He was in the middle of his first lap around their small camp site. The sun was in between staying out and setting - that perfect golden hour. As Kurt stood directly opposite his mother and sisters, he smiled with pride at how the task of protecting them was up to him. Deep down, he truly knew his mother was in charge if any important or quick decisions needed to be made, but he was the only Von Trapp man at the moment, and nobody could take that feeling away from him for anything.
"How are we looking so far?" Maria playfully teased her son as he approached the group.
"Everything is looking flawless so far, mother. Not to worry, you girls are in good hands." Kurt gave his mother and sisters a toothy grin, prompting more giggles from his sisters and a fake scowl from Maria, jokingly reprimanding all of them.
Marta and Gretl were playing cards with Louisa and Liesl was rebraiding Brigitta's hair while Maria looked on.
"How long have father and Friedrich been gone, mother? I'm starting to get a little hungry and thirsty."
"They should be back any moment, Marta. Not to worry. Why don't you have a few more berries in the meantime, hmmm?"
"Ok, but I really am thirsty," Marta replied sweetly while taking another small handful of berries from the blanket they had gathered.
"I agree. I'm a little parched as well," Kurt said as he craned his neck in the direction his father and brother had gone in not too long ago.
"What, you mean, a big brave and strong man like you gets thirsty, too?" Louisa chided her brother wickedly as she put down a few more cards. Maria outright laughed at her daughter's quick retort, and Kurt looked like he couldn't decide between a frown and a smile and eventually the entire group was giggling again.
In the middle of their giggling, there came the sound of branches cracking from the far side of the campsite, but they were gone in an instant. Less than a minute later the sounds could be heard again as well the rustle of tree branches.
Still in a jovial mood and thinking it was a rabbit or another small animal, Kurt volunteered to go check things out.
"I'll be back ladies - duty calls!" He sarcastically remarked with a wink, causing more giggles, yet again.
As Kurt puffed out his chest and turned in the direction of the noises, his heart sank into his chest. There, standing mere feet in front of him were two men, both visibly branding guns, both looked tired and dirty, and both wearing mean looks on their faces. Kurt was speechless. He knew he joked about protecting his mother and sisters, and was now at a loss for words. Instinctively, Maria stood up from where she was sitting and went to stand near her son. Nobody uttered a word. Maria knew these men weren't friendly right off the bat and decided being her usual, cheerful self was out of the question the moment she noticed their guns. As soon as she reached where Kurt was standing one of the men began talking, although not at any of the Von Trapps.
"I'd say we've hit the jackpot, here Ernst. What do you say?"
The other man didn't say anything, but nodded his head slowly while his eyes were locked on Kurt. He was sizing him up and Kurt was trying his best to do the same.
"Mind if I ask what the seven of you are doing out here in the woods so close to dark?"
The first man spoke again and this time he locked eyes on Maria and his mouth twisted into an evil grin.
"Just about to light a fire as we're camping here for the evening," Maria said, coming to the rescue of her children, motioning to the small fire pit Kurt had created with some stones earlier in the afternoon. "My husband and older son should be back any minute, they're at the stream down a little ways gathering water for all of us." Maria gave no sign of inviting the two men to stay for the fire, nor did she want to come off as threatening to them, giving them an excuse to unholster their guns.
"Husband, eh? I think she's bluffing, Ernst."
"Yeah, sounds about right to me, Peter," the other man spoke finally and the Von Trapps learned the names of both of the men intruding on them: Ernst and Peter.
"Why don't we come to terms with what you're all really do here. We know you're not camping, and furthermore, we know you're on your way over the border into Switzerland. Why else would you be this close - I'd say you're about two days tops from freedom." Ernst sneered as he made a few steps toward Maria and Kurt.
Peter stood where he was and nodded in agreement.
"I'd say Ernst is about right. And by now I'm guessing you all know why we're here, don't you my dear?" Peter gleamed evilly at Maria, which sent shivers down her spine. Still, she stood firm in her explanation.
"As I just told both of you, we're here camping. Nothing more. Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate it if you both left us to tending to the site," Maria boldly and bravely said as her courage began to grow.
For a minute it looked like Peter and Ernst were going to let Maria have the last word. They stood their ground, as did Kurt and Maria, but in an instant Peter whipped out his gun and pointed it at the girls while Ernst simultaneously strode forward and grabbed hold of Maria, pulling her towards him. Kurt reacted as quick as he could and tried to pry the man away from his mother, Ernst's gun falling from its holster as he sent Kurt to the ground and dragged Maria back to where Peter was still standing. Ernst, unfazed by losing his weapon, branded a small switchblade from his boot and held it to Maria's throat as he tightened his grip on her.
The girls all cried out in fear and huddled close together as Peter's gun kept steady in their direction. Kurt sat up from being knocked down and wiped his face. His brief collision with Ernst had left him with a small cut on his forehead that was now bleeding. He wiped his hand on his sleeve and stood up, suddenly overcome with an intense combination of utter fear and complete anger.
"This is what's going to happen. We're all going to quietly sit here and wait for your father and brother to get back. We know there's more of ya because I count 9 sleeping bags over there beyond the tree. When your father gets back, then we'll talk. You see Ernst and me are out here hunting deserters like yourselves. And I'm thinking the Nazis would love it if we turned up in the morning with nine of yous in tow." Peter's commanding voice made it known that he was in charge between he and Ernst. The latter of the two still maintained his grip on Maria, who continued to struggle for freedom, but Ernst had too good of a hold on her.
