Soon, Page 7

  He looks like he means it, which gives me the courage to move on.

  ‘There is one other thing, sir,’ I say.

  ‘What’s that?’ says Doctor Lipzyk.

  ‘I was wondering,’ I say, ‘if I could have another look at your library? I promise I’ll be very careful.’

  Doctor Lipzyk smiles.

  ‘Of course you can, Felix,’ he says. ‘Here, let me take your coat.’

  I slip my coat off and Doctor Lipzyk hangs it up. Then leads me into the book room.

  ‘I’m very fortunate to have such a fine medical library,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘When the university was bombed, many rare volumes came into my possession. It seems only fair that I should share my good fortune. So Felix, from now on I want you to regard this library as yours, to use whenever you like.’

  I stare at him.

  ‘Thank you,’ I squeak.

  It’s hard to stay calm when your medical library has just increased from two books to about a thousand.

  ‘Make yourself at home,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘I’ll get cleaned up and we’ll talk some more.’

  He goes out.

  I accept Doctor Lipzyk’s kind invitation.

  I make myself completely at home. I walk along the shelves, studying the titles. I know exactly what I’m looking for.

  A book with all the medical reasons why people throw up.

  ‘Quite the bookworm,’ says Doctor Lipzyk.

  I jump.

  Look up guiltily.

  Slide the book I was studying back onto the shelf.

  Doctor Lipzyk has changed out of his medical gown. I haven’t got a clue how much time has passed. I think it’s still daytime, but with the windows boarded up it’s hard to tell. I could look at my watch, but that would be rude when a person’s just started a conversation.

  ‘Is there any area of medicine that particularly interests you, Felix?’ asks Doctor Lipzyk.

  I can’t say vomiting. That’s confidential between me and Anya, even though she’s not my patient exactly.

  ‘Anatomy,’ I say, which is also true. ‘I want to know more about the human body.’

  Doctor Lipzyk smiles in a way that shows he understands.

  ‘A very important area of medicine,’ he says.

  He points to the shelves.

  ‘Many fine works of anatomy here,’ he continues. ‘But Felix, never forget you have with you at all times the finest work of anatomy ever created.’

  I don’t understand.

  ‘Put your hands on your chest,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘Palms down. Press firmly. Now slide them slowly towards your legs.’

  I do it, pressing firmly. As I move my hands downwards, I can feel my body parts under my clothes.

  ‘Pectoralis major,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘Sternum, aorta, transverse abdominis, costal cartilage, rectus abdominis.’

  I understand.

  My body is a library too.

  It’s an exciting thought. But I still need books to learn what’s what. I bet Doctor Lipzyk didn’t learn all his knowledge just from feeling his anatomy.

  ‘Keep going,’ says Doctor Lipzyk.

  I move my hands over my hips towards the top of my legs.

  ‘Pelvis,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘Sigmoid colon, iliotibial tract . . .’

  He stops. I stop too.

  ‘What happened to your legs?’ he says after a moment.

  I tell him about the two years I spent hiding from the Nazis in a hole under a barn.

  He frowns as he hears about it. Most people do.

  ‘It wasn’t too bad,’ I say. ‘I did lots of thinking. And Gabriek taught me how to mend things.’

  ‘Felix,’ says Doctor Lipzyk, ‘may I examine your legs? I have a particular interest in the effects of trauma on bone and tissue and I may be able to help you.’

  ‘Yes,’ I say. ‘Thanks.’

  Gabriek and I have talked about whether medical science could help my legs. I think it probably could, but it would take a lot of money and medicine, and that’s unlikely in a world where people are dying of coughs.

  ‘Could you please take off your trousers,’ says Doctor Lipzyk, closing the door.

  The idea feels a bit strange in somebody else’s living room. Specially as I’m not wearing any underpants. They got left behind in the flea cellar and I haven’t wanted to trouble Gabriek for new ones.

  I explain this to Doctor Lipzyk.

  He sighs.

  ‘As a doctor, Felix,’ he says, ‘you’ll learn that in medicine there’s no place for feelings, including embarrassment. You’ll come to see the body for what it is – just a very clever machine.’

  I’m not sure I totally agree with this, but I take my trousers off anyway.

