Roman was still conversing with Liesl when the first wave of air strikes flew through the city. The innocent civilians screamed in terror and Roman swiftly grabbed Liesl, pushing the two of them to the ground and covering her with his own body.
"What's happening?!" she screamed as the bombs continued to fall. Roman protected her ears from the noises with his own hands and scanned the scene with large eyes. His adrenalin was running wildly and his heart pounded hard. They were in the center of the city and bombs were falling on all sides of the market, hitting buildings and homes all around.
In a short instant a bomb had fallen too close for comfort, smashing through one half of the market and slamming to the ground. People screamed and cried and Roman swallowed down hard.
Innocent people would soon be dead.
Maria Von Trapp was shaking harshly when the dropping of bombs had finally come to a stop. Her heart still raced wildly and she removed unsteady hands from her ears as Friedrich slowly sat up.
"Is it safe?!" Marta shouted to her father.
Georg ignored her. "Is everyone all right?!" he yelled.
There was no answer at first. "Is anyone hurt?! Maria?! Friedrich!"
"We're okay father!" Friedrich answered across the way. He then looked inside to Kurt and Brigitta. "Are you two all right?"
"Besides the heart in my throat, I'm fine," Brigitta answered as Kurt and herself slowly raised their heads.
"Mother are you okay?" Friedrich asked Maria.
"Y-Yes," she answered nervously. "Just . . . A little frightened."
Friedrich slowly grabbed her by the hand and helped her to the feet. She instinctively put a hand on her stomach, and was glad when she felt the baby kick. It meant that there was still life.
"Do you think it's over?" Kurt asked as he opened the door for Friedrich and Maria, now looking to his father who headed for the house with Marta and Gretl.
"I don't know," Georg answered. "Let's just all get inside. We're safe for now."
Kurt hastily closed the door behind the last three members of the family and looked to the six frightened faces. Gretl and Marta quickly clung to their mother who was still sharing a hug with the eldest Von Trapp at the house. Brigitta hugged her father tightly and Kurt did the same after striding across the room.
"I'm scared," Gretl mumbled, her voice wavering with sobs. Friedrich bent down and grabbed her into an embrace and was fast to reassure his youngest sister.
"It's okay now Gretl," Friedrich said.
"Do you think he's right?" Kurt asked, who had now released from a hug with his mother.
"I certainly hope so," Marta whispered softly.
"Oh no," Brigitta exclaimed suddenly, causing nearly everyone in the family to tense back up. "What about Liesl and Louisa?"
There was rubble in the streets and Swedish soldiers running around in confusion. People wandered and laid helplessly, screaming out in fear or pain. The fruit and vegetables, tables, clothes, and spices of the market had been knocked down and spilled onto the concrete floors.
When Liesl raised her head she saw a lone melon rolling down the street. There were men running in uniforms and as she shifted her vision slightly upward she saw a building that looked like it had been a box crushed by giant hands. She heard screams.
"Are you okay?" Roman asked her as he slowly removed himself from her.
Liesl swallowed hard as she rolled from her stomach onto her back. "Yes. I think so." she answered. More than anything she was shocked and attempting to take in her surroundings. "What happened Roman?"
The man slowly shook his head as he stayed their on a knee. "B-24s," he answered distantly.
"What?" Liesl asked confused.
"B-24 Liberators. American heavy bombers," Roman elaborated.
"But what are they doing here? This is neutral territory-"
"I don't know," Roman said. "I should take you home though. Things are going to become hectic."
"I think they already have," Liesl sighed, scanning the once lively market place again. "I'm scared. What if they come back?"
"I'll be with you. I'll protect you. There's nothing to be afraid of," Roman assured her. The young woman's blue eyes traveled into his own brown ones, and for a long moment they held the gaze. "I-"
Liesl cut off his words. "My sister," she gasped. "Where's Louisa?"
"I-I-don't know," Roman stuttered. "We can find her. Come on."
Liesl took Roman's hand and he gently helped her off the dirty market floor. Liesl didn't let go as the two headed through the market. She felt safe with him at her side, with all the ugliness that had developed. People were bleeding and weeping, and Liesl could barely move herself forward. Roman was forcing her to be brave, and for that she was grateful.
Her stomach was in knots as they searched through the clusters of people. It seemed that they would never find Louisa and Liesl felt responsible. "I shouldn't have sent her off like that-"
"Don't blame yourself," Roman replied, still scanning the market intently. "You didn't drop the bombs today and we'll find your sister soon enough."
Fortunately Roman was right and Louisa was spotted a good fifty yards away from where one of the bombs was dropped onto the street. Liesl nearly sprinted to her, grabbing her sister into a hug. "I was so worried," she breathed out. Roman slowly followed behind her and stopped to watch the two sisters share an embrace.
"What were those planes? Why were they bombing us?" Louisa asked. She seemed dazed still, but Liesl couldn't blame her.
