The One Who Stole the Sky

Mirror Image

"Herr Getz this is Liesel Meminger from Mulching." Max had stepped off to the side and extended his arm out towards her as if he were showcasing a new car tucked behind a curtain.

"Mulching you say? Horrible, utterly disgusting what had happened. Never knew it existed until..." Herr Getz trailed off and looked solemnly into the distance as if recalling the whole event in his mind.

"I'm so, so sorry for what had happened." He reached for Liesel's hand and squeezed it as if to relieve some pain. In return she smiled back, hers twisted in sadness and sorrow.

"So how did you and Max meet?" Herr Getz mischievously grinned at Max for only a moment before resting his eyes back on Liesel.

"Well his father and my father were friends to start. He needed a place to hide during the war, and so he ran to us because of a promise my father had made many years ago." Liesel felt odd sharing such information that at one point, just a few years ago, would have gotten her killed.

"I see. So why'd he bring you then? Why not Sylvi?" Liesel looked nervous and embarrassed. Was she not good enough to fit the mold of this lifestyle?

"Liesel is the only family I have left. My family, her family, it's all gone. Sylvi cheated on me quite some time ago. I kicked her out." Max prayed that the conversation would be put out of its suffering.

"My apologies once more." Herr Getz raised his wooly white brow and cleared his throat.

"Please come in, don't be a stranger. In fact there are a lot of people awaiting your unveiling of your newest piece." He bit his lip and looked anxiously on at the two of them.

Max motioned with his head to Liesel to follow him into the dining and auctioning area. About one hundred people stood fancifully holding a champagne glass in one hand. Some hands wore gloves while others were on display, showing multitudes of rings and bracelets.

"Liesel come over here." Herr Getz motioned her to follow him to a table in the back center of the room. Max had gone to the front of the room, hundreds of feet away, and climbed the few stairs up to the stage.

"Hello and good evening. For those of you who may not know me I am Max Vanderburg, an artist under the employment of Herr Getz. Before this piece you are about to see was created, I had been going through a lot of personal strife. I titled this oil painting "Sanity" for it did give me such in a tough chapter of my life." The audience clapped in response and Max had walked off stage. Herr Getz had slipped by everyone and laid his hand upon the tarp the covered the canvas. Max smiled at the stage and photographers took position in front.

Herr Getz tore the sheet down. Max gleamed. The photographers took their shots. Liesel's mouth dropped.

It was her. Liesel, on the canvas. Everyone whispered and clapped. Her eyes were large, innocent, and blue. Her face was pale and her hair was perfect golden hoops.

Max began to walk back from the side of the stage to the table where Liesel sat.

He took a seat.

"Sanity? Me?" Liesel's face contorted as she asked Max.

It felt strange to stare back at yourself like that. Liesel felt as though she was in a fun house with the silly mirrors mimicking her moves.

"Calm yourself now. Please, let's talk later." Max patted her shoulder and returned back to the stage.

"The bidding will now start at-"

"Stop." Max held out his hand toward Herr Getz with regret drawn upon his features.

"I have come to the conclusion that I will no longer be auctioning off this item. I do implore you to donate it to the Alte Pinakothek Muesum full heartedly. I insist you take my offer." The crowd gasped and whispered.

"This piece belongs here, in Munich. Not in Italy, Spain, or even the Louvre in Paris. It is for the people of Germany to realize what had happened. I want it to act as a reminder to all that there is good in the world. There was hope for me in the war. This girl had saved me, I will never forget." Max pointed to the painting and spoke true.

"I will call them right now." Here Getz walked off the stage and into the hallway where a phone had been draped on its receiver.

It was silent until one man clapping had turned into a sea of people clapping for Max. He was about to walk off the stage until a bold man sitting nearby poked a question.

"Excuse me, Mr. Vanderberg. If you don't mind me asking, who was your inspiration for this piece?" The wrinkled man had probed.

Max had looked back at Liesel who blushed vibrantly.

"Uh, yes... she...um..."

"Why don't you have her come up to the stage." Herr Getz interrupted.

"She's here?" More gossip ensued.

Max sped off the stage to Herr Getz.

"Call me tomorrow, for right now though, we will be off. You can't just throw her into they forgiving jaws of media. They will chew her up and spit her out."

Liesel had stood and gathered her belongings.

"Is that her?" Everyone started towards them.

"Goodbye." Max began to walk out and so Liesel followed behind like a little duckling.

"I would have been fine..."

"No. Not yet. Let's just get home and discuss this." Max had waved down a cab in a few short moments and hurried over.

"You act as though I am weak."

"I know you aren't."