Mystery of Beijing Street

Millionka.
The outside
Beijing.
Vladivostok.
1905
ROOF. CONSEQUENCES OF A BAD ACT
Good afternoon, my name is Victor, Vitya. You don't have to scold me. I stay at home with my mother's permission. My friends have been at school for a long time, but I can't do it today. I've got a sore throat and headache. Mom went to the pharmacy and will be back any minute. The street is damp, windy and uninteresting. It has been raining for three days now. The ground is wet, and it is impossible to drive the ball. The day before yesterday, my friends and I sat in the attic all day. Oleg, my friend, persuaded Seryoga and me to hire a cabin boy on some schooner. Seryoga said that then it would be better to get on the cruiser and go sailing to the war. Gray dreams of taking revenge on the Japanese. His uncle suffered from the Japanese during the Battle of Tsushima. Oleg said that the sailors are on the deck of the ship in any weather. They are not afraid of rain and wind. Then we went for Oleg. It was raining outside, just like today. We played brave sailors for about an hour. Then Oleg suggested jumping from the roof of the barn right into the heaps of foliage. The janitor Mikhail did not want to believe that the roof of the shed was the deck of a Russian cruiser, and a pile of leaves was a Japanese boat, and chased after us. The roofs of the two neighboring houses looked like steps. We easily flew up these stairs. Michael was unable to follow us. He just shook his shovel and shouted something unintelligible. However, we could not go down. Mikhail froze near the house, like a soldier on duty. The roofs of our houses on Beijing Street are different. There are curved upwards, there are sharp slopes. Roofs are roofs, and the surface on which my friends and I found ourselves the day before yesterday could not be called a roof at all. The house, which was crowned by this roof, was apparently built hastily. And the roof was to match the house. Seryoga almost failed twice. The boards were rotten. The boards looked more like cardboard than wood. We reached the end of the roof and stopped. There was nowhere to go down. Right behind the house was a ravine. It was full of dirt. As far as I know, this ravine was also quite deep. One summer, my friends and I decided to dig an underground passage to get to the other side of the earth. Of course, we didn’t dig a move, but we got out superbly. It was two years ago, we were very small boys then. But back to the roof. It started raining and we tried to find a descent. I really didn't want to talk to Michael. The result did not please us. We could go down only where we went up. Vovka was completely cold, and we had already resigned ourselves and decided to accept punishment from Mikhail when Sasha touched my sleeve. I followed his gaze and winced. I understood without words what Alexander wanted to offer me. Sasha looked at me expectantly, but I just shook my head and backed away. Vovka held me at the moment when I was almost at the edge of the roof. Such fear seized me that I even forgot about safety. However, a strong wind arose, and a decision had to be made. Mikhail was heard complaining about us to two furious neighbors. The shrill voice of Aunt Agafya reached us.
“Here, silly! And you call the policeman ... "
The matter was taking a serious turn, and I nodded, turning away from Sasha. I don’t even want to remember what I was so afraid of. I still shudder and drive these memories away from me. However, I also remember that my father punished me before setting off on a long voyage: “To conquer fear, you need to look into his eyes!”
My friends and I looked into the eyes of fear and this is what came out of it.
The old manza, the owner of the house on the roof of which we were now standing, said that the entire area of ;;Pekingskaya, from the Japanese consulate to the exit to the Semyonovsky ladle, was the place where a temple of the Zhu people stood several hundred years ago. The temple is something like our church. Only, of course, ten times more. Uncle Mo even said that at the moment when the ship "America" ;;entered our bay, there were only two houses in the entire territory of Vladivostok. I can’t even imagine it: instead of a city there was a forest, and in the forest there were only two fanzas. These were the fanzas where the Chinese lived, the manzas were the keepers. Uncle Mo did not tell anything about the second house, but he told a lot about the house on the roof of which we were now standing. If Uncle Mo's words are to be believed, the keepers have been living in the house for three hundred years now. Zhu Temple Guardians. Uncle Mo said that there is even an entrance and a descent to the temple. However, immediately after these words, he made a reservation that he himself had never gone down and did not know where the entrance was. According to Mo, the keeper in their family is the younger brother. At the time of the story, my brother was not in the city. He was away somewhere in central China. In the mountains, in an old monastery. There he either studied or taught someone, I did not understand Mo's last words. Sometimes he forgot and switched to Chinese. So, I messed up something!
I'll start from the beginning. The house on whose roof we now stood could not be ancient. If I told such a fairy tale to my classmates, I would be laughed at. Uncle Mo, in front of my eyes, was constantly completing and patching up this house, swearing Chinese under his breath.them cursing. The fanza that stood on the roof of Mr. Mo's house was ancient. Uncle Mo argued endlessly with the City Improvement Commission. The head of the commission, Mr. Komarov, scolded Uncle Mo and said that this shed, placed on the roof of the house, spoils the whole view. Uncle Mo smiled ingratiatingly, explaining that in his homeland, in China, such a custom was applied, and with a bow applied to the hand of the chairman of the commission. The commission left, taking with them gifts from Uncle Mo. This happened more than once or twice. Six months ago, Uncle Mo's younger brother returned, and all hell broke loose. To begin with, Uncle Mo rented apartments, and the house was filled to capacity. Up to twenty tenants could live in one room. How they fit in there, only the Chinese God knows. We live on Millionka, but anything can happen here! Probably, there was no place in the house for Brother Mo, and he settled in a family fanza standing on the roof. Maybe the reason was different, but the result was obvious. From time to time, strange lights shot out from the openings of the house, howling sounds were heard, many people entered, but not one of these people ever returned. You can call me a liar, but I am responsible for every word that I have spoken. The fact is that the windows of my children's room overlook just the opposite street. Moreover, one of my windows is located just opposite the fanza. I would like to write that it is located just opposite the windows of the fanza, but I will not, because the fanza has no windows. There is a door, but no windows. There are several tiny holes. However, it is not at all clear what these holes are for. They are more like cracks than windows. One night, I even saw... No, I don't want to talk about it! I'm still scared! I forgot to say: I never saw Uncle Mo's brother. But back to Monday afternoon and the three boys, chilled and confused.
