ïåðåâîä: http://www.proza.ru/2014/01/08/1830
Her Dreams
She saw you in her dreams so often that you entered her consciousness and became so near. She had fallen in love with you and if you were not only a dream, she would be the happiest.
But you weren’t. present in her real life. Her dreams did reflect the reality, but she still lived with that dreams. In that dreams you came from far away and saved her. You ruined walls around her, you put out the fire, burning around her, and you saved her from her sufferings. When she was drowning, in despair, you always appeared near; you held out your hand and she took it and was saved. She saw your face, she knew features of you face, but in her real life she didn’t know such a person. Loving you, she painted you and dreamed about you.
Her dreams became her reveries. She lived in her own world, in her fantasies and she hoped. She seemed strange. She was silent and reserved. Her look was absent and didn’t even notice the reality. She couldn’t concentrate her thoughts; she tried to keep the conversation, but very often noticed that her mind was far away. She nodded and shrugged her shoulders, trying to understand the speaker, and to react. She couldn’t even read book. She couldn’t even remember any word, and couldn’t say what she was reading about. Tess had been still thinking about her dreams.
She would be very lonely without her wonderful secret world, it took her away. When she was talking about it her passion touched everybody. Tess became quite different. Her eyes were shining brightly with an unusual light. She was full of passion and thirst for life. Her voice became strong, it poured like water from mountains, where her soul lived. It was difficult to get accustomed to her unsteady spirits but still she had a lot of friends.
On the Yacht
One day Tess was invited to spend time on a yacht. It was early sunny morning, when a noisy merry company gathered on the white yacht and it sailed away. The sea was blue and green and the water sparkled in the sun. The company occupied the deck; boys and girls were lying in the sun, having a rest. A pleasant music was heard from the radio. It was flying in the air not disturbing the heaven, and harmonizing with splashes of waves, which were shaking the yacht.
Tess was sitting in a shadow of sails. She was looking far away and thinking. Suddenly the yacht shook; there was a movement under it. Everybody rose on their seats. What it was? Something had happened inside Tess. Her breathing was heavy something pressed her throat. She really felt it. Something embraced her and moved to the board. Suddenly she noticed tentacles, they embraced her. Tess cried, catching tackles. Everybody ran to her. She was lying on the deñk, moving as if, she was straggling with somebody. She was winding herself with a string. Looking at her the friends thought that something was wrong with her. Steve rushed to her, tried to help her. But at that moment the invisible tentacles relaxed, and yacht jerked like a hollow nut. A big wave spread over the deck and Steve was pulled behind the board into dark, frothy, awful water. He disappeared immediately. The sea began to rise like a wall; Tess saw a head of monster, looking at her.
-Leviathan! – She cried. There was horror in her eyes.
Nobody understood what was happening they start putting on life-belts. And nobody saw, what Tess saw. She couldn’t move. She was looking at the enormous monster that rose from the depth at her friends running along the deck. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Was everything real? The monster struck the yacht and damaged it. Then it took Michael and pulled him. And all of them saw as Michael disappeared in the water. The gulf devoured him. They were in horror. Suddenly Tess noticed that the monster was moving towards Brenda.
-Brenda! – Tess cried. And at that very moment the girl, whom Tess called, was broken into parts. Those boys and girls, who were safe, understood that Tess really saw something horrible, they rushed to her. Their fear of the invisible enemy made them to be near the girl, who saw it. She realized that they didn’t see it. She decided to struggle and defend them as if she could resist that awful monster. It appeared again, rising above them. It was ready to attack. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow. It was so strong that not only the yacht but the monster as well were carried towards the rock. The sky became black and, low, it pressed the atmosphere. It seemed unreal. The water was pouring into the pass between the rocks. A river was flowing into the sea at that place. A bottom became to be seen. Waves were winding the yacht like a straw. The wreck was inevitable. Tess was holding a tackle and looking at Leviathan. It was thrown on the rocks. But the sea-monster didn’t die. It was broken into little pieces. Those pieces were alive; they were spirits, and they had gone away with the water.
The yacht was thrown from side to side; it was beaten by the rocks. The people were shouting but they did hope to save. A huge wave spread upon them and their cries were not heard any more.
Saving Their Dreams
It was cold and dark. Tess understood that she was drowning. Only one thought: “Just come!” Only one hope was for a rescue. She noticed a light and stretched to it. It was a little warmer. You came nearer and nearer. She opened her eyes and saw your face through tears.
-You’ve come, - she thought, and that she was still sleeping. Her voice was very weak. And you bent over her. She was still too weak and had fallen to sleep. She came to herself because of a strong thirst, her lips were dry. She rose a little and found out that her right leg was bandaged near her knee. There wasn’t any shoe on it. Tess looked around her. She was sitting on a jacket. The ground was wet. There were fragments of yacht nearby. She wasn’t able to understand anything. Where was she? Where were her friends? Somebody was coming to her. She watched. It was you. You came up to her and sat down.
- I am dreaming, - Tess thought, looking at your eyes so kind and dear.
- Are you all right? – You asked a stranger.
It was quite unexpected as you appealed to her for the first time and for the first time she heard your voice. What was it? It wasn’t a dream. She was struck so much that she couldn’t say a world. It wasn’t really a dream. And her knee hurt. She didn’t feel pain in her dreams. It was strange and unusual to see and hear you in reality. She didn’t realize everything. She didn’t know what would be then. She only felt that you were near and everything would be all right.
You were a mountaineer and you were on a mountain when all those events had been happening. You saw the yacht, that little white spot flitting among the chaos. The yacht was covered by the water. Then the water had gone away, leaving the broken yacht on the bottom of the river, than it had disappeared. You came down, you wanted to help. There wasn’t anybody alive nearby. It was absolutely silent after horrible noise and groan of wind. The ground was wet and soft. Your legs sank into it and it was difficult to go. You saw a girl among the fragments of yacht. She was motionless. Her leg was pressed with something. She looked like not breathing. But unexpectedly her lips began to whisper. You harried up. You released her leg and took the girl. You had got to a drier place and put off her wet jacket. Then you covered her with your jacket. She was breathing weakly, but she was alive. And that was very good. Her knee was bleeding. You carried out of your pocket a bandage and dressed her wound. The girl opened her eyes and whispered something. You bent toward to her and listened. But she had lost her consciousness. You left her for some time, and went to find your wireless radio set, that you dropped on the slope.
Waiting For a Help
When you had been rising up the mountain, you felt that something moved by and pushed you, but you didn’t see anything. You had an unpleasant feeling of somebody’s presence. But you couldn’t see anything. Something was moving around you and the air was moving too. You had been standing for some time, trying to realize, what was happening. Then you saw your radio set. You stretched your arm but it stumbled on an invisible obstacle. The air condensed around the portable radio set, it became inaccessible. You tried once more and felt that your fingers passed through something, the air began to vibrate and burnt your hand. You caught the portable radio set out of that unusual substance and started getting down from that fearful place. You didn’t look back, but you felt that something or somebody pursued you.
You had been coming back to the saving girl and still you didn’t know if it was right. You felt than you collided with a hostile force. It breathed into your back and made sounds. You stopped and looked back. But still you didn’t see anything. “Something” stepped back. And your troubles disappeared. You relaxed. You saw that the girl rose from her place and came to her. She was sitting, and looking at the fragments of the yacht. She was dressed in your jacket. Her shorts were seen under the jacket. Poor girl was sitting on her healthy leg she was shivering. There was a trainer on her foot.
- She must put it off, it is wet, - you thought. Her dark hair was streaming in the wind. And looking at them you thought that everything was irreversible. You tried to call for help, but signals were bad. A helicopter usually flew to places of accidents, but you couldn’t connect with it. You came up to the stranger and asked.
- Are you all right?
She looked at you; there was a surprise in her emerald eyes. She was staring at you, but was still silent. Possibly it was a result of a shock after the catastrophe or it was a result of amazement, because she saw the man from her dreams in reality, but she wasn’t able to say a word. You kneeled before her and began to put off her trainer.
Suddenly the signals appeared.
- Jeff, Jeff are you? What has been happening? All the water has gone away, even the sea disappeared for many miles, the bottom and broken ships can be seen, the whole sea-side has been ruined, lots of people perished. What about you? Are you all right?
- Yes, I am quite well. But there is a girl who needs a help. We are on a bottom of the river, near the mountain. We are waiting for you.
- Wait. - The signals are over.
The portable radio set was silent. Tess thought that she knew your name at last, she put off her trainer. The foot was wet and cold. She tried to warm it. Her right leg began to hurt, and there were tears in her eyes. You noticed them, caressed her hair and helped to warm. You were older than she was and you wanted to take care of her.
