What happens next I'll never know. I like to think that Rudy and Leisel got married and they all lived long, happy lives. But lets not be foolish. This isn't a fairy tale, far from it. This is a tragedy, no doubt about it. What I did could only soften the blow. But I can always hope.

I began to walk away. My work here was done, but I had loads of work to do elsewhere. War never sleeps. But as I walked away, I couldn't resist one glance back. What I saw would be burnt into my memory. Whenever things are at their worst and wonder what I had accomplished in my eternity of life, I'd think of this image and smile. If Hitler accomplished one good thing it would be this:

He gave Death hope.

***One huge image***

The sky was a red stew

The Steiners, the Hubermans, and the book thief

Stood on the broken pavement amid a mountain range of rubble

And laughed