Crystal the Artist

Short Stories from Ukraine: Long story short, I arrived in Ukraine safely. Upon my arrival, I was roomed with a young woman in a college dormitory near where supplies for refugees were being stored. On my first night on campus my roommate invited me (in Russian translated through Viber) to worship and communion at the home of a couple she knew. We walked through the streets of Ukraine as the sun went down. My only navigation was my new roommate. She was sweet, beautiful, and hospitable. Together we shared the words for "right" and "left" in our own languages as we made turns on our walk. We giggled. We smiled. We enjoyed each other's company. Soon we arrived at our destination and were buzzed through a locked door. The flight of stairs we fumbled up were barely lit. Each step, stair after stair, was deliberate so as to not trip as we spiraled up a few flights to the couple's apartment. We were welcomed in and offered house slippers to change into. Communion