Her head was pounding. They had walked all night, only stopping for the occasional bathroom break or moment to catch their breath after a steep climb. The children barely said a word, their eyes glazed over and sleepy, but they kept pushing onward. She was proud of them for their strength, but wondered how long they could keep it up. The night had been cold, sending them all into shivers, but everyone seemed to ignore it. The morning sun was now shining in the sky, moving higher and warming them as they walked. She determined it was probably around nine o'clock, judging by the sun. Though she was certain Georg could tell her exactly what time it was, if she cared to ask.
She knew her headache was caused by hunger, dehydration, and lack of sleep; a combination they were all suffering. Her stomach continuously growled to remind her of her hunger as they walked. Soon enough they would come to a spring, she knew because the grass was becoming fuller and greener as they walked. She saw more flower buds nearby, and there was even a little family of deer that they startled away moments before. Being late March, it was still cold, but signs of Spring were all around.
Suddenly, Brigitta fell to her knees, her weakness being the first to show. Maria rushed to her side, passing Marta's hand she was holding to Liesl in the process. She helped the girl to her feet, wrapping an arm around her to help her remain sturdy.
"You're doing so well. Just a little bit more, and I think we'll find water." She whispered to Brigitta, who found the will to push onward. Thankfully, Maria was not wrong. They came across a river not long after, much to everyone's delight. The children ran to the water, scooping drinks with their hands. Georg and Maria did the same, sharing a worried look with one another. They knew they needed to feed the children, but they had no real means of doing so.
"Are there fish in the river?" Her voice sounded hoarse, she hardly recognized it.
"Yes, I'm sure there are. But if we catch them, how do we cook them?" His voice didn't sound much better than hers, she noticed. They desperately needed sleep.
"I know there will be some berries around here, maybe over there." She pointed in the direction of a dark, overgrown wooded area. He squinted, hesitant. "I can take a couple of the children to see what we can find."
"We can't survive on berries."
"We can't survive on nothing either." He nodded, taking her hand in his and squeezing in reassurance. Louisa and Kurt offered to go with her, and soon they were off searching for berries while the rest of the family rested by the river.
"Mother, is that an apple tree?" Kurt's excitement could not be contained as he ran toward the object in question. Thank goodness, Maria thought.
"Yes, but they are not at all ready to eat. Pick the ones that are the fullest. That'll be good enough, I think." They picked apples and some berries they found along the way, trying to bring back as much as they could carry. Maria and Louisa held their dresses out and filled them with everything they could while Kurt filled pockets and arms.
It wasn't much, but everyone seemed very grateful to finally have something in their stomachs. After eating her portion, Maria laid in the grass, closing her eyes for just a moment before they had to move again. Gretl curled up beside her, cuddling to her for warmth, and she smiled at the sweetness. They all needed to sleep, it was apparent, but she knew they would have a better chance of evading anyone still seeking them out if they kept moving for a while longer.
It wasn't long until Georg gave the order that they needed to move again. Maria took the girls into a secluded area to relieve themselves before taking off again, Georg taking the boys. None of the girls were exactly thrilled about not having a bathroom handy, less so about going in front of one another, but they made due easily enough. The little girls were having fun with the freedom of it all, at least.
And then they were off again, walking for hours. It felt like days, and she didn't feel like they were even making any progress. She knew Georg wasn't exactly sure where they were, but they would keep pressing on until they knew for a fact they had made it to Switzerland. When looking at a map before they left, she vividly remembered how far away their destination looked; the mountains stretched an astronomical distance.
Her body ached, and she prayed they would be able stop and sleep soon. It would do the children no good to see her collapse from exhaustion either, she thought, so she pushed on. A long journey indeed.