Red Stains
Liesel and Rudy go to the mayor's house, again, to steal a book. Frau Hermann has left cookies for them, so Rudy and Liesel take them. While they are eating them, Liesel thinks abut how she is gong to return the plate.
The story moves to Hans playing cards with his team. One man does not like Hans and accuses him of cheating, which, as Death states, will only hurt him in the end. Death even says, "He would die with his mouth open"(Zusak 351).
Back in Molching, Liesel goes to read to Frau Holtzapfel, but is greeted at the door by her son, Michael. He has bandages all over him because he just got back from war where he was shot in the ribs and lost three fingers.
Michael tells Liesel that his brother, Robert, died after getting his legs blown off. He died in the hospital with Michael by his side. When Death is going to take Robert, he says, "I showed up very much invited at the temporary hospital and flinched at the smell"(Zusak).
Liesel reads to Frau Holtzapfel.
The man who doesn't like Hans dies a little later on. Hans and his team are on their way back to their camp. The man insists that him and Hans trade places as the driver. A tire of the truck gets punctured and they fly off the road. Hans suffers a broken leg, but the other man breaks his neck and dies.
Hans tells Rosa and Liesel that he is returning home, and then Liesel tells Rudy. He is happy for Liesel, but he starts to wonder about what is happening with his own father.
Another bombing is on its way, and everybody must go into the shelters. Frau Holtzapfel refuses to leave her kitchen table because she is still very upset about Robert's death. Michael goes into the shelter without her, regretting it almost immediately. Finally, Frau Holtzapfel arrives in the shelter and Michael begs her to forgive him for leaving her behind.
After the bombing, an enemy plane is found burning in the forest. There is an enemy pilot dying inside the airship. Liesel and Rudy approach the plane to see the body inside. Death arrives at the scene to take the pilot's soul and recognizes Liesel from the train station where her brother died. Rudy gives the pilot a teddy bear and the pilot thanks him in English. Death takes the soul away.
Hans finally returns home after getting released from the hospital, and tells Liesel and Rosa all about his time at war.
