The One Who Stole the Sky

Heaven and Not Himmel

Liesel guided her friend behind her like a pet. Her small heels clicked about the sidewalk to familiar places.

"Liesel, where are we going?" The two looked quite professional as they turned the corner where Liesel had raced Rudy two and a half years earlier.

"To show you around." Liesel called off to her side.

"Wait, Liesel." Max lightly tugged her shoulder.

"Yes?" She turned and looked up to her towering friend.

"You don't think I'm staying, do you? Liesel, this is only a visit. Soon I am going to have my own home in Munich, and my own job there too." And at those words, something inside Liesel's heart shatter into the depths of her soul. Her face went limp and her eyes grew restless as she searched for tranquility.

"I do not understand." Time stood still as they stood face to face among the continuous sea of people. Max took Liesel's lost face into his hands.

"Look at me. I will come back sometime, for you. My life is in Munich Liesel, I have struck up conversation with a girl there, and as I said before, I am established in the city." Liesel responded with a hot, powerful teardrop staining her face once more, and ran down the street. Max chased her down the streets like she had done trying to look for him through crowds of Jews and Nazis many desperate years before.

I gave you everything, what haven't I done to satisfy you, Max? I love you and you just tore my heart out. After years and putting my life on the line for you, you can't return my only wish. Faster and faster, with blood fueling her veins, she ran to Himmel Street. At least that is what it used to be, but now it is Heaven Street, for it was named after Heaven because of all that had died there on just one simple night. She stopped for a moment but wasn't happy with where she landed, and so disoriented as she might have seemed, she darted past her old life and to the cemetery.

When Liesel landed at the front of her adoptive father's grave she cried. She traced the letters on the headstone, but oh how terribly she just wanted to knock it down. After awhile, she sat between the Huberman's headstones, Mama and Papa. Roses wilted in bouquets at the base of each stone, bringing color to death. The weekly ritual took place, where Liesel would kiss each headstone, sing a song Papa used to play, and then find Rudy's tomb.

"Rudy, I am lost. Today Max came to visit, but said that he would be going soon. I don't know how to get him to change his mind. He's like a rusted wheel, he won't budge and it's a pain." The words flew from Liesel and to Rudy's youthful spirit. After the words stopped manufacturing, it made Liesel think, and the more she thought the more she became upset.

"He has a girl, Rudy. He has a girl." This produced pains in the center of her heart. Greed and jealousy uprooted and corrupted her thoughts.

"All this time I was wrong, Rudy. I thought he was coming back to live here. I ought to be grateful he even came at all, but I can't because I need him to stay. There are no other friends besides the headstones and myself." Liesel patted his grave. Rudy appreciated that she still made time to visit him and her family.

"Best I be on my way now. I'm going home to Frau Ilsa's. Maybe a few studies will help my unclear mind." Frau Ilsa was the governor's wife who took Liesel in after the bombing. They had the closet relationship, yet Liesel refused to call her new parents Mama and Papa. Those titles were reserved for the Hubermans. Rudy waved farewell to his friend until next time. His hair still remained the color of lemons, as Liesel predicted.

Alone again and as usual, Liesel clamored the sidewalk with her business heels right to Ilsa. Trying to repress the words from Max was useless. His words influenced her mind and mood and spoiled them sour.

And on the other side of town, Max sharpened his senses to find Liesel.

"Pardon, Mr. Steiner, but Liesel ran off. Do you know where she may be?" Max choked. All the running around the unfamiliar streets made Max heave and work for his breath.

"She may have ran to the cemetery. If not, I suggest you go to the Governor's house and request for Ilsa." Rudy's father cleaned the front desk of leftover fabrics. His eyes were wrinkled around the corners, for the many smiles he had laughed and the many tears that had saturated his skin.

"Danke, Herr Steiner!" Max spun and jogged out the door. His slicked charcoal hair began to undo itself and bounce before his eyes. Occasionally, he would huff them out of sight, only for them to contract to his face again.