by Lisa Oleksiuk
— She will definitely find me, you’ll see! — Every day, Bohdan repeated these words to his comrades.
06.03
Our Canine centre was shelled near Kyiv, I never thought that I would lose Leia just like that. I don’t know if she is still alive, but I hope she is all right and has a happy life, even if she is in Heaven.
07.03
Today I was informed that all the dogs did not live in the centre. I remembered a lot of things, how Leia was a naughty sheepdog. When we trained, she attacked everyone. Our commander said she could be euthanized. And then I came forward and said that this would not happen. At first, it was difficult to get along with her, she only let go when I gave her a piece of an apple. Yes, she loved apples, so much. So that is why after that she began to steal them in the canteen.
08.03
I don’t really have much time, but in the evenings under the covers with a red flashlight I write in my diary. Shots were heard nearby today. We all walk together, we even don’t have a single dog to find the mines.
I remembered how I taught Leia to find shells. It was funny, first you need to teach the dog to smell gunpowder and metal. I had to put the meat next to the mine. An old method, but a working one, smelled a mine – meat is nearby, sometimes there were apples. Real gourmet!
She did well. Leia was in last places in the rankings and then rose to the first for eight years. During these eight years, she has bitten and barked at the commander more than once, that it is already writing about me and counting the scars of bygone days. I really miss a friend, I will never believe in it.
10.03
Yesterday we had to change the location. We were combed out and fired upon. My friend Vanya said that Leia would show everyone who is the boss here.
The fact is that she left a surprise in his boots in the morning. But then everyone laughed heartily and sincerely. I had to leave her in a cage for a day and not go for a run. In fact, I still don’t know if the dog was attached to me or if I was attached to her. At least, she never showed joy to anyone. You could tell that there was a little cunning in her eyes.
12.03
I try not to miss recording days, but it doesn’t always work out. Today we retreated again, now we are 25 kilometers from Kyiv. Volunteers sent photos of the CanineCenter to our commander. It was terrible, I was sick. There was nothing there that could recall the old days. I tried to look for Leia, but I couldn’t find it. Perhaps it would be worth going, but there are no forces, no opportunities.
13.03
I had a chance to talk to my parents, I said that Leia was gone. They don’t believe what happened either. Mom often fed oatmeal to the dog. Leia was funny champing porridge, and dad was recording a video of her eating, which received a disapproving growl. Still, sometimes it’s better not to make Leia angry.
14.03
Leia’s dinosaur toy fell out of my backpack pocket. I did not know that she was there, and Vanya said that he put under it for me. Handed over by volunteers.
The food was delicious, I was so surprised that we had Borscht. With meat. Not enough sour cream with garlic.
15.03
Sadness is gradually disappearing, there is no time to think on the front line, we live as if at the last moment, we even enjoy silence. When there is no shooting and explosions, I fall asleep. We sleep in the trenches during the day, at night we move into tents.
16.03
I have no more hope of meeting Leia. The shooting is getting thicker.
17.03
Today I thanked my parents that they raised me, I tried not to bend and answer with a smile, albeit a fake one.
On the next day, Bohdan woke up due to the fact that he felt something warm and fluffy nearby. It was a black shepherd dog, covered with leaves and twigs. Her fur was more like a wash cloth. Bohdan realized that it was she – Leia, a dog that got through the shooting 25 kilometres just by smell.
He was overwhelmed with various emotions: pity, joy and crying. It seemed to him that this was a dream, that it was not in real time. He thought she was such a smart dog that she was finally with him. Bohdan did not care that he could be heard somewhere far away. It seemed to him that he was about to break the bones of a thin dog, so much so that he hugged her. And Leia licked the tears that flowed down his cheek.
– Finally you’re with me! Nothing, I will wash you, I will feed you now, I won’t forget about the apples. You are so good!
Now she did not move a step away from Bohdan, and now he realized that they were together forever.