Sasha spoke first.
- Vit, you do as you wish, and I will go into the shed. Well, the owner of the shed will not kill us!
“Fanza,” I corrected my friend.
- What? - Sasha turned around, - what did you say?
- I said, - I strained my voice, trying to shout over the sounds of the wind, - I said that the shed is called a fanza!
- Oh, well, well ... Well, let's go in?
- Yes, - Volodya puffed out his chest, and took two steps forward, - I'm going!

We went to the door of the fanza and hesitated, no one wanted to touch the door of the shed. Finally, I mustered up the courage and pushed open the door. However, the door didn't budge. There was no lock or keyhole on the door. I strained, but the door stood like a glove. The door-jambs were shaking, dust was falling from them, but the door was still motionless. Friends have joined me. Finally, the door suddenly gave way, and we literally flew inside the fanza. Needless to say, there was nothing special about the house. The only thing that surprised us was that the shed inside turned out to be quite large, it consisted of three rooms. Looking at him from the outside, one would never think that. The rooms were half empty. In one room there was a bed covered with a canopy. In the middle of the second room stood a bookcase full of books. The cabinet doors were open. On the third shelf, the order of the books was broken. It was evident that one book was missing from the ranks. Several books fell out and stood askew. It seemed that no one had touched the books for many, many years. And finally, someone needed one book. Where the book once stood, there is a clear trace. There was a long table in the third room. One half of the table was lined with jars, bottles and small plates, the other half was littered with folded sheets of paper. Unfolding the paper, I saw a drawing, other sheets contained notes. There were only two drawings. And one of them was not completed. The edges of the sheet were pinched with a paperweight to keep the sheet from curling. Next to the sheet were six jars of paints. The paints looked strange but smelled delicious. The whole room smelled of them, but what's the room, the whole fanza was fragrant. We noticed this as soon as we entered. The jars were fastened together. I love to draw, but I have never seen such colors. As I said, the drawing was not completed. Without thinking twice, Vovka dipped his finger into one of the jars and ran his finger, stained with paint, over the drawing. I was scared. The drawing was ruined, but Vovka just laughed foolishly. He grabbed the jars and wanted to shake out all the paint on the drawing. I managed to snatch the colors from him. At that moment we heard footsteps. Someone was walking on the roof of the house. A moment before someone entered the house, Sanka managed to push us out through the back door. It turns out that such a door was in fanza. While we were fooling around with paints, Sanya carefully examined the house. This is what saved us. We flew out of fanza. Ran across the roof. They jumped off and... They fled in different directions. Uncle Misha, swearing loudly, rushed after Vovka, but soon fell behind and went back to sweep the leaves into a pile. The first thing I did when I returned home was to curtain the windows overlooking the fanza. And then I found myself clutching a jar of paints in my hand. Fortunately for me, my mother was not at home. Otherwise, there would be no explanation. I hid the jar, then hid it. Then he took it out and hid it again. It seemed to me that anyone who enters my room will immediately become clear: a thief lives in this room. But everything worked out. When my mother returned, it was already night, and the next morning I got sick. Today was Wednesday. Three days passed, but neither Sanka nor Vovka appeared.
BLUE MAN IN THE WINDOW. IT TURNS OUT IT'S GOOD TO BE SICK SOMETIMES
Two more days have passed. It's Friday. And then Saturday. I got worse and worse. Mom had already spent a lot on doctors, but the disease still did not go away. To top it all off, my little sister brought another horror story from school about a boy who disappeared. In two weeks I will have a birthday, and I will move to live in my older brother's room, but for now I have to share a room with my younger sister and listen to her nonsense. The temperature never dropped. In the evening, in the dining room, there was some kind of turmoil, but I felt so bad that I could not even raise my head from the pillow. Doubled and tripled in the eyes. I heard someone's voice, turning now into crying, then into laughter. The windows were tightly closed and curtained, but the wind tore the curtains. How this could be, I did not understand at all. The moment the curtain rose from the wind once again, I saw a face. A man was looking through the window. His eyes were motionless, his face was blue-blue, and a smile froze on his face forever. I got scared. I covered my head with a blanket and lay like that for a very long time. When I woke up, it was Saturday morning. The rain had stopped and the sun was peeking through the windows. The windows were wide open, and a gentle breeze stirred the curtains a little. Mom peeked into the room, looking worried.
“Vitenka,” she asked, going up to the bed, “are you feeling better already?”
I nodded. It was still hard for me to speak. Mouth, lips, all dry and cracked.
“Vitya, don’t talk,” Mom whispered carefully, “you just nod, yes or no, okay?”
I nodded. I liked the conversation less and less.
You have two classmates, don't you? Alexander and Vladimir
I nodded.
Did you play on the roof together on Monday?
I hesitated a bit before nodding.
“Don’t be afraid, I won’t scold you,” my mother smiled reassuringly, “although the neighbor from the first floor, Agafya, told me ...
Seeing my frightened look, my mother obviously remembered that I was still sick and did not develop the topic with a neighbor further. Instead, she carefully placed her hand on her forehead, and then sighed in relief.
- No temperature. God bless! Vitya, you see, the fact is that your classmate, Vladimir, has disappeared. The police had already questioned Alexander, but he said that after you broke up, which happened around noon, he never saw Vova again. There were questions for you too, but you were weak, and the doctor did not allow me to talk to you yet.
- Vova disappeared? - I was so shocked that I even forgot that it was still hard for me to speak, - And Sasha? Is Sasha okay?
- Yes, Sasha is at home, but he is so scared of something that he refuses to leave the house. What happened to you on Monday? Where have you been?
We played on the roof of Mr. Mo's house.
“That I know. The omnipresent Agafya has already managed to gossip about this to the whole court. Everyone already knows that the janitor was chasing you. He filed a complaint with the owner of the house.
“The thing is,” my mother touched my forehead again, “the thing is… No, you are still too weak, I will tell you about everything later.
- Mom, don't go! I shouted, seeing that my mother was about to leave the room.
— What, Vitenka? - Mom immediately returned, - What, did you feel worse?
