War Photographer's Notebook

In the morning sun mixed with the sound of guns and explosions, a total of 10 children of different ages, including the little guy Galina who was hugged by Mrs. Via herself, followed Wei Ran and the girl named Ke Na Behind the girl, leaning on the wall, stepping on the crumbling stairs, carefully climbed up to the first floor.

This is a short distance of less than 10 meters, but these hungry children walked for almost 5 minutes.But even so, they all had happy smiles on their faces.

They are not only happy to be able to take pictures, they are also happy that they just got a beautiful hat, and they are even more happy with the half cup of warm, sweet and tempting hot cocoa they drank before leaving the room, and finally they don’t have to spend time in that stuffy little room. The fireplace was kept in the room all day long.

Although it is only the difference between upstairs and downstairs, although they did not walk out of this abandoned building, they just followed Wei Ran into a room on the first floor where the sun can be exposed to the sun, but these children are still very happy, those who are too thin But the face that was wiped clean was also full of excitement.

"Okay, here we go."

While talking, Wei Ran looked around, picked up the tin bucket he brought back from Galina's house yesterday, and placed it upside down on the small piece of floor illuminated by the sun.

Immediately afterwards, he took the blanket that had been draped over the sledge, folded it several times, and placed it on the upside-down iron bucket as a cushion.

"Mrs. Weiya, can you come first?" Wei Ran sent out the invitation after adjusting the camera.

"Then let me go first, Comrade Photographer."

While talking, Mrs. Via handed Galina, who was in her arms, to Ke Na, and slowly walked over and sat on the tin bucket.

Without rushing to press the shutter button, Wei Ran carefully helped the other party adjust her sitting posture, and helped her straighten the brand new gray Budyonny hat that she had put on before going out, and then took a few steps back and lifted it up. Rollei dual reflex camera.

In the clear and bright frame, Mrs. Via, whose cheeks are sunken due to long-term hunger, is smiling confidently and confidently.The morning sun coming in from the window whose frame had been removed also cast a bright strip of light on the floor around her. A little dust also gave the early morning sunshine a strong and unyielding shape.

"We will all survive, everyone will survive." Wei Ran said abruptly before pressing the shutter.

Mrs. Via was stunned for a moment, and the smile on her face became brighter and more confident, and she seemed to be more energetic.At the same time, Wei Ran, who had already made preparations, pressed the shutter in time.

"Who's coming next?" Wei Ran raised his head and asked.

"Let me do it!"

Cora walked towards the tin bucket as she spoke. After returning the baby Galina to Via, she immediately sat on the small tin bucket, combed her hair randomly, and put on a brand new dark blue hat for herself. Putting on a Budyonny hat, he kept saying, "That's great. This is the first new dress I've gotten since the beginning of the war, and it's also the first time I've taken pictures since the beginning of the war."

"After the victory of this war, you will get a lot of new clothes to fill the closet." Wei Ran said to the young girl with affirmative tone.

"I don't dare to think of such a good thing"

The same skinny and skinny Ke Na responded to Wei Ran with a pleasant voice, and at the same time, a smile as warm as the sun appeared on her face.Not surprisingly, Wei Ran also pressed the shutter in time at the moment when the other party smiled brightest.

"Who's coming next?" Wei Ran raised his head and asked again.

"Let me do it!"

A little boy who looked about seven or eight years old and wearing a brand new yellow hat tried to raise his voice.

"Then you!"

Wei Ran waited for the other party to sit on the tin bucket, looking for an angle and asked, "Little guy, what's your name?"

"Victor, have you forgotten my name?" The little boy looked at Wei Ran puzzled.

"Of course I haven't forgotten," Wei Ran replied with a smile, "but I need you to say your name now."

Although the little boy's tone was extremely weak due to hunger, his enunciation was exceptionally clear, "Sergey, my name is Sergey Aleksandanovich Ryblov."

"What do your parents do?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"My dad was a fireman in Leningrad"

The little guy named Sergey said proudly, "He's fighting those damned Germans on the front line. My mother used to be a textile worker, and now she's directing traffic on Lake Ladoga."

"When the war is over, when your parents come to pick you up, I must give them a good compliment!"

"Really?!" Surprise immediately appeared on Sergey's face, and Wei Ran, who was weaving lies and building hope hard-heartedly, pressed the shutter again.

"Of course it's true!" Wei Ran raised his head and smiled, "Alright, next one."

