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Lina was a young girl who lived in Lithuania with her mother, Elena, her father, Kostas, and her little brother, Jonas. Their home was full of love, laughter, and art. Lina loved to draw and dreamed of going to art school someday. But one summer night in 1941, her world changed forever. Soviet officers broke into their home, shouting orders. They gave the family only a few minutes to pack their belongings. Lina’s father was taken away, and she, her mother, and brother were pushed into a crowded truck with other families. They didn’t know where they were going, only that soldiers with guns watched their every move.
The train station was filled with confusion and fear. Families were herded into dark cattle cars, packed so tightly that there was barely room to breathe. The doors slammed shut, and the train began to move. Days passed in darkness. The air smelled of sweat, fear, and hunger. Sometimes, the train stopped so the guards could throw out the bodies of those who had died. Lina tried to comfort Jonas, while her mother remained calm, whispering that they must stay strong and brave. Lina drew pictures in her notebook, sketching everything she saw so she would never forget.
After many endless days, the train finally stopped in Siberia. The land was barren and cold, covered in gray dust and empty fields. The deportees were told they would live there and work for the Soviet government. They were forced to build huts and dig holes, surviving on small pieces of bread and watery soup. Lina missed her father terribly. She didn’t know where he was, only that he had been sent to another camp. Every day, she promised herself she would find him again. Drawing became her only comfort, her way of holding on to hope. She drew her memories, her home, and her father’s face.
Life in the camp was hard and cruel. The prisoners were forced to work all day in freezing temperatures. Soldiers shouted at them, calling them criminals. If anyone disobeyed, they were beaten or worse. Some people lost hope, but Lina’s mother encouraged everyone to stay kind and share what little they had. Elena often gave her food to others, even when she was hungry herself. Lina watched her mother with admiration. Despite the cold and hunger, her mother’s kindness never faded. Lina also met Andrius, a boy near her age, who helped her steal bits of food and wood to keep their families alive.
Andrius’s mother worked for the soldiers, pretending to serve them in exchange for extra food to help others. Though it was dangerous, it kept them alive. Lina and Andrius became close friends, sharing their fears and dreams. They both missed their fathers and wondered if they were still alive. Sometimes, they would talk about life before the war—school, music, summer fields—just to forget the pain. Lina often drew secret pictures and hid them, hoping that someday people would find them and know what happened to them. Her drawings became her silent voice, telling stories she couldn’t say aloud.
Winter came, and the cold was unbearable. The wind cut through their clothes, and many people got sick. Lina’s mother grew weaker each day, but she never stopped smiling for her children. One morning, soldiers came and ordered them to move again. They were told to pack up and walk across the frozen land to another camp farther north. The journey was long and terrible. People fell in the snow and never got up again. Lina carried Jonas on her back, whispering that they would survive no matter what. She felt her mother’s hand grow colder as the days passed.
When they reached the new camp, it was even harsher than before. It was near the Arctic Circle, where the sun barely shone. They had to build their own shelter out of logs and snow. Food was almost gone, and disease spread quickly. Lina’s mother, exhausted and starving, finally became too weak to stand. She told Lina to take care of Jonas and to keep faith. One night, she closed her eyes and never woke up. Lina held her mother’s hand and cried silently, promising to keep her memory alive. Even though her heart was broken, she knew she had to stay strong for Jonas.
Lina and Jonas buried their mother in the frozen ground. The snow fell heavily that day, covering her grave. Lina wanted to draw her mother’s face one last time, but her hands were shaking too much. She still found strength in her art, drawing with a piece of charcoal on bits of wood or paper whenever she could. She drew their journey, the people who died, the soldiers, and the faces of those who still hoped. Every drawing was a message to the world, proof that they had lived. She believed that one day, someone would see them and know the truth.
Andrius and his mother were sent to another camp. Before leaving, Andrius gave Lina a piece of bread and a small rock, saying it would remind her that she was not alone. He promised to find her again after the war. Lina held onto that promise, even when she was hungry and tired. The days turned into months, and the camp life became a blur of work and survival. The prisoners grew thinner and quieter. Lina and Jonas helped each other, sharing every crumb of food they found. She kept drawing secretly at night, hiding her sketches under the floorboards of their hut.
As years passed, the prisoners began to lose count of time. The war outside the camp ended, but they were still trapped. Many didn’t believe they would ever go home again. Lina thought often of her father, wondering if he was still alive. One day, she heard that some prisoners were being released. Her heart filled with hope, but their names were not called. Jonas got sick, and Lina feared she might lose him too. She begged the camp doctor for medicine, offering her last drawings in exchange. The doctor gave her a small bottle, and slowly Jonas began to recover.
One night, Lina sneaked out and buried a bundle of her drawings in a metal can, hoping they would survive even if she didn’t. She prayed that someday, someone would find them and understand what they went through. Soon after, she became ill herself, her body weak from hunger and frostbite. Still, she kept caring for Jonas, wrapping him in the last piece of their mother’s shawl. The other prisoners helped when they could, sharing their fire and food. Together, they whispered stories of their homes and the loved ones they had lost, keeping their spirits alive through the darkness.
Years later, soldiers came with news that the prisoners were finally free. The war was over, and they were allowed to return home. Many were too weak to move, but Lina gathered her strength and helped Jonas stand. Their journey back was long and painful. Towns were in ruins, and many people they once knew were gone. When they finally returned to Lithuania, their home was empty and broken. But they were alive. Lina began to draw again, capturing everything she had seen. Her drawings were no longer just memories—they were her way of honoring everyone who never made it back.
As time passed, Lina grew older, but she never forgot the faces of those she met in the camps. She kept Andrius’s rock and her mother’s shawl as symbols of love and survival. She taught Jonas to be strong and kind, just like their mother. Her drawings became her legacy, telling the story of all the people who suffered in silence. She wanted the world to remember that even in the darkest times, hope could still shine. Through her art, she spoke for those who had no voice, reminding everyone that kindness and courage could survive even the coldest snow.