Concrete Jungle

Chapter 5

"They are demolishing the hospital, Sashenka. They had three liquidators or I guess you can call them reservist soldiers who worked in Chernobyl that died there, and the radiation had gotten into the floors and walls, and they couldn't fix it, so they decided to destroy the hospital and rebuild it in a different part of town." I was stunned.

"But what happened to those liquidators, mama, I mean after they died?" I still hadn't told mama about Vasya.

"That I don't know, darling. They probably buried them in a cemetery somewhere out of the way because their bodies will be radioactive for a long time. So you can't walk there to come home anymore, it's not safe. Papa or I will come to get you from school."I nodded.

After that, she went off into the kitchen and started making dinner. I went into my room knowing full well that by destroying the hospital, they were also destroying every trace of Vasya and two others that died there because of that place. Chernobyl. What a bad name! I shall never forget it. It brings harm to anyone who goes there. It should be destroyed just like the hospital!

Love, Sasha.

25 December 1986

Dearest Katya:

I'm a big sister! Mama gave birth to two twin boys! It has been nearly a month, so I have been busy being mama's helper with the two precious little ones. Mama and papa named them Mark and Georgeiy. They are too cute for words. Unfortunately, Mama sat down and told me that the doctors had to take her to a special room to give birth. She explained that both boys were born with some sort of problems because of the radiation; they were called Chernobylites by our neighbors and pointed at.

I don't care what others say about them. They are my brothers, and I love them very much! You should see them, Katya, they're both bald and like to stare. It snowed today, and we brought them outside for the first time to see the snow and a snowflake landed on Mark's nose, and he sneezed! I was laughing so hard. They are not even a month old, and they're so adorable. Well, I will write again soon, I have to go help mama change them and hold them; I adore them to pieces!

Love, Sasha.

26 April 1987

Dearest Katya:

I know it's been forever since I've written, but I have been busy with school and taking care of my brothers. I felt though today on the year anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe to write in you again. People have been mourning and crying, especially our next door neighbor who lost her husband last year. She has been wearing black all week. I wore a black sweater to school today, and though my mama asked me why I would wear that tragic color, I didn't tell her, but I wore it for Vasya. I haven't told her about him, and I suppose I never will. He was my special friend, and I will always carry him in my heart. And of course, you met him through my words.

Besides, mama has a lot of more important things to deal with. The doctors finally were able to figure out what is wrong with Georgeiy; he has something called cerebral palsy, and they want to take him away from us and put him into a special home for the ill. It's like a crazy home, and we don't want that. I heard mama crying about it to papa. I don't know what they are going to do, but Mark isn't well either though no one can tell what's wrong with him yet. The doctors are 100% sure that both of them are Chernobylite children and that their defects were caused by radiation exposure.

It's so scary, Katya. I don't want to be separated from my brothers, I love them too much. I know mama and papa will come up with some solution that will help us all. I just close my eyes each night and wish for a better tomorrow.

Love, Sasha.

22 September 1988

Dearest Katya:

I know it's been over a year and so much has happened but I feel that you are my Chernobyl diary and that is why I only write in you when something happens that is related to that disaster. I write in my yellow diary for all the everyday boring stuff, her name is Vera. I am 8 years old. The reason I am writing to you now is that we are leaving. We are leaving the USSR and Gomel. Papa, mama, the boys, and I are going to be joining uncle Vlad and aunt Nadya in America. We would have stayed but the USSR has a lot of problems now, and no one is certain of our future plus the doctors want to hire special courts to take my brothers away to a special place for children with their problems, and we don't want to give them up. Not too many people know we are leaving, but you are a safe place for me. So remember that sometime early next year, you'll be coming with me on a huge trip and on an airplane. I have never been on one. I hear they are exciting.

We are going to go to America and get my brothers the right doctors who won't want to take them away from us. Wish us luck, Katya! I promise that someday, I'll come back and write in you again!

Love, Sasha.

March 2, 1995

Hi Katya:

I am writing in English here for the first time because it is easier and I need practice. I am 14 years old now. Been living here in Brooklyn, NY for 6 years now. I think you are bilingual anyways so you can understand me. I haven't read anything past the last entry in here because I can't bring myself to remember that time, just too painful. You understand though. I am in high school and yesterday I went to the doctor and got a diagnosis that brought all of this back.

I had been feeling tired and sluggish and didn't know why. I have never had super energy, but this was different. So I went to my family doctor, and he ordered this big blood panel. Well, the results came back yesterday, and he diagnosed me with something called hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's. It basically means that Chernobyl left me a parting gift after all. It means that my thyroid which is located in my neck is sluggish and not making enough hormones to work with my body, so I have to be on something called armour for the rest of my life.

I cried when he told mama, papa, and I. The doctor is very friendly and is also Russian from Leningrad or St. Petersburg; that city changes its name so often, I can't keep track. Anyways, mama told me that at least its treatable though not curable. So I start on the new medication tomorrow morning. Forever just seems such a long time to take medication or to be on something. But then I look at my brothers George who has cerebral palsy and Mark who was finally diagnosed with autism here in America, and they are struggling even worse then I am though they are living with us and no one took them away like they were going to do in the USSR/Belarus. I guess perhaps all of us are Chernobylites in the end. Who knew one disaster could reach so far?

I have started to research the disaster more closely but my parents think, I should wait until I am a little older. I want to be a writer or journalist when I grow up. I guess we'll see how that goes, right? Maybe, I will even write about it professionally one day, if I can stomach bringing up the memories. Either way, there's always a twist, and I got mine today. What's next, huh?

Love, Sasha.