Setting Free the Bears

'Oh, I don't know,' Wallner said. '"Piglet," I think. Ja, "piglet"!'

'I've heard him use the word,' said Metz.

'Ja, two years ago,' said Gortz. 'I didn't hear anything.'

'You prick, you weren't switched on!' Wallner shouted.

'Hello,' said a fourth.

'Bronsky,' Wut said to my father.

'Vatch?' said Wallner.

'Bronsky,' Bronsky said.

'Wallner heard Wut,' said Metz.

'Wallner thinks he did,' Gortz said.

'I heard him, very loud!' said Wallner.

'Wut?' Bronsky said. 'Wut, around here?'

'Around where, I'd like to know,' my father said to Gottlob.

'It was crystal clear,' said Wallner.

'Hello,' Vatch said, the last to switch on.

'Vatch?' said Wallner.

'Yes,' said Vatch. 'What's up?'

'It's very complicated,' Gortz said.

'Pricks!' said Wallner. 'I really heard him!'

'Heard who?' Vatch asked.

'Hitler,' said Gortz.

'Churchill,' said Metz.

'Wut!' Wallner screamed. 'You're out there, Wut, you piglet yourself! Speak up, Wut!' But Gottlob sat grinning on the grass. He listened to the ragged motorcycles and the mad Wallner, his cronies dropping off the radio, one by one.

Then a voice Wut didn't know came from some further distance - carrying static with it: more numbers. And Wallner answered, 'I heard my old commander. Wut, the deserter - he's out here.' And the numbers answered him back. 'No, really! Wut is out here,' said Wallner. And a staticful voice from a further distance said, 'Use your numbers, Commander Wallner.' And Wallner babbled numbers.

'Commander Wallner,' Gottlob scoffed. He and Vratno listened longer, until there was no more transmitting; the radio crackled and hummed.

'Where do you think they are?' said Vratno.

'Where are we?' Wut asked. Together, they went over the maps. They were maybe five miles above the Drava River and the Maribor road.

'A movement?' said Wut. 'They're pulling out of Slovenjgradec, maybe? Going east to fight the Russians? North to join the Austrians?'

'A movement, anyway,' Vratno said. 'On the Maribor road.'

And that night they listened at the radio again. There were more numbers, staticful and distant. It was after midnight when they heard Wallner again.