— No, rather, yes. Mom, can I go to Brother Peter's room today? What difference does it make, a week later or a week earlier?
- What are you doing all of a sudden? Well, okay, maybe in a new place you will go faster on the mend! I'll go, I'll give Maria an order, let her prepare a room for you. It is necessary to ventilate everything, grind it, flood the fireplace, it's a little damp there. This always happens in non-residential rooms. There are many things of Peter, you do not touch them, he said that when he comes on vacation, he will take them with him to his new home. Good?
I nodded. Mom didn’t need to know at all how much I want to get out of the nursery as soon as possible. I was not afraid for my younger sister, she was not in danger, I knew this for sure. Danger threatened only those who visited the fanza on Monday. When my mother left, I remembered the paints. And got scared. Suddenly, while I was burning in delirium, someone found paints? However, all six jars were in place. Arina had her own closet, she never climbed into mine without permission. In the evening, some of Peter's belongings were taken to the attic, and mine, a bed and a bookcase, were transferred to a new room. Uncle Pavel did not allow me to help, I was opposed, but immediately gave up. The books I tried to arrange in the bookcase were as heavy as bricks and unbearable. I am thathe was covered in a cold sweat. When everything was arranged, and my mother wished me good night, Arina came running and brought a book with her.
“Vitka, you forgot the book,” Arina threw the book right on the blanket to me, “and bring your notebooks? What about a sketchbook?
- Bring the album, and you can take the notebooks for yourself, they are clean. I haven't written to them yet.
“Vit, what kind of book is it?” I have never seen her! Arina tried to open the book, but I didn't let her.
- That's it, Arinka, go, - I hid the book under the covers, - I have a temperature again, in my opinion, it's rising!
“It’s always like this,” the sister pouted, “just a little, so you immediately drive!” Okay, I'm leaving now! Call mom?
- No, let him sleep. Maybe the temperature will go away.
STRANGE BOOK
Arina left. I hesitated a little, and carefully getting out from under the blanket, rushed to the door and closed it on the latch. The room started spinning. But I got to the bed in two jumps, lay down, and pulled out a book. Turning it over in my hands, I realized that not only Arinka had never seen this book. I have never seen her myself. This was not my book. Glancing at the window, I carefully pushed back the cover. The book was old, the sheets were yellowed, dusty, but strong. The first impression did not deceive me, the book was not written in Russian letters. However, that was the end of the joyous revelations. It seemed that someone squeezed all the letters out of the book, mixed them up, and then casually poured the letters onto the pages of the book, without even thinking to look at the result of their work. I skimmed the book to the end. Everywhere was the same. An unknown writer made sure that the chaos that reigned on the pages of the book remained chaos from the first page to the last. I closed the book and immediately a strange feeling that I was not alone in the room let me go. I kept looking out the window. The curtains in Brother Peter's room were nothing compared to the cheerful, frivolous curtains that hung in my former room, the nursery. They (curtains) were made of a protective, dense material, the only decoration of the curtains was embroidery. The windows of my current room looked out in a completely different direction. They went out into the yard. My mind knew that I had nothing to fear, but my senses were agitated and did not want to get along with the signals that my brain was giving. The mind whispered: “Calm down, sleep, you are safe!”. Feelings caught the brain in a lie. They (feelings) said: “I am scared, I am afraid, I smell danger. Why is the curtain swaying? Why do the pages of a book turn by themselves? Why does a thin voice sound in the brain and repeat the same thing: “Give it back or draw it! Give or draw! Draw! Draw! Draw!'"
At some point, I wanted to jump out into the corridor and call my mother, but I was immediately ashamed of my fear. I even plucked up the courage to go to the window and touch the curtains, but it didn't get any further than that. Suddenly I missed my high fever. I felt so good when I was on fire. No horrors disturbed me. In the room all the time someone was near me and touched my forehead. Now I was left alone with my conscience and thoughts about a bad deed. To calm down, I took my favorite book out of the closet and wanted to read a little before going to bed, but I was terribly disappointed. The letters in the book about sea voyages were as jumbled and scattered as in someone else's book. I flipped through the book from beginning to end. The illustrations were in place and did not change at all, but the text became impossible to read. I ran to the closet and began to take out one book after another. Everywhere was the same. I threw books on the floor and took out, took out book after book. One thought warmed me. I believed that if I could find at least one book with a readable text, then everything would be fine. The horror will leave me, and I will meet Vovka tomorrow. But all was in vain. Finally, my strength left me, and I lay down on the rug in front of the fireplace. I felt chills, the bed felt far away, huge and icy. There was also a book on the bed. I did not bring it into the house, but somehow it ended up in Arina's hands.
I fell asleep on the rug in front of the fireplace. In the middle of the night, when the fire went out, I moved into my bed, after dropping someone else's book on the floor.
I woke up late. Maria knocked for a long time before I opened the door. I didn't want to open my eyes and think that a new day had come. Maria said that breakfast was waiting for me in the dining room. I tried to object, but Maria reminded me that I could already get out of bed and therefore breakfast was waiting for me in the dining room. Such is the order of the mistress, Maria added, and, wagging her nose in displeasure, she left the room. I stumbled into the dining room. If my mother were at home, I would already have flown. I went out to breakfast unwashed and in my nightshirt. However, the apartment was empty. Mom went to a friend. Maria went to the Semyonovsky market, Arina was at school. The windows of the dining room also overlooked the street. I almost choked when I realized this, and immediately rushed to curtain the windows, trying not to look at the opposite side of the street. However, the thin voice that constantly sounded in my head suddenly burst into hysterical laughter and gurgled throughb laughter; “Neither curtains nor windows will protect! Save yourself! Give or draw!
After breakfast, I returned to my room. Seeing a mountain of books in front of the bookcase, I was surprised at first, but then I remembered what happened in the evening. Putting book after book in the closet, I continued to stubbornly look for familiar words in the books. However, letters scattered across the pages looked at me from the pages of my favorite books. Finally, the room looked neat. After a moment's hesitation, I squeezed in the other's book next to my books.
