Milkweed

Misha wakes up to a sharp pain in his ear and flies buzzing around him. He finds himself in a ditch. The ringing in his ear does not stop. Blood covers his cheek and his arm. Misha touches his ear, the one with an earlobe that was previously shot off by a Jackboot, and finds there is little left of his ear but a lump.

He looks around for Janina but finds nothing but her shredded shoe. The station is empty, devoid of Jackboots, people, and trains. Misha desperately tries to follow the tracks but faints repeatedly. He finally gets to the edge of the platform and sleeps for a while, still dizzy from the gunshot. After, Misha walks out of the station, away from the ghetto, and follows the train tracks.

Misha sees a boy with a dog on the train tracks. While he is initially afraid of the dog, Misha realizes the canine is friendly. Misha notices that the boy wears clothes and shoes and looks healthy. Misha repeatedly asks for water and the boy questions him as to who he is. The boy asks Misha if he is Jewish and Misha says yes, producing his armband as proof.