I nod.

“Good,” says he, “I can tell by the taste.”

I could almost weep. I can hardly control myself any longer. But it will soon be all right again back here with Kat and Albert. This is where I belong.

“You’ve been lucky,” whispers Kropp to me before we drop off to sleep, “they say we are going to Russia.”

To Russia? It’s not much of a war over there.

In the distance the front thunders. The walls of the hut rattle.