Part II- Nonnberg
I stare at him, utterly confused. For the life I me I can't understand why he's happy that the Nazis are following us. " You say that as though you were expecting them to follow us."
" I was."
" Did you tip them off?" I ask my voice laced with fear.
" Not exactly. I placed a two calls, knowing that they would be listening. I wanted them to come after us."
" I…" I stammer unable to find any sort of coherent thought.
" I don't understand…" I hear Kurt say from the backseat, " They're gone."
" Where'd they go?" Louisa asks no one in particular.
I turn around to look out the window again. " They are gone."
" That worked even better then I'd planned."
" What?" I choke out, struggling to understand what's going on.
" Maria, do you trust me?"
" Yes, of course I do." I say confidently.
" Then just take me at my word, everything is going to be fine."
" Father, why would they stop following us?" Liesl asks her voice remarkably calm.
" They didn't stop. You see, a few yards before we turned, I turned our lights off. As we made the turn, another car took our spot on the road."
" Another car?" I say starting to understand what's going on.
" Yes, an old friend of mine owed me a favor. He just happens to have the same car that we do."
He finishes his explanation as we turn down an even darker road, " So his car was in the one that was in fornt of us. You turned off the lights, and turned onto the road. So now the Nazis are following that car, believing that they're following us?"
He says nothing else, instead giving me a quick nod.
" You've had this planned. That's why you went into town, and cryptic call earlier. You were planning your escape?"
" Yes. Except for the abbey, you mentioned needed to get your things and I decided to change the plan."
" Are we going to hide in the abbey?" Brigitta asks calmly.
" No."
" No?" I say back to him, my voice starting to take on a confused tone.
" No." His answer is firm, and his tone tells me that this discussion is over.
I look back at the children and nod to them.
We fall into an uneasy silence as we continue our drive to Nonnberg.
A half and hour later we park in the back of the abbey. I look at the window and see The Reverend Mother standing next to the caretaker's car.
" All right, everyone get out quickly and quietly."
" Yes father." I hear fear in their voices for the first time tonight.
I pull Ellie close to me and open the car door. We get out quickly and head towards the Reverend Mother.
" Maria." She says quickly
" Hello mother." I manage to say cheerfully.
" I packed a small bag of Ellie's things and put it in the car. It should last until you get over the border."
" Thank you, Mother."
" Don't be afraid my daughter you will not be alone. Remember " I will lift mine eyes unto the hills whence cometh my help."
" Yes mother." I move Ellie slightly and give her a quick hug.
When the hug ends her eyes fall on Ellie. " Dear child, god bless you." I watch with tears in my eyes as she makes the cross over Ellie. " God be with you, all of you."
" Maria." His voice brings me back to reality. I say one last goodbye and head for the car.
Ellie and I climb in quickly and pull the door closed behind us.
The engine starts and I take a deep breath.
I can't shake the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, that the worst of things have yet to come...
" We'll be over the border in a few hours." He says calmly as we pull out of the abbey and head back towards the road we came on. " Why don't you all settle in, try and get some rest."
The children heed the advice and move close to each other as they try to fall asleep. I find myself exhausted, the events of the day finally catching up to me. I pull Ellie close to me, and close my eyes.
My eyes open just as fast as they closed, when I hear Ellie's happy gurgles.
" Well hello, darling." I can't help but smile at the happiness in his voice.
" I think she has it backwards." I say looking down into her now wide-open eyes. He laughs lightly and my heart skips a beat…it's like music to my ear. " I'm surprised she didn't wake up sooner."
" I don't want to think about what could have happened if she had woken up sooner."
I nod, my eyes looked with Ellie's. " You called Nonnberg when I went to wake the children?"
He offers me a simple nod, " I wanted to make sure that Ellie was taken care until we get across the border."
I nod and settle back into my seat.
We continue driving in a restful silence, Ellie content just being in my arms.
Twenty-Five minutes later the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach becomes a reality, as a pair of headlights come towards us. We exchange a quick glance at each other, and I tighten my grip on Ellie as he slams on the brakes. The car screeches to a halt a few seconds later and his attention is immediately turned to the children…
" Is everyone all right?" He asks calmly.
I hear seven " Yes father's" and say a quick thank you to God for protecting them. I know by the look in his eyes that he's also saying a silent thank you to God.
" Maria?" His eyes meet mine, and I find myself suddenly fighting back tears.
" I'm fine." I say trying to get Ellie to calm down.
" Is she all right?"
" I think she's fine. She was just startled." I hold her to my chest and place a tender kiss on the top of her head.
" Father, who is it?" Liesl asks over Ellies crying.
" I can't tell."
I stare straight ahead at the car in front of us. The headlights nearly blind me, but I'm finally able to make out an image on the right side of the hood. A moment later and I realize what it is that I'm seeing...
" Nazis."