  ‘Now,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘Face me, please.’

  I do.

  Doctor Lipzyk stands in front of me and looks at the lower part of my body. For about one second. Then he scowls and turns away.

  ‘Get dressed,’ he says. ‘I can’t help you.’

  I’m shocked. If a brilliant doctor like him can tell in one second that he can’t help me, my legs must be a disaster. Doctor Lipzyk has his back to me. He doesn’t even want to look at them.

  The door crashes open.

  It’s Anya.

  She’s got her coat on, so she must have just come home. She’s out of breath and looks upset.

  ‘Felix,’ she says, ‘I’ve got some bad news.’

  She stops and stares at me.

  My heart valves are in my throat. I’m naked and she’s looking. I grab my clothes and hold them in front of my private part.

  ‘Anya,’ snaps Doctor Lipzyk. ‘How dare you burst in here when I’m with a patient.’

  Anya doesn’t seem to know what to say next. She glares at Doctor Lipzyk, who is glaring at her.

  ‘Leave us,’ says Doctor Lipzyk.

  He’s talking to Anya, not me.

  ‘No,’ says Anya. ‘There’s something I have to tell Felix. It’s important.’

  ‘Come with me, Anya,’ says Doctor Lipzyk, his voice quieter now but still furious. ‘I’ve got something I need to say to you. I think you’ll agree it’s just as important.’

  He grabs Anya by the shoulder and pushes her out of the room, closing the door behind them.

  I’m so shaken by everything that’s just happened I take twice as long to get my trousers back on.

  What could Anya’s bad news be?

  Gabriek said he’d stay in the hideout with baby Pavlo today, safe and secure, so it can’t be anything that’s happened to them.

  There’s a knock on the door.

  Bolek the chandelier-cleaning gang boy comes in.

  ‘Doctor Lipzyk said to give you this,’ he says.

  He hands me a cup of hot chocolate.

  ‘Thanks,’ I say.

  That’s good of Doctor Lipzyk, trying to cheer me up. He’s a kind man. I don’t blame him for being a bit grumpy just now. It’s only natural when your mission is to heal and you come across legs that are hopeless.

  I have a sad thought. I wonder if this kind man knows that some of the orphans he’s caring for are in a gang?

  Before I can ask Bolek, Doctor Lipzyk comes in with Anya.

  Bolek leaves.

  ‘Felix,’ says Doctor Lipzyk, ‘Anya wishes to apologise for her rudeness.’

  ‘Sorry,’ says Anya.

  I can tell from her eyes that she’s not.

  ‘Now,’ says Doctor Lipzyk to Anya. ‘What is it you need to tell Felix?’

  There’s something in Doctor Lipzyk’s voice that makes me feel a bit strange. Like he already knows what Anya needs to tell me.

  ‘It’s Gogol,’ Anya says to me. ‘He’s put word out about you and the baby. He’s offering a reward. A thousand zloty for you both. Dead.’

  I take a sip of hot chocolate to make me feel better. It doesn’t.

  A thousand zloty is a lot of money. A person could buy a year’s supply of eggs for a thousand zloty, and
still have enough left over for a frying pan. In the future you’ll probably be able to get a pair of dud legs fixed up for a thousand zloty.

  This is serious.

  I tell Doctor Lipzyk and Anya about my plan to fool Gogol into thinking that me and Pavlo are dead.

  As I’m telling them about the bodies I’ll need, I suddenly know I can’t do it. Pavlo is right. I’m a doctor. And I can tell that Anya and Doctor Lipzyk don’t think it’s something I should do either.

  I switch to my number two plan.

  ‘I’ll offer Gogol a deal,’ I say. ‘If he promises to leave the baby alone, I’ll work for him for nothing. Medical services, weapon repairs, anything he wants. For the rest of my life.’

  But even as I say this, I’m not sure if I can do that either. Repair his weapons so he can shoot more innocent people.

  ‘Felix,’ says Anya. ‘There’s another part to Gogol’s reward. He’s offering an extra thousand zloty for you and the baby alive. ’

  ‘Alive?’ I say.

  Anya nods.

