The Price We Pay

Chapter 44

I kicked off my shoes as I fell onto my bed, I tried to keep my heavy eyelids open as I stared blankly up at the sand colored ceiling. Since Peter and I had no home to go to at night, Edelweiss reluctantly agreed to let us stay in the small infirmary upstairs. It definitely didn't feel like home, but then again, home is where the bed is.

My fingers curled around the thin sheet, tempting me to wrap myself tightly in it. But I resisted, considering it would be best to not spread the sweat and dirt across my bed. I had spent most of the day sneaking around Lodz delivering messages to different people and groups. Edelweiss was still hesitant to give us any serious missions, but at the same time...I would be too.

The door flew open, followed by little footsteps that raced through the room, echoing off the empty walls. "Poppy hide!" The little boy cried as he jumped behind one of the beds on the opposite side of the room. His hand was clamped over his own mouth, suppressing a chorus giggles.

I laughed, no one would have been able to guess that the little boy running around the resistance had been laying lifeless on the same bed he was now hiding behind less than a week ago.

"Schmul. You need to take it easy, you're still not all the way better." I warned, His head popped up from behind the bed with his little finger pressed to his lips, "Shhh, he's coming!" He ducked back behind the bed, I tilted my head as Peter walked in.

He stopped in the doorway with his arms folded, he scanned the room as an amused smile pulled on his lips, "Hey Poppy." He turned to me and gave me a genuine smile, which left my stomach fluttering. He put a hand through his hair as he glanced around the room again, "You haven't seen Schmul have you?"

I forced my fluttering stomach to calm down and forced my brain to focus on what he was saying, "I don't know if I've seen him." I said playfully. Schmul giggled from behind the bed. I rolled my eyes and chucked to myself, "Did you just get back?"

Peter casually walked to the bed Schmul was hiding behind and sat down, "About ten minutes ago, It went pretty smoothly, no weapons or lies needed." His eyes rested on my dusty boots, "Hopefully it was the same for you?"

Shrugging, I leaned back on my bed, "It was fine. It was a lot of running though." I added with a laugh. I knew he didn't like the idea of the two of us going on separate missions, I didn't either, but neither of us really had a say in it. But that didn't stop me from thinking about him the entire time he was gone, praying he'd be okay.

His eyes held mine for a beat, waiting for me to say more, when I didn't, he stood back up and threw up his arms, "Well, I guess he's not in here." He winked as he slowly walked to the edge of the bed, "Got you!" he cheered as he lifted the boy from his hiding place and onto the bed. Schmul crossed his arms in frustration, "I'll never win this game."

"Of course you will." He flicked the little boy's nose, "One day." Schmul stood up and ruffed Peter's hair, leaving it a matted blonde mess. It occurred to me that Schmul was winning this game--on a much bigger level. The Nazi's hadn't caught him, he hadn't been found, he was still hiding, so that meant he was winning...at least for now.

"Poppy?" I jumped. Schmul had moved to sit next to me, "What are you thinking about?" I looked into his green eyes. The same green eyes that less than a week ago, I had wondered would ever open again. He seemed so young, so innocent, and yet, he had this quiet knowledge about him. As if he had already seen what the war had to offer to his people.

Peter cleared his throat, yanking me from my thoughts. "Oh yeah! Well, I was just thinking that--if Phoenix hid, we could probably find him faster than he found you." Schmul leapt to his feet, clapping his hands. "Poppy and Schul against Phoenix!"