Spring 2024 - Recrudescence

Things To Do After My Death

the side and rolled into a weedy ditch that was used to divert water away from the streets. He feared with each passing second that the carriage might come to an abrupt halt, but it never did. He closed his eyes, lay motionless, and thanked his lucky stars. Once darkness fell, he continued his journey, trying his best to stay away from populated areas. It was bitterly cold and he didn’t have any warm clothes, which left him with no choice but to steal a cloak and a horse blanket from a barn he passed along the way. Józsi’s mother had sewed him a neck pouch for his papers and handful of coins, whose overall value amounted to a pittance. He wandered aimlessly, but at some point he had to admit to himself that he had completely lost his bearings. And now a railroad crossing blocked his way. In the distance he spotted an approaching train, inching closer and closer, its wheels weighed down by heavy cargo; it eventually came to a full stop, producing a high-pitched, screeching sound. What a godsend, thought Sanyi, as he hopped up on the last coach. When the train began to move again, he cozied up in a small area that housed the brake system. He dozed off straight away. It wasn’t clear how much time had passed before he was woken up by two uniformed men. He reflexively raised both of his arms. Everything is fine, calm down, they told him, we’re just ordinary railroad workers. The three of them got along so well that the two men confessed to Sanyi that as soon as the train reached Rákosrendező, they would hop onto another train that would take them close to Sopron. From there, only a stone’s throw away was the Austrian border, where they could cross illegally and go anywhere! Even to England?—asked Sanyi, starry-eyed. Why not, sonny? In Austria we’ll automatically become refugees and get a Nansen passport that’s good for any country, except Hungary. Har!

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