I woke suddenly to find the train coming to a screeching stop. It was daylight, but I had no idea what time it was. Hap stuck his head out the window.
“There’s a big group of soldiers surrounding the engine,” he said. I looked out in time to see a couple of them climb up into it. The rest of the soldiers spread out, getting into the cars.
I took hold of Dmitri’s hand. “They’re not after me,” he said. “We’re a long way from Petrograd now.”
When four men tried to get in our car, a man near the front yelled at them. “There’s no room! Get off!”
“We’ll find room,” one of them said, shoving the man out of the way. “Now stop complaining or we’ll throw you off. That will make room for us.”
I relaxed a little, knowing they just wanted a ride.
Finally after a few more stops the train got so full, there was no room for people to even push their way in through the doors. Thuds sounded from the roof of the carriage as people clambered up the sides of the train to perch there. I didn’t know how they’d stand the cold. It was cold inside the carriage even with all the bodies.
“When are we going to get there, Lottie?” The twins asked and repeated this several times every day. My answer was always the same.
“Soon. It’s a long, long way.”
They did keep occupied much of the time with the kitten, talking to it in their baby language. I was relieved the little animal seemed content to stay with them and ate whatever we fed it, mostly bread softened in water and bits of hard-boiled eggs. I did not want to go on another chase.
Miles said very little, and I finally realized he was getting a fever. He looked terrible and he had no energy. He sat slumped against Hap, not reading or writing, but just either staring off into space or closing his eyes as if he were sleeping, though I knew he wasn’t.
Hap and I took turns coaxing him to eat and drink with what little we could buy at the stations. We weren’t always successful. The twins and Stepan were always hungry, so the rest of us cut back on what we ate to try to keep them filled up. My stomach felt like it rumbled day and night.
I watched out the window during the day, though there wasn’t much to see. I was surprised to see Cossack troops on the move, looking as if they were maintaining some sort of order as they rode.
“Where do you think they’re going?” I asked Dmitri.
“I’ve been talking to some of the other passengers. One man said he’s heard a few of the generals have gone east and are putting together new regiments to fight the Bolsheviks. The Reds may hold the west, but there are people determined not to let them take over all of Russia.”
“Do you really think they’ll be successful?” Miles asked. “They don’t have any supply lines or anything.”
“I don’t know,” Dmitri said. “But they have to try.” He was quiet for a long time after that.
At the next station, two men dressed in makeshift police uniforms got on. “Bag inspection!” they called. “Open your bags.”
“Why are you inspecting bags?” Dmitri asked. “I’ve never heard of that before.”
The man frowned. “It’s not for the likes of you to question authority. Who are you?”
“He’s my brother,” I said, trying to make my Russian sound bad. “We’re Americans.” I hoped they wouldn’t notice Dmitri’s perfect Russian.
That seemed to mollify the man. “Americans, you say? Good you are leaving the country. It’s for Russians now. We’re inspecting bags because some people have been trying to blow up the train bridges. They’ve thrown small bombs out the windows as the train is going over. It’s our job to keep the line open. Now show us your luggage.”
They went through everyone’s things, and I was glad I still had the bag with the necklaces in it around my neck. When they found the boxes, they immediately opened them and poured out the trinkets I had put inside, stuffing them into their pockets. Dmitri made a move as if to protest, but I put my hand on his arm, holding my breath that they wouldn’t shake the boxes to hear the hidden jewels rattling around. They didn’t, and soon tossed the boxes back at me.
“Thank you for your contribution to the Railway Safety Fund,” one of the men said, chuckling. I bit my tongue and stayed quiet.
The next time soldiers stopped the train, Hap looked out the window and then drew his head back in so quickly he bumped it. “Bad news,” he said. “They’re making the people in the cars in front of us get off so they can get on.”
I looked out the window. We were in the middle of nowhere, and snow was thick on the ground.
“We are not getting off this train,” I said.
Chapter Twenty-One
I GOT UP and climbed on a bench and raised my voice to get the other passengers’ attention. After I explained what was happening, I called out, “Do you want to get kicked off this train?”
Several people called out, “No!”
“Then pull the shades and listen to me. We only have a few minutes. I’m going outside to tell those soldiers they can’t come in here because everyone is ill. You’re going to have to help me. Do some moaning and groaning, and if anyone does board to check, act sick.” I reached into my bag until I found my nursing veil and put it on. “My brother will tell you when to make noise,” I said pointing to Hap. “Don’t let them overdo it,” I told him as I went out the door.
I left the door cracked open and then climbed down the steps, waiting for the men to approach. When they got close enough, I called, “Do you have a doctor with you?”
They ignored my question. The one leading them was so covered in dirt, I could hardly make out his features. “Move aside,” he yelled. “We’re boarding this car.”
I clenched my hands to act like I was worried. “Thank goodness! So you are doctors! We’ve got several cases of typhus in this car. I had everyone who was feeling ill move back here, though I’m afraid some of the others in the front cars will fall ill too.”
The soldier in front took a step back, bumping into the men behind him.
“I don’t believe you,” one of the others said.
Nika began to wail, very loudly, and others joined in. Miles coughed. He didn’t have to act. His cough was unmistakably consumptive.
The men began to argue among themselves about what to do. The noise from inside rose and I was afraid it was becoming too fake, when it began to drop off again. What followed was almost a perfect orchestra of moans and groans with just the right pauses.
After one particularly pathetic cry from Nika, the men moved away, walking back up the side of the train, pounding on the train cars and shouting, “Typhus! Typhus! Get off the train.”
The soldiers who had already boarded jumped off until they were all gathered in one spot. Some of them kept pointing back at me, so I stood in the same spot, hoping no one would be brave enough to actually check. After what seemed like a very long time, the men moved off and the train chugged forward. Dmitri came out and helped me back up onto the landing outside the car.
Once I got inside, I hugged Hap. “Brilliant!” I said. “It was perfect!” He grinned.