The+Eagle

Samantha Seiler 1/2A The Eagle The girl dripped in jewels and precious gemstones, her gown just barely sweeping the floor in its heaviness. A design of an eagle was engraved onto her dress with beautiful elegance, for eagles were the symbol of her family’s greatest treasure. Her long blonde hair and blue eyes added onto the joyous beauty, though it was 1940, England, World War II, and no joy could be found. Tomorrow she leaves for safety in America, and this is her farewell party. Her gentle glide down the marble steps stopped abruptly as Kurt Deringer, an Austrian thirty year old colleague of her grandfather’s, scampered past her as if the devil where chasing him. His usually powdered cashmere apparel was filthy and tattered, for he had been constantly traveling back in forth from England to Austria with unknown business. Kurt claimed he had family in Austrian, except many had evacuated since the Nazis took over. It was odd..... With all of his energy, he began to yell, “The bombs are coming! Go to the cellar! Go! No time to explain!” The girl was horrified at this, for this would be the first of many bombings. But there were no sirens. “Olivia! Get down in the cellar now!” Grandfather yelled with all of his might while the nobles at the party shrieked and screamed in terror and fear. Mad stampedes made way to the cellar, forgetting their years of training to become the perfect gentlemen or lady. Instead of following her grandfather’s orders, she followed Kurt, who was not going into the cellar but bounding up yet another staircase and up into the tower. Olivia climbed through the madness and up each staircase until she reached the tower. She finally found Kurt, who was shakily slipping a plastic case of what seemed... The Eagle? The glinting of the eagle shaped diamond reflected across the window, giving Kurt’s stealing away. The Eagle was a 400 carrot diamond carved into an eagle, known to be one of the greatest wonders of the world. Long ago her grandfather’s ancestors stole it from the U.S. soon after the American Revolution. It was the most valuable of treasures that caked the walls of her millionaire grandfather’s castle. Olivia begged for it to be given back to the beautiful Untied States, but because it was such a Nazi target with its value, the safest place was in hiding. “Kurt! Grandfather must be so worried about you! I came here to find you. If you are trying to save The Eagle, you better hurry!” Olivia said shakily. She had suddenly realized that any moment she could be blown to pieces or crushed by a falling object. It was the same feeling she got when her parents never came home from dinner one night, later found dead. Fear. Instead of Kurt replying, he turned to Olivia with the most surprised and sinister look that made Olivia think of her grandfather when he had just come up with a new million dollar idea. But instead of Kurt’s silent idea adding millions to her grandfather’s bank account, it added Olivia into a lot of trouble. Olivia’s eyes went wide as Kurt shoved The Eagle into his pocket, making it bulge, and dove for Olivia’s arm. “Ahhhhh! Get away from me!” Olivia screamed. But, of course, no one could hear her because they were all in the cellar. Kurt dragged her by her wrist into her room in the tower, locking her in. The bombings where no doubt a fake cover up for his thieving adventure. Olivia waited in her room for what seemed like hours, just sitting, and waiting. Her cries for help where unheard, for all of the guests were several floors below her. Finally, voices arose from the floors below. The voices were very loud, and seemed to be coming up the stairs. “No, Kurt, I hear a voice coming from the tower! I must investigate, just as I did back in the old days.” Grandfather said stubbornly. “Ah, well I must be leaving now. No time to waste! I’m needed very badly in Austria.” It was Kurt. “No Kurt. Your Austrian friends can wait, or whoever is in Austria you seek. May I ask, what is your business there?” Grandfather questioned. They were outside her door now, and Olivia let out a grand cry, “Grandfather! Help!” At this, the door swung open to the very distressed Olivia and the fearful Kurt. Kurt spun around on his heels and turned to leave immediately, his pocket still bulging with the diamond. Olivia lunged for Kurt's coat, gripping the cashmere fabric with all her might. Her mistake was that she did not realize that Kurt began to run down the stairs. She began to fall. “Ouch, Dr. Jones, do you suppose she will be alright?” Grandfather asked. Olivia began to awake, every bone in her body throbbing with aches and pains. Dried blood covered her hands. She felt a piece of fabric in her palm. “ To be dragged down a narrow, stone staircase, she’s lucky she’s alive!” Dr. Jones said. Olivia opened her eyes and looked at the piece of fabric. It was of the Nazi star symbol sown into the inside of the coat. “Did you ever find out what Kurt does in Austria?” She asked. “No, it doesn’t matter anymore. I fired him for dragging you down the stairs!” Grandfather replied. Olivia opened her eyes wide, “Grandfather, he’s a Nazi, and he stole The Eagle. Its gone.” 