Each morning and evening in Poltava, a pony cart carries away the bodies of prisoners who died. Prisoners who volunteer for burial detail are given extra rations, but they are also more susceptible to disease. Emil refuses to work the burial detail. He begins to lose weight, and his pace mixing concrete slows.

In early November 1945, Emil hears the cooks complain about not having enough firewood. He begins bringing them armfuls of wood each day in exchange for one ruble. Later that day, the site superintendent at the hospital, Ivanov, approaches Emil and asks what he needs to triple his concrete production. Emil requests extra men to help him, more materials, more rations, and warmer clothes. Ivanov agrees to Emil’s terms and tells him that he will be shot if his production does not triple within a week.

After finding a shelter for refugees near the Reichstag, Adeline, Walt, and Will are sent to Gutengermendorf, a city in Soviet-occupied East Germany. They are assigned to stay on the farm of Peter and Greta Schmidt. Despite their initial skepticism, the Schmidts quickly like Adeline due to her hard work. Walt and Will enroll in the local school. One night, Will asks Adeline if their new home is