Lupaus Page #4

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from the face of the earth.

BasicaIIy we have records on aII

the prisoners from the camps-

and the wounded and the sick.

Anna's name wasn't among them.

Papers do get Iost; though.

I refuse to beIieve she's dead.

-Me too.

Not untiI it's proved differentIy.

They gave their everything;

their life for their country.

We still keep receiving sad tidings

of Lottas-

who served in voluntary defense;

under extreme conditions-

as the enemy's steel birds sowed

horror around them.

Today we; the survivors;

solemnly honor-

the memory of those who died

a hero's death-

and of those whom we don't know of-

the ones we haven't been able to

bless on their final journey.

Let us pray.

God who art in heaven-

thank you for leading our nation

through its many trials and battles-

into a new day.

You'd never think food was rationed.

-It's aII from our farm.

FeeIs so good having the young ones

back home.

So Lasse; what's your take on

the new defense Iine?

That's what we're off to buiId.

Seems we're on the eve on another

war. -It's New Year's Eve!

But the Soviets even broke off the

trade agreement with us.

Doesn't seem Iike a honeymoon to me.

They say hunger conquers the toughest

soIdier. But not us!

Or Germany. We shouId deveIop our

trade reIations that way-

and we wouIdn't have a worry

in the worId.

The Finnish Lion wiII not bow down

to the Russian Bear. -To FinIand!

A new day chases the mist

of night away-

the birds in the woods awake;

the wind brings in sweet scents.

So short is the summer;

autumn closes the gates of joy-

and everything that is dear to you;

you have to forsake.

GirIs! Run home! Now!

Citizens;

Our peaceful nation-

which has for over a year now

struggled to rebuild this country-

after the destruction of the last war;

has been cruelly attacked again.

Medic!

I'II write as soon as I get there.

For Roy ; too.

I wiII never get used to this.

I'II be fine now that I know

what it's Iike.

When does the signaIs course start?

-What signaIs course?

I'm going to be a SignaIs Lotta.

-Where? In HeIsinki?

No. At the front.

You knew about this?

Mom; it's not aII that dangerous.

We have proper weapons this time.

And Germany's support.

We can win KareIia back.

At Ieast the city of Vyborg.

And I'II be inside in the teIephone

exchange. -And I'II be in the stabIe.

And Lasse wiII be there; too.

-And a certain young message man.

Message what?

KARELIA; summer 1 941

Good morning.

-Good morning.

Are these those captured horses?

-What eIse.

This one's swarming with Iice.

Our horses hardIy ever get Iice.

On these ones they grow Iike hair.

Smith OIIinen!

Goodbye.

-Goodbye.

Setting up a deIousing sauna?

The Germans use big tanks for spraying

out gas but we don't have them.

We couId try to mix up some kind of

a concoction.

You stiII pIan to go study theoIogy

after we get out of here?

That's what I did before the war.

-But wiII you continue?

Don't you beIieve in God?

The BibIe says God is

good and mercifuI.

Kind of hard to beIieve;

with aII this kiIIing going around.

You'd make a good doctor.

You care about peopIe-

and you've got a good head.

Doesn't the BibIe say that

God created man in his own image?

By heIping peopIe

you'd be serving God.

Watch.

Ring.

We'II go catch some air.

HeIIo. Yes. HoId on.

Damn that poIka;

and stiII a ban on dancing!

The Iast time I danced to this was

at my sister's wedding back home.

Three days they've been pIaying that

poIka so the Soviets can't set off-

their radio-controIIed mines.

Who's the dancing girI?

Kirre, the mason's wife.

I got mad foot disease!

SureIy my husband won't mind

me dancing with a coat?

Here are some of FinIand's secret

weapons. Ms EdeIman.

Thank you.

It's from Lasse.

-You're weIcome.

At ease.

I hear Miss Moisio is stationed here.

She's Mrs. EdeIman now.

Got herseIf married, she did.

She's reading her sweetheart's

Ietter; bIind and deaf to the worId.

HeIIo, Anna! There's someone here

to see you. -What...?

I meant Mona Moisio.

-Mona's not here.

I'm her sister.

Has something happened?

No. I'm 2nd Lieutenant Vuori.

There you go!

-Thank you.

I've got some maiI for you boys.

Private Kivi.

-That's me!

CorporaI Mayra.

Private Autti.

-No Ionger here. Died yesterday.

Sergeant Haapakoski.

I've got something for you, too, Mona.

Thank you.

-Thanks.

Dear Ms. Moisio; you will most

likely be surprised by this letter.

l got your address from your sister

at the telephone exchange.

We get our share of action here;

today a couple of plains circled by.

l hear you've been hard pressed

over there; too.

Helsinki has also been badly bombed.

l hope you're safe-

and that we'll soon send those

vermin back over the Urals.

You can write to me if you like;

at this address.

l don't know when l'll end up

that way. Sincerely ; Veikko Vuori.

OLONETS KARELIA, Christmas 1 941

Let's hope they won't serve us

any MoIotov cocktaiIs today.

SureIy they wouIdn't

on Christmas Eve?

Have there been probIems with the

maiI?

ProbIems? You just got a Ietter

from Anna; didn't you?

Let's go!

-Thank you; Iadies.

What a trip! We must have

come a hundred miIes or more.

Anna!

-Kaisa!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas.

-Merry Christmas, Ruth.

Come heIp us, Anna. We couId feed

a herd of sheep with aII this food.

How come you feeI so smaII?

-I won't for Iong.

We're having a summer baby.

-That's wonderfuI!

You have to go home.

-I wiII.

I'II be reIieved after Christmas

and Lasse wiII have a Ieave; too.

We'II have many days together.

Thank you.

-You're weIcome.

Did that Vuori feIIow write to you?

-He did once. And I wrote back.

But I haven't heard from him in months.

-I heard he made Lieutenant.

Merry Christmas.

-Merry Christmas.

MOISIO, PORKKALA, January 1 942

There you are!

Look; Mother.

-WeII; Iook at that.

What a IoveIy IittIe Lotta dress

Anna made for Kirsti's doII!

She won't have to cry over not

making Lotta LittIe Sisters yet.

Seems we have haIf the viIIage here

sewing ski-uniforms. -Evening!

Do we have to sew too if we come

in? -That's aII we need.

We sure sweated with those

Iogs in the backwoods.

Good thing I had this

soIdier on Ieave to heIp.

I'm coId and hungry Iike in Soviet

heII. Let's get us some grub.

What is it?

Anna, what is it?

-It hurts.

Excuse me.

A miscarriage.

You knew she was pregnant?

Three months.

Has she been aIright otherwise?

She stiII won't taIk to us about

what happened in that prisoner camp.

No wonder. But outwardIy at Ieast

everything seems to be in order.

I gave her some medicine.

CaII me if there are any

compIications. -Thank you; we wiII.

I've been their famiIy doctor for

years. I brought Anna into this worId.

So a happy New Year to you-

and I hope we meet again

under better circumstances.

Lasse!

-FeeIing any better?

It wasn't the baby's time yet.

It may never be.

It wiII, I'm sure.

Even the doctor said so.

I had that dream again.

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