"I'll go"

A little girl who looked older than Sergey was sitting on the tin bucket, she was wearing a new red hat, and she was holding a rag doll made of rough cloth and buttons in her hand .

"Pretty little girl, what's your name?" Wei Ran asked while Ke Na was helping her straighten her collar.

The little girl "Kalyuzhina Lusan" tried to make her answer appear more powerful.

"What do your parents do?" Wei Ran continued to ask.

"My dad was a butcher"

Kalyuzhna took a breath and continued, "He was also at the front outside the city. Before he sent me here, he said he was going to kick the Germans in the ass. My mother was a conductor at the cinema, she... she died, She starved to death on New Year's Day."

Hearing this, Wei Ran, who originally wanted to take pictures of the children's smiles, trembled involuntarily, and then realized that he shouldn't have asked this question.

Sighing secretly, he pointed the camera at Kalyuzhna who was trying to hold back her tears, and took a photo of this strong little girl.

He just raised his head, and a little boy with a wooden toy gun in his hand and a brown hat walked over tremblingly, and sat obediently on the upside-down tin bucket.

This time, the little guy didn't wait for Wei Ran, who no longer wanted to ask anything, to speak, and said in a not-so-loud voice, "My name is Andrei Vladasovich Shalyabin, my Mom and Dad are both teachers, they all went to the front line, I haven't seen them for a long time."

"They'll be back"

Mrs. Weiya spoke in time when Wei Ran didn't know what to say, and said in a very affirmative tone, "Not only will they come back, but they will also bring delicious food back for all of us!"

"Really?!" Andre asked in surprise, completely unaware that Wei Ran had already pressed the shutter towards him.

"of course it's true"

Mrs. Via said and waved to this little guy. At the same time, one looked younger.The little girl wearing a certain light green hat also moved her weak body with great effort, walked to the upside-down tin bucket and sat down, and took the initiative to introduce her name while Ke Na was helping her tidy up her clothes and hat. He lost his father and mother—even though Wei Ran couldn't bear to listen to those cruel experiences uttered by those immature voices.

For him, taking photos of only ten children is probably the most difficult time for him to press the shutter for a long time.

He couldn't imagine how he could convince himself to accept the tragic experience of his parents at such a young age. Perhaps, there was no way to convince himself.
When the shutter is pressed again and again, the light spots left by the sun on the floor are also moving slowly. In those short stories, every child has given Wei Ranyang an innocent smile, or a restless immature sad.

In the end, the little girl who liked to cling to Mrs. Via and eat her fingers was also encouraged by Mrs. Via, and walked to the side of the tin bucket with difficulty. After sitting down timidly, she was almost caught by the sound of gunfire outside The completely covered voice said intermittently, "My name is Anastasia Skalkovich, and my father is... a blacksmith. He was responsible for delivering ammunition to the front line, but he was killed by German shells. My mother was a tailor, and she died too, she died of starvation."

"Let's take a photo together"

Mrs. Via waited for Wei Ran to press the shutter and said immediately, and walked over with the baby Galina in her arms, sat on the tin bucket that Anastasia gave her, and then put Anastasia Tasia was also in her arms.

Soon, the rest of the children gathered around one by one, stretched out their pitiful two arms, and hugged Mrs. Via who was sitting in the center, and the girl named Ke Na also came to these Behind the child and Mrs. Via.

Coincidentally, just as Wei Ran was about to press the shutter, Lydia, the girl who played the bayanqin last night, also walked into the room.

The most surprising thing was that in her hand, she was actually holding a glass infusion bottle, and this bottle was filled with at most one-sixth or even one-seventh of the milky white liquid!

"Looks like I came at the right time"

As the girl named Lydia said, she had already walked behind the children and stood side by side with Kona, while not forgetting to say, "I just applied for some milk for Galina, although it is not much, but I can bring some back every day.”

"It's really good news. Now Galina will definitely survive."

Mrs. Weiya, who was surrounded by children, breathed a sigh of relief, "Hurry up! Let's take a picture! Children, everyone look at the camera."

It was said that all the children, as well as the two girls standing at the end, all looked at the camera held by Wei Ran, and at the same time let the warm sunshine stain their disheveled faces. Turned into a nice golden color.

There is no need to shout any slogans, because the extra precious milk that Lydia brought back is the best news, enough for all children and adults to smile.

Pressing the shutter lightly, Wei Ran immediately said, "Lydia, let me take a separate photo for you too. Everyone here has taken a separate photo."

