ABSTRACT
Almir was 15 when the war started in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At first, like most people, he didn't believe it would last long. Then one day, enemy forces approached his town, burning houses and shooting civilians. He fled with most of the rest of his family and was quite lucky to arrive in Sarajevo unscathed, where they were able to live in a relative's apartment, albeit in very crowded conditions. By now, the city was besieged, food was short, and often there was no heating or power. Collecting water meant standing for hours in lines that were targeted by snipers positioned in the surrounding hills. Then he was drafted to fight in the army and defend the city. He often had to fight on the front line that went right through the city. Although he was not seriously wounded, he saw things that still recur in nightmares and that he never talks about, even to his closest friends.
