Chapter 9: Sanatorium Destruction
28th May - 12:00
"If we could concentrate,nationalize and shift the main industries and factories into major cities of Yugoslavia,then,I assume,it'll lower the damages against our already-fragile economy and currency." My president explained.
I starred at the wardrobe on my right side,placing my hand below my chin and putting my elbow on the table. My random thoughts over my visit to Arisha,which happened two days ago,have plugged my ears from listening to him. Her victory over Alfreak made her create a celebration in Kremlin,and even the formerly-drunk Ivan came to us,and afterwards enjoyed playing with one another.
"Do you like my idea?" Milosevic asked me.
I barely heard him. Not because I didn't wanted to listen to him,far from it,but because I was still preoccupied with my thoughts. He invited me to his office to talk about our current economic situation and the solution for this problem. He just needs me to have my own opinion on it,and also my approval.
"ВУЧЕ?!" he shouted at me,mildly but loudly slamming the table with his hand.
I jerked my head off,frightened. I turned my head to him,no longer unconscious.
"Have you heard me?" he asked,in a slight annoyed tone.
"Yes." I said,trying to make it look as if I listened to him.
"Then do you like my idea?" he repeated "Could my plan succeed?"
"Possibly." I replied,rubbing my nose with my index finger.
"Good." he said "Now,are you aware of our,and yours in particular,economic status?"
I am. In fact,during the Yugoslavian Civil War where I fought against Drazen and Amina and today,the currency of Dinar has been overinflated due to effects of failed wars,as I mentioned on my diary almost six months ago. For example,500 billion Yugoslav Dinars is worth by just 500 Dinars,or five US Dollars. Our currency today is an unforgivable disgrace and a joke.
"Yes I do." I finally replied,in a serious tone,looking at his eyes "However,what caused this major problem to happen?"
"Aside from the bombings against you and me,it's due to the sanctions against us." he replied.
"Since when?" I asked.
"From 1992 until 1995 and from 1998 and counting." he answered "They were and are imposed by NATO. America,to be precise."
As if bombing me to ruin was not enough,Alfreak has also sanctioned me economically long before the bombings have ensued. No wonder why I,and the rest of my people in general,live so anxiously in our dire need for survival.
Every time I think about this,I always have an urge to let my tears fall through my cheeks. It's so unfair!
"Is there any hope or at very least,a relief measure that we can take in order to counter the sanctions?" I asked,trying to help him out.
"Yes there is." he answered again,smiling "You could just look through your window or by watching news,and you'll see that Russia,China,Belarus,Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have given us additional supplies and food through the humanitarian aid,coming along."
He's right. How could I ever forget about this? I remember quite well what happened on 30th March: Various of Arisha's volunteers were preparing humanitarian aid directed to Serbia,despite the risk and misery from which we all lived under.
But I was fascinated that even Liu (obviously),Natalia,Ravil and Abdulla,have followed her suit and done their best to help me economically. I thank them for it,and I wish I could return them a favor someday.
"I'm so pleased about this!" I exclaimed,then reasoned "But...I don't think we can sustain ourselves for too long. Because,the supplies would eventually run out."
"True." he added,nodding his head "So that's why I propose to shift our industry into our major cities of Belgrade,Novi Sad,Nis and Podgorica. That way,the Atlanticists would cause less damage to our economy,since they usually bomb random places like Grdelica or Batajnica."
"Indeed. Hmm...when will the next attack occur?" I asked him,thinking about committing a rescue mission for the victims of a potential attack.
"See for yourself,Vuk." he replied "I'm not a clairvoyant,you could just buy a newspaper to know about them. Now,you're free to go. I have an address to deliver about our conversation and I don't want you to get involved. Understood?"
"You bet I did." I concluded while observing his room with a lantern,sofas,bookshelves and plants for ten seconds,before I left and went to my home village.
19:00
I've brought a newspaper from the usual sweatshop near my home just after I arrived on my way to my home by bike. As usual,it was tiring and I had to take a shower from sweating.
As I sat on my chair and read it,it had nothing much interesting except that a village called Aleksinac had been attacked yesterday by you-know-who and murdered two people and injuring ten.
Additionally,Athene had a NATO meeting yesterday,which was meant to be held on 25th May,but due to the destruction of the main NATO embassies in Russia,it was delayed two days later. Probably because Alfred,Emily and Gilbert didn't want to embarrass themselves like how the first one did two months ago.