"Okay okay."

Lydia, who seemed to be about to say something to Mrs. Via, nodded, handed the infusion bottle in her hand to Kona, and waited for the beaming Mrs. Via to leave the first floor with Kona and the children and return to the one in the basement. In the warm little room, she sat wearily on the keg that was upside down on the ground.

"What's wrong?" Wei Ran keenly sensed something.

"No! Nothing"

Lydia, who was also thin and out of shape, couldn't help but shivered, but then said, "Mrs. Beliavia's son Belia"

"What's wrong with him?" While Wei Ran urged the other party, he couldn't help but look in the direction of the basement.

"Last night his convoy was bombed by German planes and he died"

Lydia covered her mouth and buried her head in her knees, "It's the news from the transport team that arrived at the port last night."

"she"

"I don't know what to say to Mrs. Via about it."

Lydia buried her head and said in pain, "Before the transport team leaves every afternoon, Belia will deliver a hundred grams of bread. We have no way to hide this news."

Sighing heavily, Wei Ran said, "Lydia, look up, let me take a photo for you, believe me, the war will end soon."

"But they are dead" Lydia said in pain, but immediately after, the strong girl raised her head, wiped the teardrops on her face with her skinny palms, and tried to let herself be in the warm sunshine. There was a smile that was more sad than crying, and Wei Ran pressed the shutter cruelly.

"Take care of the children." Lydia stood up staggeringly, and said as she walked out, "I'm going to continue working."

"Wait a minute" Wei Ran called out to the other party.

"what happened?"

"Drink a sip"

While talking, Wei Ran pretended to take out from his pocket, took out the British army kettle with some hot cocoa left, unscrewed the lid and handed it over.

Looking at Wei Ran suspiciously, Lydia took the kettle hesitantly and sniffed it gently under her tall nose.

"Drink first, take a big sip."

Wei Ran hurriedly said before the other party refused, "Everyone, including Mrs. Weiya, took a big sip."

Lydia looked seriously at Wei Ran with a calm face. After a moment of hesitation, she still took a small sip symbolically. At the same time, she couldn't help subconsciously licking the remaining sweetness on her lips.

Taking back the kettle that still had some hot cocoa, Wei Ran asked, "Lydia, do you know what day it is today?"

"January 1, what's wrong?" Lydia looked at Wei Ran puzzled.

"nothing"

Wei Ran shook his head, watched the other party leave in a frivolous footsteps, and then took a small sip of hot cocoa.

But this wisp of sweetness not only couldn't dispel hunger at all, but also couldn't make him feel at ease.

According to the information he found before he came, the premiere of the Leningrad Symphony was in Kuibyshev in March. If it was the premiere in Leningrad, it would even have to wait until August, but now It's only the end of January.

In other words, even in the most optimistic scenario, he would have to persist for almost a month before completing one of the return tasks.

Leaving aside the mission requirement that the children not starve to death, as far as the metal book allowed him to bring, he would probably burn himself if he could persist for such a long time.

“It would be nice if there were coconuts around here”

Wei Ran smacked his lips and muttered to himself nervously, and was the last one to leave the ruins that were about to be filled with sunlight, and returned to the small warm room in the basement.

After such a short time, the little guys sitting around the stove had already held up their enamel cups again.

And at the edge of that table, Via had already poured milk into the bottle, and was adding water to it to dilute the little milk.

At the same time, Cora also used a jug to pour hot water into the infusion bottle that once contained a little milk.

The slowly injected hot water quickly mixed with the little milk left in the bottle, and then changed from completely transparent to a translucent color.

But even so, the children around were also looking at the infusion bottle eagerly.

Under Wei Ran's gaze, Ke Na tightened the stopper, and slowly shook the infusion bottle, trying to melt every drop of milk remaining in the bottle into the hot water just injected.

"Wait a mininute"

As Wei Ran said, he walked to Ke Na's side, and handed the hip flask that still contained a lot of honey to her.

"What are you doing?" Ke Na couldn't help asking.

"Let's add some honey, children's bodies need energy."

"no"

Although Ke Na took the portable flagon, she handed it to Via behind her without thinking, "We are not here to fill our stomachs, we are just not to starve to death, those honeys are too precious , can’t just be wasted like that.”

Wei Ran opened his mouth, but finally just nodded, "No problem, those honeys are at your disposal, can you give me that glass bottle first?"

