— Sleep, my baby, sleep. We will cover ourselves with a blanket, wrap ourselves in it like a cocoon, which will close us from the war for a while. Come to me, my dear. I will hug you very tightly. As long as I'm around, nothing bad will happen to you. Do not be afraid. Don't be afraid of anything. It's the wind whistling outside the window. It's just the wind. Do you want me to tell you a fairy tale?
We will cling to each other in the dark. To feel the warmth of the skin and breathing with each of our cells. Until we merge into one. The war will recede for a short time. Because it cannot be true when there is silence and darkness around. When your hand is on my shoulder and I feel your half-asleep breath in my ear. When I quietly, in a whisper, tell you fairy tales. Tales about a distant country, where on the shore of the blue-blue sea you can sit on warm stones and listen to the sound of waves.
The sea, my dear child, is like a lake, only much bigger. There is salt water and colorful fish. You and I will definitely see it after the war. I will teach you to dive into the waves and not be afraid to open your eyes underwater. Sleep, my little baby, sleep. May you dream of the sea.
In the meantime, the two of us will imagine the sound of sea waves and the cries of seagulls. And a castle on a rock above the sea. Where the king dad, queen mom and their little princess live. Dad who is a king will protect his kingdom from evil wizards. And, of course, he will win and return home safe and sound. And the queen mother will bake the most delicious strawberry pancakes in the world and tell fairy tales to the little princess. And then a dragon will fly to them. No, not an evil dragon, but a good one. And ride the little princess across the sky. Just like on a plane.
An airplane, dear, is such a big machine that can fly. You have never seen them. It's good that you haven't seen them yet. Because when they are in our sky they bring only death. Just like evil dragons. They are burning the cities where our friends are now fighting them. But there are other planes. They take people to distant countries. They look like good dragons from fairy tales. We will fly together with you on the plane. And you will see how the ground under you will become very small. And how the clouds will float under you. Big and fluffy. Sleep, my dear baby, sleep.
And then the dragon will fly back, and the little princess will walk around their town at night with mom and dad. Street lamps and shop windows of small cafes will be lit. And their reflections will lie on the pavement like sunbeams. Only at night. And there will be people around. Many people. Yes, baby, at night. There is no curfew. You can walk there until the morning. And you can also walk in the forest there. Can you imagine? Just walk calmly. And don't be afraid to step on mines. Do you remember when your older sister told you that you shouldn't go to the forest because mines might live there? You and I will also someday walk through the forest, in which animals live, not mines. Deer with big horns and timid hares. And there will be green moss under your feet. And you can lie on it and look up at the tree branches and the sky. Sleep, my dear baby.
…The phone next to the bed vibrates.
— "Mom, Mom, is that rockets flying?"
— This is indeed an air alarm, but not in our city. Not in ours today. Forgive me, my dear little baby, that you know more about rockets than about the sea and airplanes. I'm sorry for that.
Sleep, my dear baby. This air alarm is not in our city. I'm with you. Nothing can happen to you as long as your mother hugs you. Sweet Dreams.
... In the morning, the rescuers will pull out the children who did not survive the night from under the rubble of the houses. Babies sleeping in the cocoon of a warm blanket next to their mother. And these children fell asleep on the last night on this earth under a soft whisper in their ear: "Don't be afraid of anything. As long as mom is around, nothing will happen to