What We All Feared

Some save strangers. Others prey on the vulnerable. Some submit to humiliating demands just to get their papers back and escape alive.

For Marek, a programmer from Gdańsk, war begins with a decision that tears his family apart. His wife wants him to leave with her and their children. He believes he has to stay: if everyone puts their own family first, who will be left to defend their homes?

They love each other. But now each believes the other is putting everything they cherish at risk.

Europe prepared for war with Russia, hoping that being ready would be enough to deter an attack.

Now Russian troops are advancing into NATO territory. Millions of lives now depend on the allies keeping their promises. Governments weigh the risk of a wider war, coordinate reinforcements, and argue over what to do next. On the front lines, the soldiers waiting for those decisions are already being forced to retreat.

Before long, Marek is under fire. He must act despite his fear, follow orders without knowing the full situation, and trust people he barely knows. During brief calls home, he chooses his words carefully to avoid frightening the children. His wife hears what he leaves unsaid.

In cities caught in the fighting, parents can no longer promise their children they will be safe. As bombs fall, they must decide whether to stay in the shelter or risk trying to escape. Once the occupiers arrive, a familiar face can become a threat: a neighbor who knows where you live, what you do for a living, and who to turn in.

What We All Feared is a war novel set in contemporary Europe, where political decisions become personal tragedies for ordinary people. It is a story of resistance and collaboration with the enemy, of terror under bombardment, and of a family fighting for their lives and a future together.

Marek wants to protect his children’s future. His wife wants that future to include their father.