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Show 12? Chapter 19 Although no rain was falling, the sky seemed split apart by lightning and thunder just before noon the next day when everyone assembled in front of the church. "If it starts to rain too hard," some of the people shouted above the rumbling thunder, "we will bring the children inside," but Father Johann protested, "No, no! The children must dance through the streets while we pray. That is the way it was done in Bohemia, where the children were cured. Come inside, my people, we must begin the prayers at exactly noon. Gast will be careful of your children." As the citizens hurried to enter the church, I noticed Dietrich and Damien standing on the edge of the throng of children glaring at one another. Those two, who to my knowledge had never exchanged a cross word, stood toe-to-toe with their fists balled and anger blazing from their eyes. Without warning, Dietrich lashed out and struck his brother on the cheek. "Why did you do that?" Damien yelled. "Because I hate you!" "I hate you worse!" Damien shouted back, punching his twin hard in the stomach. They fell on each other like animals, pounding and clawing, each trying to grasp the other by the throat. Damien's nose spurted blood and Dietrich's lower lip was split by his brother's fist. Gast pushed his way through the children and jerked the twins to their feet. "What is the meaning of this?" he barked. |