Stolen Souls

EPILOGUE

Dear Jack Lennon,

I write this letter in a city south of my old home in Andriivka, near to Sumy. I will not write the name. Now this city is my home, and the home of my brother Maksim.

I hope that you are alive. I pray to God that you are alive. I think you are not, but I will write this letter anyway.

For to come home was five days. The train goes from Kraków to Warsaw. It goes from Warsaw to Kyyiv, and then another goes to Sumy. I sleep on the train. I have dreams about the man who took me in his house. I think I will always have dreams about him, but they will get better.

When I come home Maksim is happy. He was afraid for me, and now he is not. I do not tell him what happens in Belfast. I tell him I could find no job. I tell him I had a car accident.

I tell the man who lends money he can take Mama’s farm. We leave there a nd come to this city on a bus. Today, I have a job in a café. I will have only small money, but I will pay for a room for us. Soon Maksim will have a job also, and he will go to school to learn English like me.

We will be safe. I will be safe.

Some time when I sleep I dream about you and Susan. I hope you are alive so you will make her happy and she will make you happy. Be kind with her and your small girls. You will be happy.

Thank you.

Galya Petrova.