Lolo and I had spent many days and nights in the deep hole in the wood, the other horses were found by the invaders and stolen. It was so difficult to say goodbye to my mare, she was all I had left, the time had come to move on. The next day was sunny, all was so quiet, the orchards were scorched, only a pile of ashes was left of the farmhouse. Some farm hands were desperately looking for something in the rubble. Where is Mother and Father! I started to run toward the wood in hope to find them and my animal friends. I kept running deeper and deeper in the woods, there  were some people lying so still in a thicket, they must have been tired and fallen asleep. The scorched wood had become transparent, I could see the small hut in the distance, we used to have our lunch on the happier days there when we took long walks on Sundays. The fragrance, the beautiful wild flowers, the delicious berries, the occasional small animal hoping along, I used to run after them until  Mother and Father called me back. Now nobody was there to call me back from my track. All was so desolate. The silence was hurting, all seemed lifeless. Was my happy life gone forever? I put my arms around a scorched tree and promised that I will  grow one just as tall and strong. I have kept my promise in my adopted country. The scars don’t hurt as much anymore, they will be there for ever as a reminder of the malice as well as the testament of human spirit.