- The help will be soon. Wait a little.
- It is necessary to make an injection to avoid infection. – You said. She was still silent. You took a syringe and an ampoule.
- Oh. Put up with it a little.
The girl nodded silently. You made the injection.
- What’s your name? - You asked. - I’m Jeff.
She was still silent. It seemed that she had lost her ability to speak.
- Well, everything will be all right. - You said. Your voice was tender and quiet.
You looked at the sky. You were waiting the helicopter. The sky was grey and red. What had been happening to the nature? What was the matter?
Helicopter’s Falling
Almost everybody had that thought. You didn’t know the scale of that catastrophe. It was spread over the Earth. Astronauts from the space fixed that unusual natural phenomenon. The water was moving so quickly that it was seen quite well from there. Glaciers were falling into enormous cleft in the ground and a lava-stream was pouring out of it. The oceans became smaller. The surface of the Earth had changed.
Far away, in the light of the setting sun there appeared a black object. It was slowly approaching. That was the helicopter. You let off a rocked. They noticed you. They were coming to you. The girl stretched her arm toward the helicopter.
- Yes. They will help us, - you answered, looking at that silent gesture.
She shook her head, and you saw an anxiety in her eyes. The helicopter started jolting. It moved from one side to another. It was quite near, when the engine stopped working and the helicopter fell on the ground. You run to it, the helicopter was burning. The pilot was still alive. You carried him away, far from the fire.
- Jeff, there was something, - he whispered. - take the device of night vision. I saw them, - the pilot closed his eyes.
You knew, what he was saying about. And you hurried up to the helicopter. It had almost burnt. You were risking but it was necessary to see it. You managed to find the device, and to run for a safe distance. At that moment the helicopter was blown up.
The pilot was your friends and he was dying in your hands. It was so difficult; your heart was full of sorrow. You put on the device.
- Where are you, where? – You tried to see “something”, looking around yourself. You almost cried. You felt no fear; you lost your instinct of self-preservation. You were only full of despair and pain. You were watching and watching and suddenly you noticed blue moving figures. They sometimes gathered into one equal alive substance, sometime divided into separate flying and bright organisms. They were flying and at last came near to you. You stepped back. They overtook you and burnt your face, leaving no sigh on it. You were dazzled by a bright flash of light. Then it became dark in your eyes. You put off the device. There were dark spots in your eyes for some time, but soon they disappeared. Your vision became normal. You put on the device again but there weren’t any bright luminous figures. You looked attentively around.
- Damn it.
You put off the device and came to the girl. She was frightened. She was tired and cold. It was getting dark. You tried to call for help many times with your portable radio set, but without any result. Your friend was lying on the ground. You looked at him, saying “good bye”.
- It is dangerous to stay in that horrible place. It is dangerous for her and for me, - you said to yourself.
You put the device of night vision into your bag and took it. The girl watched your actions and began to gather too. She put on her trainer, tied it and tried to stand up. You helped her. She couldn’t step on her ill leg and you raised her.
- We won’t be able to go far, - you thought, - but we’ll leave that place.
Night In the River-bed
You were walking along the dry river-bed, looking for a suitable place to climb up. But the river-sides were like rocks and hung over you.
- Come on. There must be way out. Further the river flew along the valley. But it is rather far. - You thought.
You had been walking for two hours already, having short rest. Sometimes she tried to go herself, only leaning on your hand and jumping on one leg. You both were very tired. By the way it was getting dark and the moon slightly shone among clouds and lighted up the way.
You stopped near a suitable recess in a rocky bank. You needed a rest. There were neither dry branches and sticks nor anything else suitable to make a fire. But you needed to get warm. The night was cold and you had only one jacket. As the girl was dressed in it, she put it off and covered the ground.
Her dreams became true: you were near, you didn’t leave her. Tess loved you just then and forever, but you didn’t know about it.
You worried: her heard was hot. You covered the poor girl with your jacket. But it helped slightly, the girl had a fever. You took her in your arms. She closed her eyes and had fallen asleep. The fever was high, she was delirious. She was repeating your name. It flew from her lips and melted in a night air.
You couldn’t sleep until the temperature became falling and perspiration appeared on her face. You touched her face, caressed her cheek and breathed with relief. Your eyes closed, at last you let yourself relax and sleep.
Awakening
The night was over, and the sun-light was streaming, lightening everything around and filling the air. Tess opened her eyes. It was a wonderful morning. You were near, but you were still sleeping. The rock’s shadow was falling on your face and you didn’t awake. She was watching you. Every feature was familiar to her. Tess was admiring you for some time. She felt tenderness to you and couldn’t resist the feeling to kiss you. She bowed over you, and touched your lips with her lips. You shuddered, opened your eyes and looked at her. Her green almost liquid eyes were bright and deep. Your stare look confused her and she turned back. She was full of different feelings. Your kiss was like a kiss of an elder brother and didn’t promise anything and the girl relaxed. Only emotions inside her were talking to you. She wanted to tell you that she saw you in her dreams, that she knew you and that she loved you. But her lips were silent. The girl touched them with her fingers. They were moving, but no sound came out of them. There were thoughts but no words.
You looked up into the sky; a big black bird was flying above you. It made a loud cry and fell down on the ground. Tess was frightened. You realized yesterday’s events: helicopter’s falling, broken yacht, a quick disappearance of water, death. You remembered that unusual substance, its hostility. It made you to act, you stood up.
- We must go. - You said and took her hand. - Can you?
She nodded, and then stepped on her leg. The pain wasn’t so strong.
You took your things and started going. Tess was still limping but she was walking. You felt thirsty and took a water bottle out off your bag. The girl noticed a pack of biscuits and pointed to it.
- Do you want to eat? - You asked. You opened the pack and gave her it, and then you gave her a water bottle.
- We have also some crackers for rainy day, - you joked, but then corrected yourself. - Today we’ll go to a restaurant- your voice was sure.
But as for you, you didn’t know what to wait on that day and others. For the first time you met with circumstances that you couldn’t understand and explain. You were not able to influence the circumstances.
The sun was rather high and it was getting hot. There wasn’t any living being around you. Empty lifeless banks stretched along the dry river-bed. A dry bare ground was under your feet. It seemed that the water carried away everything that was alive. But you wanted to think that somewhere everything was all right.
Love Among The Chaos
At last the banks became lower. And you began to go up leaving that awful place. You carried the girl by her hand. Suddenly she stopped and leant on you, holding your clothes. She was looking at moving lights in the air above your head. She saw its shape and found out that “it” was looking at you. She saw that you were reflected in “its eyes”. Her hands became weak; she was under the influence of hostile forces. The spirit took the girl and raised her a little under the ground. She was in its power. You took the devise out of the bag and saw everything quite clear. You held girl’s hand without thinking, the Spirit looked at you. Its eyes were shining brightly; you saw an ice cold in its eyes.
- Leave her, - your voice sounded impudently.
You saw that the strange being was still holding her, but still didn’t come near to you. But you didn’t leave the girl, though his breath burnt you. At last the Spirit went away. You raised the girl. You didn’t put off the device and looked at the back of that removing force that was flying in the air and its long tail was winding behind it.
Tess opened her eyes. She had a strong headache and she was very sick and tired. She pressed to you, tears were pouring from her eyes. You caressed her tightly and felt that something had happened to you. You were full of tenderness. You kissed her lips, her eyes. Among that chaos and in spite of it you were captured by that wonderful feeling, by love.
Tess felt you soft wet lips, they were salty of your tears. She felt that the pain was leaving her. She put her hands on your neck and covered it with kisses. You enjoyed it and closed your eyes. Her lips gave pleasure to you. Her hands were sliding along your body. She unfastened your suit and bared your chest. She didn’t stop kissing you, she caressed your body and it began to shiver. You were so sensitive and began weaker and weaker, responding to the touches of her hands and lips. Your breathing was deep and frequent. Answering her feelings, you inhaled the smell of her love and reacted to her impulses; voluptuous groans were falling from your lips. There was so much indefatigable passion in the girl; though that passion didn’t seize you wholly, you were blissfully happy. When you opened your eyes a sun light played in their sky-blue colour. You looked at the girl quite differently. You remembered your first meeting and her special attitude to you. A thought, that your meeting wasn’t accidental, came into your head. You thought that girl’s impulses were conscious; they were not the results of unexpected emotions. You could only guess about her real feelings. Your thoughts crowded in your head, but your emotions captured you. You “went further” and began to undress her. You lay on the ground and held her hot body in your arms. Tess was lying above and couldn’t breathe because of her feelings. You caressed her young trembling body and seized her. She felt a strong ache and stopped. Blood was streaming between her legs. You stopped moving and took her head. You stroked her black hair and felt her blood.
