Elise took a deep, shuddering breath. “Yes.” She should have said no, but she needed to look, needed to see to know what they were dealing with.

Were they going to have to run? Were they in danger? Or would no one care about two women living alone?

She pushed her body forward and wriggled out from under the bed, crawling slowly, as if she were in danger of standing on a mine. She raised a hand to the curtain, holding it open slightly. Adelaide was at her side, leaning in, both peering through the same gap, squinting as the light faded, night starting to creep across the sky.

Elise gasped as they watched the German soldiers, rifles raised, their steps slow and deliberate as they inched toward the barn. The big wooden doors were shut and there was no sign of movement; no sound, nothing.

“What do you think is happening?” Adelaide asked. “Why did the shooting stop?”

“I don’t know,” Elise replied. “Where did all those British soldiers go? Are they still in there?” She didn’t understand what was happening, and she’d expected to see German soldiers dead, not still advancing.

“If they’re in there, why aren’t they still shooting?” Adelaide asked.

Fear danced through Elise. Something wasn’t right. It was hard to see and she squinted as she stared into the fading light, but the barn was on the adjoining property and it was hard to make out what was going on.

Adelaide moved closer, nudging her aside slightly as they pulled the curtain back further. Maybe they shouldn’t be watching, but Elise couldn’t have dragged her eyes away if she’d tried.

“Addy, they’re surrendering.” Elise gasped as one of the big doors opened and something white was thrust out. She pressed her nose to the glass, transfixed, realizing it was a rifle with something fluttering on the end, possibly an undershirt. Oh no. “The British soldiers are surrendering.”

“Why would they do that?” Adelaide asked. “Why would they just surrender to the Germans like that? There were so many more British than German troops!”

Elise shook her head. All she knew was that something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

She blinked away tears as she watched one soldier step forward, holding the makeshift white flag high, his movements slow and steady. Even from such a distance, Elise could almost feel the tremble of his knees, and the rapid stammer of his heart as he faced the enemy in defeat.

Another soldier followed, and they watched as one of the Germans marched forward, yelling something and gesturing. And slowly soldier after soldier filed out of the barn, their hands all raised, no weapons visible as they gave themselves up.

“I don’t understand!” Adelaide cried beside her. “Why are they doing this? Why aren’t they fighting back?”