Frei Im Freien Fall

Savannah and Bill trudged through the harshness of the woods together. They were looking for some sort of shelter, something to stay in. They had been walking for hours, Bill was getting tired and he could tell that Savannah was getting to be that way as well. Savannah stopped, short of breath.

“Are you okay?” Bill asked, stopping in front of her.

“No, my ribs are hurting and I’m tired.” She replied.

“Huh.” Bill said. He then, picked Savannah’s small frame up in his arms and carried her bridal style. Savannah kicked and struggled, but gave up after an hour. She knew that Bill wouldn’t give up and put her down.

Finally, they came across an abandoned RV. Bill set Savannah down on her feet and grabbed her arm and dragged her to the shabby structure. The outside was weather beaten and badly rusted. Bill opened the door, and stepped in, blocking Savannah from doing the same.

“Hold on. I have to check it out.” Bill said. “Stay here.”

Savannah took a step back and muttered something that Bill didn’t catch. He continued inside. The living area had an old couch, covered with dust and dirt, a carpet covered with the same stuff, and an old table. Bill proceeded to the back room. There was a bed, with no sheets. Bill sat down on it, it seemed safe enough. He decided that Savannah would sleep there. Bill checked the place for extra blankets and found five heavy comforters. Along with a few pillows.

“Savi!” Bill called. “It’s safe!”

Savannah came into the back bedroom and collapsed on the bed. Bill watched her as she curled up and fell asleep. He covered her up with a blanked and lifted her head and put a pillow underneath. Then, he went to the couch with his own blanket and went to sleep.

An empty part in Simone Trümper's heart ached as she set the table for dinner. Bill had not yet returned home. She knew that he had left around breakfast, but she wasn't paying any attention. Instead, she was trying to figure out a way to surprise her son with the digital studio that her husband had bought for him. He wanted for Bill to use his voice with Tom's guitar to make music.

Tom came downstairs.

"Hey Mom, where's Bill?" He asked.

"Oh, I guess he's probably at Georg's. Why don't you call there and check?" Simone said. Her heart filled with dread as Tom approached the phone and dialed the Listing's phone number.

"Oh, well if you see him, would you send him home?" Tom finished the phone call.

"Call Gustav." Simone said. Tom called the Schäfer residence; Bill wasn't there. Before Tom's mother could ask, Tom dialed Andrea's number, only to find out that he hadn't seen Bill since school let out.

"Where could he be?!" Simone asked, with tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"He'll probably come home later." Tom tried to reassure his mother. Gordon came downstairs. His face stricken with worry.

"Uh, were we robbed?" He asked.

"No! Why?" Simone asked, standing up.

"Bill's room, it's completely trashed." Gordon said. Simone ran past Gordon and up the stairs. Tom and Gordon followed her. When they got to Bill's room, they found her, sitting in the middle of the wreckage, crying. The window was open and a faint breeze was wafting in. Tom and Gordon ran to her.

She looked up.

"He's...gone." She said.