Strangers
The sky was gray but it wasn’t covered with clouds. Unexpectedly voices were heard not far from you. You looked back and saw two men coming on. You stood up, and enclosed the naked girl. She tried to dress up.
- Don’t hurry. Don’t hide such a beautiful body, - one of them said.
His voice and his words were unpleasant.
- The saved life is, - thought you, - but it seemed that everybody died.
The stranger took Tess and you hit him.
- Why not to share your treasure, - another stranger said.
- It’s true, - you thought, caring out a knife from your pocket and cutting the man, who held Tess. He shouted. They both ran to you, but it was useless. You were quick enough and wounded one of them in his stomach and the other in his eye. The first man fell down; suffering from the pain, the second cried horribly and closed his eye with his hands. His blood was pouring through his fingers. You took your clothes and the bag and together with Tess started climbing up. While she was dressing you looked around there. Tess felt herself guilty because you got into such situation. She didn’t raise her eyes. You understood her thoughts and kissed her tenderly.
- Don’ worry about of those foolish people, - you tried to calm her. - The main thing is to get home now and everything will be O. K.
You like a child, wanted to get home by your soul, and believed that nothing could happen to it. It was your castle. And when you got there, had a bath and had a rest your life would be quite normal. You only didn’t want to lose your new love, so unexpectedly appeared in your life. You didn’t pity that you came though those events, because that meeting was very important for you.
Gerome
You told “now”, but it lasted for more than two hours. There were not any settlements around. It was obvious that two men came from another side. You remembered that there were some farms, but possibly you were mistaken. You were not sure in it. You reached a high road and walked along it for a long time, when you were taken by a lonely car. An old gray-haired man drove the car.
- Oh, dears, you’ve got into troubles, - he stopped the car, looking at you with sympathy.
- Will you bring us to town? – You answered his question.
- Up to town? – The old man smiled sadly. – Up to town or to what has left of it. Come on. I’ll do it.
- Only stop by the nearest telephone box. I need to phone, - you asked the old man.
- I’ll stop. Why not to stop, if you need, - he was speaking slowly, making pauses between phrases. It seemed that he enjoyed listening to his hoarse voice, he even drawl words.
You threw your things into the car and sat down near the old man. Your girl-friend sat down on the back seat. The car started. The old man turned to the girl and said:
- Oh, dear, there is some “Cola”. Treat your friend to it and try it yourself.
There was a smell of tobacco, and the collar of his shirt was dirty. His hands were strong and rough. And his voice… He didn’t resemble a saint person, but he seemed to be very, very kind.
Tess looked back. There were tins with “Cola” in one of the boxes. She gave one tin to you, and opened another herself.
- I’m so sorry, that the water is warm, - your new friend said.
- Oh, thank you. I am glad to have it, - you drank.
- Excuse me. It isn’t my matter, but where are you from? – The old man said again.
Tess closed her eyes; she didn’t hear your voices and soon fell asleep. You continued to acquaint with each other. The old man told that his name was Jerome and he had a little shop on the road. The shop was ruined by the yesterday’s tornado, and it was robbed by marauders, which were everywhere. He was nearly killed because of a bottle of water. But everything was all right, and he was going to Oklahoma to his brother.
There appeared a petrol pump. You stopped. It was uninhabited. You left the car. There was a telephone box and you came to it. The glasses were broken but the telephone worked. Signals were bad, but you managed to tell about helicopter’s fall and then came back to the car. The old man was absent. You looked at the back seat: your girl-friend was sleeping. Soon you saw Jerome, he was carrying some boxes.
- Jeff, look here. I’ve got real cigars, - the old man said, he was satisfied. – We can find petrol here. The petrol pump is not robbed. Help me.
- Yes, of course.
You helped him to fill up the tank. Then you entered the building, and took some bottles with water for any chance; you didn’t know what you would find at home. At last you loaded everything and went further.
At Home
Your city wasn’t the same, as it used to be. It met you by ruined houses. Broken cars were turned over; some of them were pressed by fallen trees and by fragments of roofs. They were everywhere, on the road and on the sides of it. Everything was turned upside down. On lawns, on roads there were a lot of broken glass and rubbish. Some sheets of paper were flying in the air. But mostly you were struck by people. They were running from one shop to another with sacks and bags. Among universal troubles they were robbing shops. Your driver had to lower speed and go slower because of different obstacles, which blocked roads. Pieces of glass were crunching under car’s wheels.
You reached the street where you lived. You looked attentively but then signed with release; you saw your house. It was safe; it wasn’t ruined. Among ruins it looked unexpectedly and surprisingly. It was white while all the rest were gray. You noticed that the entrance was opened. You jumped out of the car and clapped the door. The girl woke up. She looked at your back and you ran into the house and noticed there strangers. Four men were rummaging in you things, they were trying to open your safe.
- Shall I help you? – You asked.
They were looking at you with astonishment. You passed by them, opened the safe, look a pistol and directed it at them.
- Go away! – You cried.
Your voice didn’t leave any doubts that you were going to shoot. A tall red-haired fellow raised up his hands.
- Just a moment, don’t worry, - he said. – We didn’t know that the owner of the house is alive.
You lowered down your pistol, when they turned to the exit. The robbers ran out of the house, they passed by Tess, standing on the stairs, by the car, in which Jerome was still sitting. He didn’t dare to leave it: it was old but it worked and he needed it; though he realized that he wouldn’t seriously prevent anybody from stealing it. You went out of the house looking at the leaving robbers. Meeting your new friend on the stairs you invited her into the house and then came up to the car.
- Welcome to my house! – You invited the old man. – You may put your car into garage.
- Thank you. But I’ll go, it is dangerous here. Will you go with me?
- Oh, no. I am at home. Thank you very much. – You stretched out your hand.
- It’s a pity, - the old man pronounced it with sadness, - openly speaking it is dangerous to travel alone.
- Oh, stay then, there are enough places in the house, - you suggested. – Oh, no, Jeff. I’ll go to my brother. He invited me long ago. It is a suitable chance. The nature sends me there; it’s high time to think about eternal place. You see, my age… my brother is a priest in a local church, - the old man said and thought silently.
You used to the peculiarities of his speech and waited for a continuation.
- I did want to listen to his reprimands: it is forbidden to drink alcohol, to smoke. And how shall I live? – The old man was seriously occupied by that problem, he signed. - He is my brother, I’ll go to him. – He finished speaking.
- Oh, well. Let’s say “good bye”, - you didn’t insist on his staying.
- What does it mean? I hope we’ll meet some day. I’ll leave you my brother’s address. By the way, his name is Frank. He took out a pen and write down the address on a piece of a box. His hand-writing was as rough as his hands. He wrote as slowly as he spoke. Suddenly your heart was wrung. You were so sensitive and kind in your relations with people, excluding special cases. You were so sorry for that old man.
- Take it, - you gave him the pistol, - you have to defend yourself.
- Nothing will happen to me! I’ll never take arms in my hands. It is your matter to live and to defend your lives. I am too old for it.
He gave you a piece of box with address, written on it.
- Don’t forget me, - he waved by his hand and went away.
You were looking at his car, while it disappeared from eyes, and then you entered the house. You found your guest in the living-room. She was watching photographs where you were with a young beautiful woman. You seemed to be happy. You came up to her, took the photographs and put them into a sideboard.
- You don’t need to see them, you have changed everything, - you said.
But she was still said. There was not any water in a water pipe. You had to use reserved water. You took a bath, ate everything from your fridge and fell asleep before the sun set.
Search
Next day you got up early, but the girl was absent. You went downstairs and left the house. She wasn’t anywhere. You came to the telephone-box and realized that you didn’t even know her name.
You signed hardly:
- She didn’t awake me. May be I offended her?
You remembered sadness in her eyes.
- Such a fool! “Enter the house!” It was necessary to take away those photographs, - you were angry to yourself, but those thoughts, which you pronounced loudly, were absolutely useless.
Yes, she felt herself unsure, when she saw your friend, and your attitude to her. Your words didn’t calm her. But there was another reason for her departure; maybe she didn’t awake you on that reason.
You didn’t know what to do, and decided to call on your friends, so that to get rid of gloomy thoughts. You wanted to know if it was all right with them. You took the receiver but there were no signals. Your mobile phone was silent too. No signals too. You couldn’t think about anybody except for her. You wanted to find her but didn’t know where to go. You couldn’t leave the house because she could come back at any moment. You wanted to meet with her. And at the same time you didn’t want to stay at home and to do anything. You worried. It wasn’t safe to stay outdoors. The thoughts that something was wrong with her frightened you. Those thoughts troubled you.
