Page 311 - The Book Thief
P. 311
Do you want it or not?
No thanks. Rudy prodded it cautiously with his foot, as if it were a dead animal.
Or an animal that might be dead.
As he walked home, Liesel picked the ball up and placed it under her arm. She
could hear him call out, Hey, Saumensch. She waited. Saumensch!
She relented. What?
Ive got a bike without wheels here, too, if you want it.
Stick your bike.
From her position on the street, the last thing she heard was the laughter of that
Saukerl, Rudy Steiner.
Inside, she made her way to the bedroom. She took the ball in to Max and placed
it at the end of the bed.
Im sorry, she said, its not much. But when you wake up, Ill tell you all about it.
Ill tell you it was the grayest afternoon you can imagine, and this car without its
lights on ran straight over the ball. Then the man got out and yelled at us. And
then he asked for directions. The nerve of him . . .
Wake up! she wanted to scream.
Or shake him.
She didnt.
All Liesel could do was watch the ball and its trampled, flaking skin. It was the
first gift of many.
PRESENTS #2#5
One ribbon, one pinecone.
One button, one stone.
