Page 460 - The Book Thief

Rudy moved across and faced the other way, and there was room for Liesel now

as well.

The book thief and her best friend sat back to back on a patchy red toolbox in the
middle of the street. Each facing a different way, they remained for quite a
while. When they stood up and went home, Rudy changed his socks and left the
previous ones on the road. A gift, he decided, for Gelb Strasse.

THE SPOKEN TRUTH
OF RUDY STEINER
I guess Im better at leaving
things behind than stealing them.

A few weeks later, the toolbox ended up being good for at least something. Rudy
cleared it of screwdrivers and hammers and chose instead to store in it many of
the Steiners valuables for the next air raid. The only item that remained was the
teddy bear.

On March 9, Rudy exited the house with it when the sirens made their presence
felt again in Molching.

While the Steiners rushed down Himmel Street, Michael Holtzapfel was
knocking furiously at Rosa Hubermanns door. When she and Liesel came out, he
handed them his problem. My mother, he said, and the plums of blood were still
on his bandage. She wont come out. Shes sitting at the kitchen table.

As the weeks had worn on, Frau Holtzapfel had not yet begun to recover. When
Liesel came to read, the woman spent most of the time staring at the window.
Her words were quiet, close to motionless. All brutality and reprimand were
wrested from her face. It was usually Michael who said goodbye to Liesel or
gave her the coffee and thanked her. Now this.

Rosa moved into action.

She waddled swiftly through the gate and stood in the open doorway.