IVASHKY

Has ceased Storm and left,
Having kept a wind behind itself.

The winter approached. Tamara has decided to go on work on alcohol factory that was placed some kilometers far away. Property was slightly, she has combined all on the carriage and was got out with children in adjacent village. The mother-in-law has decided to return to  home in Kharkov. In first hut for Tamara with children have let to live on time, while she will be arranged with work.

At front of the chief engineer of alcohol factory there was the nice-looking woman, in  full of holes kerchief and a darned coat, on legs a worn out shoe without a stocking. She has come to be asked on work.

- And whom you can work, - closely having looked on she was asked by the engineer.

- Earlier I worked the accountant.

- In the office the places of accountant are occupied, and the weigher is necessary to me.

- It is good, for me all the same.

The engineer has written on the application the resolution.

- Be take on and tomorrow go on shift. Have you of a children?

- There are, three.

- And where you are living?

- Yes at one woman, was asked on time.

- You must to go in a hostel, one woman there lives, her works in guard, the surname of her is Sidorenco, the room is large. Will tell, that I have transmitted and move. And this is the note to man of horse, he will transport you.

The large long house, such as a barrack, stood on an edge of ravine, overgrowthed by oaks. A large room with two iron beds facing on angles opposite one another. Between beds near a windows the wooden by nothing covered table and the dirty unpainted floor. At table the young woman sat, and at doors stood Tamara.

- You are Sidoremco? - she has asked the woman.

- I am, and what?

- Me here has sent the chief engineer, that I here with you lived.

- Well, that has sent, move. When you will be move? That is necessary to me to go on shift.

- Yes tomorrow since morning for me will give the horse.

- Well it is good, I tomorrow shall be at home.

The alcohol factory stood in ravine here again there was a strong odor of a boiled grain, potato and sour. Away from factory in holes stood spent and merged wastes. The women scooped it by buckets for forages of live-stock. On top this ravine, near narrow-gauge there were barns with a grain and a open-air mountains of corn grains. How many grain, how many bread! Wheat, barley, and all this for a alcohol, and all this was strictly protected. But a children of Tamara and she starve. To chew of fried corn on work, certainly, allowed, but home it is impossible to take.

And she is master of this grain now, has sent by the invoice a grain on the factory, was trampling on it, helping to gather a grain in sacks and to load on the lorry, was accompanied with it on factory to bunkers. Also looked, how this insatiable animal - factory all was swallowing, and not dare, not dare to take home to hungry children some grain.

In a factory eating-room was cooked some wish-wash, were got crumb of bread. Children were lived by a under-foot food. Were collected on narrow-gauge a rotten potato, fallen of corn, and who that will give.

There has arrived again from Kharkovs the mother-in-law and was going in village to sew. So have gone through winter. In the spring have given a site of the ploughed ground under a kitchen garden, a seed of potato, and Tamara has gone with children to sow of it.

As she has not perished nearly. Accompanying the lorry on factory, she has not wanted to sit in a cabin, and has risen on footboard, having caught for a door of a cabin. Being lowered downwards to factory, Tamara has experienced, that the door will be opened. She has jumped off and has fallen by a head under the lorry. But happened as if a miracle. The driver in time has stopped the lorry, and Tamara lied, having contracted in a lump, near the wheel.

When she understand, that the lorry is stands, and also she is alive, fast has jumped out from under it, has waved by hand to the driver, that he went, and itself has gone by foots on factory, for by fear nothing comprehending. And anybody nothing has understood, neither loaders, nor the driver, because there was a night, was darkly. The driver saw, that Tamara has come off and has fallen, but where has not understood, and has stopped on any case. But this huge wheel of "studebekker" longly faced to eyes of Tamara. The death was above a head.

The winter Tamara was frozen in bad coat and in boots with a holes, in which snow was come. But in a premises of factory was warmly. There a devices pleasantly hissed, in which was fabricated an alcohol, the sour in huge tubs was, and Tamara envied the workers, which worked in a middle of factory.

But when bunker were loaded by a grain, the lorries with the loaders leaved for coal or rotten potato, then Tamara could go in a premises of factory and get warm.

When the factory on repair stayed, the works were different: outweighing a grain, cleaning around factory and of narrow-gauges paths, shoveled malt. Tamara did not complain. Here she took money and could purchase in a village something from foods. On a kitchen garden grew potato, thought of a pig to purchase and to feed it by waste.

At the woman,  there was lived Tamara, the child was born. She has settled up and has left it is not known where. Tamara with children there was one in this apartment.

The work by the weigher was not so and simple. In that hungry time the grain had the special value, and Tamara was a barrier on a path wishing to have at the expense of the state. Honesty and principealety of Tamara attracted a hatred to her. To her more than once tried to set up so, that it was possible to accuse her of larceny. But the chief engineer trusted her and in insult did not give.

