Lida and her sister Larrisa are in Ukraine but were captured and sent into a medical room.In it Larrisa is being examined by some nurses and Lida is trying to protect her but she was thrown into a large group train cart and sent to Germany where Larrisa is in a different smaller group of kids.Larrisa screams "don't leave me Lida!" so Lida goal is to stay in contact of her sister.
Lida spends some time in a German slave camp and now about to eat and she was excited.She saw they have good food like white yogurt its given to the Guards and even the prisoners but when she was is line she got color water and turnip soup.She was confused but she was wear the badge indicating that she gets the worst food and a prisoner of war cause of Operation Barbarossa.She later meets a Hungarian girl unnamed but was having some mean talk to Lida saying that all "All Russians are thieves"
They were transported by train to a hospital to help the injured.However they witness that young children are being taken to take their blood out for the wounded soldiers in the war and some of the soldiers and police force are being either treated,being executed, or their blood is taken by the doctors.It ended them being sad because Luka is either being treated or his blood is gone.Tomorrow morning is when Inge asked Lida to have her name attached to a blouse.Surprising that Inge didn’t criticize her for doing work and praise Lida she said “I knew you could do it”.It ended from being said and praying for the treatment of Luka and at the end Inge is respecting her.
.The girls are making bombs for the German war effort and they each had a job Lida was to measure out the amount of explosive needed for the bombs.Bibi is doing wire fuse to not let the gunpowder to the explosive.Zenia‘s job is a straw like object into the body of the bombs.Kataryna is going to tighten the components with a metal hand tool.Mary has to operate the hammer machine and all of them has help her to put the bombs on the a plate.They are in a factory and maybe in a war factory because they are making bombs during a war.It went not good because they being starve by the cook because he is going to punished if serve more food to the prisoners,Later through the day their friend got brown sugar from a farmer and they had idea to sabotage the bombs with dirt and possibly escape.
The girls were being transported back to the work camp because the factory they were working at was bombed by the allies .They returned to their barracks but it was bombed and a lot of people were injured so as a former worker of the hospital Juli treated the injured.After that she grabbed a gun and when she pointed at Schmidt he demanded her to put it down but she didn't they exchanged fire at each other at the end both of them died.It ends with Lida sobbing because she witness the lost her friend that she was closet connection to a sister .
They are in refugee camp and a barn that has makeshift altar Lida prayed the souls of her friends and family.She tried to get up but feet were numbed she heard a person and said “let me help you” from a familiar voice it was Luka.They were both happy to see each other Lida was dreaming of him escaping and him feeling guilty.He told her that he was hiding in trucks fill with dead bodies and got off the trucks and ran into the woods.Linda asked how long has he stayed here he said either arrived here a day ago or more.They tried to spend together as much time although they had task to do like food distribution and playing with younger kids than them.She keeps going to a medical facility to see if there is a word from her sister Larissa but its always the same answer Lida then said “Is there anyway of checking German Records”the worker said that much of records are destroyed she is saddened that is there even a chance of finding her.It ended later throughout the day they were fed and luka sat next to Lida and said that to not given up Lida saw hope because she did have resilient of calling the workers if her sister survive.Despite their near deaths and escapes Luka and Lida hope to see a message would appear.
Luka is leaving Lida to the Soviet Union.It was during night that Lida thought of Pani statement “never give your name to the soviets”in the refugee camp.Later Luka,Lida and three other men were meeting with the soviet truck when they meet a Soviet officer was asking for there names when he got to Lida he was asked her name and her sister but Pani stopped her saying “children should be seen not heard” the officer was angry.She had to think about to see if Pani was right cause she said they check names regularly.Weeks later she was in line to get food and when she sat about to eat she heard a familiar voice it was Natalia.It ends with Lida asking her question about her,Zenia and Kataryna they survive by eating potatoes,hiding woods,and they arrived last night in the woods unforunty for Kataryna she died by stepping on a landmine.She then asked if they heard news from Luka Natalia then responded with his father is alive Lida hope for the safety for Luka and begging for the truth.
.They are saying bye to Luka cause he is going to Kyiv after then go to a class with other people .They read letters after when they ate food they were sad for the people that lost their family but grateful to find each other.Lida ask her if Natalia is going to Kyiv but she said no because it's now part of the Soviet Union under Stalin and she thought Hitler’s regime was pain enough.At night Lida woke while Natalia was still asleep but the noise was pain from a bruised,beat up Luka and Pani is caring him. Pani ask her to help Lida agree when he woke up they ask him what happen Luka said the ride was peaceful from the start then the truck stop and the soviet execute the prisoners because they are “Nazis”despite being tortured he escape and few other by running around.He found the American soviet side of Germany but was blocked by police but they were drunk so he sneak into the american side. Luka said he was happy she didn’t travel in the Soviet Union and she said she will be always be there for him and not leave his side.
she is in a British camp with many other Ukrainians the camp was their home cause no country wanted former prisoners of war.They need to be clean with immigration officers as people are getting ready to impress them for service. Lida also mentions that Luka became a apprentice for a German Pharmacist he didn’t intended to but he need a skill to impress them. Lida try to look impressive but it irritates her to stay on German soil after the war.Mail was distributed she watched as happy faces when a love one was found and the Western powers sponsored missing ones but she had a question.Who would sponsor her and Luka?She doesn't have a family she had a thought the camp would be empty except for her and luka. Within a day she asked a woman who visited the red cross Lida ask if a girl that looks like Larissa with a German family.”You think the same thing might happened to your sister?”Lida didn’t respond immediately but said yes the woman sighed and said they will look out for a girl with blond hair and blue eyes.
Lida is observing her barracks room and walk down the hallways.After she saw children playing,she reach her cross remembering the good times she spent with her family but she was scared that Larissa died and wish to find her someday.She went up to Luka he was standing near a building hold a letter for her she asked where did he get it he said the usual place.She thinks its from Zenia cause she is in israel or Natalia from Canada.When they open it pictures of Larissa,a man,and a women are standing near her.They were not nazis but why is she with them Luka responded with its has to be your sister and she looks like you. Lida burst into joy that she remembers and read the letter and said to herself I didn’t find you but you found me.Luka was happy for her cause they can leave cause Luka will follow Lida as where she goes.