Chapter 23

“You and your friend wait here,” he said, still speaking slowly and softly, as if trying to tame a wild animal. “I will look at your arm when I’m finished.”

Should she run? What if he was calming her so he could get somebody to capture them? Her heart was beating too fast and she stopped breathing. All of a sudden, her vision swam and her legs felt watery and weak.

“Oh, oh,” the doctor said, and suddenly his arm slipped around her back, steadying her and lowering her to the ground. “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you, my poor boy? I’ll get you some water.”

Ira breathed, and moments later, the doctor handed a canteen to Dounia. He leaned close and instructed Ira to take “little sips.” In Russian.

Dounia’s eyes went wide and dilated in panic.

“Shhh, there’s a lad,” the doctor said, switching back to German, then leaving them to attend other patients.

Dounia helped Ira drink from the canteen, then took a swig herself, panting.

“He knowswe’re Russian,” Dounia whispered.