4 years later…

But a brief summation of important events that occurred to Liesel and Rudy after the last chapter.

Rudy's reappearance was never questioned of again. He and his father, Alex Steiner, who earned a good amount of money from serving the Nazi party, lived in a little house until Himmel Street was reconstructed and houses were built again. But they never moved in. They couldn't step foot into the street where their family was killed. And they never did.

A little green house a couple streets a way sufficed for them. The Steiner shop thrived and Nazi Germany in the contrary. Rudy was obviously top in his education and athletics. Since both Liesel and Rudy are now attending their last year of school, Rudy was told if he worked hard, he could attend one of Germany's top colleges.

Liesel, on the other hand, caught up in school and worked hard, especially after Rudy's reappearance. She finished about 2 books every week and as a result, her writing was improving, said Sister Maria. Liesel wanted to become a teacher for younger kids, but school was starting to become a little difficult especially a few subjects.

BACK

"Saumensch," Rudy scolded Liesel in a harsh whisper as he waited down on the ground with a bag of apples in his right hand. "And you were the one lecturing me about getting over the wired fence." He urged Liesel to hurry up with his hands. "Look who's talking now."

Liesel stopped struggling on the other side of the barbed wire for a moment and focused on the pure idiot she was talking to.

"Rudy," she said in between pants. "I doubt you've noticed, but my show lace is caught in a broken wire! It's not my inability to get over a fence, you Saukerl." She looked down and pointed at it her left shoe. She gave him a sarcastic smile, which he gladly returned and said,"But I really appreciate your help."

After minutes of struggling, (which probably looked quite dumb from Rudy's side since it appeared as if her foot was having a spasm) Rudy shook his leg impatiently and gave Liesel an annoyed face. "Please hurry up, will you?" he begged. " I don't want to get caught." He took an apple from the bag and bit into it.

"And," crunch, " I heard," crunch crunch, "that Herr Gundermann, the farm owner," crunch crunch, "isn't the sweetest," crunch, "farmer ever." He gulped with much difficulty.

Liesel tugged her leg a little harder and moaned. Her shoelace had somehow found it's way around a broken wire. She was already up too high to get back down. Perks of stealing, she admonished herself.

Rudy continued chewing casually as if he was in a normal situation and pointed out ways to Liesel to get the shoelace unknotted. None of them obviously helped. Liesel even yelled out that if he was in the same situation as she was, she would do the same as him, which was sit and act like a useless pig. Rudy countered her argument by saying:

"You'll act like a useless pig? You always act like one so it's no different."

"RUDY, WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!" Liesel yelled annunciating every syllable.

"I'm not the one stuck in a fence how-"

From the back of the farm, a loud and grumpy voice emerged sending shots of adrenaline through Rudy's body.

"HEY," the voice yelled. It was Farmer Gundermann. "Who's there?" His hoarse voice stopped for a minute and begun instantly. "JUST WAIT. LET ME GET ME RAKE AND I'LL FIND YOU."

Rudy was a frozen statue for a moment's time. And then he engaged into pure panic.

"Crucified Christ!" he began. "Hurry up, Liesel, hurry!"

"Rudy, I CAN'T MOVE!" she countered.

"Please, he'll get us!"

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I know that," Liesel yelled. "Help me get OUT."

Rudy quickly climbed the fence and examined Liesel's foot from the opposite side. He looked at her and at the shoe and back at her. "Leave the shoe here." he finally said. "Just pull your foot of."

Liesel glared at Rudy as if he were mad, which he was, but not technically at this moment.

"Leave my shoe here?" Liesel asked loudly. "Rudy! He'll figure out tha-"

"Yep, cause he'll go around the entire Molching door to door and ask for the person with the shoe." Rudy said sarcastically. "Let's go! Liesel, I hear him!"

Liesel tugged on her foot until it got out of her shoe while Rudy grabbed the bag of apples and cleared any evidence that they were here. Of course, except the shoe. With one shoe on one foot and just a sock on the other, she climbed off the remainder of the fence and jumped down.

And they started running.