"I'll be on my way to Belgrade,Vuk." she answered,after I asked her through my phone if she could visit me and stay there for a while "Is there something wrong with you?"
"Aside from the occasional fever and headache from the bombings and the sometimes-lack of sleep,nothing,for now." I answered,as I went to my kitchen to sip some water to drink.
"Got it!" she said,in a swift tone.
"You really should've been on Arisha's party in Kremlin." I said "But,it's sad that Arisha hasn't invited you in. Probably because you weren't your sibling."
"I really wish I was there..." she concluded,in a sad tone.
"I know...Oh and one more thing." I exclaimed,stopping her from putting down her telephone "Why did you joined NATO in the first place?"
"That's what I always ask myself everyday ever since the bombings have started." she answered,again "But it's complicated,but I'll explain it to you tomorrow."
After that,I ended the call and went on to read some jokes from the newspaper. It made me laugh,trying to feel better in an otherwise depressive and bloody environment surrounding my country.
Who knows what'll happen tomorrow,but it'll be tragic (or great,in rare occasions) as every other day.
Surdulica,29th May - 08:45
I'm with the rescue teams and firefighters near the destroyed sanatorium,smokes coming from the open and visible ruins on the upper floors of that building. Before it got destroyed,the doctors have probably taken some people for a medical treatment before the Atlanticist planes left it to ruin.
Before that,and as soon as I watched the news about the bombing of the sanatorium through my TV at the dawn,I quickly rushed towards Surdulica with my bike and a map. Surdulica is located on the east side of Kosovo,near Bulgaria. The reason for this is because it happened around five hours in the morning.
As the firefighters were extinguishing the diminishing flames and the RTS journalists are coming to report another atrocity,I just helped the witnesses reach Surdulica and demanded a report from the journalist to know how many of them died and how many were injured. I also want to rescue the stuck people,potentially dying from air strangulation and destruction...in a place where Alfreak Jones ought to belong (hehehe...).
Ten minutes later and a pack of cars and trucks with Greek flags have reached Surdulica,slowly parking some meters away from us,which were on their way to Belgrade. Along with them,Athene came out of her car and she saw me,thus rushing towards me. I heard her quick steps and turned.
"Vuk!" Athene shouted,almost reaching me "Here I am!"
I rushed towards her until we were near each other. Then,we got near the place where my people are standing and waiting for the answers.
"What happened?" she asked me.
"T...the sanatorium has been bombed." I answered,in a shy tone "I don't know how many of them had died,but we have to help the survivors reach the exit."
"We must." she replied,in a serious tone.
Before we went into the sanatorium entrance,we checked the sound and the sky around us,in order to see if the planes aren't flying over Surdulica. As we walked towards it,we saw many people crying,and some in shock. I felt like crying as well,though I think my grip of holding my tears is slowly fading.
And before we started walking,she told me that she tried to call Alfred to rant him about today's attack,but she only got the "beep-beep" sound. Trice.
"Coward." she sighed,angrily "He won't dare to listen to me,nor to spit his mouth out!"
Then,we saw a policeman approaching us.
"Hey,you two!" he shouted "Don't go in there,it's too dangerous for you to venture. And even if you try,this building is still crumbing."
"We'll return as soon as possible," she said,convincing him to make us enter "we want the survivors to escape safely."
"She's right,sir." I added "Who knows how many of them have survived,out of potentially dead people."
"I see." he concluded "After you finish your rescue mission,make sure you count how many of them had died."
We nodded our head up and down,out of confirmation. He gave us two notes to write how many dead are there,and told us that we shouldn't stay inside for too long. As we were about to enter,an old lady grabbed my arm.
"P...p...please," she begged us,with tears in her eyes "if you find my son,I'll be forever grateful to you..."
Again,I felt like crying at this moment. If I had a child,I would've cried like a rain if I got informed that my child disappeared forever. In general,dead victims,especially children,make me cry. This also includes Athene.
09:00
When we finally entered,the interior was completely dusty from the fallen chunks of concrete and stones,covering everything. Everything was ruined. It was also desolate,making me hug Athene,believing it's haunted.
"Calm down,Vukie." she tried to relieve me from fear "No one's going to get us. We'll come out safe."
I smiled. After some seconds,I spoke out.
"Can we go through separate paths?" I asked her.
"Sure thing,but why?" she asked me back.