To be continued…
***********************************************************************************************
I stare at him, utterly confused. For the life I me I can't understand why he's happy that the Nazis are following us. " You say that as though you were expecting them to follow us."
" I was."
" Did you tip them off?" I ask my voice laced with fear.
" Not exactly. I placed a two calls, knowing that they would be listening. I wanted them to come after us."
" I…" I stammer unable to find any sort of coherent thought.
" I don't understand…" I hear Kurt say from the backseat, " They're gone."
" Where'd they go?" Louisa asks no one in particular.
I turn around to look out the window again. " They are gone."
" That worked even better then I'd planned."
" What?" I choke out, struggling to understand what's going on.
" Maria, do you trust me?"
" Yes, of course I do." I say confidently.
" Then just take me at my word, everything is going to be fine."
" Father, why would they stop following us?" Liesl asks her voice remarkably calm.
" They didn't stop. You see, a few yards before we turned, I turned our lights off. As we made the turn, another car took our spot on the road."
" Another car?" I say starting to understand what's going on.
" Yes, an old friend of mine owed me a favor. He just happens to have the same car that we do."
He finishes his explanation as we turn down an even darker road, " So his car was in the one that was in fornt of us. You turned off the lights, and turned onto the road. So now the Nazis are following that car, believing that they're following us?"
He says nothing else, instead giving me a quick nod.
" You've had this planned. That's why you went into town, and cryptic call earlier. You were planning your escape?"
" Yes. Except for the abbey, you mentioned needed to get your things and I decided to change the plan."
" Are we going to hide in the abbey?" Brigitta asks calmly.
" No."
" No?" I say back to him, my voice starting to take on a confused tone.
" No." His answer is firm, and his tone tells me that this discussion is over.
I look back at the children and nod to them.
We fall into an uneasy silence as we continue our drive to Nonnberg.
A half and hour later we park in the back of the abbey. I look at the window and see The Reverend Mother standing next to the caretaker's car.
" All right, everyone get out quickly and quietly."
" Yes father." I hear fear in their voices for the first time tonight.
I pull Ellie close to me and open the car door. We get out quickly and head towards the Reverend Mother.
" Maria." She says quickly
" Hello mother." I manage to say cheerfully.
" I packed a small bag of Ellie's things and put it in the car. It should last until you get over the border."
" Thank you, Mother."
" Don't be afraid my daughter you will not be alone. Remember " I will lift mine eyes unto the hills whence cometh my help."
" Yes mother." I move Ellie slightly and give her a quick hug.
When the hug ends her eyes fall on Ellie. " Dear child, god bless you." I watch with tears in my eyes as she makes the cross over Ellie. " God be with you, all of you."
" Maria." His voice brings me back to reality. I say one last goodbye and head for the car.
Ellie and I climb in quickly and pull the door closed behind us.
The engine starts and I take a deep breath.
I can't shake the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach, that the worst of things have yet to come...
" We'll be over the border in a few hours." He says calmly as we pull out of the abbey and head back towards the road we came on. " Why don't you all settle in, try and get some rest."
The children heed the advice and move close to each other as they try to fall asleep. I find myself exhausted, the events of the day finally catching up to me. I pull Ellie close to me, and close my eyes.
My eyes open just as fast as they closed, when I hear Ellie's happy gurgles.
" Well hello, darling." I can't help but smile at the happiness in his voice.
" I think she has it backwards." I say looking down into her now wide-open eyes. He laughs lightly and my heart skips a beat…it's like music to my ear. " I'm surprised she didn't wake up sooner."
" I don't want to think about what could have happened if she had woken up sooner."
I nod, my eyes looked with Ellie's. " You called Nonnberg when I went to wake the children?"
He offers me a simple nod, " I wanted to make sure that Ellie was taken care until we get across the border."
I nod and settle back into my seat.
We continue driving in a restful silence, Ellie content just being in my arms.
Twenty-Five minutes later the awful feeling in the pit of my stomach becomes a reality, as a pair of headlights come towards us. We exchange a quick glance at each other, and I tighten my grip on Ellie as he slams on the brakes. The car screeches to a halt a few seconds later and his attention is immediately turned to the children…
" Is everyone all right?" He asks calmly.
I hear seven " Yes father's" and say a quick thank you to God for protecting them. I know by the look in his eyes that he's also saying a silent thank you to God.
" Maria?" His eyes meet mine, and I find myself suddenly fighting back tears.
" I'm fine." I say trying to get Ellie to calm down.
" Is she all right?"
" I think she's fine. She was just startled." I hold her to my chest and place a tender kiss on the top of her head.
" Father, who is it?" Liesl asks over Ellies crying.
" I can't tell."
I stare straight ahead at the car in front of us. The headlights nearly blind me, but I'm finally able to make out an image on the right side of the hood. A moment later and I realize what it is that I'm seeing...
" Nazis."
To be continued…
***********************************************************************************************