Kurt gave a big gulp and decided he needed to take some action. Maria was being held captive by these men, his father and brother were nowhere in sight, his sisters were being held at gunpoint, that left him in charge. He knew it and all of a sudden a wave of determination and strength overcame him. Immediately his eyes went down to scan the ground for Ernst's gun. He'd only ever really held a gun once when he was younger: he and Friedrich had sneaked into his father's office and found some in one of the cabinets there. Georg had been extremely mad at his boys, but later agreed both should know the ins and outs of using a weapon since they were Von Trapps. So later that day, he had taken them both into the woods beyond the lake and taught them how to clean a gun and the proper stance of firing one. Neither were allowed to actually fire the gun, but both were taught proper usage and aiming techniques. Now, Kurt's throat ran dry thinking he may have to actually discharge the gun on the ground at one of these men.
Peter and Ernst noticed Kurt shifting nervously and Peter turned his attention toward Kurt. He lowered the gun he was pointing at the girls ever so slightly.
"Don't even think about it, boy. I'll shoot all 5 of your sisters before you can even pick up that pistol. Leave it where it lies," Peter practically spat the last sentence out, asserting his dominance.
"You let my mother go and we'll see. I'm not making any guarantees here." Kurt's reply was surprisingly steady and in control. He inched his way a few centimeters closer to the fire pit - an idea forming in his head.
"Kurt! I'm fine, darling. Just listen to what these men are saying, please!"
Maria pleaded with him from mere meters away. She nodded her head back to stress upon her hurried request. The slightest movement from her caused Ernst to tighten his grip on her again.
"Better listen to your mother, kid. If my buddy shoots you nobody will be here to protect her anymore," Ernst snorted back and eyed Maria wickedly.
"Now you both listen 're going to let my mother and my sisters go. Then the three of us can talk," Kurt said as he gently bent down and picked up one of the medium sized stones encircling the fire pit he had made a few hours ago.
Peter and Ernst noted that he now had an object - not really a weapon - but an object nonetheless in his hands that he could use to distract them and mess with their plan. Still, they both had actual weapons and knew they still held the upper hand. What they didn't know, was that Kurt had also been taught how to throw with impeccable aim by Captain Georg Von Trapp.
"What are you going to do with that, kid? Hhmm? It's not like you'll be able to take the both of us out with that. Look around. There are two of us and one of you, and we both have weapons. You try anything foolish and you'll get it."
Kurt glared back at Peter, disregarding his warning. He only rotated the rock in his palm slowly, trying to find the perfect grip on it so he could use it to throw - he hadn't figured out which man he was aiming for yet, but he knew he had to use it within the next few minutes or so, otherwise his family was done for.
For a moment there was silence. Peter moved his arm holding his gun away from the girls and let if hang limply at his side, almost taunting Kurt to throw the rock. Kurt breathed in deeply and then let his entire body relax all at once, giving Peter and Ernst the impression he was going to let go of the rock and listen to them. But then, all at once, Kurt snapped his right arm back and let the rock sail through the air at Ernst. Maria turned her head away just in time as the rock hit Ernst square in his left temple, releasing Maria and his knife all in once motion as he tumbled to the ground and laid their almost lifeless.
Peter reacted and turned his head toward his friend as he fell and noticed Maria was about to run for the girls. He took his gun and with the handle, knocked Maria in her head. She fell to the ground, but was conscious and went to stand up and run to the girls, still, but Peter shouted at her to stay where she was. Now bleeding slightly from the right side of her forehead, Maria complied and looked over to her son, who amidst the scuffle had grabbed Ernst's fallen gun and now had it pointed at Peter, who in turn noticed the same thing and turned to face the eleven-year-old.
"Bad move, boy. You took the wrong one out. Forget that I still have one of these, too?" Peter waved his gun in the air, again, taunting Kurt.
"Don't you dare move. Another foot and I'll press the trigger and you'll end up like your friend over there."
Peter laughed at the absurdity of a young boy harming him, but Kurt wasn't wavering. He had tears forming in his eyes as he was growing more and more nervous having a loaded weapon in his hands, but his stance was firm.
"Kurt listen to him, I'm alright and so are your sisters," came Maria's reply as she came to stand at her feet finally, having gained her strength back.
"Better listen to your mother, kid. I'm not going to be so easy to take down like Ernst was."
"I'll be the judge of that."
Kurt's last remark made Peter do a double take. He knew he overtook the boy in size alone, but the way Kurt spoke last made it apparent he knew how to use a gun. Peter knew he had to turn the tables again, so he switched his gun to his left hand and pointed it right at Maria.
"How's this? Do anything stupid with that and see what happens to your mother."
Tears threatened to fall from Kurt's eyes again as he looked over to his mother. She in turn, had tears falling down her cheeks having a gun pointed directly at her. She put her hands up in surrender and Peter smirked. He glanced at Kurt and made a step toward Maria and then the sounds of a gunshot echoed through the trees. Peter faltered and took a step back, having just sustained a gunshot wound to his upper chest. He looked over at Kurt and saw he was trembling slightly having just fired his gun. Overcome with rage, Peter turned toward the boy and cocked his gun ready to fire back.
The five Von Trapp girls all covered their ears with their hands. Their mother looked on in horror as more shots rang out through the woods. In an instant both Kurt and Peter fell to the ground, both being hit by the other's bullets. Neither moved, and then there was complete silence.
Thanks for reading the first few chapters. More on the way, I promise! Please review!
