Reading Bowl 3

Exerpt from Zlata’ s Diary
During a Time of War


Dear Mommy,

Today we heard some more sad, sad news. Our country house in Crnotina, a tower that’s about 150 years old, has burned down. Like the post office, it disappeared in the flames. I loved it so much. We spent last summer there. I had a wonderful time. I always looked forward to going there. We had redone it so nicely, bought new furniture, new rugs, put in new windows, given it all our love and warmth, and its beauty was our reward. It lived through so many wars, so many years and now it’s gone. It has burned down to the ground. Our neighbors Ziga, Meho, and Becir were killed. That’s even sadder. Vildana’s house also burned down. All the houses burned down. Lots of people were killed. It’s terribly sad news.
I keep asking, why? What for? Who’s to blame? I ask, but there’s no answer. All I know is that we are living in misery. Yes, I know politics is to blame for it all. I said I wasn’t interested in politics, but in order to find the answer I have to know something about it. They tell me only a few things. I’ll probably find out and understand much more one day. Mommy and Daddy don’t discuss politics with me. They probably think I’m too young or maybe they themselves don’t know anything. They just keep telling me: This will pass---“it has to pass????????”

Your Zlata

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