Day 5:
Katia's DiaryFebruary 5 - 30 degrees outside, 46 degrees inside (once we got the fire going again)
7:00 AM We were attacked again last night. These nightly assaults are getting terrifying. Marin fought them off with a crowbar, but he was stabbed in the stomach and, on top of his illness, he isn't doing well at all.
Poor Arica too: last night, she saved a girl's life last night, but to do it, she had to kill someone. At the grocery store she came up behind a government soldier sexually assaulting a young woman. She snuck up behind him and slit his throat open. She did a brave and very good thing, but it wasn't easy for her. She is a wreck. I made her eat some food and then I sent both of them to bed.
Radio News: Some government general was just on the news claiming that reports of atrocities committed by his soldiers were nothing more than "rebel lies." Tell that to Arica.
Life is hard. We have beds and, when we aren't being attacked, we sleep well. We have music and books to distract us from the war. Arica has cigarettes. I am out of coffee
. I really think we need to patch these damaged walls. There are too many ways for the looters to get in at night.
It's funny. I was born here in Pogoren. I think (hope) my parents are still alive somehow. I wish I had spent more time with them before the war. Maybe I will move back here after the war.
I'm going to make a shovel.
6:00 PM That little girl came back begging for medicine again. It broke my heart to tell her we don't have any. You could see the fear. The poor child. Her mother is dying.
8:00 PM I tried to talk Arica into letting me scavenge tonight. I wanted to give her a break after last night, but she insisted. She is even going back to the grocery store.
-------------------
Arica's Diary
February 5
I killed a man last night. I felt his blood thick on my hands. I saw it spray. He gurgled a lot and clawed at his throat where I cut it open. It took him much longer than it does in the movies. He was a government soldier. I used Marin's new knife to sneak up behind him and cut open his throat. The blood sprayed everywhere: all over the girl he was attacking. She isn't hurt physically. I threw up a lot. I took his AK-47 home with me. Katia made me eat. I barely kept it down.
I'm going back out tonight. It will keep my mind busy. Every time I close my eyes, I see his blood splashing. I think I am going to be sick.