"We need to check all of four floors from both directions of this building." I explained to her,no longer afraid,for now "Someone has also told me,while you were heading towards Belgrade,that we should dig the rocks in order to release the survivors."
That "someone" was a random old man with a walking stick who approached me the moment I reached Surdulica. His name was Milisav and he's a retired engineer,so he knows how structures function.
"Understood." she concluded "I hope we'll met shortly somewhere."
We waved each other and wished ourselves good luck. I took the left path while Athene picked the right path.
When I entered the ground floor,it gave me shivers. No one was present and every single room was crumbled with rocks covering a portion per each room.
I took a deep breath and slowly walked towards each room. I can do this,I told myself. It won't take too long before everything falls down.
The first three rooms from the ground floor were empty,after I searched and removed the stones,revealing nothing but dust and some broken medical tools.
In the fourth room however,as I dig through the stones,I saw blood. Once the rocks were removed,I discovered a dead kid. Some of his body parts,including his head,were mutilated by the strength of the falling rocks.
I opened his eyelid,checking if he was dead or not,and it turned out to be dead. He bled through his face.
I noted it on the borrowed notebook. After that,I checked the next four rooms and found two people. One male and one female. They thanked me.
Before I went upstairs to the first floor,I wanted to know how Athene was doing.
"Athene!" I shouted,creating a loud echo out of it "Have you found anything there?!"
"Four injured adults and two dead children!" she shouted back,and another echo came from her. "Fucking unbelievable!"
On the first floor,it was even more creepy. Despite the light coming out from the destroyed roof from the second and third floor,it was otherwise dark. So dark,that I thought I saw a ghost or a lone spirit. For each floor,it grows more creepier and the environment will grow more silent and uncomfortable.
When I entered the third room,hospital beds were smashed to several pieces and after I dug up the stones again,I discovered two little twins. Only this time,one of the twin's head was crushed completely red and black while the other twin had his arm and jaw broken.
Bloody hell..."Disgusting" is not enough to begin the description from any of this. It made me finally cry. And I didn't knew Alfred could be this brutal. He doesn't give a single damn about dead children,men and women.
According to his sick mind,killing Albanians,innocent or guilty like the KLA,is wrong,whilst killing the Serbs is right because I and the rest of us are nothing but "genocidal". It made me throw a large rock at the window in rage,breaking it.
On the second,third and fourth room,there were no bodies discovered. Instead,there were two missiles laying on the floor. They targeted the first floor with two missiles. If they targeted with two or more missiles on this floor,then the rest of them have hit the remaining upper ones.
Six,seven,eight,nine,ten,eleven,twelve...Every dead person that I and Athene have had found over the second floor were children with some dead adults beneath the rocks. I also saw a large hole,revealing the public below us. I waved them that we're here.
As a result,those who were freed left the building and running towards the ambulance trucks to lay there. After a half an hour,in total,have passed,when I got up to the final floor,I saw Athene digging the stones.
"Excellent,we finally met again!" she said,briefly stopping the diggings and hugged me.
"It's good to see you well." I said,smiling. Then asked,in a tiring tone "Now,can we leave this place? I think that was it. I've noted that there are 6 dead and 30 survived,but injured."
"In my case,I found 8 dead and 40 injured." Athene answered,also in a tiring tone "I really want to come out,but I don't want the remaining people to be left alone and rot in agony. About at least twenty minutes would do."
09:40
We're still digging the last remnants of the final floor,dirtying our hands and sweating our bodies and heads. Taking the opportunity,I started a conversation with her.
"Athene," I asked "Why did you joined NATO?"
"Two words: Cold War." she answered,still digging "But now,I want to leave it so badly."
"Then...what are you waiting for?" I suggested,also digging "Y...y...you're against the bombings,why are you staying anyway?"
"My president Stephanopoulos won't allow it,much like his predecessors anyway." she confessed "They were,and are,docile,avarous,sold and incompetent. "They've kept me trapped,submissive and obedient to the orders of the criminal West led by Alfred Jones,the Imperialist scoundrel."
"You mean Alfreak?" I said,turning my head to her.
"Ha,ha,I like that name." she giggled "It totally fits him!"
"Yes. However," I asked again "I don't see that you're submissive towards him. You're a dissident,not a servant."
"That's how you see it." she answered again,in a sad and tired tone "I may oppose him all the time like my friend Maria and pleasing myself from Alfred's self-inflicted humiliations,but...I'm still chained,with no methods to escape it."
