I live in my home where I grew up. My children live here, and my dad. I left this house and moved to another, to Nyzhnia Street. I lived by the river. I was about to go into the yard when bullets flew over my head.
I immediately lay down on the ground and did not get up until I didn't hear bullets fly any more. I was shivering. This happened more than once. They also fired when we went to the city. They fired with machine guns, heavy weapons. A couple of days ago, another severe attack happened. I even stood up. I didn't know where they were aiming at.
I was worried when the children weren't home from school for a long time. They often did their homework in the homework club. So, one day, when they started shooting, I didn't know which way they could go. I thought, "Where should I go?" I called my friends and asked, "Have you seen my children?" They said, "No." So I wondered where to run, which street.
We often hid under the table. We taught them to get under the table to feel safer. We covered ears with our hand so that eardrums were not damaged. The children go out and play outside. If shooting begins, they go inside.
They miss their dad really badly. They sometimes sit down next to me and start crying. And they remember what their father used to tell them. I say, "Calm down, everything will be fine," I say. "I will always be here for you." They realized that Father is gone for good. He won't come back. He died of a heart problem — a blood clot burst. He came from the side work, had dinner and lay down to rest. He didn't wake up in the morning. He was very hard-working. He died in Khmelnytskyi Oblast. We escaped from the war in 2017.
I explained to the children that dad is in heaven. "He sees you from here, how beautiful you are."
I went back to my homeland with my children. But now, thank God, they fire less. However, it will never be as it was before. Thank God that the village is not being shot at. We can go outside for a while. It is dangerous though. A bullet may hit any time.
I wish there was peace and quiet. I wish the children could go to school safely. I wish they got up in the morning happy, drank tea with sandwiches and went safely to school. I wish they were not afraid. That's what you want most of all — peace and quiet.
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