Deceptions Read Online Free Page B

jabbed her fingers, and just as she reahzed it was a nail in the trapdoor the boy opened it. She blinked in the light, limp with relief and shame. He was asyoung and

    afraid as they were; how could she have thought he would hurt them?
    When the boy had pulled them up, Sabrina and Stephanie stared at each other. They were filthy, their skirts torn, their faces streaked with tears and dirt. Sabrina's fingers were scraped and bloody, and when she moved a spider fell out of her hair. Seeing it, Stephanie violently ran her hands through her own hair. The boy was replacing the drawers the men had flung to the floor. On the cot, the little girl and the baby lay still, their eyes wide and blank.
    Now that it was over, Sabrina became curious again. 'What did they want?' she asked.
    'Guns,' said the boy. 'They are Greek patriots fighting for independence in Cyprus.'
    Sabrina remembered something about it from school. *Why are they fighting here?'
    To get rid of the Turks.' The boy spat out the word.
    'But are the Turks here?'
    'No. In Cyprus. Fighting Greeks. My father is there. I should be with him, fighting the Turks.'
    'Then who is in the street?' Sabrina demanded, stamping her foot in frustration.
    'Greeks and Turks and police,' the boy said, as if it were obvious.
    Stephanie was feeling better. She knew Sabrina was ashamed because they had hidden, and she began to feel ashamed too. 'Where is your mother?' she asked the boy.
    'Dead. My aunt was to be here, but she is late.'
    'Dead! Oh, Sabrina, we should—'
    But Sabrina was looking at the boy intently. 'Would you really fight?' she asked.
    'If I had a gun,' he answered, 'I would kill.'
    Sabrina's eyes were dark with wonder. 'What's your name?'
    'Dmitri Karras.' They stared at each other.
    The room was quiet; outside, the noise had faded, leaving only the crackling flames of the burning cars.
    'Sabrina,' Stephanie said. 'It's late. Shouldn't we go? And maybe - if their mother is dead - we could—'
    '—^lake them with us,' Sabrina finished.

    Dmitri drew himself up. 'I take care of my sisters.*
    *Yes,'Sabrinasaid. 'But come for awhile. Come for dinner/ she added as graciously as her mother in the embassy reception room. 'Our chauffeur will bring you back whenever you want.'
    Dmitri could not take his eyes off her: so proud and beautiful. Like a queen. He hated her and he loved her. 'Okay,' he said at last.
    And so it was that firemen arriving a few moments later came upon five children walking down the street - a Greek girl carrying a baby, and a Greek boy with eyes riveted on two identical American girls, scruffy with dirt but real beauties, their faces framed in auburn curls. The firemen took them to the police, who drove them to the address they gave, which the pohce knew was the American Embassy, and there was going to be hell to pay.
    One of the policemen had telephoned ahead, and a crowd was waiting on the embassy porch. Laura flew down the walk to gatherSabrina and Stephanie to her, exclaiming in dismay at their torn, dirty clothes and the blood on Sabrina's hands. Gordon followed, his face like stone. As he reached them flashbulbs exploded on all sides fi-om the cameras of thirty reporters who, like everyone else, had thought Cypriots had kidnapped the twin daughters of the American charge d'affaires.
    Sabrina leaned against her mother in the wonderful warmth of her arms. Everything was all right. They were home. Then, remembering Dmitri, she looked around and caught a glimpse of him through the crowd of jostling reporters.
    'Wait!' she commanded loudly. She and Stephanie pulled away fi-om Laura and went to Dmitri. 'These are ourfiiends. They saved us. I've invited them to dinner.'
    'Sabrina!' Her father's voice lashed her. 'Not another word. You have done enough damage with your recklessness and impudence. How many times must I warn you—?'
    Sabrina stared, open-mouthed and stunned. They were home. Why was Daddy scolding her? He hadn't even hugged them. She was hurt all