Chapter 23

I hugged them both and thanked God they were still alive. Grandma grabbed Mateusz's shirt and started shouting at him.

"You evil soul from the depths of hell! What the did you go outside for?! Do you know how scared I was?! How do you think I would look your mother in the eye if you never came back?! Oh, how I hate you, you scoundrel..." Finally, she hugged him warmly and kissed his cheeks. "It's good that you're safe and sound."

"Well, me myself I'm good but..." He scratched his head in embarrassment. Concerned I examined his clothes and skin for potential injuries.

"What do you mean?" I asked  having checked his clothing. Mateusz looked at Alex, who was still silent. I walked over to Alex, and then I noticed that a crimson stain had bloomed on the greenish fabric of his uniform on the left arm. "Oh God, Alex." I knelt beside him but he just shook his head.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He murmured trying to get up. I helped him, and after a while Mateusz helped me.

"Take him to the bathroom." Grandma ordered and we carried the wounded man to the designated place. In the meantime, it had calmed down enough outside that it was safe enough to move around the apartment without the fear of being shot. In the bathroom, Alex stripped off all of his upper garments except for a thin cotton T-shirt. I had to admit that he was pretty lucky as the bullet barely touched his arm and only tore the first layer of skin.

"It will be okay." I told him in a soothing voice.

"I think so." He replied, smiling crookedly. This superficial wound must have caused him considerable pain.

Grandma and I bandaged the wound to the best of our abilities and available medicines and placed him on the couch in the living room. I volunteered to make him a hot drink but as soon as I entered the kitchen, a cold wind blew over me and had already spread throughout the room. I went back for my quilted coat and when I saw Mateusz, informed him about the broken window. Of course he didn't believe my words and had to see it for himself. As it turned out, apart from the broken glass, one of the bullets stuck in the cupboard and another stuck in the table. Not to mention those bullets that lined the entire kitchen floor. I guessed my room probably didn't look any better...