Page 63 of The Storyteller of Krakow

For a moment, I thought he was delirious.

‘Wojtek,’ he insisted, eyes bright despite the pain. ‘He was with the ammunition column yesterday. Carrying shells like always. But this morning, no one’s seen him.’

‘What do you mean, no one’s seen him?’ I demanded.

Anka shot me a look, but I could not help it. My hands shook as I tightened the bandage around his chest.

‘They said he wandered off in the night,’ the man whispered. ‘After the shelling started. Maybe he was frightened. Maybe he went up the slope. I don’t know.’

Wojtek.

My Wojtek.

‘You mustn’t talk,’ Anka told the wounded man firmly. ‘Save your strength.’

But I leaned closer. ‘Who told you he was missing?’

‘One of the drivers,’ he murmured. ‘Said he was gone. No one’s had time to look for him.’

No one’s had time.

Because men were dying by the hundreds on this mountain and a bear wasn’t the priority.

We lifted him onto the stretcher. He groaned, gripping my wrist.

‘Find him,’ he said. ‘He’s one of us.’

The descent felt unreal. My hands moved on the wheel by habit alone. In the back, Anka worked in silence.

As I drove, I could not help but think of Wojtek, wandering alone among the shells that fell. Wojtek frightened, perhaps wounded.

At the dressing station, as orderlies carried the man away, I caught Anka’s arm.

‘He’s missing.’

‘I heard.’

‘I have to look for him.’

Her face hardened but not unkindly. ‘Lena, you can’t go searching the hills for a bear in the middle of an assault.’

‘He’ll be terrified.’

‘I know. But you know you can’t.’

I pulled away, pacing beside the ambulance.

‘I can’t just—’ My voice broke.

Anka stepped closer. She lowered her voice. ‘Listen to me. If he is loose, he will find the men. He always does. He follows the food, the noise, the company. He is not a helpless cub any more.’

I knew she was right, but I still couldn’t just leave him.

‘He’s my friend,’ I said, then felt for the coin around my neck.

Anka’s expression softened. ‘I know. But what can you do? I mean, we’re to get injured people. You can’t just go wandering about; you’ll get shot. Come on, Lena. They won’t let you or me up there without orders. There’s no way they’ll let a driver have a little look about for a bear.’

The uniform. It was in the back. One of the soldiers’ helmets was still in the back of the truck too.