V

Lia felt comfortable again, her eyes heavy. She missed her bed, but being in Elisa's room, which was slightly bigger, made her muscles relax. Everything was neatly organized, there was a wooden chair with high back, a waist-length wardrobe with a picture of a smiling Klein wearing an army uniform.

Lia was facing the cabinet when her vision began to close, the sound of the door opening brought her to her senses. There was actually a sense of dread as she tried to sleep. For some reason the events of that night haunted her.

Since Lia didn't want to turn around, Berta walked in front of her. The little girl stood with her back to Klein's picture. The two of them looked at each other.

"What's wrong?"

"How long were you there?" Berta tilted her head slightly as she asked, and Lia did not understand at all. "Considering you were injured and wet, it looks like you were there for quite a while."

"What are you talking about?"

Berta exhaled softly, after looking away, she looked back at Lia lazily. "I'm sure you must be confused, but you weren't dreaming. It's real." The look on her face was serious, a little bit of arrogance. But Lia didn't believe the girl's words at all.

"You can read other people's minds?" Lia tried to follow Berta's train of thought. She didn't want to take this seriously.

Berta's smile lines rose, making her rose-red cheeks lift slightly. Her eyes black as if they were misleading. She had a face that was both friendly and intimidating. "I don't know what's on your mind, but I know what you're thinking."

Berta walked away from there. This was serious, Berta must know something or at least she had heard this from her mother. But what the hell, she's just a kid. What does an eight year old know anyway.

This time it wasn't the sound that disturbed her sleep but the smell of currywurst. Lia quickly got out of bed, stepping out carefully. Her stomach rumbled, during the morning she had just laid there and dozed off occasionally. This time she let her mouth chew in case her back became healthy. 

One by one, she going down the stairs slowly. The pain in her back was sometimes suffocating, she had to stop for a moment. And when her steps began to turn back, she stopped instantly. Two voices talking made her want to eavesdrop a little.

"You have to be careful, don't let her get suspicious on you."

"I didn't say anything," she said. But Lia could tell it was Berta. It was obvious from her slightly voice.

"Still, you're inviting her curiosity to arise."

What exactly were they talking about?

"I have to do it again tonight."

Lia's suspicions grew, this mother and daughter were not to be trusted. Tell that to Elisa who thinks everyone is kind. 

Without realizing it, Berta was already at the end of the stairs, wanting to go up. Her gaze was still the same-intimidating, and since Lia was twice as tall, her eyeballs could have turned back.

Lia continued her steps without caring about Berta who was frozen in place. Berta's mother noticed someone coming, she immediately turned around. The smile was so stiff, Lia didn't even feel her warmth.

"How are you?" The smell of curry and spicy herbs wafted over as Berta's mother stirred the dish. 

Lia turned her head, she looked around to see what ingredients Mrs. Berta had put in. She hoped there was no poison in there. "Okay."

"You're hungry, come sit down, let me serve you."

Lia looked doubtful, she tried to think positively, but couldn't. "We can eat together."

Berta's mother helped Lia sit down. There was a sense of regret when she decided to go downstairs, she should have gone back to her room and waited for her mother to return. 

The sausage was served, it smelled quite good. There were no potatoes on the side, perhaps they were running low on ingredients. The red color that covered it was quite tempting, the spicy taste would make Lia feel happy, but she tried to restrain herself. Mrs. Berta was sitting in front of her waiting for her to eat one piece.

Lia took a sip of water to buy time but realized that what she was drinking might also contain poison.

The woman happily served the currywurrst onto Lia's plate. The tips of her cheeks twitched once when Lia looked at her seriously. Lia's heart skipped a beat, she didn't want to eat this.

Elisa walked in and headed straight for the stairs, Lia took at the chance to run away from the table. Calling out to her mother, Elisa stopped at two stairs. Her mother turned around and approached Lia.

"Why did you come down?" Elisa looked at Lia attentively, then glanced at Berta, "You can wait for mom, right?" There was reluctance on Elisa's face, she was about to say that Lia could call Berta's mother if she was hungry, but she remembered that it would be rude. Telling a guest to serve her daughter.

"Mom, I'm sleepy." Lia stood up, she even held Elisa to help her up. Elisa felt bad that Lia had left the food untouched.

As they climbed the stairs, Lia glanced at Berta who seemed to be busy cleaning up the cooking utensils.

Lia held Elisa's hand as she was about to leave. They were already in the room. "I want to talk about something."

Although she was tired from wander around Berlin, looking for medicine or something for Lia's back, she couldn't ignore her daughter. The mattress made a slight noise when Elisa sat down next to Lia.

"What's wrong?" Elisa pushed a strand of Lia's hair behind her ear. 

"I want them to leave." Lia pursed her lips and stared straight ahead. 

"Who do you mean? Berta and her mom?"

"Yes," just thinking about it made Lia's back ache, "did you ever ask them where they came from? Don't you feel that they have something in mind when they ask for your help, please think about this carefully, I don't want our family to suffer."

"What's wrong with helping others?"

"I know your principles." Lia winced as her back moved while facing Elisa, "but they look suspicious." Lia stared at the door hoping her voice wouldn't come out.

"What's suspicious." Elisa sighed, standing up to leave Lia. "Mom will bring your lunch here."

Lia shook her head in annoyance, "I don't want to. Mom, they could be American or British spies."

Elisa who had reached the door turned around, "If you don't want to eat, you can rest." Her voice wasn't that stern but the look on Elisa's face was enough to make Lia shut up--don't argue anymore, "I'm trying to find medicine for your wound. I beg you to rest and not think about anything."