[ Basch breathes out, a little whistly, the first break in his calm. ]

I understand [ he says quietly ] War was the same, but...I think it scares me more here. It's easier to forget that we aren't all living our lives, that there's still something strange going on. I get night terrors sometimes, that the people most important to me are gone.

I...I would choose not to go back. I do not know if that makes me a bad person, but there is both little life left for me there and much I ought to face up to. I would rather stay here, or follow someone I care for back to their home. But I worry we will not have any choice in the end.

I wish I could provide more comfort, but I've never been any good at lying.