"Americans," Liesl said quietly. "But that doesn't matter now, are you hurt? Are you okay?"
"Y-Yes, I think so," Louisa answered her older sister. "Do you think they'll come back-"
"That arm doesn't look to good," Roman observed as he took a position at Liesl's side. Both girls took a look at Louisa's arm, where blood was slowly trickling down her finger. It was amazing that Louisa hadn't recognized the injury, but the young girl seemed out of sorts as it was.
"It's just a scratch I'm sure," Louisa said.
"No, Louisa, let me see it," Liesl insisted, gently grabbing it. She slowly turned it over and took sight of a deep cut running from her elbow crevasse down about six inches. "Oh dear," Liesl gasped, quickly pulling out a hanker chief. "Does it hurt?"
"No, not at all" Louisa answered dazed, her eyes wide as she studied the new wound. "Oh my. It's just so much b-b-blood . . ."
Roman quickly caught Louisa as she fainted back and Liesl placed a hand over her mouth. "Should we get a doctor?" he asked as he scooped her into a pair of strong arms.
"No, she'll be alright. I shouldn't have let her see. She can't seem to stomach blood," Liesl sighed. "Can you take us home?"
"Yes, of course," Roman answered nodding his head. Liesl carefully grabbed onto his forearm and kept herself glued at his side.
"Thank you," she said softly. "My name is Liesl by the way."
The sky was becoming dark and there was still no sign of the two eldest Von Trapp daughters. Friedrich and Kurt had headed out in search of their siblings while Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl replaced the furniture, dishware, and other items that had fallen out of their places due to the incident earlier.
Georg paced impatiently, watching the clock with intense eyes. Maria was well aware that there was no consoling him, and tried to keep her own spirits up. She was still quite shaken up from the bombings, but did her best to keep her mind diverted, and it was easy with Liesl and Louisa missing. Maria prayed the lord would keep her two daughters safe as well as her sons who were now wandering around a torn apart Schaffhausen.
Finally there was a pounding on the door and both Maria and Georg exchanged hopeful glances.
When their father swung open the door, Liesl could already see how worried he had been. Louisa was now on her own to feet after coming to a few blocks back. Roman stood shyly on the pathway as the two girls went up to the front door.
"Thank god," Georg announced, grabbing both of them into tight embraces. He placed a kiss on the top of each of their heads before finally releasing them. "We were worried. Your brothers are out looking for you right now."
"We're fine now father," Louisa assured him.
"How is everyone else?" Liesl asked.
"Their fine," Georg answered. "Now come inside."
Louisa quickly obeyed but Liesl turned back. "Roman," she said. "You can come too if you'd like."
"I don't want to intru-"
"I'm inviting you. There's no intrusion involved," Liesl assured.
The twenty-three year old gave a small nod of his head, before slowly following behind her inside. Georg watched curiously as the pair passed him, before taking one last look outside. Now all he had to worry about were his boys.
"Friedrich, can we go home? I'm hungry," Kurt von Trapp grumbled as he trudged down the street behind his brother.
"You're always hungry," Friedrich muttered. "We can go home once we find the girls."
"What if they're back already?" Kurt asked.
Friedrich paid his theory no attention. Instead he continued onward. "Why do I have the feeling we aren't out here for Liesl or Louisa?"
"What gives you that idea?" Friedrich asked.
"I'm not as oblivious as you may think. You want to run off and join the Swiss tonight, don't you?"
"I never said that-"
"But you were thinking it, weren't you?"
"What if I was? At least we could fend off these damn allied planes. They've already counted twenty-eight dead and even more injured. I want to do something useful," Friedrich confided in his brother wholeheartedly. There was a passion in his voice that gave Kurt the idea that stopping his brother was impossible.
"You really think that the army could have done anything today anyway?" Kurt asked. "Whether or not you were in a uniform, everyone here was helpless. What is the point of joining an army in neutral territory anyway-"
"What would you know, Kurt?"
"That I don't want to see you make a mistake. Honor does not require a uniform. Besides, if you go I'll go-"
"Kurt-"
"What, Friedrich? You're my older brother. I won't just let you leave me with all the girls," Kurt explained. "If father allows you to go, well, he'll just have to let me go too."
"You're too young Kurt-"
"And you're not much older."
Friedrich's blue eyes kept a steady gaze on Kurt before the young man finally let out a sigh. "You're wiser than you lead on," he mumbled finally. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a heavy breath. "Let's just go home."
"I think that's the smartest thing you've said all day," Kurt said before happily heading in the direction home with his older brother.
Hope you enjoyed. I'll be honest by saying I did most of my research by wikipedia, but if anyone else knows more about the Schaffhausen bombings feel free to come forward because I know the information would only improve my story ;) Oh and reviews are still and always will be apprecaited !