The Neverending Story

by Michael Ende

in. Suddenly he lost heart, his whole plan seemed crazy, senseless. He wanted to go home, that very minute. He could just be in time. His father wouldn’t have noticed anything yet. Bastian wouldn’t even have to tell him he had played hooky. Of course, it would come out sooner or later, but there was time to worry about that. But the stolen book? Yes, he’d have to own up to that too. In the end, his father would resign himself as he did to all the disappointments Bastian had given him. Anyway, there was nothing to be afraid of. Most likely his father wouldn’t say anything, but just go and see Mr Coreander and straighten things out. Bastian was about to put the copper-colored book into his satchel. But then he stopped. ‘No,’ he said aloud in the stillness of the attic. ‘Atreyu wouldn’t give up just because things were getting a little rough. What I’ve started I must finish. I’ve gone too far to turn back. Regardless of what may happen, I have to go forward.’ He felt very lonely, yet there was a kind of pride in his loneliness. He was proud of standing firm in the face of temptation. He was a little like Atreyu after all.