POLICE OFFICER - INTERVIEWER
As soon as I did that, the door banged in the hallway. Mom returned, and with her an unexpected guest ... an interrogating policeman. I was almost healthy, and nothing prevented the policeman from interrogating me to the fullest extent of the law. I was preparing to tell the whole truth, when suddenly my mother intervened in the conversation.
“Vladimir Ivanovich,” she turned ingratiatingly to the man, “my son is still very weak, so do not forget about my request,” she smiled again and left the living room.
- Well, - the man, whom my mother called Vladimir Ivanovich, looked at me searchingly, - well, young man, what can you tell me?
- I ... I ... - my throat suddenly went dry, and I realized that I could not squeeze out a single coherent sentence from myself.
“So,” the man looked at me searchingly, “continue, please!”
However, I only opened my mouth and gasped for air.
“We can’t have a conversation,” the policeman grinned, “let’s try it differently.” So, meeting the wishes of your charming mother and taking into account your still not quite healthy condition, we will build a conversation in this way. I will speak, and you just nod or add, yes or no. It's all right? and the man winked at me.
Fear immediately left me. But there was a sense of disappointment. In my opinion, the policeman should behave more strictly and not be led by criminals, even if these criminals are as small as I am.
- So, - Vladimir Ivanovich consulted some paper, - on October 14, this year, three friends played pranks, quarreled with the janitor Mikhail Efgrafovich and decided to run away from him on the roof. Am I right?
I had no choice but to nod. As the saying goes, you can't fight facts.
“Three young people,” the man checked the paper again, “Alexander Konovalov, Vladimir Ivanov and Viktor Nekrasov climbed onto the roof of Mr. Mo’s house and ... disappeared for some time from the janitor’s field of vision, Mikhail Efgrafovich Petrenko. Am I right?
Looking longingly at the windows of the living room, I was again forced to agree with the words of Vladimir Ivanovich.
- The words of the janitor are also confirmed by two neighbors who live in your house, respectively on the first and third floors.
For a while everything was quiet - the policeman tried to catch my eye, but I was staring at the floor with all my might - then, and no more than ten minutes had passed according to witnesses, when suddenly there were muffled screams, the clatter of feet and three young people jumped off from the roof and ran in different directions.
“Yes, we were afraid that the janitor would catch us, and therefore we ran away,” I confirmed the interrogator’s words without any coercion, “Vovka ran to the Semyonovsky ladle, I ran to the ravine, and Sashka, in my opinion, went home.
- Well, - the policeman was upset, - why did you start talking? You still can't! Have you forgotten what we agreed on? I say, and you just nod!
I just sighed guiltily. The agreement was violated, but not through my fault. During the conversation, it seemed to me that because of the curtain separating the living room and the corridor, a hiss was heard, and a strange smell was heard. To muffle this sound, I spoke.
- So, where were you while the janitor and the neighbors were discussing the mores of today's youth?
“We were…” the hissing came from the curtain again, “we were on the roof
“I understood that,” the interrogator smiled patiently, “tell me where you disappeared and where you were for ten minutes.”
“We went in,” I began my story doomedly, but the hissing reached a crescendo, and then I decided to lie, “we went behind Mr. Mo’s fanza and hid there from the rain, hoping that Mikhail would get tired of waiting for us and he would leave.
- Well, let's say, - Vladimir Ivanovich put on his pince-nez and carefully looked at me, - let's say I believe you. However, Michael did not stand still. He walked around Mr. Mo's house from all sides, hoping to find a platform to climb after you. But you were nowhere. How do you like this version?
“I…I don't know. We hid behind fanza.
“But your friend,” the policeman looked again at the notes, “your friend, Alexander, claims that you were inside the building for ten minutes, where no one invited you. You opened the door of the shed, which the landlord calls a fanza, and went inside. Something happened to you there. Well, are you going to tell?
“I don’t know anything,” the tears that I had been holding back for the last fifteen minutes and which I was so ashamed of, suddenly flooded like a river, “I ... We ... We were hiding behind a fanza!
“Shame on you, young man! - Vladimir Ivanovich slightly raised his voice, - I have the honor to know your father! He is a worthy man and citizen! In whom did you deign to be born like this?
I was silent, staring in shock at the branded pugoa jacket from a tunic, which shone just below the throat of Vladimir Ivanovich. I would have told everything a long time ago, if not for the hiss.
The policeman waited a little longer, and then regretfully finished his diatribe.
- Your friend Alexander turned out to be a more honest boy, but, unfortunately, he does not know everything. The moment you entered the last of the three rooms, he was looking for an emergency exit. Well, tell me more?
I shook my head.
“It’s a pity,” the man got up and straightened his tunic, “I’m sorry that such worthy parents have such a son!” I'm leaving, but I want to add this, your friend Vladimir is missing. Nobody has seen him since Monday. Mother brings up Vladimir alone. She was at work all day. Therefore, it is not known whether Vova returned home during the day. But one detail suggests that the boy came home.
- Which? I whispered hopefully.
The handle of the door behind which his apartment is located was smeared with something red. And on the handle, sorry, but I have to say this, there was a finger on the door handle. Vladimir's mother discovered him. Forefinger. Human finger. Children's finger. When the laboratory conducted a study, they were convinced that this was not a hoax. It was indeed a human finger. And for some reason the finger was smeared with paint.
The last words came to me as if through cotton wool. My consciousness became clouded, and the saving unconsciousness took me into its arms. The last thing I heard was my mother screaming and her voice asking through tears
“Are you sure that it was necessary to talk about ... a finger?”
I have not heard the answer of Vladimir Ivanovich. My ears buzzed and I passed out completely.
BROTHER PETER HAS ARRIVED
I woke up only two weeks later. Arina said that I had a fever. The doctor was even afraid that I would not survive. However, everything ends sometime and the day came when I woke up completely. I did not immediately recognize the room in which I was lying. Gradually, all the events preceding my fever surfaced in my memory and lined up like a parade. Remembering Vovka, I groaned. My mother immediately jumped up to me and shouted:
- Pyotr, Arinka, come here, Vitenka woke up!
Raising my head from the pillow with difficulty, I stared at the door with interest. Wow, Peter has arrived!
