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the
times I would go to the food bank where humanitarian help was
distributed. Everyone would
get just enough food to stop their stomachs from growling.
Those were the horrible days of the war in 1993-94.
Damn
war, I was thinking as I was walking down the same street towards
the same food bank with the several of my neighbors.
Now, five years later, once more we were risking our lives to
get some food in order to survive. Sad!
But, that is how it was. It
is a painful reality, that now after five years hurts harder than
ever.
On my way there I
ran into my old friend from school, Amra. I was so happy to see her face. Surprised
to see each other, we started talking about life and everything that
has happened to us.
Then Amra
said,” Do you know that Maja, the one that sat with you...”
My body started to shiver. Without
letting Amra to finish her sentence I had a feeling that something
happened to Maja.
I asked, “ What happened to Maja? Was she wounded? She was killed, wasn’t she?
Tell me!” Tears
started rolling down Amra’s face.
At
that moment, we heard an explosion and in the matter of seconds we
were thrown on the ground. Thousands
of metal pieces were flying in the air above us.
I heard strange sound. I
heard voices of students, and the teacher closing the door. I saw Maja. We were sitting
next to each other and discussing where we are going to go for the
breakfast after the class. We
were sharing our love secrets. Maja,
Maja--the best friend that I had. The
kind of a friend that you come across only once in a lifetime.
Through this mist I saw the picture that Maja gave me at the
end of one school year for memories. I will remember you Maja until
the end of my life. I will
remember your face and your smile. I
am not going to forget you, and I promise to come and visit your
grave as soon as I find out where it is.
The
sound of explosions which followed in the distance woke me up and
brought me to reality. Amra
and I were laying down on the warm (Mostar) asphalt which was
covered with pieces of metal and sand.
Happy that we survived this explosion, we started running
away from the scene. My legs
were so numb. I was walking
away, and I did not know where I was going.
All I knew is that in a couple of minutes I was standing in
the line with other people waiting for a little bit of food: I was standing in the line among people who were just trying to
survive.
24/02/2000
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