You left a note for her. You didn’t know how to address to her and you wrote just “my beloved”. You asked her not to leave the house and to wait for you. You sat into the car and began to look for her. During the whole day you had been driving along well-known streets. You couldn’t admit the thought that she was from another town. Passing by your friend’s houses, you drove slowly and were glad to see familiar faces. You stopped for a little and then continued your search.
Tess
You had found her almost in suburbs, just near a ruined house on a hill that was blown by winds. The girl was sitting on the ground and sand was flying into her face. But she didn’t notice it. A woman was standing near her. You went out of the car and came up to them. You heard that the woman called her:
- Tess. Come here. Why are you sitting here all the day long?
You said “hello”. Tess looked at you; there were tears in her eyes. The face was covered with sand, it was dirty.
- Well, stand up, - you said softly, you raised her.
Tess became soft like a doll. Her legs had got numb, she could hardly move. Her wounded leg swelled and was red. You carried her to the car. The woman was walking with you.
- I am her neighbor, - she said. – Her parents and her younger brother died. They were carried out from the ruins. She is silent during the whole day.
- It is a shock. She didn’t speak yesterday too, - she said.
- Where are you going to? – The woman asked.
- To the hospital. It is necessary to treat her leg, it is wounded.
- Were you together? – The woman thought about Tess’ and her friend’s sea voyage.
You understood it, and avoiding other questions, you answered positively.
You brought Tess to the hospital. There were a lot of wounded people. A doctor examined the leg and said that it was a very serious would. It could be blood poisoning and it was necessary to transfuse blood. It wasn’t enough blood, because lots of people suffered. You offered to take your blood, if it was suitable. It was a luck that it was. You were lying near each other and your blood was pouring into her vein. They made Tess some injections, bandaged her leg and left her in the hospital for a day to observe the wound and Tess’ state of health. You were sitting in an armchair. You didn’t leave her. Her state was rather satisfactory and they let her go home. You had only to promise, that if her state of health became worse you would bring her back to the hospital.
On her way home you stopped near a night minimarket. It was situated not far from a police-station, and they kept order in it. You bought some food. At home you brought Tess into the bath room. She was still covered by sand. The girl sat on the bath’s edge and looked at a wall. The wall was very beautiful, blue with free designs. Tess’s look was slipping upon those hieroglyphs. You washed her face, and brought her to the bedroom. There you put her on the bed. Then you went downstairs, into the kitchen. You prepared supper in a microwave oven and brought it into the bedroom. You came up to Tess and put the tray with food before her. She didn’t react and you couldn’t eat as well, looking at her.
At Crossroads of Universe
Next day she was the same, looking through you to nowhere. Telephone was repaired and you called your friend psychologist. He came and examined Tess, looking into her eyes and asking some questions; but she didn’t answer at any questions. He thought a little and then stated that she wasn’t crazy, but she quite consciously shrank into herself, getting far from the reality.
- She is somewhere, at crossroads of Universe, - he joked.
- Is it funny? – You looked at him with a reproach.
- Oh, I am sorry. Where did you find her? – He asked.
- At crossroads of Universe. – You answered. – Thank you for your coming.
Just at the exit he turned and asked:
- Did Jake’s helicopter crash?
- I saw it. It means that he was found.
- Did you see it and leave him alone? – He asked with surprise.
- He died already. And she needed my help. – You answered.
- Oh, sorry. I know that you would never leave your friend; - he put his hand on your shoulder. – As for the girl… You won’t be able to help her, until she wants to get out of this state.
The psychologist went away. You closed the door. Then you were sitting in an armchair downstairs, analyzing psychologist’s words, and reminding the past. You were thinking about Tess’ feelings, about her tenderness.
- Oh, no. It can’t be so, I need her, - and those thoughts raised you from the armchair, you decided to leave that state of despair and you went upstairs, to the bedroom. She was lying motionless and looking at the ceiling.
- Tess, - your voice was trembling, - I do understand everything, it is hard time for you now, but don’t behave so! You went away yesterday; you didn’t awake me and didn’t let me know. I didn’t know where to look for you. I worried! – You couldn’t stop and talked, - Yes, the death is a real tragedy. But do stop! Don’t worry me. You went into your own world. And what will it be with me? – You caressed her, - I need you, I am tired; have some pity for me, don’t be so cold with me.
You realized that she was so dear for you. You lay down, hid your face. She felt that your T-shirt was wet because of tears. She was afraid that the man, who was the sense of her life, who was a dream of her life, was left by her. The tragedy prevailed over her feelings. You felt that her arms, which were lying motionless on sheets, caressed you. You felt her touches on your head. She was kissing you and whispering something. You listened. She was hot and it seemed that she was raving.
- Jeff, I love you. Forgive me, I love you very much!
You were happy. You kissed her and called “Foundling”. That was the sense not only of the last day but of your whole life. You were merging together. You didn’t hurry, because you thought that you could hurt her. Too little time had passed. But she didn’t stop and her feelings and wished seized you.
A Witch
You woke up at night. Tess was standing by the window and was drawing something on the glass with her hand. The moon light made her hand almost translucent.
- Tess, - you addressed to her.
She turned to you.
- Jeff! – There was so much passion and tenderness in her voice, when she pronounced your name. It seemed that she presented you with something; as if she was touching delicately your head.
She looked at the window again, and continued to draw.
- Are you practicing witchcraft? – You asked, thinking that a witch could resemble her; green-eyed dark-haired and beautiful like Tess.
- No, I am drawing the Moon. I would like to leave the Earth, - she said thoughtfully.
- Where will you go? To the Moon? – You came up to her.
- Oh, no. much further, - she pressed to you. – I am frightened. I am afraid of those monsters.
- But, you see, it doesn’t pursue us, - you don’t pay attention to the fact that she spoke about the monsters in plural. – It left us.
- Oh no, it was with those two, which attack us.
- What are you saying about?
- It brought those two men, it was standing behind them, - she said.
- Did you see it?
- Yes I saw. At first it was enormous, but then it was divided into many parts; it has eyes like mirrors. Mark, let’s go away from here. We are too near to that place.
She was looking at you with prayer. You tried to calm her:
- Lets go.
- Today?
- Today!
She caressed you:
- I love you very much.
You smiled:
- Don’t forget about it.
You thought for some time. You knew from TV programmers that the catastrophe took place on all the sea-shore, everything was destroyed. Where would you go? Your home was there. There was your rest. There were different times and circumstances; different people came into your house; different women appeared in your life and then disappeared; the atmosphere in the house was the same. It had been so before that, it was so at that time. There was chaos around you, but in your house there was the atmosphere of rest. But you couldn’t say in another way, looking at her eyes, which were full of fear.
- It will be as you like, - you said, leaving your thoughts. But you understood that you would follow your sense and intuition, but not her fears. – Everything will be O.K.
You had been living in your house for some time. You visited the doctor; he treated her leg and bandaged it. She told you that she saw you in her dreams. You were surprised very much, but you understood what had been happening during first days of your acquaintance.
Jerome’s Brother
Meanwhile the situation in the world became worse. You managed to make some reserves, but everything wasn’t quiet. City’s reserves of water were closed and people went mad. There wasn’t enough pure water. People took water from stagnant reservoir, which left in low places, when all the water had gone away. But the water was infected in them, because animals drank there too: wild animals and domestic animals, which became wild. Some people tried to shoot them, but not quite successfully. There was a great army of wondering dogs, cows, coyotes, eating each other. Scientists tried to clean water and even managed to get it from killed animals with the help of chemical experiments. But that wasn’t way out of the global problem. There wasn’t still enough water for all people. People became ill. There was an epidemic.
It was dangerous to stay in the city and you decided to go inside the country, through Oklahoma and to visit your friend the old man. You wanted to know if they had problems with water. You had come according to the address, written by Jerome on a piece of a box. His brother’s house was situated just near a church. You knocked at the glass door, and in some time there appeared an old gray-haired man, his smile was kind and pleasant.
- What do you want? – He asked not opening the door.
- We are looking for Jerome, - you answered, touching your ear with your right hand. Tess smiled looking at you. Your gesture was so senseless and sweet.
- Jerome? – He was really surprised.
- Is your name Frank? – You asked with doubt that discouraged man.
- Yes. But my brother isn’t here. He doesn’t live with me. Who are you? – He asked.
