Fire in the Night by Linda Byler Read Free Book Online Page A

airy sugar straight onto an apron, where it would cling and then multiply by five as it was wiped off.
    “Mmm,” she said around a mouthful of doughnut.
    Samuel sei Emma caught the praise, acknowledged it with raised eyebrows, and then laughed good-naturedly.
    More women arrived bearing dishes of food. They hurried to place it in the kitchen before moving swiftly toward the coffee and doughnuts. There was plenty to go around, and the women rolled their eyes with guilt as they tried to be delicate while procuring a second doughnut.
    Aaron sei Lydia told Sarah there is only one way to eat a filled doughnut—in two bites while letting the filling go squooshing off wherever it wants.
    Outside, the noise and yells of the men began in earnest when they began to set the massive timbers in place.
    “ Noch an tzoll (Another inch) . ”
    Men heaved, their brawny strength pushing and pulling the oak beams and posts into place. When the first wall was finished being assembled on the ground, they attached heavy nylon ropes to either side of it. With strength provided by sheer numbers, black-clad men swarmed across the timbers and pulled the wall up and onto the new foundation. They fastened the structure with massive bolts, and dozens of hammers rang out as they pounded heavy nails into place to secure the huge oak six by sixes.
    On the ground, the other walls were already finished and ready to be put into place. Sam Stoltzfus and Henry Schmucker were the captains of the great endeavor called a barn raising. It was literally that. A barn being raised in front of your eyes, Sarah thought.
    “If you blink, there’s another wall in place,” she told Priscilla, who was standing beside her. Priscilla laughed, and there was a joy in her laugh.
    The raising of those walls boosted their spirits in a way that was hard to explain. It just seemed secure and safe and hopeful all at the same time, this coming together of all these good folks to help lift David Beiler’s family out of its fear and sadness.
    Sarah watched warily as a photographer approached her. He was of average height, with sandy hair cut close to his head and glasses with thick lenses, which made his eyes appear smaller than they actually were.
    “Hello,” he offered.
    The greeting wasn’t spoken with a Lancaster County accent. It was spoken more like a “Hel-loo” as in “loop.”
    His smile was genuine, and Sarah had no reason to dislike him as long as he kept that camera lowered.
    Sarah smiled. “Hi.”
    “Can I ask you a few questions?”
    Sarah nodded carefully.
    “Why can’t I have a doughnut?”
    The question was so surprising, so not what she was expecting, that she burst out laughing in her musical way. His sandy eyebrows went up, and he laughed with her.
    “Maybe if you’d say ‘may I,’” Sarah said shyly.
    “May I?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “May I take a picture?”
    “Of the doughnuts?”
    “No, you.”
    “Oh, no. It’s not allowed. I’d get in trouble.”
    “Why?”
    Just in time, Sarah saw Matthew Stoltzfus walking across the yard with Rose Zook beside him. In broad daylight! At a barn raising!
    Sarah was surprised but glad to see them and excused herself from the impertinent questioning. She turned away and missed seeing the puzzled photographer shrug his shoulders in resignation, then help himself to three glazed doughnuts.
    Rose Zook wiggled her fingers prettily and trilled, “Hey, Sarah!”
    Sarah greeted them warmly.
    “Boy, I’m glad to see you. I was ready to get away from the photographer.”
    “Was he nosy?”
    “Just a bit.”
    “Rose, I’m going to help now. I’ll be ready to leave about three this afternoon. See ya. Good to see you, Sarah.”
    “See you, Matt.”
    Rose looked at him, and they exchanged an intimate look, one that excluded Sarah completely. She said nothing, waiting until Rose was ready to go. They stood together, watching the great walls being hammered into place.
    It was a true visual feast. Men in