Page 210 - The Book Thief

A SMALL EXCERPT FROM

THE WHISTLER
She lay there, frightened, in a pool of
blood, a strange tune singing in her
ear. She recalled the knife, in and
out, and a smile. As always, the
whistler had smiled as he ran away,
into a dark and murderous night. . . .

Liesel was unsure whether it was the words or the open window that caused her
to tremble. Every time she picked up or delivered from the mayors house, she
read three pages and shivered, but she could not last forever.

Similarly, Max Vandenburg could not withstand the basement much longer. He
didnt complainhe had no rightbut he could slowly feel himself deteriorating in
the cold. As it turned out, his rescue owed itself to some reading and writing, and
a book called The Shoulder Shrug.

Liesel, said Hans one night. Come on.

Since Maxs arrival, there had been a considerable hiatus in the reading practice
of Liesel and her papa. He clearly felt that now was a good time to resume. Na,
komm, he told her. I dont want you slacking off. Go and get one of your books.
How about The Shoulder Shrug?

The disturbing element in all of this was that when she came back, book in hand,
Papa was motioning that she should follow him down to their old workroom.
The basement.

But, Papa, she tried to tell him. We cant

What? Is there a monster down there?

It was early December and the day had been icy. The basement became
unfriendlier with each concrete step.