"Indeed,and I love your bravery when you pelted him with rotten tomato while he was on his way from Macedonia to Thessaloniki." I giggled "You really are committed to stop the attacks against me."
This time,she didn't responded. Instead,as I told my words,she stopped digging and the rocks were silent,giving me a wide glare for ten seconds.
"You said it now and you'll never do it again." she replied,emotionlessly.
"W-w...what's wrong?" I asked.
"You said "Macedonia"..." she seethed.
"Wh-what's the problem? I said.
"That's not the name for Tatjana,you moron!" she shouted at me,angrily "If you're referring to her,it's FYROM! Now,shut up and finish your job!"
I gulped and continued to dig,silent. Wrong words,I thought. Her mood has been altered and ruined for just one word. I'm not sure why,but it quickly and accidentally ended the conversation. She released a frustrated sigh.
09:50
When we finished searching the remains,an old woman came out of the rocks when we removed the last remains.
"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" she yelled in fear,quickly running downstairs. We were confused for being the only person shouting after we released the rest of the survivors. Almost all of them have just said "Thank you" or nothing.
As we're nearing the exit,I resumed the conversation,this time watching my words.
"Tell me,why haven't you threw a pile of shit at his face rather than a rotten tomato?" I asked her,right after I apologized to her a minute ago.
She bursted into a great laughter for several seconds,so much so,that I had to hit her back to calm her down,making her cough.
"Heh...that's actually disgusting,even for my own standards." Athene said,after she calmed down "As much as I think he deserves it,I don't want to make myself look like a wild savage that he sees you as. Though,how did you came out with a such idea?"
"A pile of shit is less disgusting than him." I answered,referring to what Alfreak has done and doing to me,such as today's attack and the total disregard for human life "At least a shit doesn't bomb people to bits and lie all the time with zero shame."
"I agree." she said,smiling "In fact,by just listening to his pathetic and hypocritical lies about you makes me furious."
"Me too." I concluded.
10:00
After we came out of this building,we reported to the policeman and journalists about how many of them are dead. Twenty people had died (and twelve children among them) and 88 injured. The old lady that begged us has cried uncontrollably,along with his husband,when we told her that his son was dead squashed.
In the end,after everything was settled and the case was resolved,the witnesses have went to their homes,officials to their posts and I went to Athene's car,driving me towards Visevac.
"And all of that because he didn't got his stupid base in Kosovo!" she suddenly spoke out,angrily "He already has hundreds of them around the World and yet he still wants more,and more,AND MORE!"
"In a way." I intervened,then took a deep breath "Sadly,it's not just the base where he's at,it's also about his wanted control over Kosovo and my president."
"Gosh! He's so fucking stubborn,arrogant and ungrateful!" she ranted,still angrily "He already got what he wanted and yet he believes that something...SOMETHING is still missing. I swear,I would rather hang myself at the top of Athos than to stand meeting him in his useless meetings! I can't even stand seeing him and her greedy sister!"
"Why do you hate his sister?" I asked.
"She won't give me my necklace." she answered,calming herself down "It's part of my heritage and she refuses to hand it back,despite my demands. If you meet her someday,demand her that she must give me my necklace back. At least then,we could have a cordial relations with each other,given her solid personality."
We're nearing Nis. A portion of this city was destroyed by the bombings. People are afraid to come out and everybody,like myself,are watchful for our steps. Everything moving is worth being bombed.
"I see." I said "Can I join the NATO meetings to,you know,confront Alfred Jones?"
"Eh...that's would be brave of you but...you're not a member of it. Plus,you're at war with them." she said,now completely calmed down.
"What do they do during the NATO meetings?" I asked,out of curiosity.
"Supposedly,discussing the World's problems." Athene answered "In reality,it's just about Alfred delivering his weekly speeches about random stuff that a majority of members have heard of and sleep through it. NATO only serves to protect his interests in Europe."
We're almost near Visevac. Before I was about to,with Athene,get out of her car,I asked one final and important question for today.
"Athene,have you considered getting rid of Stephanopoulos?" I asked for one last time.
"Yes." she answered,getting out of her car. I followed her suit "In fact,ever since the bombings happened,I always thought about the ways to get rid of him. I don't know when will it happen,but it will be grandiose than what I did in Macedonia a month ago."
"Does he abuses you?" I said,slowly walking towards a bench.