So has passed till spring of a forty sixth year.

LONG WAY HOME

Having appeared in Germaniums as a workers exported from east grounds, Mark had significant advantages before military captives. The orders in camps for east workers was incomparably is easier, than in concentration camps. However and there was not sweet living. The orders were as in a prison. Slept in barracks, fed by skilly, leaded by columns on low-skill works.

However, in accordance with growth of failures on east front, german workers all in the greater degree recruited on front. Instead of them all in the greater measure the foreign workers were attracted.

Mark, being at his nature an inquisitive and sociable, fast has studied german language, has adjusted contacts with german workers, serving. For them he have the certain respect, though because of black twisted hair in him suspected the Jew. All this allowed the Mark to hope, that he will manage to run.

Soon, as it seemed, such possibility has appeared. The shortage of the people in Germaniums has led authorities of a Reich already to that, that on auxiliary specialities in armies the Soviet workers and captives were attracted. Have arrived  recruiters and to camp where was  Mark. Were searched for the drivers.

To be the driver on a front, it signifies to have possibilities to escape. Using the adjusted contacts, Mark has not missed this possibility. He was taken by the driver, though on the car he was going very little, when served in the separate maintenance-administrative company by the assistant of a commander company by a technical part.

But for him was not lucky. He was directed on western front, which already was opened by the Englands-Americans. Have nominated the Mark as the driver of a commander economic company. There was a forty fourth. In a victory a germans any more not very much trusted. All were suppressed by feeling of approaching catastrophe. A response on it was decay, drunkenness, falling of discipline both in soldier's, and in an officer medium.

Mark was executing also responsibilities of servant. On this basis he acted as the participant, and frequently and as by the organizer of drinkings of a management of company. With permitting of a commander was sold of a petrol, a tires, a property of company, was exchanging them on shnaps and food.

As carrying a drunk commander from next drinking, Mark has seen a moving small column on a large velocity. The front was close. The mark the idea has come to arrange failure so that to will be free from a commander and to pass to the side of the Americans. He sat at a wheel from a left-hand side, it was necessary to make so that the impact was came on the right side. The road was narrow but cars was large. The gap between cars and edge of road was narrow. The road on the sides was ended by slopes. Mark has slightly opened the left door and, when have meet a column, has directed the machine under a slope, having thrown out itself from the car, when it has moved down from a road.

The car was - the open "Oppel". The officer has thrown out from it. And drunk, as is known, is lucky. He so successful has fell on an opposite slope, that only will to be sober. From a fright has snatched out from the holster a pistol and twice has shooted in the Mark. But whether he yet not very sober, whether a hand shivered  from fear, but in the Mark he has not hit.

The car was broken. The column has stayed. From it the soldiers get out. They have stopped the way machine and have set there officer and Mark. So unsaccessfully was completed attempt of the Mark to run away. The business was somehow settled. For broken "Oppel" Mark has stayed in detention house. And through two months, the Americans have broken through front and Mark together with company have appeared in ancirclement, and then and in a captivity at the Americans.

After sorting the Mark have sent in camp for the displaced faces, where he has stayed till forty fifth year, almost year. In camp he was acquainted with the watch-maker, to which began to help and was trained to this business. The watch-maker was german, but was free serving at the Americans in their back service, which was served also of camps.

After ending of war, by agreement between an occupation services of the allies, made exchange by the displaced faces - repatriation. Mark was directed in camp for the displaced faces in city Wismar, in the Soviet zone of occupation.

Usually in camp longly did not detain. The process of sorting, clearing up of the person and dispatch to Soyuz took of a month three.

But the hearing has passed, that from camps send on a settlement in Siberia. For Mark it would not be desirable. Therefore he began to search for possibilities to be delayed in camp.

Under the initiative began to help in a watch repair shop of "voentorg". The abilities it were appreciated. And he was determined by the watch-maker in "voentorg"of the first army, where was up to a middle of a forty sixth. Then with the documents of the employee of the Soviet Army he has departed home, to Kharkov.

EJECTING

There, where early colours blossom
The white foam covered apricots.

Then has arrived the husband. Tamara has helped him to be arranged on alcohol factory. But something the Mark here was not pleasant. That he was jealous Tamara for the chief engineer, or swear with him without any occasion.  And here someone has informed, that Tamara steals corn. And is valid, in the house was a corn, their children found on narrow-gauge road. But the occasion was sufficient, and Tamara, and at the same time and Mark, from work have dismissed and have required to release a room.

Mark as though it also waited. Has dug out planted by Tamara young potato and has sold it in Kharkov. By the obtained money the Mark has purchased the camera. Has decided to purchase all that it is necessary for a photo and to earn by it large money. At first have moved in Kongressovka, and therefrom to region centre - Solochev.