Farmer Gundermann's voice was in their ears until they reached a point too far away from the farm. They ran until the main road, Rudy in front and Liesel behind him, until they were sure no one was in their pursuit.

Both Rudy and Liesel placed their hands on their knees and started to pant as soon as they exited the farm. Rudy sat on the cold street and urged Liesel to sit next to him. Liesel could clearly see Rudy for the first time in a while. His lemon hair had darkened into more of a honey color. His white shirt accentuated his bright blue eyes. He was much taller than Liesel but one thing about him would never change: his personality.

"Remind me," he said after moments of silence. He appreciated the cold gush of wind that blew across his face, "why we did this."

Liesel seemed confused for a moment. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "I mean we're not exactly poor anymore, especially you. So why are we stealing?"

Liesel thought about it for a moment. He was right, why did they steal? After moving in with the Hermann's, she enjoyed living in comfort of their fancy food and cozy house. Even Rudy, his dad's shop was thriving. And since it was only two of them, they had more to go around and less to spend.

So why did they steal?

"Because it brings back memories," she finally said.

Rudy laughed. "Memories? What memories?"

Liesel looked at her shoe. "You know, old Himmel Street."

Rudy was silent for a moment. He took her hand and squeezed it. "Oh, oh right."

Right there on the road, both if them found the comfort of a house they needed. As Liesel and Rudy marveled (well watched) at the sky condensing with big grey clouds, they chewed on the stolen apples. With every bite she took, it felt as if she remembered something else from her past. It was like she was living through it again.

She remembered Hans. Yes, Hans with his beautiful kind eyes and accordion. She remembered those nights when he held her until those bad dreams were killed. All those memories made, where were they now?

Of course, she couldn't forget Rosa. She'd probably find a way to hurt her if she did. She remembered her crude but consistent act of calling everyone a "Saumensch" or "Saukerl". It was almost talent, Liesel thought, to always see the negative side.

It was beautiful, Liesel thought, to stroll down memory lane. But it also hurt. It pierced her heart with a needle. Sadly. the pain didn't kill her.

After her second apple, she got up.

"It's getting late," Liesel announced to Rudy, "We should go."

Rudy, who was apparently lost in deep thought, looked at her and said forlornly, "Alright."

They stood up and started the way the came from. After a minute or two, Rudy folded his hand into Liesel's and they continued the way home. Since it was really quiet, Rudy started a conversation.

"So," Rudy said merrily. "What are we doing tomorrow?"

Liesel looked at him confused. "Tomorrow's Saturday, Saukerl. Don't you have to help your dad at the shop?"

Rudy shook his head at Liesel. "Nein," Rudy replied. " Not tomorrow. He's said I could have the day to myself."

Liesel laughed and shoved him playfully with her shoulder. Rudy smiled. "So what useless thing are you planning on doing then?"

Rudy shrugged. "How useless is the fair?"

Liesel's face lit up. "Oh the fair!" she said happily. She squeezed Rudy's hand tightly. He winced slightly. "Oh,can we go, Rudy? Please?"

"Well," he said smiling hard at Liesel. "I wasn't planning on doing any other useless thing."

They entered Green Strasse, where Rudy lived. The street was filled with moderate sized houses all in a variety of colors that allowed the sunset to be seen- to conclude, it was a perfect place to live . Rudy's house, for example, was a florescent green and white while other houses were purple or sky blue or even orange. Liesel wondered why they still called it Green Strasse instead of Rainbow Strasse or something.

When they reached Rudy's house, Liesel let go of Rudy's hand.

"So," he said. "ˇTomorrow, be ready by 5, easy enough for you, Saumensch?

"Shut up. It's you who'll show up a couple hours late."

Rudy smiled and wrapped his arms around you. He didn't say anything and neither did she.

Liesel softly whispered into Rudy's ear, "Go inside, it's going to rain. I'll see you tomorrow." She pecked him on the cheek and waited until he got inside the house.

"Saukerl," she said quietly to her self while walking back. She didn't know, but there was a huge smile on her face.