"Stay here.", his mom said. "Hide, stay in the attic.", his dad said.

Fivel did what he was told. He only left the attic once. (he didn't want to disobey, but he was so hungry.)

He couldn't find any food, and he thought he heard (monsters) noises-

so he didn't leave the attic again after that.

He was soon too weak to, anyway.

Sometimes he thought he heard Walter barking, and his mom singing (too old for lullabies, mom, but it's okay just don't leave me alone again)-

but not really, not for real, because Walter was dead, wasn't he? They buried him, and mom was gone.

"We love you; we'll come back for you soon!"

But they never came back.