The rain poured steadily pounding on the old roof of the run-down shack. The wind outside howled like a hungry wolf and slipped through some cracks in the dilapidated walls. We huddled together for warmth, the sound of our terrified panting almost drowning out the howling and pounding outside. Our breath rose in clouds above out heads, clearly visible in the frigid air.
"Don't fret precious, I'm here… Go back to sleep." Someone whispered. I didn't know who. I didn't know most of the people there with me; we were all strangers, united in fear of a mutual threat. I shook at the thought of that threat… If they found us here, now, I don't think any of us would survive.
"They're counting bodies like sheep…" Someone said, the obviously male voice cracked. We all shivered closer, hoping against hope they wouldn't find us. The tension in the air was almost palpable and I almost didn't want to move.
I could see through the single window in the rickety old hut, but the rain and darkness outside made it almost impossible to see anything beyond. But, there seemed to be something there, moving… It could just be the rain, but I didn't think it was. I stood-up slowly and stiffly, my legs having cramped up long ago in the cold. I shifted closer to the window in hopes of seeing more clearly. I definitely saw something move, and it looked like a person.
"Step away from the window!" Another person whispered harshly and I scurried back to my previous place. I shivered from more than the cold as a hunkered down, curling in on myself on the worn wooden floor. I heard a faint click outside, before everything went quiet. The rain and wind let up suddenly it seemed to be waiting for something and we quieted our breathing, waiting too.
"Feuer!" The gruff yell caused the silence to break and suddenly there was chaos: loud bangs, screaming, crying, more yelling… I couldn't tell what was going on, I just curled in on myself tighter, hoping it would end soon.
But it wouldn't…
Not any time soon.
They had found us.
We were gone.