Questions ??? #Ukraine #atozchallenge

“We need to stay together!!!” My husband said in exasperation.

“We can use your help here.” I looked at him with gentle eyes. We didn’t need to fight when so much unknown fluttered through the room.

“Yes, friend you can. I must bring my men here. It is the only way we can help our people.” Vlad was very strong in his statement.

“Can we return to 1991 to get anything we might need?” He pleaded with his eyes.

“Yes, that makes sense. I need so many medical supplies and a change of worn out but warm clothing.” I grabbed his arm.

“We need to communicate with a friend.” Vlad motioned.

“Yes, let’s do that and then we will return here to get you before the hour on the clock.” He pointed to the 3 on his watch.

“I will wait.” I wavede goodbye and was overcome with emotion.

This was not coming out how I thought it would. But there is no one here who has an answer to the questions – Why, What, When and How.

They are getting by and I am here to help.

There was another siren and I covered my ears and then went back to work.

*

“Who will tell us what is happening?” Luda was not happy with our news.

“You will hear when someone comes back from 2022.” I said as kindly as I could. “Be grateful you are safe. So many from Mariople have been hurt and if they did not get out they are besieged.”

“Those are my friends.” She shouted.

Anatoliy came in to our room just then.

“Young woman. This is an effort to save lives and save Ukraine; you must stop thinking of yourself. The Portal saw fit to allow you here be grateful. And those children…”

“Please be careful once you go over the Portal. I can sense a danger that would bring trouble here. Do not move back and forth. Use the Portal for an emergency.”

“What about supplies?” Vlad asked.

“Take what you can and trust for the rest. The Portal must remain protected. She could refuse to let any of you re-enter here.”

We all looked at him with concern.

“My only other choice would be to close the Portal.”

“Is that possible?”

“Yes, but there is the possibility that it would never re-open.” Anatoliy looked sternly at us.

“Then we will stay in 2022, Professor.” Vlad looked at is then back at Anatoliy.

“One thing,” my husband whispred, “you need to tell the ladies and Valeria after we are gone.”

*

We had to cross to 2022 in twos and threes. We were all sober as we walked different directions from The Passage hotel.

“We cannot go back to out room.” My husband had told me. There is someone watching for you Im certain.

“What about the cars?” I mouthed.

“Vlad has the keys.”

“And money since the banks do not work?”

“I got some out our day before the bombing. It will have to do.” He patted his wallet.

We had said our goodbyes to Vlad and the men. We knew they could find us when they needed news from Dmitre.

The sirens came on which gave us the opportunity to run down the street. We went first to a coffee shop we had liked and then ducked in doorways as we worked our way to the church.

We could see the church when a large man stepped into our path…

**

Thanks for visiting Penned in Moondust by Moondustwriter. This month for the A to Z challenge I pulled out an archived story from 2007, dusted it off and reworked the year of entry 2022. This was originally written in Odessa, Ukraine. I hope you see the bravery and courage that I hope to convey in each episode.

Links to Story in Order

Authors

The Basics

Clearly Crazy

Discovery

E- Eavesdropping

F- Friends and Family

G- Grumbling Titka

Hiding in 1991

I – Intensity

J- My Journal

K- Keep Moving

L- Cold Air Lunch

M- Medical needs

N- What Next

O-Out of Sight

P-Portal