Brother smelled of the sea, a fire and distant roads. It turns out that my mother called my brother a week ago by telegram, and he arrived just yesterday. And I have not even had time to walk around my hometown.
“Vitka, you brat, why did you frighten your mother so much?” - my brother gently ruffled my hair, - let me at least look at you! Mother didn't let me yesterday. The doctor said that you are very weak, and the slightest microbe can make you sick again.
- You, - I cleared my throat, as the voice did not want to obey me, - you, for a long time?
“No,” the brother laughed, “only for three days!” I begged the command for a whole week, the admiral agreed with my request, but let me go with great difficulty! You feel better and therefore I can go back with a pure heart even today!
- Today? - the voice completely sat down and, in order to express the emotions that had risen to the throat, I pounded my fists on the back of the bed in rage.
“Yes, okay,” my brother grabbed my ear and performed a pantomime with twisting, “don’t be afraid! I'm not leaving today! And tomorrow too. I want you to come to your senses a little and tell me what's new happened in the city during my absence. And if possible, then ... showed.
“Petka,” Arina flew into the room, “let me show you!” Vitya will probably be sick for a long time!
- Be sure to show me! - Peter affectionately stroked his sister, - now go, you haven't seen my gifts yet! I told Maria to unpack her bags! Run to dad's office. The gifts are there.
Peter waited until Arina left, and only then turned to me.
“Vitya,” the brother stopped smiling, and it became clear that serious anxiety was hiding behind his feigned fun, “brother, can you tell me what happened?”
I shook my head and pointed to my throat.
- Okay. - Peter nodded, but he was not going to deviate from his plan.
There was silence in the room. Petya sat with his eyes closed. I looked closely at my brother and only now noticed that his brother's whiskey was covered with early gray hair.
“Okay,” my brother leaned over my bed, “can you whisper your secret in my ear?”
I nodded enthusiastically and began my story, but after a few minutes I coughed and fell silent.
- Again, nothing works! - Petya was upset, - come on, - the brother ran his eyes around the room, - come on ... Come on, let's do it! Draw me what happened to you!
I liked this version of the conversation better. We agreed as follows: my brother asks a question, and I answer him with a drawing.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Peter knew everything.
- Don't you compose? - the brother looked again at the sheet, where I depicted the head of a man looking out the window. We still have a second floor! You need a ladder to reach the window. Yes, and the windows of the nursery go directly to the busy part of the street.
I just shrugged. Silence hung in the room, finally the brother resolutely collected the drawings and said:
- I'm going to visit a friend! He lived for a long time in China and Japan. The last two yearsode he lived in the taiga. In the village of Golds. By a happy coincidence, he had already returned home two weeks ago. I wanted to meet him tomorrow, but in connection with the events that have opened up ... Okay, I went. I hope a friend will tell me how to be now and what to do.
My brother was already at the door when I abruptly jumped out of bed and grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket.
- Well? Did you remember something? Peter was worried
I rushed to the table and drew Peter, Uncle Mo, and myself in three strokes.
“You…” the brother turned the drawing over, “you want me to. …Do you want me to bring Uncle Mo to you?
“Yes,” I tensed with all my might, but I still managed to articulate my desire, “bring him to me!” I need to apologize!
- But ... The fact is that mother already sent Maria for him! There... There is no one there. Residents have been abandoned. Uncle Mo's apartment is closed.
— Ah… Ah, fanza? Is there a shed that was on the roof? Here, I drew it for you!
- No, he is not in the fanza either!
The house is deserted and even seems to be for sale.
I grabbed my head! My God, what have we done!
“Petya, don’t leave yet,” I croaked, “I want to ask the last question: Vovka was not found?
- Not.
Peter left, and I suddenly remembered the books and rushed to the closet. However, books are no longer my friends. Everything was the same on the pages of the books. The letters were scattered and did not form words. Arina entered the room. I rushed to her.
— Arinka, help me, can you read this page to me?
My sister looked at me in surprise.
"Why can't you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
- I ... I have something with my eyes. And I definitely need to remember what is written here.
I waited with bated breath for Arina to start crying and accusing me of playing tricks on her again, but my sister sat comfortably in an armchair in front of the fireplace and began to read:
- Gray duck. Russian folktale. One day…” Arinka looked at me and asked, “Read on?” Do you want me to just tell you what this story is about? We were just at the lesson of literature, last week, we read it by roles. Want?
“No,” he approached his sister, took the book and put it back in the closet. - No need. I must have confused something.
- Yes? - Arinka laughed softly, - Sasha came to you three times. But mom didn't let him in. And Sasha, in my opinion, was upset, and even, it seems, burst into tears!
- Well, you, Arina, a liar! You blew it! Men do not cry! Tell me that you lied, otherwise I'll tell my mother where you hide the notebook according to the law of God!
“Vitya,” the sister crossed herself, “I’m not lying to God!” Everything was as I say! Oh, I forgot, Sasha told me to give you one thing!
- What a thing - I started, - let's hurry!
Arinka flew out of the room in a whirlwind and immediately returned. With a mysterious wink, she handed me the bell. A string was attached to the bell. The lace was red and twisted.
I expected anything but this.
I remember this string. When we entered the fanza, there were three rooms. There was a bed in the first room. It was huge and took up almost the entire room. The bed was covered with curtains. However, these curtains were easy to open. It was enough to pull the string with the bell. This is exactly the lace that I now have in my hand. Vovka wanted to tear the bell off the lace, so that later he could exchange it for something with the guys from Polohaya Street, but I didn’t let him. I was afraid that the owner of the fanza was about to appear and catch us. I remember how I pulled Vovka along with me. And where was Sasha at that time? Sasha followed us! Went, but did not reach. He was not with us at the moment when we looked at the bookcase. When we entered the third room, he had not yet appeared either! Why did I decide that at the time when we were looking at the table with the drawings, Sasha was looking for a second way out? He could look for anything, be in any room, but... But it could well be like this: Sasha wandered aimlessly around the rooms, even looked into the bowels of the bed and... What? Did you accidentally find a way out?
This is some nonsense! My head ached, I decided to wait for Sasha's arrival and ask him about everything myself.