This time, Ke Na did not refuse, and after taking the bottle, Wei Ran also poured the "bottle water" in it into his British army kettle.

After screwing on the lid and shaking it, when Wei Ran poured these "bottle water" into the cups of those little guys one by one, there was not much milk in it, but also all the remaining hot cocoa.

Even so, no matter whether the infusion bottle is Wei Ran's British Army P44 kettle, or it was "washed" twice by Ke Na with hot water and distributed evenly to the children, it is considered a rest.

But those children who were not even full of water, after drinking these bland things and the broth that was distributed to them for the last time, there was nothing to eat this morning.

"It's time for me to find some firewood," Ke Na said, and stood up staggeringly, holding the wall with both hands, resisting the dizziness caused by hypoglycemia.

"Let me go find something to eat." Wei Ran also stood up.

"Victor"

Mrs. Weiya reminded weakly, "Don't touch the meat that is absolutely unacceptable to the children! Then even if they survive, they will be in pain every time they think about it in the future."

"Understood." Wei Ran stopped in his tracks, and responded very seriously, "Don't worry, Mrs. Wei Ya, I understand."

"Go," Mrs. Weiya muttered, "Kona, Victor. You must come back alive."

"I'll be back before dark," Ke Na said, leaning on the wall and leaving the warm room again.

"I'll be back as soon as possible." Before Wei Ran finished speaking, he followed Ke Na through the half-open door.

As the door closed, Mrs. Via also put her hand into the pocket of her jacket, holding the small TK pistol she received before retirement, and was always on guard against someone breaking into the room.

Outside the ruins of the building, after Wei Ran helped Ke Na climb up to the first floor again, he simply helped her to sit firmly on the sledge cart, then took the small iron bucket used as a bench, and wrapped a blanket around her. Cai pulled Ke Na out with a sledge and asked, "Where are you going to find firewood?"

"Northeast direction, that direction is relatively safer."

Ke Na said regretfully, "Unfortunately, we don't have enough strength to go outside the city. There is a large birch forest in the northeast. There must be enough firewood for us to keep warm."

"Do you know where I can find something to eat?" Wei Ran, who had no hope at all, still asked a question he knew was stupid.

Ke Na was sluggish for a few seconds before replying weakly, "If I knew, I wouldn't have to starve."

"Yes." Wei Ran couldn't help but sighed.

"Victor" Kona paused, and continued, "The children who took pictures today are all orphans."

"What did you say?" Wei Ran stopped in his tracks.

"Except for Galina, Mrs. Via and I brought them back personally."

Ke Na waited for Wei Ran to use the sledge cart to pull her forward again, and slowly lay on her back on the sledge cart, resting her thin arms on her pillow, watching the fighter jets flying around in the sky, watching the shells of those anti-aircraft guns explode. The smoke group also looked at the thick smoke rising into the sky in the distance, and said to himself, "My family and Mrs. Via's are neighbors, and we both live on the third floor of this building. My father is still a musician."

"Your father was a musician?"

"right"

Kona slowed down and said, "The Leningrad Radio Orchestra, he plays the small drum, and his drum is locked in the next room. And my mother, she is a piano teacher at the Leningrad Conservatory. Without this war, even I would have gone to study at the Leningrad Conservatory last year."

"They are now." Wei Ran immediately closed his mouth when he subconsciously asked.

"After entrusting me to Mrs. Via, they offered to work on the frozen Ladoga Lake."

Ke Na said worriedly, "I don't know what they do. I only know that they went to Lake Ladoga. I haven't heard from them for a long time."

"They will survive, they will survive," Wei Ran repeated over and over again, and at the same time unconsciously quickened his pace.

"hope so"

Ke Na looked at the falling fighter jet dragging a trail of black smoke in the air in the distance, and couldn't help but muttered to herself, "What are those Germans trying to do?"

"them?"

Wei Ran snorted coldly, "They want to starve everyone in this city to death, they wish they could all die so that they can replace them, if they really succeed, within a few decades, this area The land is all theirs."

"We'll stop them, right?"

Ke Na tried her best to raise her neck, looked at Wei Ran who was walking in front and asked, "We can definitely drive them away, right? No matter how much it costs."

"Will definitely drive them away"

Wei Ran also tried his best to raise his neck, looked at the German fighter jet that was falling from the top of his head with thick smoke, and repeated in a firm tone, "No matter how much the price is paid!"