“What happened?” she asked drowsily. “Why do you look so different? Are we back home?”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now.” I pressed my lips against her forehead. She smelled so strange, not like dust or rotten wood, but clean skin, fresh linen, and a faint chemical odor.

“Is she okay?” Vanya mumbled from where he sat.

“She’s fine.” I laughed, wiping tears from my eyes.

“Good.” Vanya said. When I turned, he smiled in weak relief. “I’m really glad.”

Slowly, Galina lowered her hand from her mouth and looked at it in wonder. “Toma, I have... My hand...”

Trailing off, she drew up the frayed hem of her dress, revealing unblemished chubby knees and tiny toes. So small. It shocked me what it looked like for her to be six again, instead of an eternity old. When she wiggled her toes, I couldn’t help but laugh, buoyant with relief.

“Are these mine?” she asked, her smooth brow wrinkling in confusion.

“All yours, Galechka. Let’s get you down from there.” Wrapping my arms around her, I lowered her to the ground. The weight of her body surprised me so much, I nearly dropped her. I held her carefully as her bare feet touched the ground, afraid that she might slip and fall. Once I was sure she had the strength to stand, I released her.

“Where are we?” Galina asked, looking around. Her eyes landed on Vanya, and she edged behind me shyly, grasping at my skirt.

“Galina, this is my friend, Vanya.” I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “He helped me save you.”

She took a tentative step forward, cocking her head as she looked him up and down. She gasped in amazement. “Ooh, Toma, you gave him your pretty embroidery.”

“At least someone likes it,” Vanya said, with a faint laugh. He lifted his head, his green eyes clouded with exhaustion. “Toma, I’m so thirsty. I think I saw a carafe on one of the shelves...”

Turning, I spotted a glass carafe on the counter by the water basin. As I crossed the room, the doctor glared at me from where he lay squirming on the floor. Vanya had used medical gauze to bind his limbs and gag him.

A ring of keys rested nearby on the counter. I slipped it into my pocket then turned my attention to the carafe. I sniffed the water and sampled it before bringing a cup back to Vanya.

“Thank you,” Vanya mumbled as I handed him the tumbler. Once he had taken a few shuddery sips, spilling water on himself in the process, he leaned against the counter.

Droplets of blood clung to the skin below his sutures. Just the sight of them nauseated me with fear.

“Let me bandage you,” I said, searching the counter for another roll of gauze. Bundles of bandages were lined up in the glass-doored cabinets, and I retrieved one from the stack.

“Just need to rest,” Vanya said, his eyes fluttering shut as I tore the bandages with my teeth. “Just ten minutes...”