And meanwhile the night was approaching. Peter has not arrived yet, Arinka has gone to her friend. Several times my mother looked into the room, but when she saw that I was lying and looking at the ceiling, she left me alone.
AGAIN BLUE MAN IN THE WINDOW
Evening has come. The room was getting dark at an incredible rate. The nursery is now lit all night from the streetlights. The governor ordered that the streets adjacent to Millionka be lit all night long. Thus, the city authorities are trying to eradicate crime. The windows of my current room overlook the courtyard. In the yard, of course, there are no streetlights. There was a knock on the door. Uncle Pavel came in and lit the fireplace. The glare that the fire threw on the walls should have made me feel peaceful, but they did not. I was worried. To calm down, I went to the window to close the curtains, but immediately recoiled! The same disgusting face peered out the window. However, something has changed. The terrible man became visible from the waist up. Somehow he pulled himself up in his arms. It became clear that the blue man was wearing a shirt,tuyu strange patterns, and his eyes were no longer motionless. The blue little man looked straight at me and grinned. I closed the curtains and flew out into the corridor.
I rushed without looking at the road and stumbled ... on Peter. My brother gently pressed me to him and asked:
- Where is the fire? Where are we flying?
“Sing,” I turned around in horror in the direction from which I had fled, “there ... let’s go, you’ll see everything for yourself!”
However, when we returned to the room, there was no one and nothing outside the window.
I quickly told my brother what I saw at the window and looked up at him. Petya looked at me doubtfully, but said nothing aloud.
There was a pause. Finally, the brother cleared his throat, and tried to defuse the situation.
“So the blue man, you say? Didn't he have wings? - Petya tried to raise my head, but I rested my eyes on the floor
“Petya, if you don’t believe me, then go away, I want to sleep!”
- Vitka, are you a guy or not a guy? What kind of girlish exclamations? Believe, don't believe! The point is not whether I believe you or not, the point is that we need to act, and act, as quickly as possible!
- Did you find out something? - I looked at my brother with hope, - Petka, don't languish, speak!
“I’m not silent because I don’t want to speak!” Just thinking about how to present to you what I learned from a friend. By the way, my friend's name is Slava. Yes, you know him! Do you remember, two years ago, he gave you a map of the Primorsky Region for your birthday!?
- Yes, I remember Uncle Slava, you forbade me to call him uncle then! And I…
- Vitya, brother, wake up, you pronounce the words in a strange way, as if in a dream! Okay, I won't pull the cat's tail.
Slavka promised to clarify something, but I can already tell you the main thing right now. Luckily for us, Slava brought a gold shaman with him. The old man has some business with the Chinese on Semyonovskaya Street, and that's why he is now in our city. I don’t even know where to start… By the way, take your drawings, the shaman ordered them to be burned!
- How to burn?
- Just throw it in the fireplace!
— What will happen?
"Vitka, don't get me out of patience!" Just throw the drawings in the fireplace and listen to me further! Yes, before I start my story, I want to ask you something: brother, did you happen to take anything from someone else when you got into fanza with the boys?
“No,” I looked at my brother, who seemed to accept my answer unconditionally, but the speed of my answer made him wary.
“Vit,” he patiently turned to me again, “think well, this is not a joke!” The gold shaman said that it looks like you have a key in your hands! However, you forced yourself to forget about this key!
I beg you, remember, maybe you took something from the shed? It is very important!
- Yes, - the confession was given to me with difficulty, I blushed and did not know where to put my eyes from shame, - yes, I took something! But believe me, I didn't do it on purpose! The fact is that Vovka put his finger into the paint and started fooling around. He even ran a paint-stained finger over the almost finished painting that lay on the table. And then I just wanted to smear the picture. He had already turned the can of paints upside down so that the paints flowed onto the drawing, but then someone walked on the roof of the house. Someone was walking towards the door of the fanza, and we ran away through the second door that Sashka found.
“I expected something like this,” Petya went to the fireplace and stared into the fire, “show me these colors!”
I pulled out a jar and gave it to my brother.
- Ah, that's it! - brother sniffed, - and I'm still wondering what it smells like in the room? The smell is not familiar, but pleasant! Have you noticed what strange colors the paints have? This is not red - it is rather a carrot - beetroot - scarlet color! Well, what are you silent? Converted or not?
- Not. I did not make it in time. I was not up to it! But now I see that it's true...
There was a knock on the room, and Uncle Pavel entered the door.
- There, barich Pyotr, they came to you, - looking affectionately at his favorite, the uncle said, - your friend, Vyacheslav Ivanovich!
- Vyacheslav ... Slavka or what?
- Yes they! Call what?
- Yes, call, let him come into this room!
When Uncle Pavel came out, Petya looked at me and said.
- Take it easy. Now we need to get together and be calm. It's good that God brought me so that I could help you! Everything will be fine! Just trust me and tell the truth. Nothing can be hidden now! Do you understand?
PETER'S FRIEND COMES TO THE HELP
Vyacheslav, Peter's friend, entered the room without knocking, almost bursting in. Unlike the solid, almost always serious Peter, Vyacheslav-Slavka was cheerful, witty and ... fidgety. He chatted incessantly, could not sit still for a second, all the time teasing Peter and those around him. In any case, this is how Vitya remembered him when Slava came two years ago to his birthday.
- Well, where is our hero of the occasion? - Vyacheslav boomed, flopping down on an armchair near the fireplace! What am I going to tell you now!
“Slav,” Peter grimaced, trying to calm his friend, “you should have spoken more quietly!” Mother will hear, you have to tell everything! You have no idea what will happen here then!
“I'm sorry, I'll try to speak quietly,” Slava tried to whisper, but almost immediately forgot about his promise.
Two minutes later, his bass filled the whole room again.
You have found the key you are talking about.eagle shaman? Slava asked a friend, mind you, this is urgent!
- Yes, I found it, - Peter's answer was laconic, it was clear that his brother did not want to give an explanation of how the key - the paints ended up with Victor.
Fortunately, it did not occur to Vyacheslav to inquire and get to the bottom of the matter. Peter knew about the key and that was enough.
