With Love from the Stars

the trap

I was standing in the garden in front of the house. At a distance of about ten metres in front of me was an old small table with several logs on it, which I had arranged vertically. 

My eyes narrowed to slits as I took aim at the objects and pulled out my slingshot. I pulled the sling tightly around my index finger at one end and held the other end between my fingers. Then I placed a stone in the leather strip in the middle and stood wide-legged to have a secure footing. 

With circular movements above my head, I built up momentum and then released the loose end of the slingshot. The stone shot out of the piece of leather and flew against one of the logs at such a high speed that it flew off the table. Another hit.

"There you are." Jilka joined me and then looked at the logs.

"You really want to do it?" Examining, she looked at me. "Are you quite sure?"

"Definitely. No one must find this place." I straightened my shoulders.

Ever since I'd come back from the border two days ago, I couldn't stop thinking about that group of men and what they might mean for us. And I wouldn't wait for them to find us here. Not after they obviously knew we were here in the forest. They had to be lured away. My plan was to lure the group away from here by making several small tracks. A few footprints should do the trick.

"How long will you be gone?"

"I reckon two days. One day I will lay tracks away from here and the next I will come back." I put the next stone in the slingshot, let it circle and then fired the stone at the logs. The next one was swept to the ground.

"Are you going to kill the men now?" Elaine came out of the front door and crossed her arms. "You'd have my blessing."

I just raised my eyebrows and took the next stone. Swing and hit. The next log was on the ground.

"I just want to be prepared for anything. You really should have seen that one. Then even you wouldn't go near him without protection, Elaine, believe me."

Elaine wrinkled her nose. "Maybe." She paused. "That's why I want you to take this." She stepped up to me and held out her hunting knife. "It may not be the newest anymore, but it still does its job beautifully. And no, don't worry, I don't necessarily mean for use on people."

A small smile stole onto my face as I carefully took the knife in my hands. I put my hand on Elaine's and squeezed it gently. We looked into each other's eyes for a moment, then she withdrew her hand from me and took a step back.

"So now for the real reason I'm here: Where is the little monster? I promised her I'd fix up the old tree house."

---

The next morning I set off with a small backpack. Among other things, it contained food and water, a large net and a sleeping bag. Sara had also pushed a small first-aid kit into my hand at the last minute and forced me to pack it. You never knew. I also had Elaine's knife in a sheath attached to my trousers. I was squeezed tightly by everyone and then looked around again.  This home here was worth protecting. I set off on my way.

The old tracks of the men were still clearly visible and a few hours later I had been able to locate a small area where they were conspicuously often. Here I would start leaving small tracks, perhaps even a trap. I began to leave my footprint at a distance of always about ten metres in damp, muddy places, to snap off small branches of trees and bushes as if I had carelessly walked past them, and to trample small plants on the ground.

Anyone who knew even a little bit about reading tracks would follow this trail here. I just had to move fast and effectively enough so that the men wouldn't catch up with me early. But every step in my direction meant a step away from our farm.

I laid out the net at a particularly suitable spot. It was a small clearing where three small trails crossed. I spread leaves and other natural materials over the net so that it was no longer visible and then added a very clear footprint in the middle. As soon as someone would want to inspect it, they would have to step on the net and thereby trigger the mechanism that would make the trap snap shut. Now all I had to do was wait.

With my sleeping bag, I climbed into an old tree with particularly gnarled branches and lay down in a branch fork. With a bit of rope I  secureed myself so that I wouldn't fall down in my sleep and then closed my eyes.