  I think about this. Then I try not to. If Gogol wants us dead but he’s prepared to pay twice as much for us alive, the reason is too scary and horrible to think about.

  ‘Trickery won’t change his mind,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘Neither will medical services and weapon repairs. He can get those anywhere. But you’re on the right track, Felix. If you can find something this man wants, really wants, he’ll do a deal. Everybody wants something.’

  I look at them both helplessly.

  What would a murdering patriot thug want more than gruesome revenge and showing the world he’s still the boss?

  ‘Anya and I have had a thought,’ says Doctor Lipzyk. ‘But I’m going to leave Anya to tell you about it because I have to see another patient. I think you’re going to be alright, Felix. There’s one little thing you can do for me, and then you’re going to be fine.’

  He reaches out to touch my shoulder, has second thoughts about it, and goes out.

  I feel weak with relief. If Doctor Lipzyk thinks me and Pavlo are going to be OK, we probably will be.

  I wait for Anya to explain their idea to me.

  But all she does is go out into the hall and get my coat.

  ‘I’ll tell you on the way,’ she says.

  , I hope, Anya will slow down a bit and start talking.

  So far all we’ve done is walk very fast to a different part of the city. With Anya ignoring all my questions.

  ‘Gastroenteritis?’ I say, not giving up. ‘Migraine? Duodenal ulcer? Battle fatigue? Cholera?’

  When a person throws up and wants to keep it a secret, chances are it’s happened more than once. Which means it could be something serious.

  Anya just glares at me and keeps walking.

  ‘None of your business,’ she mutters.

  She’s as stubborn as Gabriek.

  Plus I think she might be feeling shy because of the others. Bolek is with us and so are the other three gang boys who live at the orphanage. I think she’s worried they’ll hear, even though they dropped back a bit when I whispered to them that me and Anya need to have a private conversation. It’s good to see that gang members can respect medical confidentiality.

  ‘I’ll tell you when I’m ready,’ says Anya. ‘If you ask me again, I’ll shoot you.’

  I sigh. Doctor Lipzyk is right. It’s not easy for doctors when patients get embarrassed.

  I change the subject.

  ‘This idea of yours and Doctor Lipzyk’s,’ I say. ‘What is it exactly I have to do?’

  All I know so far is that it involves something Gogol wants. Something I hope will get good protection for me and Pavlo.

  ‘Be patient,’ says Anya. ‘You’ll find out soon.’

  I sigh again. I know we have to keep our eyes open for Gogol and his men, plus anyone who likes the idea of a two thousand zloty reward. But it is possible to be alert to danger and talk at the same time. I’ve done it lots.

  ‘Here we are,’ says Anya.

  The other boys catch up with us and we go down a side street.

  Halfway along the street we clamber over piles of bricks into the living room of a downstairs apartment.

  I stare, surprised.

  Standing in the middle of the living room floor is the wooden cart from the orphanage.

  Anya must have organised this earlier today. She must have set up this mysterious plan to help me as soon as she heard that Gogol was after me.

  I’ve never met anyone like her.

  How can one person be so thoughtful and generous, and so confusing and frustrating?

  ‘Into position,’ says Anya. ‘Heads down.’

  We huddle down behind the bricks, watching an apartment building across the street. One with most of its apartments still there.

  ‘They usually leave about now,’ says Anya.

  ‘Who?’ I say.

  I’m grateful, but also frustrated. Friends shouldn’t keep each other in the dark, that’s my motto.

  Anya sees my face.

  ‘Do you know what penicillin is?’ she says.

  I look at her. I may not be as experienced as Doctor Lipzyk, but I’m not a beginner.

  I tell her about the tiny precious amount of penicillin we had when I was with the partisans in the forest. Precious because it was a wonder medicine that killed germs and cured people like nothing else. A tiny amount because it cost a fortune on the black market.

  ‘Still does,’ says Anya. ‘Makes powdered milk look cheap as brick-dust.’

  ‘What about it?’ I say.

  ‘We’re pretty sure,’ says Anya, ‘that if we offer Gogol enough penicillin, he’ll agree to lay off you and the baby. He’s lost men to gangrene lately, plus if he has any of it left over, he can sell it for a lot of money.’

