Disclaimer: Nope…don't own it…
Lost-
-Chapter Two: Gone Wrong
The train lurched forward.
Liesl clutched tighter to Gretl as she braced herself against the wall. She had been the last one of her siblings to step onto the train and the minute both feet hit the floor, it was moving. She turned to Friedrich with a puzzled look on her face, his face mirroring hers.
"It's already 9 o'clock?" she whispered.
Her brother shrugged. "I guess. I hadn't realized we were running that late."
"Well, let's not worry about that now, we're here and safe. Come on, let's find a compartment," she instructed, urging her siblings down the corridor. There was no one there to take their tickets, something Liesl found odd and unnerving. She wasn't sure why, but it just did. Just one of those feelings. She couldn't shake it away. As much as she wanted to, she just couldn't. With a shake of the head she adjusted Gretl on her hip; her sister was really getting too big and heavy to pick up. Carefully, trying to balance herself between holding Gretl and not falling due to the train's gaining momentum, Liesl made her way towards the rest of her siblings.
"Here's one," Brigitta said, a few feet up the corridor, pointing to an empty compartment. No one needed more encouragement before the siblings pushed into the compartment: the only shelter they would be able to have for a while.
Liesl sat Gretl down on the seat before she too sat down. No sooner was she able to relax her limbs did Gretl move over to her, clutching to her older sister's arm. Smiling, despite the situation, Liesl pulled Gretl to her, giving her sister the comfort she sought.
"Now what?" Kurt asked, placing their luggage on the rack and sitting in between Louisa and Brigitta.
"Do what Father said," Friedrich spoke, pulling Marta to him. "Wait for him and Mother to find the compartment we're in….right?" he asked, looking over to Liesl.
She nodded. "Right, we just…wait."
Silence filled the room.
"What if…" Brigitta spoke, her voice trailing off.
"What?" Kurt asked.
Brigitta sighed, not knowing if she should ask the question on her lips or not. "What if…what if they didn't make it on?"
At her words Gretl gasped and looked to her oldest sister, clinging tighter to her. Liesl protectively rubbed Gretl's back, shooting Brigitta a don't-go-there look. Brigitta sadly apologized with her eyes before she continued on. "It's just, we went in opposite directions, and if we barely made the train…" she didn't finish, she couldn't. But everyone knew what she meant.
"I'm sure they made it on," Louisa said, reassuring her siblings and herself. "It's Mother and Father we're talking about." The statement earned a small laugh from her six companions. "They made it…I know they did…"
The cabin fell silent as Louisa trailed off, everyone's eyes traveling to the door, wishing it would open. All of their faith in the door.
It's not a matter of faith, Liesl thought to herself, her eyes leaving the door and looking at the apprehensive faces of her brothers and sisters. They had to have made it on….they had to…
Maria ran forward, her hand reaching out, Georg's fingertips brushing hers. "Almost," she could hear her husband say to himself. With two great leaps, her entire body pushing herself forward, Maria grasped tightly to Georg's hand. The minute their hands touched Georg pulled his wife up and onto the moving train. The minute her feet touched the floor of the train their arms went around each other, seeking their comfort.
They had made it. Both were breathing heavily; Maria could feel Georg's quickened heart rate against her own. "That--was--close," she said, in between breaths. Georg smiled into his wife's hair, kissing the top of her head.
"But we made it."
Maria looked up, placing a light kiss on his lips. "Yes," was all she could say.
"Tickets?" A man asked, walking down the corridor towards them. Georg quickly pulled the two remaining tickets he had out of his pocket and handed them to the man. "Thank you, enjoy your trip," the man said, checking the tickets and walking away.
As the man disappeared down the corridor Maria and Georg turned to each other, not touching, not anything. Simply looking, admiration and love radiating between them. Small smiles spread over both of their faces. They had made it. They were safe. No one could stop them now. Nothing could get in the way.
"I think it's time we met up with a certain group of children," Maria said.
"My dear," Georg responded, bending and picking up their luggage, "You just took the words right out of my mouth.
Linking her arm with her husband's, Maria and Georg made their way down the train. Both of their worry gone, left behind on the platform they had just left.
Maria's arm clutched tighter to Georg's. Something wasn't right. Both knew it. No sooner did their search for the compartment the children would be in started did they begin to feel it. Every time they peered into the small window on each compartment door they got the same answer. Not their children. They still had one section left to check, their odds were still good, but parental worry and concern began to take hold of both.
All too soon they were standing before the last compartment they had to check. Neither had the courage to look just yet. They simply stood, heads turned towards the other, finding the support to look through the window. With a nod from Georg, both turned to look through the window.
The luggage Georg was holding dropped to the floor. It was empty. Empty.
"No.." Maria breathed out. "We missed one…we had to have missed one…"
Silence consumed the couple, both starting into the empty room before them.
