“We prayed that shells would not hit us”

    I was born in Donetsk, and until 2014 everything was fine. My family and I used to go out for a walk, and everything was fine. I even went to the first grade of school, but in 2014 we had to leave and I could not go to the second grade. We went to Selydove, and then to the seaside. We traveled a lot until we reached Kyiv. 

I often remember when my younger sister was in the kindergarten. Daryna and I were walking and playing, and my mother received a call saying that she needed to pick my younger sister from the kindergarten because the shelling began. Then my mum called our grandmother saying that we had to go home. Then we sat near the windows and prayed that we would not be hit by shells and shrapnel.

   I really wanted to forget it, but these are unforgettable emotions because it is fear and pain. We lost our dog. It stayed behind in Donetsk. We sold our house. It is an unpleasant feeling. Because of the war, I have lost my good friends. My very first dance classes – I stopped attending them. 

   Now I have realized that this will not change, we will not return home. I began to change my life. War is a terrible thing because of which people die, dreams crumble, friends and family members can be lost. This is a very scary thing.