The Book Thief Page #5

Isn't it obvious?

I'm running away.

Have you thought this through?

Ja.

I don't want to die.

There.

All thought through.

Rudy, where are you going to stay?

"You"? What about "we"?

I didn't think

you were this serious.

What do you call this?

Packed lunch?

Is there anything in there

besides your soccer ball?

I miss my dad.

I don't even know

if he's alive.

I'm not ready.

I want to grow up before I die.

So did my brother.

I'm sorry.

I didn't ask for this.

Who would?

I hate Hitler.

Me, too.

I hate Hitler!

I hate Hitler!

I hate Hitler!

Hitler is a monkey's ass!

Stick you, Hitler!

You're all I've got, Rudy.

Let's go home.

The bombs were coming thicker now.

It's probably fair to say...

that no one was able to serve

the fuhrer as loyally as me.

There once was

a ghost of a boy...

who liked to live

in the shadows of things...

so he wouldn't frighten people.

What was that?

Who's speaking?

What are you doing?

Telling a story.

Why?

Whose boy?

She's telling a story.

Speak up.

Start again.

There once was a ghost of a boy...

who liked to live in the shadows,

so he wouldn't frighten people.

His job was to wait for his

sister, who was still alive.

She wasn't afraid of the dark...

because she knew

that's where her brother was.

Go on.

At night, when darkness

came to her room...

she would tell her brother

about the day.

She would remind him how the

sun felt on his skin...

and what the air

felt like to breathe...

Or how snow felt on his tongue.

And that reminded her...

that she was still alive.

Gentlemen...

how is everybody?

Look at this one. They are starting

to conscript grandfathers.

Hey, old man. Old man,

are they your own teeth?

Together, they sat in the forest...

and watched the sun rise.

And as he disappeared

back into the shadows...

she waved goodbye

for the last time.

Oh, Liesel.

Max?

Max?

Max!

Max!

Saumensch!

What are you up to?

Max?

Liesel!

Max?

Do you know Max?

Liesel!

Do you know Max?

Max?

Do you know Max?

Get out of here, you stupid girl!

Liesel!

I won't forget you.

I won't forget you.

I won't forget you.

I won't forget you, Max.

Liesel!

Go out!

Liesel!

You're too much like your

father, you know that?

What's wrong with that?

Nothing.

Hey, Saumensch, want to play?

Nein, not today.

Then let's steal something.

I don't steal. I borrow.

Then let's go borrow Franz Deutscher's

bike und get out of here.

Can't you see I'm reading?

Are you still angry with me?

For what?

Saving you.

Nein, Rudy.

You're very brave.

Papa!

You're home!

What is it, my girl?

My girl.

My girl.

It's nice to hear you play.

I can't hear properly.

I'm going to bed.

Don't stay up too late, you two.

Your mama told me what you did.

I shouldn't have.

Maybe you had to.

I keep thinking about Max.

Wondering where he is.

Me, too.

I'm not sure what it all meant.

Everything he went through.

Everything we did.

We were just being people.

That's what people do.

Liesel...

you are all grown up.

All I have learned is that

life makes no promises.

So I had better get started.

I have always

tried to ignore it...

but I know this all

started with a train...

and some snow...

and my brother.

Outside the car, the world was

thrown inside a snow-shaker.

Und on a place

called Heaven Street...

a man with an accordion heart und

a woman cloaked in thunder...

waited for their new daughter.

He lived under our stairs like

a quiet owl with no wings...

until the sun forgot

what his face was.

The book floated

down the river...

like a red fish being chased

by a yellow-haired boy.

For Max, who gave me eyes.

Good night, Your Majesty.

I've always quite liked the

image of me with a sickle and cape.

Dark and formidable.

Unfortunately, I'm far more

ordinary and commonplace.

No one intended to destroy

a street named after Heaven.

It was a misread on a map.

No sirens that evening.

First were Rudy's brothers.

I read their simple dreams.

Then, I kissed his mother.

And stole the meanness

from Franz Deutscher's heart.

Rosa, I caught mid-snore.

I could swear I heard

her call me a Saukerl.

Then I felt her regrets for not

sharing more of her very big heart.

As for Hans, his soul was

lighter than a child's.

I felt his itch for one last

tune on his accordion...

and heard his final thought...

"Liesel. "

Over here!

Just over.

Your hand.

Mama? Papa?

Papa?

Papa.

Rudy?

Saumensch.

Liesel.

I need to tell you...

Don't speak.

I need to say it.

I...

Rudy?

Rudy, nein.

Rudy, wake up.

Rudy, nein!

Wake up, Rudy!

Rudy, wake up!

Rudy, kiss me.

Rudy, his soul just

rolled into my arms.

In my job, I am always finding

humans at their best...

and their worst.

I see their ugliness,

and their beauty...

and I wonder how the

same thing can be both.

Liesel!

Max!

I have seen a great many things.

I've attended all the

world's worst disasters...

and worked for the greatest of villains.

And I've seen the greatest wonders.

But it's still like I said it was.

No one lives forever.

When I finally came for Liesel...

I took selfish pleasure

in the knowledge

that she had lived

her 90 years so wisely.

By then, her stories

had touched many souls.

Some of whom I came

to know in passing.

Max, whose friendship lasted

almost as long as Liesel.

Almost.

In her final thoughts...

she saw the long list of lives

that merged with hers.

Her three children.

Her grandchildren.

Her husband.

Among them, lit like lanterns...

were Hans and Rosa...

her brother...

and the boy whose hair remained

the color of lemons forever.

I wanted to tell the book thief

she was one of the few souls...

that made me wonder

what it was to live.

But in the end,

there were no words.

Only peace.

The only truth I truly know...

is that I am haunted by humans.

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