The One Who Stole the Sky

Tears and Tears

"Max." Was all Liesel's little body could exhale at this exulting reunion. Their hug was big and warm, nothing like how life was during the war.

"Oh Liesel." Max grinned. Both of them were crying. Not tears of joy, no, but tears of memories. The Hell they lived through together spat itself trickling down their cheeks.

Liesel had grown up now, and so had Max. Mr. Steiner stood from behind his counter and smiled at his friend and the stranger.

"You came back." Liesel struggled between hyperventilated breaths. Her tears stained Max's suit and dried her pink cheeks.

"Of course. I had to come back to thank everyone." Max held Liesel tight, so many years ago it seemed that they had conversed. Too many. Liesel snapped from the hug, at which Max reacted by jumping back.

"What's the matter?" The two of them stared at each other with welting eyes and raw pink eyelids. However, the girl stared with terror in her eyes, and the man gazed upon her in confusion.

"No, no." Liesel's eyes danced across the room, she began to breath heavy, and shake like an earthquake. Max moved to her and placed his hands on her small shoulders. At that, Liesel broke from the imaginary horrors and looked up to Max. He was so worried, so lost in this new world. From behind, Mr. Steiner shook his head and remembered the loss of his family. Why not me? Why couldn't you take me instead, God? He would say in his head for years to come.

" Liesel, what's the matter?" Max's concern was that of a mother's, so flat, but so serious.

"Max, there is no one to thank left." Liesel changed her view to peer at the dusty floor. She missed Max's countenance gaping mouth and large eyes afflicted by her words.

"No...no...Liesel..." Max snagged her into another hug. She emitted empty emotions, but poor Max ignited the whole room with sympathy and grieving.

"I am truly sorry. Please, forgive me for leaving you all alone." Max pitied himself for just leaving a bright and hopeless girl behind. There was nothing, nothing at all, that he wouldn't have done to get back to Liesel and Heaven Street. He shamed himself for what he did. All this time he thought he was doing the right thing by letting go, because that is what people do say. People say letting go shows that you love that person or thing more. But was letting go of Liesel and the Huberman family right? No, of course Max took the wrong path. He led Liesel to insanity, trying to walk through crowds of Jews on their way to camps or going out hunting for him became Liesel's only hope that failed. Now Max didn't know how bad Liesel wanted him to return. He was the only piece of the war that made her feel happy and special, and that had gone away for years. But a simple opening of the front door instantly over flowed both of their minds.

"Please Max, don't leave me. Don't do that again." cried Liesel.

"It's alright my girl." Max didn't actually know how much he was loved and admired by his friend. She loved him more than air and life itself. Though a Jew and living in a confined area, he still managed to forge a Christmas gift for the girl while in hiding. It was a blank book for her to fill. And after all these years she has kept it and read it over and over again. Often times smelling the pages that were chafed with clumpy paint and hinted with the scent of mildew made Liesel remember that happy Christmas.

"You poor girl." Max shook his head.

"Max, where have you been?" Liesel drones.

"Places Liesel, anywhere I could run to I ran. And when I finally built courage to go into town I had realized the war was over. So I ran right back here, to the people I knew." It was silent as both of them thought of what to say. Usually you would think an encounter like this would be uplifting, and full of words that have longed to be spoken. Neither could muster a question see fit or any words at all.

"How about you take the rest of the day off, as a treat. You have worked well." Herr Steiner intruded in the back with a smile. It seems they have forgotten about the world around them for that time, and thankfully, Alex reminded them of where they were.

"Danke, Herr Steiner." Liesel smiled back to the father of her deceased friend. Fish, Jesse Owens- the many nicknames given to poor Rudy. Alex Steiner, with his whole family stripped away from him in just a minute, couldn't help but think about how Liesel would have been the perfect wife for his son. But that was impossible now, and besides, Liesel had moved on to studying books and continued to write words she didn't know. It wasn't a job for a lady of this time, but words were life to Liesel. Max used to say that to her. That words were life. Alex stopped pondering about his family, though it is in everyone's nature to think about the things we can't have, and continued to work in solitude.