Page 330 - The Book Thief
P. 330
THE VISITOR
A new ball had been found for Himmel Street soccer. That was the good news.
The somewhat unsettling news was that a division of the NSDAP was heading
toward them.
Theyd progressed all the way through Molching, street by street, house by
house, and now they stood at Frau Dillers shop, having a quick smoke before
they continued with their business.
There was already a smattering of air-raid shelters in Molching, but it was
decided soon after the bombing of Cologne that a few more certainly wouldnt
hurt. The NSDAP was inspecting each and every house in order to see if its
basement was a good enough candidate.
From afar, the children watched.
They could see the smoke rising out of the pack.
Liesel had only just come out and shed walked over to Rudy and Tommy.
Harald Mollenhauer was retrieving the ball. Whats going on up there?
Rudy put his hands in his pockets. The party. He inspected his friends progress
with the ball in Frau Holtzapfels front hedge. Theyre checking all the houses and
apartment blocks.
Instant dryness seized the interior of Liesels mouth. For what?
Dont you know anything? Tell her, Tommy.
Tommy was perplexed. Well, I dont know.
Youre hopeless, the pair of you. They need more air-raid shelters.
Whatbasements?
