Chapter 177

• As I walked in camp I heard a ruckus. First, I thought it was just a couple of men getting into a fight. That was a common enough event during this journey. As I got closer I discovered it was a different matter altogether.
• Gretchen was lying prone on the ground crying. Lying on top of her was Willi trying to protectively cover his sister. On top of Willi was Megan, huddling defensively as a man lashed her bare back with a riding crop.
• Megan's ripped blouse lay on the ground besides her. The torn fabric was intermeshed with blood. The same blood pouring from lashes drawn across her back as the crazed man continued to strike her over and over.