Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

Author:Heather Morris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

* * *

“Did you get the disease? Have you had symptoms?”

“No and no,” Cilka says, her mind numb.

“That means you probably have an immunity to it, meaning you can get exposed and not suffer the symptoms or become sick. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand. Why do you need to know?”

He shifts on his feet.

“We need nurses to work on the infectious ward, which is now overflowing with typhoid cases; we need nurses like you who can work there and not get infected.”

“Is that all?” she says, with a strange mix of fear and relief.

He looks surprised. “What did you think we would be doing to you?”

“I don’t know … injecting me with the disease to see how I fared?”

Petre cannot keep the shock from his face. He looks away, speechless.

“I’ll go,” she says hastily. “I’ll work on the ward; there are many days here I’m not really needed. If you need someone in my place, please … there are many capable women in my hut.”

He nods, but he is not really listening. “I think Yelena Georgiyevna was right about where you have come from.”

“I come from Czechoslovakia.”

He sighs, knowing it is not the full answer. “To think we would experiment on you, or on anybody for that matter, in the manner you just said.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Cilka says, panicking. “I didn’t mean to say that. When do you want me to start?”

“Tomorrow is fine. I’ll let them know you’re coming.”

Cilka finishes cleaning up before dashing to the nursery next door. Natia is rolling around on the floor, attempting to snatch at a nearby rag doll. Her little face lights up as she hears Cilka call out her name. Cilka sweeps her into the air, and, hugging her tightly, she paces the room, whispering words of love and promises to return as soon as she can.

She hopes by saying these words they will come true.

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