“The shaman learned something, however, for this he had to sacrifice a whole ginseng root. Some languages ;;are untied with great difficulty.
“I’ll reimburse everything,” Peter interrupted his friend gloomily, “you know, I won’t stand up for the price, the main thing is only ...
“However, think about what you say,” Slava smiled, “do not even think about talking about money to a shaman. The shaman is my friend and I myself will decide how to pay him off. There will be retribution, but you will have to pay,” Slava sighed, “not with money. Oh no money!
“Okay,” Peter nodded, “I’ll do as you say!”
- Why is Vitek silent here? - Slava laughed again, - okay, don't be afraid, the big and strong uncle Vyacheslav has come and will drive away the terrible, blue beech! By the way, did the beech appear today? The shaman said that today is just the right time. Buka must grow up!
“Yes,” I threw a guilty look at Peter, “the blue man looked out the window again today!” Only today, besides the head, I also saw his body! He seems to have grown up!
“So it is,” Slava’s smile suddenly faded, and he almost seriously finished his sentence, “the blue man grows in parts. Last time
of the whole man was the head. This head looked at you! Today a torso has grown on the head! True, the torso to the waist! And tomorrow…
A thin scream was heard in the corridor behind the door, and something fell.
- So, - Peter jumped up, - what is this?
- This is Arina, - I answered frightened, - she likes to stick her nose where it doesn't belong!
“Petya,” Vyacheslav cried out in despair, “do something quickly!” The less people know about the blue man, the less danger!
Petya ran out of the room and brought in Arina, who had lost consciousness from fright.
My sister was laid on my bed, she soon came to her senses.
“Petya,” she groaned weakly, “what were you talking about the blue man?
“Fi, Madame Arina,” Vyacheslav got into the conversation, “you are almost an adult young lady, it’s time for you to get married, and you use such words: you were lying!” I must say: what are you inventing about the blue man!
And we are inventing,” Slava winked at Peter, “we are inventing a plot for a new picture that Vitya is painting.
“You might think,” Arina jumped up abruptly from the bed, “don’t make a mistake ... don’t invent it!” Again you hide everything from me! And here's something I know, but I won't tell you!
- Sister, - Petya sat on the edge of the bed, and tried to put Arina's blond head on the pillow again, - you misunderstood everything!
“I understand everything,” my sister cried through her tears, “and I know who you are talking about!”
Now, when I was returning from a friend, I saw Vitka's friend, Sanka. She and her mother were loading things onto a cart. I called to Sanka, and he said that he and his mother were leaving the city for good. Sanka ordered to tell Vitka that Vovka comes to him every night. Vovka does not have one finger on his hand, and for some reason it turned blue. Vovka taps on the glass with his fingerless hand and asks to be let into the apartment. Sashka's mother also saw this and that's why they left so urgently. Here you are talking!
“Arina, don’t get excited, we believe you,” Petya pressed his sister to him, “but we are afraid that mom will find out about all this!” You know how weak her nerves are! She must never know about anything!
“Okay,” Arina got up from the bed and straightened her dress, “I won’t tell my mother anything!” But so are you... Don't make me look stupid! And in general, - Arina turned to Slava, - I will never get married!
Reserving the last word, the sister left the room
- Well, Victor ... Vit, what's the matter with you? - Slavka got worried, - Why are you looking at one point? Petya, look how pale he is! Now he's going to faint! Give ... Splash water in his face!
“No, I… I’m fine.” The boy shook his head, as if not recognizing those who were sitting next to him. - It seemed to me, or did Arinka really say that the blue man is Vovka?
No, it can't be! I saw this head - it's not Vovka's head! I saw this torso, I saw the hands that clung to the window sash! Yes, hands...
No, Arina still told a lie! The blue man had all his fingers! Probably... were... I can't remember! I looked into his eyes, not at his hands!
“That's enough,” Petya shook his brother gently, “come to your senses!” Let's listen to what Slava wanted to tell us. Can you calm down? Put the paints on the shelf, sit in the chair and try to concentrate! What is your favorite lesson at school?
- The history of homeland
“Here, imagine that you are in this lesson, and you have to remember everything that the teacher says! Word by word!
- Good
- So, I understand that my finest hour has finally come, - Vyacheslav laughed, - and I am given the floor?
“Slav, stop teasing,” Peter grimaced, “speak already!”
UNCLE MO IS THE KEEPER OF MYSTERIES
“The Goldov shaman, and his name is, by the way, Mitka, said this: he found one of Mr. Mo’s distant relatives andhe said a strange thing. Uncle Mo does not have any younger brother and never did. He has a dime a dozen relatives, near and far, but God did not give brothers and sisters. A distant relative told Mitka the shaman one more interesting thing. Mr. Mo does not age. A relative, let's call him Li Tan, has been living on earth for more than 60 years. When he arrived in Vladivostok, which was thirty years ago, Mr. Mo looked exactly the same as he looks now. Li Tan brought with him to Vladivostok several old portraits, they depict great-grandfather, grandfather and father of Li Tan, and ... uncle Mo. Li Tan showed this portrait to Mitka. According to Mitka, in the portrait, Mr. Mo looks like a respectable fifty-year-old gentleman. That is the same as it looks now! Did I understand you correctly Vitya?
“Yes, you won’t give him more than fifty years!”
— Li Tan, — Slava continued his story, — tried to remember everything that the family told about Uncle Mo. The shaman does not speak fluent Russian, but I hope I understood him well enough. Li Tan visits his native village very often. The village is famous for its longevity, so it's no surprise that Mr. Mo has been on earth for so long. Most likely, the villagers simply have no time to bother themselves with extraneous matters. Li Tang, at the request of the shaman, tried to calculate how long Uncle Mo lives and lost his way. Well, according to rough estimates, it's about three hundred, three hundred and fifty years!
Come on, remember what Lord Mo told you about the secret city?
“He said that his family is the guardian of the secret city of Zhen.
“It’s strange,” Peter interjected into the conversation, “usually they don’t tell strangers such things!” Did your friends also hear what he said?
“Let me think,” thoughts jumped and got confused in my head, but I tried to concentrate, “no! No, three times Uncle Mo started talking about the secret city and the guardians, and all three times I was alone at that time.
