Marta heard someone come into the shed, but she didn't need to look up to know it wasn't Ezra. The man sitting inside that cottage was not the man she loved, it was a puppet doing Jeremiah's bidding. Marta hoped that the man she did loved was still in there, he had to be, because that man was the one who wrote of his love for her in his letters. Marta heard whoever came in sit down next to her, but Marta kept her face buried. She listened as Isiah began to speak, but the more he spoke, the more angry she got. If this was his attempt to console her, he was doing a miserable job. She did feel a pain her heart when he mentioned Edith's passing. Ezra obviously never mentioned that to her, and she would find time later to get more information about it, but not at that moment. 

Marta didn't respond to Isiah, she was too far lost in her own feelings and thoughts. All the anger Marta must have been suppressing over the past few months was slowly creeping up. She felt angry at Oscar for being a coward and picking a defenseless boy to attack on the street, outnumbering him 3 to 1. Marta felt anger for her parents kicking her out when all she ever did was fall in love. She felt anger for Ezra's parents leaving him at such a critical time. She felt anger for the gestapo who came into their house and stole Atalia away. She felt anger at Atalia for posing as her. She felt anger for having to be separated from Ezra. She felt hatred, full blow hatred for Hitler and the world he has created. But the most anger she felt at that moment was at Jeremiah. The things he has done, while at first seemed to make him out to be a saint, but now Marta was questioning all of his intentions. 

Standing up, not responding to any of Isiah's comments, she simply said, "Tell Atalia we are going to the pond." Then Marta left the shed and went back into the cottage. She ignored Ezra and Jeremiah for the moment, the two men sitting on the couch and talking in hushed tones. Marta climbed the ladder to the loft and got her knapsack and filled it with some things and then made her way back down to the sitting area. She walked over to the couch and took Ezra's hand and made him stand up. She turned and looked at Jeremiah, fire in her eyes, "Don't worry oh grand puppet master, your prodigy will be returned to you."

Without another word, she walked out of the house, pulling Ezra along with her. Looking at Atalia and Isiah, she nodded her head in the direction of the woods that were about 200 yards from the house and began to walk in that direction. No one spoke, no one made a sound. All that could be heard was the grass crunching under their shoes. As they entered the forest, Marta followed the trail that lead to a small pond. Atalia and Marta would walk through the woods together, just wanting to explore and talk together without Mrs. H always hovering. The discovered the pond a few weeks after arriving, and it became their little spot. As they neared the pond, Marta finally dropped Ezra's hand and put her bag down. Atalia and Isiah, who were still holding hands, stayed back a few feet.

Marta turned and looked at Ezra; it was like looking at a statue. His physical shape had improved ten fold, and he looked like a soldier. But his eyes showed nothing, they were hallow and emotionless. It fueled Marta's anger and what she was about to do next. She walked over to Ezra, and then suddenly reached up and slapped him across the face. She heard Atalia gasp and Isiah take a step forward, but Marta turned and gave them a look to kill. Isiah hesitated, but he stepped back and allowed Marta to continue. 

Her focus back on Ezra, she gave him a hard stare before reaching up and slapping him again, this time a little harder. "Is that how I should do it?" she asked, shoving Ezra, "Is this what I need to do to toughen up? Come on Ezra, toughen me up, teach me how to fight." With another hearty shove, "Show me what I need to do in order to send three men to the hospital. Teach me how not to feel, how to protect myself." 

This time Marta reached up, her hand in a fist and she punched Ezra square on the jaw. She felt the pain in her hand double from when she punched the wall, but she ignored it. She now got up into Ezra's face, her voice heated and loud, "Come on Ezra, fucking teach me! I want to protect myself because I am NOT going to have you protecting me anymore. I REFUSE to be the reason you die. So be a man and teach me!"

Her voice echoed in the woods and she stood there, her body stiff and her eyes burning holes into Ezra's eyes. The anger was practically radiating off her body, her chest heaving from all the yelling she did. She had no clue what Ezra's reaction would be, but Marta has had enough.