by Beth Sadler
Chapter 7
They arrived at Chateau Thierry before lunch and immediately took a twenty minute bus ride out into the countryside to the nearby village of Omois. Tasha had done some research on-line and knew that only a couple of hundred people had lived there in nineteen fourteen.
“What do we do now?”Tasha asked when they arrived outside the village pub. She was starting to get a little overwhelmed by the magnitude of their task.
“We find the buildings that were standing when your Teeron ancestor visited here. It shouldn’t be too hard. I have a program on my com-watch that ages buildings, so we just have to walk a grid until we find the correct age. Anything after nineteen fourteen is out.”
“How about lunch in the pub before we start? I’m thirsty and a stop for lunch now means we can keep going all afternoon.”
Teril readily agreed and they entered the small pub, which was nothing more than a bar with counter stools and two tables with chairs by a large picture window. Tasha ordered for them both then, carried two, large, ice-cold glasses of lemonade back to their table. The view of the river was relaxing, so they settled contentedly into quenching their thirst without saying another word.
The bartender brought their meal before their glasses were empty and placed them on the table with a smile and a “Bon appétit.” before he turned to walk back to the bar.
Tasha’s gaze idly followed his progress and that’s when she spotted the WW1 campaign map on the wall. A sudden inspiration had her speaking rapidly to him before he could get away.
“I wonder if you could tell me how many of these buildings were standing before WW1? My friend is an historian from Sweden and he’s trying to map the movements of the forces, during The Battle of the Marne in nineteen fourteen.”
The bartender’s eyes lit up as he burst into enthusiastic speech, hands gesticulating, pointing out to the river, and on down the road. Tasha translated quickly for Teril as it became obvious that they’d hit a gold mine of information as well as a good meal. Their host was a WW1 buff who knew every inch of the surrounding countryside, and the village’s history. When he finally left the table, Tasha knew exactly where they had to go when they finished their meal.
Teril smiled proudly into his love’s eyes. “You are without doubt the smartest woman in the world. How did you know that he would be so knowledgeable?”
“I didn’t know for sure, but when I spotted that map on the wall, I knew someone here was into local history.”
“So, now we take a walk to the only two buildings that are left standing from that period. I hope your gift kicks in and we can identify your many times great grandmother. He laughed at a thought that flashed through his mind. “Otherwise I will have to get a job at the pub washing dishes to check DNA. Yuck, all that slippery detergent.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Tasha grinned back.
The walk to the first abandoned farm house only took a few minutes but, seemed to step them back a hundred years in time. The sad, neglected house sat on a slight rise surrounded by shade trees and untamed rose bushes. Treading carefully, they reached the front door and looked inside. Nothing was left of the rooms and the roof was open to the sky. Tasha felt sadness at the neglect.
Teril pulled some weeds away from a tree stump and taking Tasha’s arm ushered her to take a seat. Digging into his backpack he pulled out his com-pad and accessed the files he needed. Handing it over to Tasha he waited for her to comment on her Teeron ancestor.
Tasha watched the video with interest but felt no feeling of connection, nothing stirred in her mind or heart. Sadly she handed it back to Teril.
“I’m sorry I don’t feel anything, not even a whisper of connection to this man.”
“Don’t worry we’ll try the next house and if that doesn’t work I’ll think of something.”
“OK. I’m sorry though,” she said miserably. “ I really wanted to be of help to you.”
Teril struggled to hide his disappointment and placing an arm around her drooping shoulders gave her a quick hug. “We’d have been lucky to find the evidence we needed this quickly. Don’t worry; the next house must be the one.”
They arrived in front of a small, abandoned cottage on the edge of a country road, ten minutes later. Tasha opened the door and walked through the hall into the kitchen. It was cool inside and she gave a shiver, after the warmth of the summer day outside the contrast was sudden.
Teril handed her the com-pad again as she sat on the floor, preparing to view the video again. Teril sat on the floor beside her and pulled her close so that they could both view the com-pad.
“I haven’t told you the name of your ancestor as I didn’t want to influence your visions but, maybe I’m hampering you, maybe you need to know to make a connection.” Teril smiled sadly as he pointed to the man on the screen, freezing the video he let her look her fill. That’s Jandra your Teeron ancestor.”
Tasha looked carefully at the tall, strong, dark haired man on the screen and felt admiration but, no connection.
“I’m sorry Teril but, I don’t feel anything.”
They both slumped with disappointment.
“Hail Hera, I really thought that this would work. I think I counted too much on your visions when I should have kept working on the basics of DNA. I’m afraid washing-up in the local pub is starting to look like the only answer. Damn.”
Tasha felt sad that she hadn’t been able to help. Idly she tapped the screen and it started the video rolling again. Teril saw what she was doing but let the vision roll.
“That won’t help my love it only shows the rest of the crew from there on.”
“Tasha watched the camera pan across the other three men sitting at the table. They were obviously being interviewed for some reason, probably for a news program. The camera slowly zoomed into the men’s faces as they smiled and answered questions.
Slowly Tasha felt herself become part of the scene and willingly let herself drift with the feeling. Suddenly the camera zoomed into one face that seemed to stare urgently back at her, dragging her in with words of love and desperation seeming to come from his mouth. He couldn’t be saying what she was hearing at a news interview, she drifted further into the scene-------------
