Not Leaving {The Book Thief}

3

   Me and Rudy snuck out the back door  to watch the parade. Throngs of Jews limped by us, to scared to look us in the eyes. Children of no more than two years were trampled as they walked by us. A little boy with angelic curls fell on the curb, causing him to scream. Rudy bent down and picked the small thing up. He gulped and sat the child back in the flow of Jews heading to death. "These children don't understand, these poor babies have grown up being hated." I told Rudy. He laced his fingers into mine.

   We walked back into the shop to find Max huddled behind the desk crying. I ran over to him and hugged him tight. Rudy stood there awkwardly, not quite comfortable with what was happening. "My family, all my cousins, my mother, they are all gone. They could be in a concentration camp starving or they could've been gunned down the moment I left." I stood up and grabbed a book on mathematics. ""Mathematics: year 2' presented by Gerta Hiense..." I read through every word on the first few pages, even though they were quite boring. When I looked up Max was asleep on my shoulder and Rudy was staring at me blankly. "Would you like an actual book to read, Saumensch?" I nodded my head wildly. I guided Maxs head down onto the makeshift palette. As I walked with Rudy people looked at us intently. "Where will we get this book?" Rudy grinned at me boyishly "It has been a while since we've stolen something saumensch." He teased "The Bürgenmister?" "The Bürgenmister." He echoed.

   The window was halfway open. I slipped my shoes off and climbed in. "Are you coming in?" I asked Rudy. "Somebody has to keep watch. I'll stay down here." When I entered the library, dust floated in the streams of light. I had to cough, but that would give me away. I tip toed around the library with my collar heald to my nose. Tucked in between the dictionaries and a bible was a small book with a rich green cover and gold writing. "Peter Pan" I whispered to myself I pulled it out quickly and started my sprint toward the window. When I jumped out the window I knocked Rudy over. We just laid there, sprawled on the plush grass.
I elbowed him in the rib and grabbed my book and shoes and started running, looking over my shoulder. "Come on Jesse Owens!" Rudy smiled and sprinted at me, passing me in only a few seconds. He snatched my book out of my hands. "Peter Pan? What is it about?" He asked. "That's what I'm trying to find out, if you would just give it back!" I swiped at the book but he ran even further ahead of me. We started playing a game of tag. When we crossed the bridge he swerved and ran into the river, except this time it was warm and refreshing. He heald the book high above his head as he waded to his shoulders. I waded after him, my only dress soaked. He reached the shore before me. I started to run through the water, anxious to get my book back. Suddenly, my foot was caught on a piece of algae. I clawed at the water as I fell under, thrashing my foot, trying to release my foot from the grasp of the algae. I could see Rudy running to me, but I already saw black dots blurring my vision. Then I felt the air again, water dissapeared around me. Rudy carried me back to the shore, setting me down on the plush grass. I rolled onto my side and started coughing up water. Rudy sat opposite me with his knees pulled to his chest. "Are you crying, Saukerl?" He wiped his face and smiled. "No, Saumensch." I stood up, my legs trembling. "Let's get going Rudy, we can't leave Max alone for to long. Rudy frowned, "Can't we go get a few apples? I'm starved." I pondered this, "I suppose a quick trip to a farm wouldn't hurt." We ran to the only farm not bombed, hoping the other thieves hadn't picked everything already. To our suprise the tree was practically dripping with juicy red apples. We helped eachother over the fence and shoved apples in Rudy's pockets and I carried the rest. We flung ourselves over the fence, dropping a few apples.

   We laughed joyously as we walked through the ally way behind the shop. When we entered Max was still sleeping on the pallet. I sat the apples on the counter. "Max, we have a feast!" He didn't stir. I walked over and shook him. He didn't wake. "Max! Max wake up!" Rudy ran over and heald his wrist. "He is still alive!" I started to cry, "Not again Max! Not again Max, please!" Rudy heald my face in his hands. "L-Last time it was w-weeks before he woke u-up." Rudy wiped my tears. "It must have been ages since he last slept, he is just catching up." He told me. "That doesn't make sense, you dumbkopf."
                      Rudy's POV
  We laid down  behind the counter. Liesels beautiful face was streaked with tears, her porcelain hands in fists. I wanted to fix this, I had to wake Max up. If he didn't wake up soon Liesel would slowly shrink back into her old shell. I didn't sleep that night, I thought of everything that could wake Max up. Prick his fingers? Pinch his nose? Smelling salts? I crawled toward his pallette and pinched his nose for 10 seconds. He didn't wake up. I grabbed a needle from the shelf and pricked each of his fingers, he flinched a little, but he didn't open his eyes. I laid back down by Liesel.

   I couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour. I was shaken awake by Liesel, sirens screaming at me. "Rudy! We have to go!" She yelled at me. I grabbed her hand and started to run. "What about Max! We can't just leave him!" I looked back at him. "There is no way we can move him." I said. "We can put him in the cellar!" I grabbed his arms and she grabbed his legs. We laid him down under the cellar stairs. Liesel kissed his forehead. "Liesel we need to go to a proper shelter. Now." I took her hand and we started running. The streets were crowded since many of the shelters were bombed. As we got farther down the street the crowd grew denser, me and Liesel were pulled apart many times but we managed to stay together. When we were only a block away a large man pushed me into the curb. Liesel was screaming my name but I couldn't get up. The crowd dissapeared but Liesel had been swept away with everyone else.