The Book Thief Fanfiction: An Alternate Ending.
Synopsis: Disney Princess™ style, when Liesel kisses Rudy, he wakes up (a lot more serious than that though).
"What's happened?" Leisel asked. "Is this still Himmel Street?"
"Yes" stated the LSE man, eyes full of compassion for the girl he had found alone in a dead street. "This is Himmel, you were bombed, my dear girl. I'm… so sorry"
The girl's knees gave out underneath her and she sunk to the patched pavement, caring not of the wounds that remained on her knees, the sting only further reminding her of all that she had lost. The book, her book, fell to the floor as her choking grip loosened on the words, and struck the ground with a mundane thud.
The LSE man helped her to her feet and together they ventured towards the chaos of her former home. What Leisel saw when she eventually raised her eyes from the dirt was hölle, hell itself. The name Himmel, heaven, no longer suited her former home. To Liesel, Himmel Street was now was hölle auf Erden. Hell on Earth. She turned on her heel and walked away. Away from the trench that used to be her home.
Her eyes rested on two men carrying a limp body away from the wreckage. She walks towards them, not letting her hopes rise in the face of a potential alive comrade. Then in their arms, she spots hair. Hair the colour of the sun that radiated cheerfulness and optimism. Hair that belonged to…
Rudy?
She ran, albeit lopsidedly but still ran, towards the two LSE men carrying away her best friend, if not her only friend.
"Rudy!"
She shouted now, though she was not sure who to. The two men seemed to get her message however as they exchanged a hopeless glance and lay Rudy Steiner's body on the ground. Leisel arrived at his side, as she had done many times before, and stared down at him. Rudy seemed so small, so helpless. Leisel let out a loud sob and grabbed a fist full of the front of his top, and gave the limp body a shake. "Wake up, Rudy". Nothing responded. The world continued moving on. "Come on Rudy. Please wake up. Please, God, wake up. I love you Rudy. I always have, and always will. Just please wake up, please. Please wake up. Wake up." Confessions spilt out of her mouth just as tears fell out of her eyes and she pulled him close to her. Hoping, praying, that he would give her a sign. A sign of life. When nothing happened in response she pulled him close.
She leaned down and looked at his seemingly lifeless face and Liesel kissed her best friend Rudy Steiner soft and true on his lips. He tasted dusty and sweet. He tasted of regret and of the many mistakes the pair had made. He tasted… alive?
A BIT OF EXTRA CONTEXT TO THE SITUATION
I was in Himmel Street for many souls, including but not limited to Hans and Rosa Huberman, Frau Diller, Frau Holtzapfel, and most of the Steiner family.
However, it was not Rudy Steiner's time yet,
Liesel jerked back as Rudy stirred under her. She looked on in shock as his muscles tensed and relaxed, as if preparing themselves for one of his famous runs against imaginary foes.
Slowly, lethargically, Rudy opened his eyes. He took in all the colours. Mostly shades of grey with occasional splotches of colour, although dulled. And then he saw Leisel. Leisel, who had tears streaming black rivers down her face as the salty concoction mixed with the ash resting on her cheeks. He offered her a pained grimace that vaguely resembled a smile.
"How about a kiss, Saumensch?" his voice was hoarse and Leisel could tell that it hurt for him to speak. So, Leisel responded in the usual way.
"Saukerl,"
And then Leisel did something Rudy did not expect. She leaned in and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She quickly realised that this was a mistake, as the soot and ash that had previously been resting on the side of Rudy's face were now covering her lips. She hastened to wipe her mouth with her sleeve. This was also an error as her top was also coated in the stuff resulting in a mouth full of ash, which Liesel can tell you is not the most pleasant thing in the world.
Leisel spat to the side, in a final attempt to clean her mouth and lips which fortunately succeeded. This end did not coincide with the end of Rudy's amusement, however, and he was now cackling at her misfortune, his eyes shining with pure mirth. Leisel tried to look at him with a serious expression but failed miserably, and they laughed together like two children who hadn't had their entire worlds shattered in the space of 30 seconds just three and a half minutes prior.
Almost everyone they knew and loved in the small, poor street of Himmel was now dead, murdered by people they had never have and probably never again will meet. They all lay under the rubble, never to breath again. Never to play the accordion or playfully scold or even laugh ever again. Despite this weighing the pair of them down, they still laughed. Laughed until they cried, not knowing whether the tears were of joy or grief. Eventually, their laughter ceased. "So you're alive then," Leisel stated plainly as if she was just talking about the weather. "That's good"
"Yeah," Rudy replied, continuing the casual discussion. "I feel pretty dead though."
Leisel let out a light laugh and drew Rudy in for a tight hug.
"Thank you" She didn't say what for, but they both knew. Thank you for talking with me now, for not being a corpse under the rubble of their prior home.
The two LSE men moved hesitently towards the two teenager locked in an embrace and one of them cleared his throat.
"Pardon me, but can you let us take you over there." He thrusted a finger behind him, where the pair could see the injured being treated.
Rudy and Leisel nod in unison and allowed themselves to be carried, or at least dragged, away.
"You know," Leisel said "I had a Snow White moment back there."
Rudy spluttered. "What?" he said his face brightning at the inferred meaning. Leisel just shook her head and muttered a quick "Saukerl," before she let herself relax and get carried away.
German Words:
english-german/hell