My own twist on the story of Liesel and Max! Liesel is older so there's room for romance :)
Liesel Meminger had just got home from an exhausting days' work at the Mayor's office. It was always exhausting being a secretary for a mayor who was heavily involved in the Nazi party. Every second of her shift she was typing letters or making and taking phone calls, filing and following orders from her boss. But she couldn't complain, no, she didn't have a right to complain during these difficult times. Most of the people of her town were starving and it was only due to her friendship with the Mayor's wife that she got her job. It paid enough to keep her family afloat and not let them go hungry. Well, her adopted family. Hans and Rosa Hubermann were kind enough to take her in when her mother abandoned her almost ten years ago. Now at the age of nineteen she feels they are more her family than her real mother ever could have been.
She sat at the kitchen table and kicked off her boots, her poor feel ached from running around so much the past few days. Things were getting hectic in the Mayor's office now the Nazi party was in full swing and Adolf Hitler was rounding up the Jews, there was so much correspondents to deal with and Liesel hated every moment of it. She hated Hitler and all his followers, she hated the sickening suffering the Jews were going through and she hated working for a man who supported death to innocents. But she had to pretend, as did everyone around her, that she was in full agreement that Jews should be exterminated and Germany must be cleansed, because if they didn't then they would all be punished and she couldn't bear to see her family and friends in pain.
Her mother, Rosa, handed Liesel and her papa, Hans, a cup of tea each before there was an urgent banging at the door. They all froze, it was late and everyone in the country was scared to answer their doors in fear of the SS taking someone away for any petty excuse.
Papa stood up and cautiously opened the door. In the darkness was a tall, young man with feathery-black hair and was clutching a copy of Mein Kampf.
"Are you Hans Hubermann? I'm Max Vanderberg." The boy sucked in a gasp of air and looked out in to the night frantically.
"Yes, yes I am Hans come in, quick!" Max ran in and Hans slammed the door quickly, Rosa and Liesel hurried to their sides at once.
"Hans? What is going on? Do you know this boy?"
"Yes. This is Erik Vanderberg's son. You know the promise I made Rosa, anything in our power to help. I made a promise." Rosa's face softened but was struck with worry. Liesel had no idea what was going on but she sensed it was something bad. She looked at Max as his eyes started to close and his balance was lost beneath him, he began to fall but she quickly caught him with Hans' aid.
"He is sick, he looks like he hasn't ate in a while. Take him upstairs, I'll make some food." Rosa ordered.
Together, Liesel and Hans carried Max upstairs and placed him on the single bed that was meant for Liesel's younger brother when their mother was giving them to the Hubermanns. Liesel's heart ached all these years she had to wake to see the bed empty.
"Papa, who is he?" Liesel covered Max with the blanket and checked his temperature, he was sweating. Hans sighed and sat on Liesel's bed, she followed him. After a few minutes of silence Hans ran a hand down his face and sighed.
"This boy, Liesel, is Max Vanderberg. I told you once how I was in the war and a man took a bullet for me, well that man was Max's father. I made a vow to him that day that whatever I can do to help his family I will do it, no matter how big or small. Today I fulfil my promise."
Liesel took her father's hand and squeezed it. He was a gentle soul and she admired him more than anyone in the world.
"Papa, is he a Jew?" Hans looked at Liesel like a puppy dog, giving her an answer with his sad eyes.
"I won't tell anyone, I promise."
"You can't breathe a word of this to anyone, Liesel. You have to be extremely careful that the Mayor doesn't find out, or we are all dead. They won't have mercy on us, we will be traitors."
"I promise, papa, I promise no one will know."
At that moment Rosa came in carrying a tray of food and a bowl of water. Hans left to go downstairs, patting Liesel's head as he got up. Rosa tried to wake Max but he was in a deep sleep, she turned to Liesel.
"I will leave the food here. I have placed a cold flannel on his head but I'm afraid there's nothing much I can do. Will you be okay sleeping in here, Liesel?" Liesel thought about it for a second. This was a strange boy who just landed in her home, in her bedroom, but he was also scared and alone in a stranger's home, running from death.
"He's fast asleep and sick, I have to be here in case he wakes and he'll probably be scared too. I'll be fine mama."
"Okay." Rose shrugged her shoulders, scared out of her wits at the trouble they have brought to their home. "Call us if you need anything. Goodnight Liesel."
Liesel was left alone with a sleeping stranger in her dead brother's bed. She changed quickly in to her nightgown and climbed in to bed, hearing the soft, ragged breathing of Max Vanderberg, hoping that he will wake in the morning.
Will be updating soon. xxx