What Mikael said that night sounded strange to everyone:
"I must leave my mark here. Then I'll have fulfilled part of a promise I made… until I decide to return for good."
Luca said with slight surprise, "Are you really going to come back and settle here?"
Mikael gave a faint smile. "Not yet. I said: someday... Perhaps only my body will return."
Luca objected seriously, "No, don't say that. You know I don't like talking about death among us."
Earl laughed mockingly."What, you're afraid of death? Oh, please. Someone help me.… Luca, imagine if we all died and you were left alone. Would you carry out our last wishes?"
Luca shouted emotionally, "Stop it, Earl! That's sad… I can't bear the thought of losing you all."
They walked back, laughter rising in their chatter, toward their tents.
Luca whispered, "The boss needs to rest."
Malik cut in, nodding toward the guest, "We have a visitor here."
Jack nodded. "Yeah, mouse-sized."
Mikael sat quietly, then raised his eyes toward Karina, who sat at the table with food in front of her.
Luca said, his surprise mixed with a smile, "Wow! Isn't that the little one?"
He approached her and sat beside her. "Come on, come on, eat, little one... Look at that hair!"
He tilted his head, noticing her eyes. "Is that color called turquoise?"
Earl pushed him away laughing, "Back off, you're bothering her."
Luca waved his hand. "What's your name, little girl?"
I didn't look at him. I only stared at the food on my plate. I didn't understand what he said. Besides, his behavior was odd for a man his age.
Jack laughed, "Ha! See? She's ignoring you."
Bill said quietly, "Her name is Karina."
Luca waved with admiration. "Wow… a beautiful name. Does it have a meaning?"
Bill looked toward Malik. "What do you think, Malik?"
Malik cheerfully replied, "Karrrrrina!"
I blinked in surprise. The way he pronounced my name was odd. He added,
"In some cultures, the name Karina means 'pure'. In Latin, it's derived from carus, which means 'beloved' or 'dear'.
Wow, it's like whoever named you saw that you balance love and purity."
I had never thought about the meaning of my name. Does that even matter?
I knew Kamil named me with love—and that meant everything.
I didn't want to eat in front of them. All their eyes were on me.
But their insistence pushed me to start, though I truly was hungry.
Still, I had to be cautious. I didn't understand what they were saying.
I was the weaker side here.
They were talking and laughing… all of them,
except him.
The man sitting across from me.
A man of presence.
A gleaming beard with streaks of white, carefully messy hair, thick eyebrows, a proud nose, yellow-green eyes, a sharp chin, and chiseled features.
The kind of man whose handsomeness deepens with age.
Broad shoulders, long legs...
He looked like he had stepped out of a movie screen.
I'd never seen anyone as handsome—especially at his age.
Was it because he was the leader?
Just like in stories, where the hero is always the most handsome?
Suddenly, Luca slammed the table. I flinched.
"You're staring really hard, girl!"
Bill spoke to me suddenly:
"Zjedz dobrze, a potem powiedz, co masz do powiedzenia. Okej, musisz wrócić. Robi się późno."
("Eat well, then say what you have to say. Okay? You need to go back, it's getting late.")
Jack laughed, placing his hands on my shoulders.
"Come on, come on… It's the boss! What do you think of him?"
Jack leaned into humor. It seemed like he found childlike innocence amusing.
He said, laughing, "Hmm, come on, Bill, ask her."
Bill asked me what I thought of the chief, and I answered directly:
"He looks amazing."
Then I paused, adding with fake shyness,
"Kind… likes helping others."
But inside, I was saying:
"No, he doesn't seem like that at all—quite the opposite. His silence feels fierce. I just wanted to win him over… so he would help us."
Bill translated what I said. Jack laughed loudly:
"Oh, stop lying, little one!"
Everyone laughed, and Earl said,
"So, she wants to ask for help."
Luca added, surprised,
"Wow… she's a sharp little one."
Jack joked,
"What do you think, boss?"
Mikael turned to Bill and said coldly,
"Tell her I'm not a nice man, and I don't like to help. I act in my own best interests, and she has no place in that. Even the ones there with her wouldn't share her grief if they weren't caught in it themselves."
Bill relayed his words, and silence fell.
All eyes turned to me.
I felt disappointment, though I hadn't expected anything.
I stood up, ready to leave.
But I stopped suddenly.
Anger gripped me.
I said with frustration:
"Dorośli to tchórze! A ty... Nie dziwię się, ty i ten biały pies wyglądacie podobnie!"
("Adults are cowards! And you… I'm not surprised. You and that white dog look alike!")
