Chapter 18
The next morning, Anna and Peter awoke and surveyed the shelter to make sure it had survived the bombings intact. Peter opened the steel door and a cloud of dust entered.
Anna coughed and held on to Peter’s hips when she peeked out at the picture of destruction. Despite being in the basement, she could see into the blue sky. Part of the building had crumbled and the stairs were covered with debris.
“That looks bad. You stay behind me,” he said, and began moving bricks, wood, and pieces of concrete from the entrance until he and Anna could emerge from the small shelter. Sunshine filtered through the hole in the roof as he took her hand. “Quick, we don’t know how long this is going to hold up.”
Anna wrapped her scarf over mouth and nose to avoid breathing in dust and smoke. Bu
