Nina was born in Poland. She used to live in a town called Yaroslav,
so near the railway station that she could hear the sound of the trains running.
She led a beautiful and comfortable life with her family.
Nina was a happy blonde girl enjoying her perfect five-year-old universe.
Her brother used to tease her a little bit, but every fight was like a game, typical of siblings at that age.
He used to hide her favorite doll (Anna) just to make Nina angry.
Boys don’t understand how important dolls are in a girl’s life in her first years.
It is like the ideal mate to have tea with or play, to share special moments and treasure all your life.
One day, Nina went to the market with her mother as they used to every week.
They bought some fruit, vegetables and ingredients to bake a cake together.
They bought some fruit, vegetables and ingredients to bake a cake together.
The sun was shining more than ever, the market was really crowded, so busy they were
overwhelmed by so much noise and different aromas.
overwhelmed by so much noise and different aromas.
But it wasn’t a regular day.
Suddenly Nina’s life, as that of all those who were there with her changed in a split second.
Suddenly Nina’s life, as that of all those who were there with her changed in a split second.
-BOOM-
The first bomb took them by surprise. Nina looked at her mum with the innocence of a child her age.
She hugged her mother without knowing what to do.
–“Let’s go home”-her mother uttered.
The first bomb took them by surprise. Nina looked at her mum with the innocence of a child her age.
She hugged her mother without knowing what to do.
–“Let’s go home”-her mother uttered.
And so they did, they started walking home slowly, confused, without knowing exactly what was going on.
As soon as they reached their place, the sad truth stroke them. Home wasn’t there anymore.
The bomb had impacted directly onto Nina’s house. The little girl looked at the whole
picture from a certain distance, still uncertain about what to do.
picture from a certain distance, still uncertain about what to do.
Suddenly she started running towards the ruins the bomb had left. She went through the ashes
and started looking for something.
and started looking for something.
“-Nina, please come back”- her mother screamed desperately-But Nina wouldn’t stop. And finally, there she found it:
-“Anna, you made it! I knew you would!”
There it was! The beautiful doll she treasured so much appeared inside the absolutely smashed crystal furniture.
For some reason, the doll had been spared and was in perfect conditions. She grabbed it and held it against her chest.
As if it was a premonition, somehow she knew everything was going to be all right.
If Anna could make it, so would she. And so she did.
Time passed and Nina managed to have her own home one day, far, far away from the one she had to abandon that day in Poland.
And guess what? Anna is still there with her, on her new immaculate crystal shelf, to always remind her how powerful she is.
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Nina now lives happily in Montevideo, Uruguay.
