Back in the days when steam rushed past your window as fast as the hills did. Back in the days when a shrill whistle blasted through the air. That was when this book had been written.

Curiosity had gotten the better of me when I picked it up. Someone had dropped it, but before I could return it to them, the train had started to move.

The cover intrigued me.

1938-1939

Journal of V. Korcová

Hesitantly, I opened the book.

23rd December 1938

Things are becoming increasingly difficult, both country-wise and in my personal life. I met this person, Damek, and I think... I think I may be falling for him. We me—

A number of entries had faded with time. The train rocked gently and the night grew longer as I continued reading.

14th January 1939

I'm confused at what is going on in the world and it doesn't help that my mother and father disapprove of Damek. I honestly don't see the problem and my parents refuse to tell me.

7th February 1939

Managed to meet up with Damek again but I feel as though we are drifting apart. He told me his parents were forcing him to join the army, even though he doesn't want to. He wants to be a doctor, the same as me. Though I fear we may never get the chance.

I started to get worried. What was going to happen? A pang of guilt hit me as I realized I shouldn't continue reading. This was someone's personal life. But something urged me to keep reading.

14th March 1939

Damek had been accepted into the army the other day. Things are so much worse than when they were in my first entry. So much so, that when Damek managed to sneak away from his army base, he told me to leave. That it wouldn't be safe for much longer. How he found this out, I don't know. He promised to help get my parents out of the country–if he could–but he wanted me to be safe. I'll leave tomorrow.

Although pages were missing, the next page was still intact. Hurriedly, but carefully, I turned the page only to find there was nothing. Where was the next entry? I carefully placed it back in my bag.

***

For years, I had been trying to find the "V. Korcová" or the "Damek" but there was no trace of them. It was a pure coincidence that I found him.

It had been at a memorial service for a distant friend. He came up to me during the reception.

"Ahoj." He held his hand out and I spied the army uniform. "Name's Damek Novak, I was a close friend of the family. You?" Even though he had lost someone, his smile lit up the gloomy atmosphere.

I almost fainted.

"Did you, by any strange chance, know someone named V. Korcová?"

"I... I did. But Veronika died on the 21st of March, 1939."

~*~

Ahoj: Hello (informal)

Word count: 478 words (according to the Wattpad word count, which I'm going with. Otherwise, according to wordcounter.net, it's 495)