Maria began to shake. Something had happened- they had merely missed a compartment, that's all. Or they didn't realize the children were in one. Yes, that was it. It had to be it. It was the only way. Slowly, Maria turned towards Georg. The look she saw on his face nearly broke her.
He looked lost. She had never seen him like this before. Confusion. Uncertainty. Loss. She reached her hand forward, placing it on his cheek and turning his head towards her. He followed her movements, not really knowing what was happening. As she stood, looking at her husband, unable to speak, but hoping he could seek comfort in her eyes, Maria felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her. Before she knew what was happening, her knees gave out beneath her.
This simple motion was enough to bring Georg momentarily out of his daze as he caught her.
"Are you alright?" he asked, holding her protectively to him.
"Yes, it's just the strain of today's events getting the better of me," she said, resting her head against his chest, trying to stop the unbearable feeling from taking hold of her.
"You should sit down," he said, before opening the door to the empty compartment and helping her inside. Once she was sitting, Georg quickly retrieved their luggage from the hall, before coming back and closing the door, giving them some privacy. Without words, he sat next to Maria, hugging her to him, both seeking comfort.
"It doesn't make sense," Maria said. "We checked every single compartment."
Georg didn't speak. He sat staring at the wall, rubbing his wife's back. Dread filled his entire being. "Stay here," he spoke after a moment. "I'll be back; I'm going to check the train again."
"I'll come with you," she said, beginning to stand.
"No," Georg firmly spoke, pulling her back down. "You need to rest, especially after what just happened." Maria huffed, and was about to protest, but he beat her to it. "I won't take long."
Placing a reassuring kiss on her lips, Georg left.
Maria quietly sat on the seat, her entire body tense, her foot tapping the ground. She couldn't wait any longer. She needed to know. It had been twenty minutes since Georg left. Perhaps it was taking him so long because he had found them. Yes, of course! That was it. He had found them. He would be back soon with all seven of them, and all worry could finally be gone. They would all be together again. It was the only explanation. It had to be the only explanation.
A minute later the compartment door slowly opened, making Maria jump to her feet. She wasn't met with the sight she had just conjured up in her mind. Georg was the only one standing before her, looking more lost than before.
She didn't need to hear him say it. She knew. With a sob, Maria ran forward, flinging her arms around him, tears flowing from her face.
"I checked twice," he spoke into her ear, his voice shaky. "On the way down and back here. They aren't--" his voice caught, and Maria was more disconcerted to feel her husband's tears soaking her hair. She had never seen him cry before, and it made the situation worse.
"I don't understand…" she spoke into his shirt. "We saw them get on. We saw them get on…"
The train continued forward as both husband and wife stood in the entry to their compartment, wondering where their children had gone.
Liesl looked to the seats across from her where Louisa, Kurt, and Brigitta sat. The three were using each other as pillows. Their sleeping faces looked at peace, far from the looks of worry that had consumed them when they had been awake. She wondered what they were dreaming of- what could bring those bright smiles?
Was it home? The place they were forced from hours before? Where they shared all of their memories? Where they had grown up? Spent all of their time? Their past? The place that was slowly slipping farther away from them as the train went on?
With a deep breath to keep the tears at bay, Liesl turned to the window. The moon was high: it was probably close to ten now. Neither their mother nor their father had shown their faces at the door yet. And Liesl was begging to wonder if they ever would.
Something moved next to her, causing her to shift her attention once again. Friedrich was adjusting Marta in her sleep, so he was more comfortable. "Get some sleep," Liesl spoke, breaking the silence that had consumed most of their trek thus far. Friedrich turned to his older sister, but didn't speak. "I'll wait for them."
Friedrich looked down to Marta, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "What if Brigitta was right?" he whispered.
Liesl paused before she answered. "Of course she wasn't right. They're on the train," she reassured her brother. As much as she tried to make her words sound believable, she was begging to doubt them herself. "Now, get some sleep."
Friedrich merely nodded, resting his head back against the seat- an uncomfortable position. There was no way he was going to be able to sleep like that. Liesl adjusted the sleeping form of Gretl in her lap, and pulled her brother close to her, making him rest his head on her shoulder. He didn't protest, but allowed his weight to relax into hers, suddenly realizing how much he needed comfort and reassurance.
"You don't need to play brave," Liesl softly spoke.
"Neither do you," he replied.
Yes I do she thought to herself as Friedrich quickly drifted to sleep. Yes I do.
With another sigh, Liesl rested her head against the top of her brother's, her eyes never leaving the door. She would stay awake until her parents showed themselves in the doorway. She didn't care how long it took. She didn't care if she didn't get sleep. She would wait till they appeared. That is, if they ever did.
Authors' note: Well, there you have it! Hope you enjoyed it! Don't know when there will be another update..I've got finals the next three days…so yeah…but jordananne and I keeping coming up with a lot of ideas for the next chapters, so hopefully there will be an update soon!
Thanks to anyone who has reviewed!
Until next time!
The Lonely Goatherd