The Boy in the Basement

Chapter 27

The letter felt like 100 pounds in my hand. The words kept playing in my mind, over and over again; Max was sick, Max was sick, Max was sick, Max was sick...

I should have seen it coming. We all should have. Max and Liesel built that snowman in the basement, and it had made the damn place colder. Why did this have to happen to Max? Such a kind, wonderful man shouldn't have to go through something like that .Especially with all that he had been through before.

"I hate to say it," Cora said, "but it was bound to happen. I mean, he's living in a basement during winter. I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner."

"I know," I said, "I was just hoping it never would." I folded the letter back up. "W-what if he dies, Cora? We can't have a doctor come in, and I don't know how any of us could help him."

"I'm gonna be honest... I don't know. I don't think it'll turn out well for you, though." Cora pulled me into a hug. "But who knows?" Perhaps it won't turn out so bad." But even Cora sounded doubtful. She had a right to be doubtful, too. It was quite clear in the letter I got that Max's condition was pretty bad. "You should go to him. It'll make you feel better if you at least see him." I nodded. Perhaps being around him would make me feel better. I also thought that if I was around, he would get better. If I wasn't around, he would get worse. I knew that wasn't true, but either way, I had to be with ax.

I went as soon as I could. The house was pretty silent. Apparently Mama and Papa were downstairs with Max, and Liesel was at school.

"It's that bad, isn't it?" I said to them as I looked down at Max. He simply looked like he was sleeping at quick glance But his breathing was labored, and he was clearly sweating. 

"Ya, it's bad." Papa said.

"What are we going to do if he dies?" Mama said.

"Don't say that, Mama, he's not dead yet." I said. He couldn't die. I wasn't sure what I would to without him; I would have no one to draw with, to read with, or even just to talk to when things got rough. Worst of all, I wouldn't be able to spend my future with hi. I wanted to have a good life, and I was't sure that would be possible if he wasn't there with me.

"But it may happen. We have to prepare for the worst." Mama said. She seemed so small in that moment; I knew she was scared, too. Mama had grown to care about Max since his arrival. We all had.

"We'll work something out," Papa said, but I could hear in his voice that he was doubtful, too,. "If we need to take him out of the house, I'll -- I'll use the paint cart and some sheets." But hopefully it wouldn't get to that point, I thought.

Liesel came home about 30 minutes later and immediately came downstairs.

"So you got the letter?" She asked, and I nodded. Liesel suddenly hugged me. "I don't want him to die."

"I don't, either," I replied.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have --"

"How is this your fault?" I cut her off.

"It was my idea to do that snowman. I was the one who made it even colder down here."

"But you had no idea this would happen," I said. "Max has been down here for over a year. He hasn't seen the outside world at all.You just gave him the best gift you could have given him, which is the beauty of something he can't have. I know for a fact that he was so happy with what you did for you." I kissed her forehead.

"I've been reading to him a bit. I thought maybe that would help him wake up. Also, I think that maybe he can still hear us, even if he doesn't quite realize what we're saying."

"Are you going to read to him now?" She nodded. "Then do you mind if I sit and listen?"

"If you want to." She ran up to get her book. I sat down next to Max and took his hand. It was cold and clammy.

"Stay alive for me, alright, Max? I don't want to lose you." I said softly. I was doing my best to not cry; I knew that wouldn't help."

"Soon enough, Liesel came back and began reading. She was able to fill the room with her voice just like Max had been able to do Perhaps this would help Max. Somehow, the reading would make him wake up. It was the power of Liesel's voice, the lively way she formed the words, would give Max the strength to get better. We sat there for over an hour, with Liesel reading and Max holding my hand.

Soon enough, I had to head back home. I hated to have to leave, but I couldn't stay. It was my turn to cook that night, anyway. So I said goodbye ad went on my way. But I had a feeling of dread the whole way home. Perhaps it was just because of Max. But there was a small feeling that something else bad was going to happen I wasn't sure I could deal with something else. Life had been so good, and then Max got sick. I was probably going to lose him. Now something else was going to go wrong.

Cora was home when I got back. She was already cooking.

"Aw, you didn't have to start dinner. Tonight was my night." I said.

I figured you wouldn't want to... after you saw the letter." She said softly. What letter? I thought to myself. Perhaps this was the bad thing I thought would happen. "You may want to sit down when you read it. The letter's on the table." I went over and opened the letter slowly.

It was the army. They had written to me to tell me that my father and brother had been killed. The letter fell out of my hands, and I felt my eyes water. They were dead, they were gone, Father and Stefan weren't coming back --

"Adeline?" Cora broke me out of my trance. "Are you alright?"

"I - I don't know." I took a shaky breath. That was when the tears really came out. Cora wrapped her arms around me and began to comfort me. "W-why did it have to be them? They never did a-anything wrong, Stefan was only 17 years old, he was so young."

"I know, it's terrible." Cora said. "They're still with you. In your memories, in spirit, in every decision you make."

"First Max, and now them... I'm losing everyone. I don't want to be alone." The tears streamed even more.

"Max isn't gone yet. He has a chance, Adeline." Cora said. "You won't be all alone you still have me, and Liesel and your Mama and Papa. So, do you want to try eating?"

"Ya, I'll try." I said. But couldn't each much. The letter kept popping up in my mind, refusing to go away for longer than a minute or 2. Soon after, I quickly went to bed. Sleep seemed like the best thing at the time. Or so I thought. Sleep only brought nightmares; of Max dying, and what happened to Father and Stefan. In total I only got about 2 hours of sleep. With everything going on, I had no idea what I was going to do I felt like I was entirely alone.