Elsa’s eyes began to smart. It was the first time someone had expressed heartfelt concern for her welfare since Sam. ‘Yes. Do you?’
‘Yes. An old schoolfriend invited me to stay with her family in her cellar. It is a little crowded, but we are alive and that isall that matters. How is your grandfather? Your mother was so worried about him.’
‘You’ve seen her?’
‘Is he well?’
‘He didn’t make it. His health deteriorated quickly after they left. He died early in the journey.’
Frau Schmidt squeezed her hand. ‘I’m sorry you had to witness his death alone.’
‘You spoke of Mother. Have you seen her? Was Frieda with her?’
The woman squeezed her hand again. ‘This is why I waited for you. Come, let us walk by the river.’
* * *
Elsa stared at the large river that cut Bremen in two. Frau Schmidt had told her everything she knew and answered all Elsa’s questions as best as she could. Now there seemed little to say but to reflect and think and absorb the pain while life continued on around them.
Elsa watched an American navy patrol boat speeding through the water towards them, expertly navigating the half-submerged tangled girders of a bombed bridge nearby. As they approached, Elsa could see that the sailors on board were laughing, glad the war was over. The boat left a series of V-shaped waves behind it that disrupted everything in its wake. The men’s laughter died away as they sped past, all on board oblivious to her suffering. The waves scudded across the surface and lapped noisily at the riverbank where she stood.
She finally found her voice again. ‘Did you see their bodies? I mean actuallyseethem. They might have been out when it happened.’
‘I helped look through the rubble, Elsa.’
‘But did youseethem?’
The woman nodded gravely. ‘Yes, I saw them.’
‘All of them? If you’d just seen a hand or leg it could have been someone else.’ Desperation made her delve deeper into the detail, and for a moment she felt as if she had been there, too, clawing through the debris.
‘I saw your aunt and mother. My husband and daughter found your sister.’
Elsa felt a sharp stab of resentment that Frau Schmidt still had somebody. How was it fair that she still had her family when Elsa’s had been wiped out? Her eyes brimmed with tears for the first time since hearing about the bombing raid. Her chin threatened to tremble and crumple like a child’s.
‘They had only arrived the day before. Your aunt was so pleased to see them and invited me over to meet them. I hadn’t seen them in so long but when I arrived I could tell immediately that your mother wasn’t well. Many people had typhoid and I was afraid she did too, so I didn’t stay. I shared my concern with your aunt and she said she would put her to bed and stay with her. I volunteered to fetch a doctor and my husband and daughter went to get some extra food.’
‘Was that when the air raid happened?’
‘Yes. I went to the nearest shelter for cover and couldn’t return until it was over. My husband and daughter were saved by finding another shelter elsewhere. When I returned there was nothing left. We began digging straight away, of course. Others came to help me. I was frantic. We all were. They were found about three hours later. They had made it to the cellar but the cellar roof had collapsed onto them.’
They fell silent for some minutes, Elsa imagining the horrific scene. It flashed across her mind, like a movie, but the bodies were of people she loved and missed so much. Any hope she had was gone. The enormity of what she had learned struck her like a thunderbolt. Sudden. Severe. Life-changing. She found thesimple act of breathing difficult. Panic surged through her body. ‘My family are all dead!’ she sobbed through heart-wrenching gasps.
‘We can be family. I’ve known you since you were born.’
Elsa shook her head and retreated a step. It was not the time for such well-meaning promises. Her legs drained of strength and began to tremble violently beneath. She reached blindly for the grass and crouched down, afraid she would faint.
‘Elsa! My little one, are you all right?’
Elsa warded Frau Schmidt off with an outstretched hand. ‘Give me a moment.’ She tried to calm herself. Breath in. Out. In. Out. Her breaths steadied. Her heartbeat began to slow. She realized she was crouching on all fours as if she were an animal. But the death of her family could not be undone. Nothing could make this right.
She slid to a sitting position. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be silly. You’ve had a shock.’
Elsa felt sick. Tears began to silently flow.
‘You must come home with me.’
