Second Chance Matches | ONC 2020

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙞𝙫𝙚

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Everyone froze where they were, like they had suddenly turned into one of the plants that surrounded them and grown roots into the earth. Aleksy, Casmir, and Edgar nearly collided with Maria on their seventh rotation around the house and Rose immediately released the breath she had been holding. After everyone had finally melted from their spots, the whole group was soon barreling for the door with Maria frantically ushering them in.

Thankfully Maria had not only made sure that she was prepared, but that they were prepared as well. They had practiced drills nearly every day on what to do if they suddenly had to hide. Maria guarded the door as the two oldest, Aleksy and Ruth, pulled aside the couch and the rug underneath to reach the hidden trapdoor that blended in almost perfectly with the floorboards.

Rose, Edgar, Brigitta, Friedrich, and Sabine ran to the two bedrooms that they all shared and gathered their mattresses and personal items to throw into the bunker. Thankfully they did not own much so it did not take long. After this task was completed, Rose, Edgar, Brigitta, and Sabine quickly scrambled down the ladder into the bunker but Friedrich remained topside.

"Come on, Friedrich," Ruth hissed, still holding the trapdoor open.

Friedrich looked to Maria nervously. "I don't want to leave her by herself."

"I'll be okay, my darling," Maria smiled and swept aside a few tears as she strode over to Friedrich. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her chest, stroking his golden hair. "My strong man, you must take care of the others, yeah?"

Friedrich pulled away to look up and meet her face. His face was soaked with tears and his lip trembled as he spoke, "I'm scared."

"You want to know a secret?" Maria smiled down at him with her own tear-stained face. "So am I."

The sound of rustling trees beyond the property alerted the remaining four to their incoming company. While he was distracted, Maria pushed Friedrich towards the bunker and Ruth and Aleksy grabbed him by his arms. Aleksy covered Friedrich's mouth to prevent his screams as they shoved him into the bunker kicking and flailing. Maria gave Aleksy and Ruth a stern nod before they took their turns lowering themselves down into the bunker and snapping the trapdoor shut.

Maria rushed to push the couch and the rug back into place before the Gestapo arrived. A knock on the door appeared at the precise moment the couch thumped back into its spot. Maria brushed the fabric down on her skirt and gave herself a moment to collect her thoughts and take a deep breath before answering. With a confident click in her step and her head held high, she pressed a smile onto her face and opened the door to meet her enemy.

"Hello gentlemen, what brings you all the way out here?" Maria's soft voice leaked through the floorboards and into the children's ears below.

"Ah ah, let's not skip the formalities, Frau Wagner," the deep voice of one of the Gestapo officers boomed. "Heil Hitler."

"Heil Hitler," Maria responded after clearing her throat.

"What are they saying?" Casmir whispered to his underground companions. Several hushes answered him before Aleksy quietly agreed to roughly translate for those that didn't speak German.

"Are you home alone this evening?" the Gestapo officer asked.

"Yes, my husband is off at war and my children are away at school."

"Frau Wagner, we received a report from one of the vendors at the market in town that you've been making frequent trips all by yourself and stocking up on way more food than a delicate lady of your stature can eat by herself. Nobody has ever seen your husband or children so they've been made to assume that the food is for someone else..." the Gestapo officer explained. They could hear the clicking of his boots as he let himself inside and their eyes traced the ceiling as they followed his trail.