Refugee in search of a homeland

treatment."

"Yeah, I know, but I find it a bit hard." "So, no appetite either?"

"None." He looked tired and weak. "I'll tell you something about my experience. You just lay there and listen. Would that be okay?"

He nodded. I could see it in his eyes, that he was pleased. Then I told him about Posen, about life in the battery there, and how we had been pulled out right at the last minute. I told him that I have had to face death, and that it had not been frightening. He gave my hand a weak squeeze Ñ our souls had hugged. I could not talk any further. We just sat and looked at each other.

Next day I dropped in on him for a moment. He was just staring into space. Speaking was too difficult for him, so we just held hands. He smiled at me when I left.

After that, my condition worsened. I was feeling too wretched to visit him, but I thought of him all day. Before the week was up, the nurse told me that my new-found friend had died. I buried my head under the sheet for a long time.

The specialist realised that the drugs would not cure me. I still had this tremendous ear ache all the time, and high temperature with it.

I was very sick and felt terribly lonely and wretched. The thought of my friend next door wouldn't leave me. Was I going along the same road?

The air raid sirens kept sending their whining sound right through my bones, sometimes several times a day. I felt that I could not go down into the shelter for much longer.

As I was lying in my bed and staring in front of me, I suddenly saw a familiar face. Through the haze of my mind I thought at first that I was dreaming. But then I realised that I was not. Before me stood Vater.

He bent down and gave me a big hug. He knelt there by the bed and we didn't let go of each other for a long time.

"I'm so glad that I found you. To have one son left in the war somewhere is enough. I won't let you go again."

It was so comforting. Life became worth living again. "Bernd told me that all of you FLAK helpers had escaped from Posen. You can imagine, how happy we all were."

"And how is Mutter and Gerda and Oma? Are they all safe?" I was bubbling over with happiness, and wanted to know everything at once.

"They are all well. They don't even know yet that I found you." "That will be a surprise. But how did you know where I was?" "Yesterday I went to the FLAK battery at Bornstedter Feld, as Bernd had said. A Sergeant told me, that you got sick and had to go to hospital."

"The nice one, from the search light unit?" "Yes, I think it was him. He seemed to know you well. After that, I went

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