Page 119 of Cilka's Journey

“Cilka, if there is anything that I can do for you, within the limits of my ability right now… you just have to get a message to me.”

“Thank you, Lale, but I can take care of myself,” she says.

She sees his face twist, like he is trying to find the right words.

“What you are doing, Cilka, is the only form of resistance you have—staying alive. You are the bravest person I have ever known, I hope you know that.”

“You don’t have to say that,” she says, shame curling through her.

“Yes, I do. Thank you again,” he says.

She nods. He leaves the room, leaves Block 25.

CHAPTER 33

“Cilka, Cilka, wake up.”

Yelena shakes Cilka gently, waking her from a dreamless sleep; Cilka is disoriented. She pulls the blankets up to her chin, attempting to hide, to escape the threat she feels closing in.

“Cilka, it’s me, Yelena. You’re all right; I just need you to wake up so I can talk to you.”

Cilka registers the voice. Drags herself from sleep. “Yelena Georgiyevna, what time is it? What’s going on?”

Cilka moves over so Yelena can sit on the bed beside her.

“It’s early morning but I need to talk to you. Something’s happened to Alexandr.”

Cilka stares at Yelena, but no words come.

“During the night someone came into the ward and beat him up. We don’t know how it happened, but he was found unconscious a short while ago.”

“How? How could this happen?” Cilka sits up, fully awake. “Where were the nurses, the staff? How can someone get beaten up in a hospital?”

“Slow down; I don’t have all the answers. There was only onenurse on duty, and it was a busy night for her. At one point she went for a break and that must have been when someone came in.”

“But didn’t another patient see something, say something?”

“We’re still trying to find out how this happened. The nurse came and got me and I wanted to come and tell you straightaway. He’s been taken to the operating room for assessment. Get dressed and come with me.”

With gowns wrapped around their clothes and wearing masks, Cilka and Yelena enter the operating room and approach the table where Alexandr’s beaten body lies. Raisa stands beside him. She looks at Cilka with sadness and compassion. Cilka gently touches Alexandr’s shoulder. She can’t bear how vulnerable he looks. Yelena puts her arm around Cilka.

“What can you tell us, Raisa?” Yelena asks.

“Must have been two of them. I’d say one of them held something, maybe a pillow, over his head, while the other beat him with a piece of wood, judging by the splinters I’m finding.”

“And nobody heard anything? What about the patient beside him?” Cilka blurts out.

“Can’t answer that, Cilka. We’ll have to make inquiries but we have to make a plan, too…” She looks at Yelena.

Yelena explains. “Someone obviously wants him dead and there’s no way of knowing if it’s someone”—she lowers her voice—“on the inside, or even connected to the authorities.”

“Do you think it’s the same person as before?”

“If they found out he’s still alive somehow, that’s highly possible.”

“But how would they—” She stops. She’s worried she knows the answer.

Raisa says, “Right now, we need to help Alexandr. We might have more answers for you later.”