Spring has come to besieged Leningrad. It seemed that our neighbor’s prophecy was beginning to come true. My mother is in the hospital all the time. Apart from my mother, there are four of us left at home: my older sister Masha and brother Alexey, me and my younger brother Sasha. There has been no news from my father and brothers for several weeks, and we have been sick for the second week and do not go to school.

One of these days, there was a loud knock on our door (since the beginning of 1942, we have introduced the practice of closing doors, including the story of Baba Katya). As I was already recovering, I went to open it. Ivan and Leonid were on the threshold. To say that we were glad to see them is like saying nothing. During the war, without news, both returned alive and well!

We all literally escaped from the captivity of the disease at the same time. A brother and sister jumped out of bed, fussed, hung up soldiers’ overcoats, and began to set the table. There was not even a need for words – a smile did not leave the faces of the whole family. Even Sasha perked up, dangling his legs off the bed, smiling mysteriously, examining our defenders.

From the stories of Ivan and Leonid, we finally learned their whole life in recent months. It turned out that they were not accepted for service at the district military enlistment office because of their age, then they spontaneously decided to go to the front, at least as paramedics. Then there were a month and a half of training in the field, dangerous service in the frontline zone, rescue of the wounded. And now, their numerous petitions have been granted and after a three-day vacation they will return to their unit as ordinary Red Army soldiers.

– Are you only for three days?  Masha asked with regret.

– It’s going to be a wonderful eternity for us! – Ivan smiled in response, – Let’s set the table already.

The guys brought sugar, nuts, dried fruits, canned fish – incredible delicacies for that time! And all we had was a few slices of bread and boiling water, so there wasn’t much to set the table.

• No, that won’t do, – Ivan said, inspecting our feast.

– Let’s go to the market and buy something, – Leonid suggested, getting up from the table.

– Can I come with you?  I jumped up after the brothers.

They both granted my request with an affirmative nod of their heads and, quickly gathering myself, I ran after them.

In those days, spontaneous markets could arise and disappear for several days almost anywhere, in squares, streets, even courtyards. The authorities tried to disperse these gatherings, so the merchants did not stay in the same place for a long time. Moreover, these markets had a bad reputation. At the other end of the district, my brothers and I came across one of these markets. Contrary to expectations, it was an incredibly lively place filled with all kinds of goods from groceries to antiques, so we even got a little lost in this abundance.

– Soldiers, do you want to buy something? – some merchant grabbed Ivan by the sleeve.

We turned towards the counter. Behind him stood a short old man, whom I disliked at first sight. He had small, angry, depressed piggy eyes, a bumpy robber’s face, and he was dressed in a padded jacket and a black earflap.

– Yes, Father, we should have something for the table… – Ivan began.

– Maybe meat?  That terrible grandfather interrupted him.

– Do you have any meat? – We were surprised.

– Yes, but be quiet… – he looked around and took out a small bundle soaked in blood, – Pork, fresh!

– And where does it come from?  Leonid hesitated, carefully examining the goods. I immediately remembered the neighbor’s story, but the evil look of this man scared me so much that I did not dare to tell about it now and hoped that there was pork in the bag.

– This is for the elite, but I got it on occasion, – he said, as if justifying himself.

– What’s the difference, we can’t find it cheaper and better. We’ll take it!  Ivan said decisively.

As I was leaving, I took another look at that grandfather and he answered me with his cold gaze, so I quickly looked away and tried to forget myself in conversations with my brothers.

Soon we were at home and joyfully handed Masha the package we had bought. She jumped up with joy and ran to the kitchen to cook. But before we could sit down at the table, Masha thoughtfully returned back to the room and spoke softly:

– Guys, there’s something wrong with the meat…

– What happened?  Leonid came up to her.

For a minute he silently examined this small piece, lightly tracing it with his finger, then suddenly changed his face and cried out:

– Yes, it’s human!

– You’re lying!  Ivan snatched the meat from his hands.

– Look for yourself!  Leonid waved it off.

There was a tense pause, after which Ivan sullenly agreed:

– You’re right.…

Without saying another word, he quickly went to the window, opened it and angrily threw the meat out into the street. So we were left without a festive dinner.