Then by Morris Gleitzman

Author:Morris Gleitzman
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781742280349
Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
Published: 2008-06-02T04:00:00+00:00

Then Genia told me and Zelda to stay in the house while she went out to see what the Nazi soldiers want.

Suddenly it hits me.

The Richmal Crompton book, I bet that’s what they want. Cyryl probably complained to the Nazis about me stealing the book from his family’s shop and they’ve come to get it.

And me.

I peer through the kitchen window. It’s the same two Nazi soldiers from the first day when me and Zelda were hiding in the barn.

But Genia isn’t wearing any makeup or perfume this time. When I yelled about the Nazis, she jumped up from her bed and went straight outside.

Next to me Zelda is watching the Nazi soldiers through the window too. And poking her tongue out at them.

‘Zelda,’ I whisper frantically. ‘Stop that.’

Luckily the Nazi soldiers aren’t looking in our direction. They’re both turned towards Genia. But they aren’t grinning and sniffing her wrist this time.

They’re shouting at her.

‘I hate them,’ mutters Zelda.

One of the soldiers grabs Genia and pulls her over to the barn. They push her inside and go in after her.

My mind is racing.

Of course. They must think I’ve hidden the Richmal Crompton book in the straw. When they don’t find it, they’ll get even angrier with Genia. And they won’t take long to discover it’s not there. Nowhere near long enough for Genia to put on makeup and perfume.

I dart into the bedroom, pull the book from its hiding place under my side of the mattress, and head for the kitchen door.

‘Wait here,’ I say to Zelda.

I hurry outside with the book.

This is all I can do. Give the book to the soldiers and say I’m sorry. Explain that Cyryl told me it was junk. Hope that when they see my Polish Wilhelm identity card, they’ll have mercy.

At least they haven’t got their killer dog with them today.

I crouch outside the door of the barn. I don’t want to just barge in. Everyone knows you never creep up behind a horse or a Nazi.

I peep through a crack in the door so I can choose a moment when the soldiers haven’t got their heads in the straw.

My eyes get used to the gloom and I blink with surprise and alarm.

The Nazis aren’t doing a book search at all. One of them is grabbing the chickens and stuffing them into a sack. The other is putting a rope round Trotski’s neck.

Trotski isn’t happy. He’s trying to bite the soldier. The soldier is swearing.

Genia is very upset.

‘You can’t take them,’ she’s yelling. ‘You can’t.’

One of the Nazi soldiers has got his gun pointed at Genia, but apart from that they’re ignoring her.

Leopold is very upset too. He’s barking and growling. Genia is holding him by his collar, but he’s jumping and leaping, trying to get at the soldiers.

I know I should be doing the same. Or at least pleading with them.

Before I can move, I hear a voice calling out.

‘Hey, Nowak.’

At first I don’t understand what that means. I’m too numb to think.

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