Page 413 - The Book Thief

He walked on. So what?

Im going back.

Rudy stopped and watched her now as if she were betraying him. Thats right,
book thief. Leave me now. I bet if there was a lousy book at the end of this road,
youd keep walking. Wouldnt you?

For a while, neither of them spoke, but Liesel soon found the will. You think
youre the only one, Saukerl? She turned away. And you only lost your father. . . .

What does that mean?

Liesel took a moment to count.

Her mother. Her brother. Max Vandenburg. Hans Hubermann. All of them gone.
And shed never even had a real father.

It means, she said, Im going home.

For fifteen minutes she walked alone, and even when Rudy arrived at her side
with jogging breath and sweaty cheeks, not another word was said for more than
an hour. They only walked home together with aching feet and tired hearts.

There was a chapter called Tired Hearts in A Song in the Dark. A romantic girl
had promised herself to a young man, but it appeared that he had run away with
her best friend. Liesel was sure it was chapter thirteen. My heart is so tired, the
girl had said. She was sitting in a chapel, writing in her diary.

No, thought Liesel as she walked. Its my heart that is tired. A thirteen-year-old

heart shouldnt feel like this.

When they reached the perimeter of Molching, Liesel threw some words across.
She could see Hubert Oval. Remember when we raced there, Rudy?

Of course. I was just thinking about that myselfhow we both fell.

You said you were covered in shit.