Page 465 - The Book Thief

Just as I arrived myself, I noticed him standing there, recovering his breath.

The limbs of trees were scattered in the dark.

There were twigs and needles littered around the plane like fire fuel. To their
left, three gashes were burned into the earth. The runaway ticktock of cooling
metal sped up the minutes and seconds till they were standing there for what felt
like hours. The growing crowd was assembling behind them, their breath and
sentences sticking to Liesels back.

Well, said Rudy, should we take a look?

He stepped through the remainder of trees to where the body of the plane was
fixed to the ground. Its nose was in the running water and the wings were left
crookedly behind.

Rudy circled slowly, from the tail and around to the right.

Theres glass, he said. The windshield is everywhere.

Then he saw the body.

Rudy Steiner had never seen a face so pale.

Dont come, Liesel. But Liesel came.

She could see the barely conscious face of the enemy pilot as the tall trees
watched and the river ran. The plane let out a few more coughs and the head
inside tilted from left to right. He said something they obviously could not

understand.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Rudy whispered. Hes alive.

The toolbox bumped the side of the plane and brought with it the sound of more
human voices and feet.

The glow of fire was gone and the morning was still and black. Only the smoke
was in its way, but it, too, would soon be exhausted.