The SILENCE of WINTER Read Free Page A

Alex asked as they stood to get off the bus.
    Glaring at the boy one last time, Alex grimaced. The last thing he wished to do was converse with anyone else, especially now that he’d have to act Amish. But it was his own fault for bringing attention to himself.
    All Alex wanted to do was get something to eat, because once the bus headed back out on the road, it might not be stopping for meals again until it arrived in South Bend. Since Alex had plenty of money for a change, he planned to order something that would stick to his ribs.
    “So, where you heading?” the old man asked again.
    “I’m goin’ to South Bend,” Alex mumbled, followed by several wracking coughs.
    “Ah, so I’m guessin’ you must live in one of the Amish communities around Middlebury or Shipshewana?” The man squinted his pale blue eyes as he looked at Alex curiously.
    Alex gave a brief nod and hurried off the bus, hoping the few words he’d spoken hadn’t given him away. When he entered the café, he found a seat at the lunch counter and placed an order for chicken and stuffing with mashed potatoes and a cup of black coffee. He was tempted to order a beer but thought better of it since he was dressed in Amish clothes.
    “Mind if I join ya?” the old man asked, taking a seat on the stool beside Alex.
    “Suit yourself; it’s a free country,” Alex said with a shrug.
Sure wish this guy would leave me alone. Why me, anyhow? Why doesn’t he bother some other poor sucker?
    The wrinkles in the man’s forehead deepened. “You know, you really don’t sound like any Amish man I’ve ever met. Where’d you say you’re from?”
    “I didn’t.” Alex grabbed the newspaper lying beside him, hoping to put an end to this conversation.
    “I’m from Mishawaka,” the man said. “But I know a couple of Amish families who live in Middlebury.”
    Alex said nothing, just kept reading the paper.
    “You goin’ to Middlebury?”
    Alex gritted his teeth. “I’m not sure where I’m goin’ yet.”
    “But you said you were gettin’ off the bus in South Bend. Isn’t that what you said?”
    Alex gave a quick nod.
    “There aren’t any Amish communities in South Bend, so—”
    Alex was relieved when the middle-aged, slightly plump waitress came and took the old man’s order. Maybe the nosy fellow would be so occupied with his food that he’d forget about asking Alex any more questions. Of course, that wouldn’t happen until the waitress brought them both something to eat. In the meantime, Alex needed a break, so he hopped off his stool and headed for the restroom. He was glad when the nosy guy didn’t follow.
    When Alex returned to the lunch counter a short time later, the old man had moved to a booth and was slurping down a bowl of soup while leafing through a book. That was a relief!
    Alex dove into the hearty meal he’d ordered and washed it down with a cup of very strong coffee. He figured it had probably been warmed over from the day before, but it didn’t matter to him. The food was good, and for the first time in ages, his stomach was getting full. It felt great to have some real food in his belly for a change. Stealing bits of food here and there and sometimes gulping something down that one of the restaurants in Philly had thrown out was no way to exist. Of course, Alex hadn’t done more than merely exist for too many years already. Well, that was about to change.
    Grabbing the last piece of chicken and stirring it through the gravy, Alex took a quick glance around the restaurant. At the end of each table, a small bookshelf held several books.
    “Would you like a refill of coffee?” the waitress asked as she took Alex’s plate.
    “No, I’ve had enough,” Alex curtly answered. Then he remembered he was supposed to act Amish, which meant he should probably be a little more polite to the woman. “Uh, what’s with all the books?” he questioned.
    “This place started out years ago with just a few books in the cases at the end