Not Leaving {The Book Thief}

2

When I woke up it wasn't because daylight streamed in or I had been well rested. The sirens sounded once more. I heald Rudy in a tight embrace, he wasn't awake yet. A sound sleeper. A nurse ran in and put Rudy on a stretcher and grabbed my hand. The nearest shelter was only a block away but I could see bombs falling already. The moment we climbed into the shelter we could feel the vibration of a far away bomb. I curled up next to Rudy on the stretcher. He had began to stir when the first bomb dropped. I ran my fingers through his cropped hair. His hair wasn't so lemon yellow now, it was a Sandy blonde of maturing roots. His boyish looks would be gone once his hair grower back out. Dust fell from the ceiling as a bomb dropped. A chorus of babies started singing. "One of my sisters should be here crying" Rudy whispered. I gripped him titer. "My papa should be playing his accordion right now." I whispered back. He looked at me, "Where will we go?" I looked away, we wouldn't be able to stay in the hospital forever. Neither of us had family. "Let's just focus on surviving tonight."

Two days after the bombing we were released from the hospital. We were each given a bath and a piece of bread, then we were on our own. We sat down on the steps of the school. "Do you think beggars have already cleaned our houses out?" Rudy asked. "We could check, or we could become beggars ourselves." I mumbled back. "I have grandparents still, but they are in Norway. My father might still be alive, but he's in Italy. Do you have anyone?" I racked through my memory. Mother had always raised us on her own, Father died not long after my brother was born. My brother. Max! "Rudy! The jew! The jew from my basement! Max! We could find Max! Surely he has escaped!" Rudy sat their, a twinge of jealousy in his heart. "You can't escape a camp. We can stay in my Papas old shop, nobody will mind." That night we laid down on a pile of clothes and wrapping paper "Not quite as comfortable as the stretcher, is it." I laughed. We were behind the counter, if we made camp anywhere else you would be able to see us through the door. We sat there whispering, teasing eachothers about all the things we did when we were younger. Rudy reached over and pinched my arm "What was that for you swine?!" He chuckled and through his head back. All of the sudden we saw a shadow pass over the room. "They are outside the front door" Rudy said pulling me behind him. He grabbed an umbrella from under the counter. "Rudy..." "Liesel please stay here!" Of course I didn't though. I crawled my way to the door right behind Rudy. I looked at Rudy as he turned into a silhouette, his face extremely angular. He reached up to make sure the latch was done. Then he ever so cautiously looked out the door. "Liesel get back now! A man is out their!" But naturally I scooted closer, anxious to see our threat. A lump of skin and bones sat there, face pressed against the glass. A mass of hair sitting like a leaf pile in fall. I Pressed my face against the door, gazing into the hazel eyes that were sunken in his face. I lunged myself at the door undoing the latch and flinging open the door. The skin and bones figure slid to the cool tile of the shop. Rudy grabbed me from behind and pulled me behind him, "Liesel why did you do that!?" He crawled over to the lump and grabbed him by the thick swamp of hair that lay spread on the floor.

"Rudy stop it! You are hurting him!"
Rudy stared back at me, confusion in his eyes. He released the mess of hair with a thump. I scurried over to him. "Max? Max it's me Liesel." The rough hand reached up and petted my chin. "Liesel, you have grown. Who is this boy here?" I turned around to Rudy sitting there eyes wide. "This is Rudy, my boyfriend." Rudy's eyes widened even more, his face blushing. "Ah yes, the lemon haired boy. I'm the jew in the basement." Rudy slowly made his way closer to me, and he then took my hand and leaned on me shoulder to shoulder. "Did you escape camp?" Rudy asked. "Somebody gunned down a few guards, enough guards were gone that we could escape the camp with only a few left behind." Rudy turned to me, the phrase "a few left behind" shocked us both. "So, have you two run away from your familys? I promise I won't tell Rosa where you went." He winked. Rudy wrapped his arms around me, shielding me from the embarrassment of tears pouring from my eyes. "Liesel and I lost our families in the bombing, have you not walked past Himmel street?" Max looked up completely shocked. He managed to sit up and scooted over to join in the warm comfort of our circle. I turned slightly to lean against Max. "Rudy? Do you know where any scissors may be?" Once I had aquired some scissors I started to trim Maxs hair like I had done when he first arrived.

Rudy sat there, looking at the strange looking man Liesel seemed so happy around. Jealousy filled him, Liesel had always been his without question, she had no wish to make any more friends. Liesel made no noise while she cropped his hair and reduced his beard to a stubble. Rudy watched the rich brown locks fall to the ground. He had always felt insicure about how boyish his hair was, and here was this literal man getting his hair trimmed by Liesel. Another palette was made for Max by the door, so he could keep watch. Rudy laid by Liesel looking at her fluttering eyelashes and pink hands resting by his face. He leaned in and kissed her porcelain hands. Her eyelashes fluttered open revealing her dark brown eyes. She smiled slightly and leaned closer to Rudy. "You know I love you, right? Rudy whispered. Liesel stopped smiling. Butterflies filled her stomach. She leaned even closer to Rudy. "I know, I-I-I love you too. Saukerl!" Rudy put an arm around her leaned in for a proper kiss, but Liesel giggled and turned around. "But Liesel I'm not drunk! And I don't need rest! Why not!" Liesel flipped back over, facing Rudy. "You forget, there is someone else in the room!" They both peered around the counter to see Max facing them, his eyes were closed but he was smiling. Liesel and Rudy blushed uncontrollably, "I think it's time to go to sleep Rudy."

When I woke up the next morning people were crowded outside the shop, outside of every shop for that matter. I looked at Rudy, he still slept. I turned around and found Max sleeping sitting up, head in his lap. I shook the bony mass awake. "What are you doing over here?" He looked at the door. "I didn't want anyone to see me through the door." I nodded my head. "Why are the out there anyway?" Maxs eyes grew dark. "It's a parade."