"Surprisingly,no." she said,sitting on it "But he never listens to me. He says that it's not polite to leave my "allies" disappointed. And,every time I try to convince him otherwise,he just ignores me and leaves me by with his smoke coming from the cigar."
I remained quite,waiting for her to continue. She did so.
"My people are already against him,and their patience will run short. If Stephanopoulos doesn't realize this and/or ignores his people,he'll have a revolt to face and overthrow him." she complained "Yes,my patience has ended when Milica Rakic died and when the RTS Building was destroyed,but for him...I'm going to give him a month to decide if he wants to leave NATO if he wants to prove me that he isn't a yet another carrion".
Her plan to overthrow him and,what she has told me next,to implement a real democracy that her mother taught her about will be,like with Arisha's plan,risky. In fact,she also told me that Stephanopoulos' policemen and army are with him,so it will be an even riskier plan to commit than what it was imagined to look like.
"I'm sure you can succeed,Athene." I added,placing my hand on her shoulder "It will be rough and tough,but you'll give Alfred a severe message that you're now free."
"I hope so." she concluded,getting up from the bench "Vuk,where should we go next?"
"How about showing you a small museum near my house?" I suggested pointing at a small house between the Karadjordje Statue and my own red house.
"Sure." she said,in a happy tone.
We went there and showcased various pictures of dead revolutionaries from the First and Second Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman душмана,some random old accessories like wooden pots and lids and letting her rest near my bed. She earned a visit from me.
22:00
Athene has fallen asleep on my bed and she accepted to stay for five days,since Arisha hasn't decided to visit me just yet. I miss her.
Twenty hours prior,I gave her the Arisha treatment by giving her juice and enjoying the upcoming summer. We walked around,talked about the everyday life topics and played chess and cards with each other. She seemed to enjoy it and she thanked me for it.
I on the other hand have,before I went to sleep on the floor,I took a history book and started reading it,all the while watching the noon come to an end. I miss a lot of my former leaders,especially Karadjordje,Petar I and Tito.
But the only person that I miss the most is my lost dad Radoje Velisavljevic. As I've said back in January,I and my siblings,even the ones which I hate like Drazen,miss him,but none of them dare to admit it. If he were alive,he could have the ability to stop the attacks and confront my enemy from the West. But he can't revive himself,he's already dead...or at least,disappeared.
Athens,3rd June - 13:30
In the end,after Athene stayed with me for five days,she proposed me to pick me up to dive to Acropolis,her main place where she enjoys her day and compliments her thoughts.
At the same time,my president has announced to his ministers and me that Arisha will help us out fighting the KLA in Pristina,despite the huge advantage that the KLA got by the Atlanticist and American bombings,which led many of my divisions to delay their operations.
I'm so happy that Arisha will join me to defeat the KLA. I told Athene about it and she was pleased by the news.
"Nice to hear it from you." she concluded,after my explanations "I'm sure Alfred Jones would not be happy once he hears that Arisha is intervening in Serbia for the second time!"
We all laughed. However,when I remembered and told her that Arisha's best friend Liu Wang is still trying to call Alfreak for the UNSC meeting,she just frowned and sighed.
"Oh well,but the least I can do right now is to..."assist" a NATO meeting with him,if he wouldn't mind ending the bombings for you."
"That's bullshit!" I objected,believing that she wants to befriend him "He won't listen to you! And even if he does,he won't accept it! He's your enemy!"
"I know,but I'll try it anyway." she insisted "After all,he doesn't see me as an enemy just yet,due to me being gentle towards him,unlike Maria,even though I hate him as much as you do."
"Then good luck..." I ended the conversation,and continued starring at the summer sky.
Her lands of Greece was obviously hot,hotter than in Serbia in fact. I suggested her to go to the beach near Larissa and she agreed.
Even though the rest of my summer will be even more horrific and bloodier than on spring,I,at least,would take my moment to enjoy the fruits of this season before the time for action in Pristina commences.
Here's the Ninth Chapter. On 29th May (IRL on 31st May),the Sanatorium in Surdulica was destroyed,killing twenty people and injuring 88. A day earlier,Milosevic has addressed the economic situation in Serbia,implementing an action of shifting the industries to the major Serbian cities,so that the bombing attacks won't significantly damage the economy.
Plus,on the alternative 3rd July,Russia has announced that she'll come to fight the KLA with Serbia,in a potential effort to extinguish the KLA from the major areas in Kosovo.
Thanks for reading.