- We are his friends, - you said without hesitation. In another case you would go away, but Tess was so weak, she needed some rest.
- Well, come in, - he opened the door, - tell me something about him; I haven’t seen him for ages.
His house wasn’t large, but clean. He lived there alone. He invited you into the room, and offered to sit down. It was a cozy sofa, as well as the house.
- Do you travel for a long time? – The host asked you.
- For two days and we have no water. – You told about the most important thing.
The old man smiled. He though that you wouldn’t lose the chance.
- There is a reserve of pure water in the church, - the man said, - but now I can offer you only stewed apples.
- Stewed apples? – Tess was surprised.
-Yes, stewed apples from my orchard. When the apple tree became old, I gathered all the apples. They were green and too hard for my teeth; but stewed apples are very good: they are sour and they slake thirst, - Frank said, leaving the room. – By the way, the stewed apples are rather soft, just very proper for me. - You heard his voice from the kitchen.
He bustled there rather long and at last appeared with a jar of transparent liquid. He gave it to you.
- Thank you, - you said, pouring it into grasses.
It smelled by vanilla. Tess drank it with pleasure, and you do the same very quickly.
- May I have another glass of stewed fruit? – Tess asked with confusion.
- Oh, dear, of course. And you help yourself too, - he offered, referring to you. – Well, what are your names?
- Jeff, - you held out your hand to him, - her name is Tess.
- Nice to meet you, - he pressed your hand, - take another glass of stewed fruit.
- Thank you, - you said in chorus.
- Drink as much as you can.
During your talk, you told him about your meeting with Jerome. Frank asked you about Tess and you told him a little, respecting him.
Tess was sleeping in the next room on a soft bed.
A Supper in Frank’s House
For supper you brought reserved food products, which were bought in a supermarket a month ago: packs of dry products and tinned food. Frank opened a bottle of red wine:
- By the way it is for an evening service, so let it be an evening service now; do you believe in God, Jeff? – He asked.
- I believe in myself, - you answered.
- It means, that you don’t believe, the old man said thoughtfully, - well, drink some wine, it will not look like accustom to hard drinking, won’t it, Jeff? We won’t have any tea today. I expended my norm today. I can’t leave you without drinking. - He said looking at products, brought by you.
You shrugged your shoulders, leaving the decision of the question to him, and without it he was very hospitable host.
- It doesn’t look like without drinking, - the old man was grumbling, talking to himself.
He left the room again; something was cracking and hissing in the kitchen. Tess woke up because of a very appetizing smell and came into a small living-room, where you were sitting. Frank appeared in some minutes with a big frying pan. He put it on a table-mat in the middle of the table. There were ten fried eggs. Tess was looking at it as at miracle.
- Oh, how nice! - She was touched, as she didn’t see normal food for a long time. You didn’t risk killing animals, as the others did it, you were afraid of different diseases. And for the last month you had been eating only tinned food.
- Where is it from? – You asked not very politely; you didn’t sit at the table and the old man understood your doubts. He tried to ensure you:
- Jeff, don’t worry they are from a wealthy hen. Could I offer you something wrong?
- Sorry, - you said without emotions, realizing that you regretted the old man by your uncertainty. And still thinking about your security, you repeated again. – Frank, where is it from?
- My neighbor brings them to me. I give some water for her animals and she gives me products. Don’t worry.
While talking you and Frank didn’t notice Tess’ condition. Because of the smell, she felt giddy; she came to the sofa and sat down, she was almost unconscious.
- Tess, what’s the matter with you? – You rushed to her; she was very pale.
- I can’t eat egg, - she said in a low voice.
- Oh, poor girl, - Frank said with sympathy, - Forgive the old man.
- You didn’t know, - she said.
- What can I offer you? – He asked taking away the frying-pan from the table, and then he asked you. – Jeff, shall we eat in the kitchen?
- Of course, - you turned to him, sitting near the girl. – Tess, what will you eat?
- Sweet pears and biscuits. Have we got any? – She answered you.
You opened a tin of sweet pears and a pack of biscuits, she sat at the table.
- Well, you may go and eat, - she said. She touched your cheek by her hand. You kissed her head and went into the kitchen with Frank. The old man looked at you; he wasn’t indifferent to your relations.
Frying eggs were unreal tasty, and it was unreal, remembering the present life. You were still in the kitchen but you didn’t want to leave Tess alone for a long time. You stood up, thanked the old man for the supper. Frank put three wine-glasses on the table; you noticed it:
- She doesn’t drink, I have never seen her drinking, - you protested.
- Jeff, she is so pale, she needs a little. It is church wine.
You shrugged your shoulders. He poured the wine into three wine-glasses, and went out with you, carrying a little tray with wine-glasses. You sat down near Tess.
- Were you missing? – You asked taking a biscuit.
She shook her head and smiled. Her smile was so tender, you were charmed by it. You were a little drunk, you relaxed and yarned several time.
- Jeff, you may sleep in a far room, - offered the host, noticing that you want to sleep, - I must go out that night.
You looked at Tess, she didn’t touch the wine.
- Shall I go and lie? – You asked her.
- Oh course, - she said, she was confused by Frank’s look.
It wasn’t said what she was for you. And she felt uneasy in the presence of a strange person.
- Will you come? – You didn’t understand the situation and she turned red after your question. “He is so slow-witted”, - she thought; but she blamed herself for her thought, - “I am guilty myself: I started it, I didn’t want to wait and to do everything correctly. How could I do it? – She justified herself, but her confusion increased. She couldn’t look at you because of her thoughts.
- Tess? – You looked at her surprisingly.
- Jeff, shall I talk to her? – Frank asked you; he understood everything.
- Yes, please, - you answered; her behavior confused you too.
“Surprises, again”, - you thought, staring at her intently.
- Go and have a rest. We shall drink some more stewed fruit, - the old man said softly. He noticed that her wine-glass was still full.
You went into the bedroom.
Fornicator
At night you woke up, Tess was absent. You got up. She was sleeping on the sofa in the living-room. Frank wasn’t at home. The whole night he was in the church. He and his parishioners were praying there. The church was active. Before the last events the parishioners gathered for a night payer in the church only once a month. At that time they gathered every day if it was possible. That difficult situation of the people demanded their urgent prayers. It was a definite sacrifice for them: to stand the whole night praying. And God supported parishioners; their efforts were not useless and vain: there were some healings. And people came there for words of consolation, for health and for water, sacrificed in the church.
You raised Tess, and carried her into the bedroom. She woke up and was frightened:
- Leave me! You mustn’t do it, - she cried.
- But why?
- We are not married, - she answered, and you did not expect the answer.
- It didn’t stop you before, - you answered that her declaration and put her on the bed.
- We are in a stranger house, I can’t do it here, - she asked.
- Oh, Frank is like a father for us, the kindest man and you call him strange. By the way, he isn’t at home.
- But I must not, - she couldn’t relax.
- I want you! – You didn’t leave her and started to undress her.
She was breathing hardly and couldn’t resist your tender touches, at last she whispered:
- It is a sin, a sin.
- Why is it a sin, Tess? It is a love. – You said tenderly.
She seemed to become weaker and weaker under you, and suddenly she pushed you and jumped.
- You are so strong, - you exclaimed, - come here!
Your tone was rather commanding.
- No. I don’t want you to be in a hell! – She was inflexible.
- What a nonsense you say, I am in a paradise with you.
You caught her hardly. She was in your hands again, but she didn’t stop:
- Leave me! – She cried.
- Tess, I am missing you. Why do you say so?
- We must not do it, we are not married, - she said again.
- I belong to you wholly!
- It isn’t signed anywhere, - she answered.
- Is that the matter? You need a paper that I belong to you. Well, I admit the fact. But we cannot get married now, but I promise you, as it is so important for you, - your voice was lifeless, may be, you didn’t want to deceive her, but there wasn’t any wish in your words. You didn’t leave her, kissed her:
- My foundling!
She didn’t react at your kisses.
- What’s the matter, my dear?
- Don’t call me so!
- How?
- A foundling! I don’t like this word, it doesn’t sound well!
- I don’t please you again, - you answered softly, - Tess, do you love me?
She didn’t want you to doubt in your feelings; she became weak because of her doubts. She didn’t know if she was right, saying you “no”. You took your advantage and seized her. You understood her words in your own way. You kissed her unmovable body and loved her madly.
Confession
You woke up early in the morning, and didn’t find Tess in the bed. You felt yourself guilty. You heard some noise in the kitchen and went there. You found the host there, but Tess wasn’t at home.
You began to worry.
- Did you see Tess, Frank? – You asked the old man. He poured water from a jar into a saucepan.
