“HELP ME, NOW!” A Securitate agent in a long black coat burst through a nearby door. One of his arms hung limp, wounded.
“You need to help me!” he yelled.
No one moved.
And then I saw it. He reached into his coat. And pulled out a gun.
74
?APTEZECI ?I PATRU
People screamed and ran.
“The army, the army. Who cares about the army!” raged the Secu agent, waving his weapon. “You’re outnumbered. We’re going to kill all of you!” He pointed his gun at the forehead of an injured young woman sitting on a chair. He pulled the trigger.
The gun didn’t fire.
Orderlies, patients, and volunteers—they jumped the agent, pummeling him to the ground. He fought and thrashed. We formed a circle around him until he was restrained. Chattering ensued.
“He mentioned the army.”
“Have they turned?”
“Someone said Milea committed suicide.”
Milea killed himself? Was that true? General Vasile Milea was the Minister of Defense.
“Let’s go!” yelled a man.
I exited the hospital with a crowd and stumbled out into the street.
A growing swell of people moved down the road. I joined them and together we walked to Republic Square. I arrived and immediately lost my breath. Shoulder to shoulder, a sea of citizens as far as the eye could see. I had never seen so many people. Probably a hundred thousand. And I immediately noticed something. Romanians were standing, side by side, with the men in green.
It had happened.
The army had turned against the regime. They had joined the Romanian people! Choruses of chanting climbed through the air in front of the Central Committee Building: Jos Ceau?escu!
Down with tyranny!
The army is with us!
Protected by the army, we sang, chanted, and called for freedom and justice for Timi?oara.
Students climbed on top of tanks and thrust their hands in the air with the peace sign. They stood together with the military, waving Romanian flags. A woman ran by me with a bouquet of carnations and began giving them to the soldiers.
The crowd pulsed, agitated. Demonstrators suddenly rushed the building, pushing their way inside. Hearts defiant, we erupted in cheers and the chanting began: Li-ber-ta-te.
Li-ber-ta-te.
I joined in, calling for liberty.
Then we heard it. A loud whir.
People pointed to a helicopter on top of the building. “It’s them! The Ceau?escus!” The crowd jeered, booed, catcalled, and whistled.
A throng of protestors appeared on the balcony of the Committee Building.
Voices echoed through loudspeakers in the square. The propeller on the helicopter began to turn faster, whisking the air with loud chugging sounds.
“He’s fleeing!”
“We’ve done it!”
The helicopter lifted, then sagged, struggling to get airborne. It finally elevated and we watched as it floated across the city.
The sound system crackled and a man’s voice filled the square.
“We’ve done it! Victory is ours! Please, do not be afraid. Have courage. Nothing can stop us now. Nothing can stop us!” He repeated his words over and over until the crowd began to sing.
Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Ceau?escu nu mai e.
Ceau?escu no more? Could it be true?
I felt a brief wave of joy until I realized.
Bunu. Luca. Liliana. They’d sacrificed so much.
And they had all missed it.
I left the square and began to limp.
I had to find a pay phone—I had to save Liliana.
75
?APTEZECI ?I CINCI
Elation. Exhaustion. Determination.
Looting began. Fighting and violence surged in the streets. Ceasescu had fled, but his henchmen weren’t backing down. “Teams of terrorists are assisting the Secu assassins!” someone yelled.
But it was all in the background. I had to help Liliana.
The inside of the phone booth was streaked with blood.
I wiped the drops of perspiration from my face, deposited the coins, and dialed.
“Alo?”
I paused. My mother’s voice cracked a whip of reality.
“Alo? Who is this?”
“Mama, it’s me,” I finally croaked.
“Cristi! Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. Mama, listen. Luca is at Col?ea Hospital. Please find his parents and tell them. Liliana is being held in a detention facility on Aaron Florian. She’s in terrible danger. Have Cici find Alex and bribe the—”
“Cici? Isn’t Cici with you?”
“No, Mama. If Cici’s not home, please, go across the street to Luca’s and Liliana’s. Go quickly!”