October
31st 1920
Ellis
Island, New York City, USA.
Dear Mum,
I am on my way to
America! How? Well, it is a long and involved story. Ah! But soon we will be
together again! I can not wait to see you and Papa again. In fact, that thought
was what kept me going all this time. Unfortunately, Alex will not be with me.
I suppose I should begin my tale.
I will begin in the summer of 1918, right after you
and Papa left. Alex returned from the front in June. Thank God he was not
injured or even killed. I do not think I would have been able to live if he had
been killed. Then, that is. As you know, the only reason I stayed in Petersburg
was for him. I had hoped we would be joining as soon as he returned. I was
wrong. Things were changing. St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd. The red army
was gaining supporters and getting stronger. Then, in July, we were informed by
Alex’s father of the death of our beloved czar, Nicholas, and his family. Sergi
was overjoyed with the news and it was all we could do to keen him from running
into the streets. Remember when Papa caught him drawing political cartoons
about the empress? He could not sit down for a week! We were not supposed to
know, but Alex’s father works at the Kremlin and he told us. We were all
devastated. Especially Tatiana.
She asked me why, her
blue eyes filled with tears.
“Because they were
afraid of him,” I said. It is hard to explain to a six-year-old the political
stance involved.
She whispered, as if the
very thought was horrific. It was. I shook my head sadly. How can one so small
understand so much?
Summer and Fall passed
with few events. By winter, the white army was onto the czar’s mysterious
disappearance. Regrettably, before they could discover much, the red army again
took over. That winter was the coldest it had been in many years. There were
many deaths in Petersburg due to starvation and hypothermia. Anya Victricoff
contracted typhus and died. It was quite tragic. Sergi joined the red army
because they promised better rations. We all tried to stop him, yet he would
not listen. I’m sorry mum.
The advent of 1919
brought peace to Europe. However, rules in Russia – by then the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republic – became more stringent. We could not leave the country at
all. The government demanded that we give all our wages to them. Then they
would “redistribute” it to everyone. So we would all be equal. Or so they said.
You should have heard Alex complain! And when Sergi returned home for a visit!
Ack, all hell would break loose! Many times Sergi would storm out of the house
and Tatiana would be in tears. I hated for her to see her big brother like
this.
Things got worse. The
government began to claim that Alex’s father was involved in espionage. Alex’s
family was forced to flee as soon as they could. Alex and I were to get married
then to follow. There were three reasons for this. One, it would be pretty
obvious if two of the most prominent families in St. Petersburg disappeared on
the same night. Two, Alex and I needed to make arrangements for Tatiana to
remain in Russia. She was too young to try to sneak her out of the country. We
decided we would leave her with Maria and Evgeny until we would be able to send
for her. The two are some of my best friends, plus they are very stable and will
not arouse the government’s suspicion. I hope. And finally, Alex and I needed
to get married because I was already pregnant with his child. It would be
respectable. Then the house was stormed. We had to hide under floorboards until
the army left! Alex decided that we would leave that night. So, we dropped
Tatiana at Maria and Evgeny’s house then made a run for it. We were almost to
the gate house – where we would be able to get out of the country – when a
guardsman saw Alex and shot him. I was already at the house even. If the
solider had seen me, well I wouldn’t be writing this letter now. I ran to his
side.
“Alex, don’t worry.
You’ll be okay. I’ll get you to a hospital. You’re going to make it.”
He handed me a wad of
bill, trying to keep me calm.
“Where did you get
this!?”
He wouldn’t tell me. He
just told me to get out of there.
“Alex...” We could hear
the sounds of the soldiers returning. Tears ran down my check. “I love you.”
He instructed me to
leave, and I did. I ran, I ran like I had never ran before. I could hear the
officers coming closer. Five paces, four, three, two, one. I got there. I was
as good as free. Yet, my heart was still caught, a slave to the communist
government. That was the last I ever saw of Alex.
I thank Papa for teaching
me English with all my heart. I must remember to thank him when I get to
Chicago. I was able to communicate all the way to Belgium. When I arrived
there, my pregnancy was close to ending. I was checked by a doctor and it was
decide that I would have to stay there. I don’t recall the city at the moment.
Mum, the nurses and doctor were all quite nice. They made me feel quite
welcome. On January sixth 1920 my little girl, Alexandra was born. I named her
after the father she would never know. I had to stay at the hospital for
another month, until both of us were stable. Then we boarded the European
Lady and were on our way to America.
We are now in New York.
We will be catching a train to Chicago as soon as possible. Alex gets prettier every
day and she had her father’s eyes and mischievous spirit. I must bid you adieu
here. I hope too see you soon.
Love,
Sophie