Page 451 - The Book Thief

THE AGELESS BROTHER

Liesel Meminger was a few weeks short of fourteen.

Her papa was still away.

Shed completed three more reading sessions with a devastated woman. On many
nights, shed watched Rosa sit with the accordion and pray with her chin on top
of the bellows.

Now, she thought, its time. Usually it was stealing that cheered her up, but on

this day, it was giving something back.

She reached under her bed and removed the plate. As quickly as she could, she
cleaned it in the kitchen and made her way out. It felt nice to be walking up
through Molching. The air was sharp and flat, like the Watschen of a sadistic
teacher or nun. Her shoes were the only sound on Munich Street.

As she crossed the river, a rumor of sunshine stood behind the clouds.

At 8 Grande Strasse, she walked up the steps, left the plate by the front door, and
knocked, and by the time the door was opened, the girl was around the corner.
Liesel did not look back, but she knew that if she did, shed have found her

brother at the bottom of the steps again, his knee completely healed. She could
even hear his voice.

Thats better, Liesel.

It was with great sadness that she realized that her brother would be six forever,
but when she held that thought, she also made an effort to smile.

She remained at the Amper River, at the bridge, where Papa used to stand and
lean.

She smiled and smiled, and when it all came out, she walked home and her
brother never climbed into her sleep again. In many ways, she would miss him,