In Zolochev were rent a small hut, that is faster as the shed. There are a slots in walls, floor not covered. The hut was cold, was open to all winds. Namara was on the seventh month of pregnancy. The help from her small. Three children, mother.

To the Mark with a photo anything in the plan of earnings was impossible. He was angry. All lived half-starving. Tamara was going on station, sift coal for heat at home. After dropping ashes from steam locomotives, in it remained many a not burned coal.

The mark was annoying, that at him nothing come of it. He was angry. Began on any trifles to carp to Tamara and, at last, has declared:

- Tamara, here has arrived one woman from Tashkent, speaks that there is all. One there lives her familiar. This woman will give you her address and you there will go.

- Where I shall go on the eighth month of pregnancy, you send me on loss. And where I will find work in the my position.

- But I can not to support you. And so three children, and the mother. But you will go, will by find there to me a place and I shall come. I find to you of money, and then earn for myself for a road.

And Tamara was subdued. And what was to do. On Ukraine there was a famine.

From Kharkovs up to Kuibyshev Tamara was going by a passenger train. But then her was put off. Mark, as has appeared, has taken the ticket up to Kuibyshevs, up to Tashkents of money has not enough, and, having put Tamara in a train, not tell to her at all.

Further Tamara was going by some good's train  "Five hundred-cheerful", in which were carried an injured, a captive and so on. Tamara has asked of an conductor to let and her. She went having nestled in an angle, near the injured girl without a leg.

There were already frosts. On stops in carriage were dragged the frost-bitten german soldiers. Here they worked in what, that what them have taken in a captivity. And they were dressed easily, and that was worn-out. From a pain they also writhed and shouted.

But at last the Tashkent. Tamara it was necessary still to go to that town, where that woman lived. This town has name Maximovka. But in it that woman has not appeared, she was moved in Kanibadam, where it was necessary still to go by bus. Tamara was going by the bus and looked in windows. On streets near a clay "duval" (houses) some grey heaps, what are this heaps she could not understand. But one heap was lifted, and Tamara has understood, that it is the woman. Her face was closed black "paranja" from of a horse hair.

At last Tamara has found the house where that woman lived. It was not her at home. Hostess-tadzhik has told, that she has divorced with husband and works in hospital. The evening occured and Tamara began to be asked to spend the night. Hostess at first refused that she did not have registration, but then has agreed.

The apartment was in one small room with one window. In an angle a stove. A room all in soot. The walls were smoked, seemed as children were smoked, and them there was three. In the evening has come hostess of a room. She was not against Tamara. Began to heat a stove, dip of a scraps cotton in black oil. From it hardly also was smoking. Having cooked dried apricots, they ate it, having treated and Tamara.

The next day she has gone to search for work for herself and husband. Yes, at factory the electricians were necessary, and her have taken to wash utensils in a factory restaurant. She has written to the husband the letter, that he came. But he has refused, has written that is build the house and that Tamara did not come while he will not finished of building.

The time has come and Tamara has born the son. Have named of Tolia. Tamara have suggested, that on the fourth child she can take money. In maternity home were and Tadzhiks, and Russian. To him there came native - husbands, children, the mother, and at Tamara here was not a anybody native. By him native brought everyone food and, seeing, that Tamara anybody nothing brings, treated it.

But one old woman, which worked in a restaurant as the cleaner together with Tamara, visited her and always brought to her fritters from some groats and all time was asked to name the son as Tolia. When the day of discharge  from hospital has come, Tamara was seen this old woman in doors of hospital. She stood with bundle in hands.

- Take, wrap up the child, - she has told was giving the bundle to Tamara. They was going from hospital.

- Know, Tamara, move to me, I live one, at me anybody is not . And I already old.  I can not work. I shall look on for your son, and you will work.

- Thank you to you the grandmother, you such kind, certainly I will go to you.

All was developed not bad for Tamara. Old woman was kind, in its small hut was clean and is cosy. In a fencing was small kitchen garden. Tamara after work helped old woman on a kitchen garden. But she thought of children who have stayed under Kharkov, and grieved till a him. She thought, as though to save of money to a road.

The letter from home has come. The higher daughter Lilia wrote: « the Mum, the father does not want to go to you. He and grandmother drive away. And we live poorly, starve. Come to home more soon ». She has told all for old woman and that has advised to request from the home the certificate, that she has three children and for fourth the state will give money for her. Soon certificate has come, and Tamara money has received. Has collected and has mailed to home the parcel with foods.

Though here also there was everything, but on market all was expensive. Bread, - twenty roubles, rice - eighty roubles kg, millet - thirty.

When Tamara worked, she received cards on bread on herself and on the son and sometimes on cards has been gave a unthreshed rice. She threshed  it and cooked gruel. Then her have suggested, that is children house, where she can work and live. There there was a small room. There also was fed.

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