- Good morning, Jeff! Do you want to drink? – He offered some water, brought by him from the church. For the second time he had broken the rules, adopted in the church: everybody had to queue up for the water himself.
You didn’t react, and only repeated your question. You were not quite polite. You were rather calm outside, but your soul was in confusion. The old man saw and understood your state. But in the morning, coming back home, he met Tess; she went to the church to take some water.
- She is in the church; she is queuing for the water. Her eyes are red. Jeff, she had been crying, - the old man was angry.
- She didn’t sleep enough, - you answered rather rude.
- Don’t hurt her, Jeff. She loves you very much, - the old man tried to speak as softly as he could. He didn’t want his words to sound like a moral teaching.
You felt the old man kindness, but you knitted your brows. You went out without any word. You were angry at yourself. You had found her in a long queue.
- Tess, forgive me, please, - you voice trembled.
She didn’t raise her eyes. People around you began to shout:
- Don’t stand here. Nobody can do it. Go to the end of the queue!
- I want to talk to her only. – You said them.
- Oh, we know that you at first say so and then take water without queuing!
- I shall not do it. – You tried to speak quietly.
- Do go to the end! – cried two old women and pushed you.
You couldn’t expect their understanding.
- It’s high time to die for you, and you are quarreling because of water! – You shouted angrily. Your words were wicked and you never thought that you could say so.
- Oh, what an impudent fellow, - they cried and rushed at you with their bottles.
- Tess, I will not go away until you look at me, - you didn’t pay attention to them, you appealed only to your beloved.
Tess ran out of the queue. You followed her.
- You are mad, - you said at last to the women, who were almost crazy.
- You are mad yourself, - they cried to your back.
You caught the girl, turned her and looked at her eyes. She didn’t open them. But still her eyes were red.
- You have been crying. I didn’t want to hurt you.
She hid her face on her chest and began to cry again.
- I don’t want you to be a fornicator, - she said through tears.
You did not even clearly understand what she meant, but answered:
- I shall not be. Only don’t cry, please!
You caressed tenderly your treasure. She was really upset, though there were no real reasons for it. And you couldn’t be indifferent to her talking care of your soul. You guessed that it was really so.
Preaching
You had been queuing for some time. Then you returned to Frank’s house. He was quite friendly again; he was very glad to see that you became reconciled.
- Do you want to go to the church?
- We have just come from there, - you answered to that invitation.
- Were you in the church or in the chapel?
- We were in the place where they give water.
- It is a chapel; there will be an evening service in the church. Will you go with me? I don’t insist.
- Jeff, let’s go, - Tess asked.
You couldn’t refuse, after everything that was between you and Tess.
In the church Frank introduced you to some brothers, as he called them, like the nearest relatives. And though Jerome’s brother hadn’t been a priest of that church, as they needed a young energetic leader, he wasn’t offended at them; he realized everything and continued to do what he could. At that moment he wanted to speak. They didn’t want to let him speak, because the prophet spoke one and the same, appealing to courageous hearts. He bothered them by his legend. But in that case he insisted, for your sake; and you didn’t suspect of it.
Frank started with the fact that people going into the world became ill. And everything was going on along an endless circle; not all the people could bear it; standing in a queue for a rescue. The world would be doomed to dying, if nobody helped it. He said that the church couldn’t hold all the people and fill up all needs. And for the universe rescue it was necessary to do more that it had been doing now: it was necessary to go into world and to struggle with Darkness and at last to set free the water.
- A crazy old man, - some of listeners whispered.
He continued and didn’t pay attention to them:
- The world is sinking into darkness, and people degenerate.
And after that you heard a strange story from him: that not very far there was a bewitched place in the river-bed, that took up the water. Frank saw the water, disappearing there. He went down, following it, and found a door under the ground, where the water was locked. He heard some noise behind the door.
- It is guarded by a Spirit of Death, - he said. Then he continued, - the World hasn’t managed to keep in its hands the sword committed by God. And Avedon, the dark angel ruining human souls, possesses it. He can be killed only with that sword.
He finished his strange preaching and coming down he met a new priest’s look.
- We do a lot for people, - he said to the former leader.
- A lot. But not everything, - he answered.
You were coming home in silence. You and Tess were under the influence of preaching.
You began to speak first:
- It means, that there is a way out, isn’t there? – You addressed the prophet with a question.
- I was afraid, that you wouldn’t believe me, Jeff, - he answered you. – But I must warn you: there were people, who tried to open the door; they were tempted by Antichrist in desert. He promised to give the water out of his own hands, and those who agreed, became his slaves. And those, who didn’t agree, found their death before the door; they couldn’t open it. We cannot give the water more than a norm even to people going to a far unease way.
Suddenly he looked at you unusually.
- You see, I think that you can get the water: you have something that other people have not.
- What is it? – You asked the prophet.
- A thirst for life! You don’t believe in God and it is your weak point. But unbelieving in existence of paradise and in a life after death, you tries to live now, using all the chances; it is your force.
You continued your talk after supper. You didn’t eat during almost the whole day. Drinking herbaceous tea, Frank was speaking very slowly and he resembled his brother Jerome by his manners.
- Most of the believers became more kind: they admit the life as it is, they don’t straggle, though they have power; they simply wait for a better future. Even if this world stops existing, they’ll have another world; they believe that they will go to their Divine Father, because they are only strangers on the earth. By the way, it is safer to stay here in the church now. The Angel of Darkness will not dare to come near it. And you are very careful and circumspect; he won’t be able to make you any harm. You don’t make a compromise with death, - he added.
- What does it mean?
- You will never do any damage to yourself, will you?
- Is it possible?
- Of course. A lot of people use its fruit, even if they know, from what tree they have been gathered.
- I don’t understand exactly.
- Never mind. You’ll understand it later; the time will come, and you’ll realize it.
He made a pause again. The old man’s speech was very wise; he made pauses so that you might have time to think over his words.
- It is possible to influence upon the present situation in the world; because the reality is not the same, as we see it.
- Yes, I came across it already; - you said and became silent again.
There was a reverie in your silence; and the former priest saw your intension to go. Your decision was quite obvious.
- By the way. You have the girl. She will help you to do it, - Frank added.
- Who? Tess? We can’t speak about it; she will stay here! – You said hardly.
The old man smiled:
- Jeff, I do understand your feelings, but she is your second half; she is a very unusual girl, you will be stronger with her.
- Unusual? Oh, yes. But as far as the strength is concerned I am not sure. She is so weak.
Suddenly you remembered as Tess pushed you at night. Yes, she was strong. But you didn’t say about it.
- Her strength is not physical. Tess is strong because she can see world of spirits. That her ability can help you, your interlocutor said.
- I have a device of night vision, - you insisted, - I saw that spirit through it.
- But it is too little, - Frank insisted too.
- Here she’ll be in security and I’ll be quieter. Stop discussing this problem, - you closed the theme.
Are you going to get married? – The old man suddenly asked.
- Just now? I don’t think it is important now, when the whole world is being destroyed, - you were surprised by the question and the old man was surprised by your words.
- Don’t think about the whole world now; think about you: it is very important to sanctify you relations and make them pure. I would be very pleased to marry you in church, - the old man insisted, - do it and you’ll avoid censure.
You wanted to get married to her, but at that moment the formality seemed senseless to you. You didn’t see the difference between a civil marriage and a marriage in a church. But as you decided to leave Tess in the old man’s house, you felt that you had to do it for her sake, to make her quiet. And you agreed.
Sanctifying Of Your Relations
The ritual was rather modest. Your marriage was blessed. She was so happy and beautiful with a white flower in her hair. It was Frank’s present. It was growing in a vase on his window; it was simple and survived in spite of lack of water. She was looking at you tenderly. Suddenly her eyes opened widely, she was surprised:
- Oh, you have wings at your back! – She cried.
All the present people were looking at her with surprise. They saw nothing. And only Frank smiled and shook his head:
- She will bring you luck, - he said, coming to you, - I am sincerely glad to see you happy.
You didn’t see anything yet, even didn’t feel, but you thanked the old man for all he made for you.
You left alone. It was your first marriage night. The stars were shining brightly on the sky. The haze dissipated. Tess caressed you:
- Oh, my angel, - her voice was full of love and it provoked harmonic and sweet beat of your heart.
You were very happy with her, and didn’t perceive the world around you. All the sounds, rustles and smells of the world, its commonness disappeared in your feelings- you were with her. You felt yourself flying; you realized another reality and felt your strength. Tess gave you that feeling of flight. You were flying together.
