her business and carried the two full containers back under his watchful eye. She got the impression not so much that he wanted to protect her, but that he was much more concerned with making sure that she went straight back into the house.