  ‘Where would we get it?’ I say.

  ‘That’s not the problem,’ says Anya. ‘We’ve got plenty.’

  I stare at her. Does she mean her and Doctor Lipzyk? They’ve got penicillin they’d give to Gogol? That seems amazingly generous, even for them.

  ‘So what is the problem?’ I say.

  ‘Remember our conversation at the house?’ says Anya. ‘About how everybody wants something?’

  I nod. Doctor Lipzyk said it.

  ‘Well,’ says Anya, ‘over there is something Doctor Lipzyk wants.’

  She points across to the apartment building.

  ‘You should see it,’ says one of the gang boys. ‘It’s amazing.’

  ‘Vladek is our climber,’ says Anya. ‘He’s been up onto their skylight.’

  Vladek, who’s about my age but small and skinny like a lot of good climbers, grins proudly.

  ‘Nearly killed myself,’ he says. ‘Building’s solid, but the tiles are ancient. Crumbly as army biscuits, you know, the really crumbly ones with the mould on them.’

  ‘What is it Dr Lipzyk wants from over there?’ I say to Anya impatiently.

  ‘Paintings,’ she says. ‘Old paintings. There’s an apartment up there full of them.’

  ‘From museums,’ says Vladek. ‘Old masterpieces. Very rare and precious. I sketched some and Anya checked in books.’

  ‘Vladek’s a bit of an artist too,’ says Anya.

  I don’t chat with Vladek about his art experience because I’m starting to understand what all this has got to do with me.

  ‘It’s a simple swap,’ says Anya. ‘The paintings go to Doctor Lipzyk’s place, the penicillin goes to Gogol, you and the baby go around the city unharmed. With all the milk powder you want.’

  ‘But only if I break into that apartment for you,’ I say. ‘Only if I get the lock open.’

  Anya nods.

  ‘Why are you bothering with the front door?’ I say. ‘There’s a skylight. Take the paintings out through the skylight, onto the cart, off you go.’

  ‘Skylight’s too small,’ says Anya.

  ‘Roof’s like biscuits,’ says Vladek.

  ‘There are people in some of the oth
er apartments,’ says Bolek. ‘We can’t make any noise.’

  I think about this.

  ‘What if I can’t handle the lock?’ I say. ‘What if I can’t open it?’

  ‘You will,’ says Anya.

  She puts her finger to her lips and signals to us to duck lower behind the bricks. She points across the street.

  ‘Owners of the paintings,’ she whispers.

  ‘Temporary owners,’ murmurs Vladek.

  I peer across the street.

  Two men are coming out of the apartment building. One big and one small. I stare at them.

  Dimmi and his father.

  My brain races. Anya must have come here yesterday. To see what Dimmi’s lock was protecting. And told Doctor Lipzyk about the paintings.

  Is that why she took me to her house in the first place?

  Has this been their plan all along?

  I feel anger burning my rectus abdominis. This whole thing has just been Anya and Doctor Lipzyk taking advantage of a hungry baby to get their greedy hands on some valuable paintings.

  ‘I’m not doing it,’ I say. ‘They’re Gabriek’s clients. If I rob them and people find out, Gabriek won’t have a customer left in this city. I’m not doing that to him.’

  Anya gives me a scornful look.

  ‘They won’t find out,’ she says. ‘Nobody will know.’

  I give her a scornful look back. How can you trust the word of somebody who sets you up and uses you and lives in a big luxury house and can’t even keep her coat clean?

  ‘I’m not taking that chance,’ I say. ‘Forget it.’

  I stand up and walk away.

  I make sure it’s in the opposite direction to Dimmi and his father, but I walk away.

  , I hope, I’ll learn to be less emotional.

  To think things through. To say, ‘Could I please have a few hours to weigh all that up?’ Which is what I should have said to Anya.

  Because here I am, hurrying home along a dark street like I’ve done a million times before, and I’ve never felt so anxious.

  Two thousand zloty.

  That’s what a ruthless killer will spend to get his hands on me and Pavlo. My only way to stop him is to maybe ruin the life of my dearest friend, who I owe my life to.

  That’s why I’m so anxious.

  Because the more I think about it, the more I think I have to do it.