Alone in the Night
You had gone early in the morning. You didn’t wake Tess. There was a list of paper near the bed: “My beloved, stay here. Frank will take care of you. I’ll return to you. Your Jeff.”
The note was short, and she didn’t understand anything. She was embarrassed during the whole day. Frank tried to calm her, and Tess felt something wrong:
- Where is he? – She asked the old man carefully.
- Jeff asked me not to tell you about it.
- We are a wife and a husband and we are one flesh, aren’t we? You yourself say so and it means that I must be with him, - she prayed the old man.
- I think so too.
And Frank told her where you went.
- We’ll go together. I can’t let you go alone. I promised him not to leave you; - the old man finished his speech.
But quite unexpectedly late at night Frank died. God took his soul. Tess couldn’t relax during the whole day, her soul called her and she decided to follow you just at night. She didn’t want to wait till morning. Frank described to her your route and she knew where she could find you. She was running, though she understood that she wasn’t able to catch up with you. The whole day divided you.
She achieved the empty river-bed and then went slowly along it. She felt horror when she heard a loud growling in that absolute silence. That was a wild dog. It caught Tess’ clothes, but Tess took a knife out of her bag; it was a luck that she took it. She wounded the dog at her neck; it began to shriek but didn’t leave the edge of the clothes. Tess hit it several times and the dog left her. Tess was going further and further, looking back all the time. The dog was bleeding, but still was pursuing Tess. But it didn’t dare to come nearer. Suddenly Tess saw two lights they were not very far, and were jumping synchronously. Tess understood that it was a car. She was still afraid of the dog, but strangers could be more dangerous. She decided not to risk and to refuse from the doubtful help. She tried to hide in a ravine. The river bank was rather slippery and clayey and she got rolled up to a cold mud. The river-bed wasn’t dry there. Tess looked up; she could see two bright, red eyes on the edge of the bank. The girl caught the ground in despair, her hands tried to hold something, but in spite of her efforts she appeared in cold water up to her waist. The mud began to suck her. She was very frightened; she was going to cry, when the car stopped not very far. She heard as the doors of the car were closed; then she heard men’s voices and a loud shot. It made her to be silent.
- Here it is! – cried one of the men. – I wounded it only.
- Do shoot once more! – Another low voice said.
They shot the dog, that didn’t manager to go away and its body, fell into the mud. There appeared two figures on the bank of the river:
- Damn it! It is slippery here, - one of them said, he was nearly falling. Tess was silent. The man lighted the bottom of the river:
- It is also deep here, - the other man answered. – We should turn it out of the bank.
- Who knew, that it would fall into the water.
And the men went away with nothing. Tess was immovable, while the strangers were on the top of the bank; and she was in water already up to her chest. She gathered her last strength and got out of the mud, and then on the bank. She thought about you and her love made her stronger. She relaxed on the top, tears were pouring along her cheeks; she was cold and lonely. “Why do you leave me?”
Absolute Darkness
The wings behind your back opened great opportunities for you: you could rise over the earth problems and over the Spirit of darkness; you could fly into the light.
But you didn’t know about it. You couldn’t understand everything about yourself, because you left her too early. You felt your wings only when she was with you. You always had your vitality and your power and her love gave you the strength of two wings. And the Spirit saw danger in your presence.
He flew up to you opened his dark wings over you and you appeared in an absolute darkness. Even the device of night vision didn’t help you. It was the unnatural absolute darkness, and the device could only increase the vision. The Spirit pursued you, confused you and you lost a hard ground under you feet; your feet sank more and more into something soft. You had been groping your way for several hours; it seemed that you had been moving ahead but really you had been walking around one and the same place in the river-bed. You tried to light you way with the help of a lantern, but its light was too weak to break the evil spells which were around you. And you saw only dark mud in which your feet sank. It was in your boots and prevented you to walk; your trousers became saturated with the mud. You were losing your energy; you were suffering from the icy cold touches of the water. You were shivering. You tried to get warm and to gather your vitality. But you lost your strength. Your hands didn’t feel anything and you couldn’t shriek you fingers. Your feet didn’t feel anything too. Your eyes were closing. You were tired. Everything was disappearing; you didn’t perceive the reality and you yourself. You felt that the world began to fall – you were falling into the cold water. One of your wings was broken; for the first time you felt the possible death; you couldn’t resist it. The Spirit left you as his work was over.
Tess felt that something had been happening to you. Suddenly she saw you as if you were near.
- Get up, my dear, rise, please, I love you! – She was speaking with you, as if you heard her. And you felt your strength; your power returned to you. The wing that was safe rose and you flew with the help of it.
Your look was clear. You were looking into the darkness, trying to see a ray of light, the end of your troubles and you saw at last the bank. It was lighted by a rising sun. The bank was still far away and you were in the middle of the river’s delta. The river was rather wide there, but you know where you had to go.
At a Crater
The sun was rising and the cold night finished. It was rather early but already hot. By the afternoon the sun was scorching unbearably. You had lost your bag at night and you had no water. You were thirsty. There was a large crater on your way and coming nearer you saw on its bottom a bright surface of water. It was like a miracle! The lake attracted by its light and purity. But you had to come to it nearer to define if the water was suitable for drinking. You ran down the slope, moving the sand. And it was rolled down like wave. You were coming to a desired rescue, but the lake became smaller. The sweat was pouring from your temple; it got into your eyes and hurt it.
“May be something is wrong with my vision” – you thought. You didn’t find any water on the bottom of the crater, it had disappeared and you realized that it was a mirage. The scorching sand reflected the sun light and made an illusion of water. What a disappointment! You had to get out of that place; it was a real hell there.
Quite unexpectedly you found Tess on the top of the slope. She was lying with her eyes closed. Her clothes as well as yours were dirty. When she got out of the river-bed she had been walking along the bank for the whole night. She didn’t want to stop. Only in the morning she saw you climbing up the bank. But you were still too far and couldn’t hear her voice. She had been following you and you went ahead and didn’t look back. Then she had lost you from her sight, when you came down into the crater. When she reached it she lies on its edge. Tess was afraid that you would come up on another side of the crater. In that case you would not see her. But she hadn’t any forces to move, closed her eyes and fell asleep.
She made you many troubles by her appearing there; and in her state she was only a burden to you. But in spite of that you were glad to see a dear soul. You sat down near her and put her head on your knees. There was a bag on the ground. You looked into it, there was a bottle. But there was too little water in it. Tess couldn’t use possibilities. You drank a little, the water was warm. Then you carried the bottle to Tess’ lips; they were almost white and dry. She felt drops of water and drank. She couldn’t stop and you didn’t stop her because you thought that you were doomed and there was no sense in saving it. The water finished. You threw the bottle away and touched Tess’ wet lips with you lips. She kissed you too. “It is so nice that she is here” – you thought, - “during our last hours we shall be together.” You didn’t know how long you would hold out. These thoughts were changed by strong passion. You kissed her eyes, lips, her face and hair; her opened shoulders. Your hands bared her body, your lips brought felicity. Your tiredness disappeared; you were strong and at the same time careful and very tender. You shared your feelings with her. She felt your energy and embraced her beloved man.
- My husband! – She called you. And you liked it. You felt your new stout state in a new quality of your relations. Strange thoughts, unnecessary doubts had gone away. Tess is yours!
Tess didn’t open her eyes but she saw a light; when she opened them she saw a white bird in the sky, very low over you. The girl didn’t move. You stopped too and looked at Tess. Her face was shining, she was looking attentively into the sky; you turned back but didn’t see anything, you were frightened. You decided that she was dying and angels came to take her soul. You began to shake her:
- Don’t leave me, Tess!
She realized the unexpected sense of your thoughts and embraced you. Then she showed into the sky:
- Look, what a beautiful bird.
You still worried, because you didn’t see anything, only a white haze. It was obvious that the girl took it for a bird. “She is delirious,” – you thought, - “I am so careless; she is so weak,” – you reproached yourself. But to your surprise Tess got up. She was looking at bird, flying far away; then she showed:
- Look, there is a green tree! – She cried very loudly.
You saw it too, but you couldn’t believe your eyes. It looked like a dark spot on a white background.
“It happens very often when you look at a bright light for a long time,” – you thought. Tess pulled your hand; she was almost running. And the tree didn’t disappear when you came nearer as it was with the lake. But its shape became more distinct.
A Fig-tree
You still didn’t believe, because all the trees, you met before, were dry. But you came near and the tree was green. Tess pressed its green smooth leaves to her hot face, leaving them on the tree. It was nice. You sat down in a shadow of the tree, leant against it and admired that sight. She always did very simple things, but they were so magic and charming. Suddenly she sat down and began to dig the ground with her hands.
