Ernst threw the rifle on the ground and walked passed Albert, with Ernst's shoulder hitting Peter's. Thoughts ran through Ernst's mind and he was already having flashbacks of the boy. As Ernst started to walk away from the boy, he glared back at the boy and said "I'm sorry".
"Where are you guys going, you should be heading back to Stary Oskol with the German units there. Why are you going back to that town?"
"Some woman we knew went missing when we left to go to Stary Oskol ."
"Oh, who's this.....woman?" asked Peter with a slight smile.
"Her name is Charlotte Brandt. She's absolutely beautiful." said Albert while he put his head down.
"Are you in love with her or is it just a thing?" asked Peter.
"I'm not sure yet."
"I will help you find her then. If you feel like you love her, then we will go find her for you, ok Albert?"
Albert nodded and they headed back to the town. Peter, Ernst, and Albert first looked in her home, then in the cellar. There was no trace of her. He only saw one sign of something, blood and there were small droplets of it around the house and by the back door, out into the open country side. Albert quickly made his way to her small backyard. There was a white fence with a gate attached to it, it was open and it had some blood on it too. Some spots of blood were still on the ground and they led into an old shed that was just on the outside of the town. The door was closed and there was no sounds coming from the inside.
"Charlotte?" Albert said with a stuttering voice.
There was no response. Albert's hands shook as he slowly open the door. He looked around the shed and behind boxes. The droplets of blood became more like small puddles. The sound of crying became noticeable and he recognized that cry, it was Charlotte's.
"Charlotte?" Albert said again.
He moved some boxes out of the way which were blocking her face. She was now visible to all the men. She held her legs up to her chest and she stared at them.
"Get away from me!" she yelled.
Albert noticed where the blood had came from on her, she had a bullet hole in her right arm. Blood still flowed down from it, going in between her fingers.
"It's ok Charlotte," said Albert as he pulled off his uniform and tied the sleeves around her arm.
"What happened to you?"
"They.....attacked me!"
"Who did?"
"Your people did, the German soldiers. There were about five soldiers and there were two officers. They tried to take me somewhere private but I refused to do so. So, that's.....when one of them, the officers, shot me in the arm. I escaped into here and they never found me. I'm not sure if they are still there or not. Could you look, please?"
"Yes." he said, standing up and walking out of the shed.
"Don't do anything to her Peter, anything! Ernst, please comfort her."
They both nodded. Ernst went into the shed and sat next to her while Peter stood, leaning against the outside of the shed.
"Give me your rifle, Peter," asked Albert.
"You're going to kill them? They are our soldiers also.\\" argued Peter.
"Yes, but because they harmed Charlotte."