Bill blinked, stunned.
"Co?" ("What?")
Everyone:
"What did she say?"
Then finally, he spoke—in Polish:
"Naprawdę to widzisz... wiesz, mówią, że pies przyjmuje cechy swego pana, więc nie mylisz się, chcesz czegoś innego, czy już to wziąłeś?"
("You really see it… You know, they say dogs take after their owners, so you're not wrong. Do you want something else? Or have you already taken it?")
My eyes widened.
So… he understands Polish?
Damn… He must be Polish!
Bill asked anxiously, "What do you mean, boss?"
Mikael answered calmly,
"She walks carefully. She must be hiding something."
Jack suddenly shouted,
"Hey, little mouse, what are you hiding?!"
He grabbed me.
"Come on, what are you hiding?"
I said, "Alright…"
I lifted my shirt, where the scarf Zuzanna gave me was tied around my bare stomach.
I untied it—and hazelnuts and a candy tin fell to the ground.
Jack exclaimed, "What?!"
Bill laughed,
"You little thief!"
Everyone burst into laughter—except him.
He stared at me with a strange look, as if he couldn't believe what he saw.
Earl said in amazement,
"Wow… have you ever hidden something like that before?"
Malik remarked,
"What are these kids? Scary!"
The chatter and laughter continued,
But I sank into a strange feeling...
What's the point of all this?
Earl prepared a food bag and placed it in my hands, despite my resistance.
He whispered:
"Przepraszam." ("I'm sorry.")
They all apologized... except him.
No one asked him to.
No one objected to his words.
And no one dared to offer help.
Yes... he really is the leader.
I raised my voice, in a tone of muffled anger:
"Dziękuję za nic!" ("Thanks for nothing!")
Then I left.
Our eyes met for a moment.
I stared at him long and hard, and said to myself:
"Don't bother… I'm already one step ahead of you."
Then I sighed—and walked away.
Bill followed me, saying:
"It's all right... things will change, little one. Look at that man — Bach — but everything he does is just cleaning up after someone else."
I looked at him sadly.
I knew... it was a tangled mess, and maybe they just didn't want to get involved.
I said quietly: "Thank you. I can go back on my own."
I returned defeated, carrying the bag I never wanted.
Even its weight pressed harder on my heart than on my hands.
I walked, bitter and stumbling, until I turned around...
The white dog was behind me, following.
His eyes looked different — sad and warm at the same time.
I wondered: "Did someone send him to follow me? Or did he come on his own?"
***Later, the dog came back to the camp...
He was carrying the bag.
Jack (pointing in surprise):
"Look! .....!"
Blanco stepped slowly toward the boss's tent, placed the bag in front of him in silence, then stepped back twice and sat down.
Mikael opened his eyes sluggishly, looked at him and asked quietly:
– What is this, Blanco?
Then a faint smile formed on his face, and he added in a low voice:
– You seem sad too... over that hazelnut.
At the orphanage, my journey to seek help had ended. All I had left was to wait.
The sleep bell rang, but no one responded.
The silence was heavy, and thinking exhausted me, and my attempts to sleep were harder than staying up itself, as if the night was questioning me: What are you doing in a place like this?
With the break of dawn, I woke up to loud voices...
A fierce quarrel had erupted between Mir and Magda.
I got out of bed and walked through the children gathered in wonder.
Mir was in a state of rage, protesting Magda's neglect—how she disappeared without explanation, then returned only to throw all the burdens on her.
As for Magda, it was as if she hadn't heard her... she completely ignored her.
Her silence was harsher than Mir's yelling.
Mir insisted on knowing where Zuzanna was.
That was strange... why only Zuzanna? Why didn't she ask about the rest of the children?
From their conversation, I understood that a relative of Zuzanna came and took her.
And if she adapts, she won't come back.
But something in my heart remained uneasy... that wasn't enough.
Then Magda turned to Lina and said calmly:
– If Szymon comes, let him into my office immediately.
Magda entered the office, paused at the door, and whispered in surprise:
– Why is this thing open?
Then slammed the door shut violently.
Time passed slowly...
Waiting became unsettling.
The boys returned around breakfast time.
I hurried then to tell Szymon, but Lina beat me to it—she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the office.
She told him that Zuzanna was not here...
I called out to him:
– Wait!
He turned to me with a tense face and a charged tone:
– Not now. We'll talk later, okay?
Then he freed his hand from mine and walked off.
I felt an internal collapse.
An indescribable turmoil overwhelmed me.
I remembered what that man said:
"If they weren't in your situation, would they have helped you?".....