- There is a noise of water! – She cried emphatically.
You didn’t hear the noise, but it was logically true that tree’s roots drank water or it would be dry. You began to dig too; you broke the dry ground with you knife and asked her without surprise:
- Do you hear it?
- Yes, it is flowing in the trees, - Tess answered with enthusiasm.
You smiled: “She is so nice; she speaks as nobody else speaks.” Your world had changed and you still remembered those people, which you knew before. What had happened to them? You couldn’t think about them; it was of no use to look back. They stayed alive in your memory; it was difficult to think about death. It was possible that most of your friends survived. You were still alive, weren’t you? You had to live by present, not to doubt, and not to surrender. You were so many times at a breaking point; death was coming near to you. But every time you found forces and ability to live.
Tess was very tired and she lay on the ground. Suddenly she saw fruit on the tree over her head. She got up and climbed up the tree like a cat. The fruit were green and purple. They didn’t look like eatable. But hunger was too strong and she took one fruit and ate it. You looked up and said:
- Did you find a fig?
- Is it called so? – She asked you.
You frowned:
- Why do you eat what you don’t know?
- Why I don’t know; it is a fig.
- You are not careful. The fruit could be poisonous.
“Drink a poison and don’t poison yourself” – those thoughts flew in her head; but she decided not to tease you, she knew that you worried about you.
- There are a lot of them. I’ll gather some. – Tess began to pick fruit, to eat them and to put them in her bosom.
You dug rather deep hole; it was almost up to your waist. At last she got down satisfied. She was funny: a big breast and thin legs.
“She is very thin” – you thought with pity. But she diverted you from your thoughts by the phrase:
- All this is for you, - the young girl said, holding her blouse at the bosom.
You smiled:
- You are so sexy, - you kissed her, - and sweet! – You said with pleasure.
Her face and hands were sticky. She unbuttoned her blouse and got fruit; you began to eat it. It was like a sexual game: you hands were dirty and you couldn’t take fruit. The ground was already wet and it was difficult to clean your hands. It was great.
- Just a moment, - she laughed and fed you.
You ate your fill.
- Thank you, dear, - you kissed her.
After a short rest you continued to look for water. You made the hole wider for a convenient digging. Tess was standing on the edge of the hole. You filled a little sack with ground and she raised it. The tree’s roots were very long, and went deeply down. The hole was so deep that you were not seen out of it. Suddenly you began to worry.
Spirit’s Influence
- Jeff, get out of it, - Tess cried with fear.
You caught the edge of the hole, pulled you up and rose up on the surface.
Faceless and soundless substances were flying over Tess, and you saw them. The hole behind you became big and dark; you almost fell into it. Those beings embraced Tess and you couldn’t hold her. They carried her into that abyss and the hole was closed. You were in despair, but after some time she appeared. Her hair, her clothes, here skin were wet. You wanted to drink from her clothes. The sword that she held in her hand, stopped you. She came up to you. Her dark green eyes were cold.
- Don’t frighten me Tess. Give me the sword!
You looked at her and were on the alert; but still you were not ready that she could hurt you with the sword. You managed to step aside, and the sword struck your shoulder leaving a serious wound. You caught her.
- What did they do with you? Tess, come to your sense!
You embraced the girl, but you felt that she was strong. She escaped and pushed you, the sword fell down. You were weak because of the bleeding and couldn’t stand.
The Spirit of Darkness appeared behind her back, you saw its shadow. His distinct shapes moved to your beloved and touching her, the Spirit gave her the sword again.
- Tess, I love you! – You prayed, trying to awake her sense.
But it seemed that Tess didn’t hear you.
And the Spirit was buzzing; black birds were flying over your.
- Kill him, - its voice sounded like, pieces of broken glass, - he doesn’t love you, he is only frightened, - the Darkness told about you.
Your blood appeared on your clothes, the same blood that was streaming in Tess too, and she couldn’t do it. She released the hilt, took the blade and began to fall on her kneel. Her hands, moving along the blade, were full of blood. She was still unmovable.
- Oh, silly girl, do stay with that helpless man; you could have everything, - the glassy voice sounded, it cut the air behind her back.
A Battle
The Dark Spirit couldn’t struggle with you itself, because you didn’t take anything from its hand, a remained inviolable. It sought weak people, who gave their souls for a drink of water. And only people themselves could do harm each other, being under the influence of the Spirit.
It appeared again out of the abyss, and you took the sword, to fight for your love.
- It is my sword! – The Spirit was very glad, - you have taken my thing; and you are mine now.
But it wasn’t so. You didn’t get under anybody’s influence; you didn’t have any weak points of your character. All decisions were of your own and strong. Tess was the only weak point, but she gave you strength. Your broken wing recovered, your inner position was strong, and your spirit was burning. You were equal to the Dark Spirit; you held the sword firmly and you were ready to fight with it. You felt that the wings behind your back rose. You heard their rustle and believed that you could win. Your look was strait and fearless and the Spirit realized that you didn’t belong to him.
- Then die! – clinked in the air.
The Spirit rushed at you like a fiery sphere. But you raised the sword and cut it into two parts. The fire divided, came through the sword, moving like cones along your hands, touching you and losing its harmful force. The sword like a breakwater softened the blow of the attack. The fire didn’t do you any damage; your spirit was homogeneous to it. But the atmosphere of the aria pressed by the fire was without oxygen and it strangled you. You fell down, losing your consciousness. You didn’t see as white broken lines flew out of the divided sphere. They were captivated souls. They were going to the heavens for a judgment.
Tess ran to you, embraced and began to cry. Your dry, cracked with heat lips were pinched by salty liquid, dropping out of her eyes. You opened your eyes for a moment:
- Drink, - that was the only word that you could pronounce, before loosing your consciousness again. Tess tried to bring you to your senses. She didn’t imagine how she would go back alone. Her thoughts were flying in her head: “What does it men, to love so endlessly? That is like a long – long way: no end, no finish. That’s all! I am tired, I cannot, and I don’t want to go further. I’ll be lying here; I’ll sleep and die, I have no forces.”
She felt her helplessness and closed her eyes: repose, darkness and feeling that she was losing you.
“No! I mustn’t die and first of all I mustn’t let you die.” She opened her eyes. You were lying near: wounded, weak, but alive and beloved.
- I love you, - she kissed your lips and stood up.
But how could she leave you here along, without help and defense? Tess knew: if she didn’t go and get water, she wouldn’t be able to save you. She raised the sword. Carrying it in her hand and feeling that she was strong she ran towards a cave. She didn’t look back.
- Only don’t die, - she repeated, - don’t die!
Love
It was dark and dreadful. She held a lantern in her hand; it was shivering. The light of the lantern was slipping along wet stones under her feet. She came to the bottom of the cave. There were no spirits in it. Tess appeared before a door. There was a rustle of water behind it; it was raging. The girl didn’t think what it would be if she opened the door; if she could survive in that stream. What would be with you, when the water reached you? You had no choice and time for thinking. She hoped for a miracle and put the sword into the lock. Deep cracks appeared on the door and the water began to pour through them. The feeling of self-preservation made her to run out of the cave. But the door was broken and the water rushed along the cave and reached the girl. Tess thought that she returned to the beginning of the events. Her thoughts were mixed in her head and she herself was turning round in the water: “It’s dark, cold. I am drowning. Jeff, dear Jeff, save me!”
The water went out on the surface and washed you. You got up and began to look for Tess. You found her in the water and brought on the ground. She didn’t breath; she stifled with the water that gave life to the nature. The water was streaming further; it filled dry river-beds and fed cracked ground, revived dry trees, filling them inside and making life in them. It treated the rest people. They drank the water and became strong. Their wounds disappeared, they changed.
Tess was lying motionless.
- Why shall I live without you, - you whispered, - It’s senseless. It is futility. You are my life.”
Heavens opened and returned her soul. It got down slowly in a white light and touching you, returned to Tess. It was the first time when you felt God’s touch and it was impossible for you not to believe in God: you felt His presence and His love to you. Tess’ face was shining and you embraced her as the dearest person. A new wonderful feeling filled you. Your heart opened and connected with her soul. Tess dissolved in that confluence; and you felt completeness. Tess opened her eyes and you saw yourself in them.
There is nothing more beautiful than love, coming from Heavens.
The Thirst
© Copyright: Ñâåòà Ôåéõè, 2014
Ñâèäåòåëüñòâî î ïóáëèêàöèè ¹214091700852
Ñâèäåòåëüñòâî î ïóáëèêàöèè ¹214091700852
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