- Weird. Well, don't get distracted, - Slava looked out the window, - otherwise it's already quite dark outside, and I have to get up early tomorrow! Actually, it seems to me that you already understood everything! We will discuss the details later.
The scheme is as follows: earlier, the Jurchen tribes owned the entire region. Somewhere within Vladivostok, according to Li Tan, a secret city still exists. The city keeps some terrible secrets. The city has a caretaker. Most likely, this is Uncle Mo. Fanze, who stood on the roof, is also many years old. No matter how all three hundred!
Uncle Mo has been sick lately, it happens with 300-year-old keepers. Li Tan once heard that Mo started looking for a receiver - the keeper of the key. Uncle Mo deliberately shook the old days and went to his native village, but did not find someone who would fit such a role. Several times he even visited remote monasteries in the mountains of China. But he didn't get anywhere either. Master Mo carried an old book with him everywhere, and read passages from it to the novices of the monastery. I do not want to repeat myself, but I have to say that among the novices there was no one who would be suitable for the role of the keeper of the key.
“Slava,” I broke down and interrupted my older friend, “did you say that Uncle Mo doesn’t have a younger brother?”
- Have you ever seen him? - Peter asked anxiously.
- Not. However, why did Uncle Mo tell me about this brother then?
“Don’t worry, brother, we’ll all find out soon,” Peter half turned to me, trying to cheer me up, “I see that my mother decided not to take my books to the attic. This is right. There are many useful things here. Yeah, - my brother leafed through my geography textbook, - that means your shelf with books! I recognize the painfully familiar spine of the book! At one time, I also studied from the same textbook! My God, distant countries, continents and oceans, I even remember ... And what is this? - Brother pulled out the book that Arina brought, - Is this your book?
— No, my sister brought it to me.
- Where did she get it? - Slava approached Peter and took the book from his hands - Strange, the alphabet is completely unfamiliar! These are not hieroglyphs, however ... Vit, where did Arina get this book?
- I do not know. She said that this was my book, and that I seemed to have forgotten it when Uncle Pavel helped me carry things into this room.
- Well, what about you? Unable to bear the silence, Peter approached me again. Taking the book from Slava's hands, he tried to put the book into my hands, but I moved away and tried to press myself against the wall. - What? Are you afraid of this book?
Come on, if you haven't told us yet?
- No, everything is fine.
"Vitya, look me in the eyes!" That's it, now tell me why you don't want to take this book.
- Aren't you going to laugh?
- We'll see! - Vyacheslav smiled, - there are moments when it is simply impossible to keep from laughing! Petka, do you remember that manzu, how he ...
“Slava, you have to be more modest and restrained, and as for the manza, you would generally erase these memories from your memory!” Okay, everyone, joked and it will be!
Vitka, brother, of course we will not laugh! I give you the word of a military man! Speak, tell, don't be afraid!
- Petya, remember, you promised! And Arina doesn’t have a word, otherwise she tortures me with ridicule!
We already promised! Well, what are you talking about again?
It was hard for me to speakthese words, but I still made up my mind and said:
- When Arina brought the book, I was very surprised, but I did not convince my sister. She thought it was my book. I don't know why I did it. After all, it was possible to refuse the book. Truth?
I really wanted to be alone and see what was written in the book! However, I was disappointed, I could not read the book. And not because it is written in a foreign language. It just turned out that the entire alphabet in which the book was written turned out to be mixed up.
- Like this? - Petya was surprised, - What kind of fantasies are these?
"Well, do you remember how you taught me to read?" You shuffled the letters and asked me to find among them those that I needed to make the right word.
You then very quickly taught me how to read! Dad, when he returned from the circumnavigation, was very pleased with my progress! So, in this book, the letters are exactly mixed up like that, only I could not find the familiar ones among them!
- Well, let's say, - Petya frowned, - but what about your books? Can you find familiar letters in them?
“I can,” I agreed, “and I even find it, but these letters do not want to form words.
“You mean to say,” Slava chuckled, “that you forgot how to read?”
“Sing,” I felt hurt and hurt, “well, tell him, he promised!” I won't tell you more!
- All right, all right, - Slavka put his hand on my shoulder, - I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose!
- Shut up, both of you, - Petya frowned, - I have some kind of thought spinning in my head ... Something related to the book ... Vitya, what did you tell me about the book?
- About this book?
- Not. Not about this one. Well, how about ... There was a conversation ...
“Yes,” Peter’s friend laughed contentedly, “there was a conversation! Petya, you need to take life easier! Then there will be no need to torment yourself, remembering what was said fifteen minutes ago. Vitya, repeat to your serious brother what he told us about the second room! Wow, there are sheds of three rooms! Well, why are you silent?
I AM NOT A THIEF
- When we entered the fanza, in the first room ...
“We already understood everything about the first room,” Slava interrupted me impatiently, “the bed there was curtained with some kind of rags!” Go to the second room immediately!
- Not curtained with rags, - Vitya was offended, - but with silk curtains, they were crimson, embroidered with dragons and birds, and on the sides of the curtains there were bells on a string.
“Vitya,” Petya yawned and shook his head, driving away sleep, “you are not speaking correctly, there is no such word, curtain.” There are words: curtain, curtains! One more thing to say...
“Oh, mine,” Slava grimaced in displeasure, “it’s impossible! Petya, you are out of the way, I am also on my feet all day. Yes, and Vitka ... Still sick! Can we finish the conversation tomorrow?
“The fact is that I can be called back at any moment!” Of course I was given a vacation for a week, but that doesn't mean anything! You understand... The whole region is under martial law! And therefore, if you can somehow help and sort out the problems that Vitka created, then you need to do it without delay!
"But it's already so late!" - Vyacheslav looked out the window and shook his head, - And I still have to go to Suifunskaya! And you can't find a driver now!
“You know what, stay with us tonight!” - Petya started up, - we have a lot of rooms, you won’t be embarrassed! Do you want me to tell my mom now? She will order and everything will be in order!
- Yes, somehow ... It’s inconvenient to disturb your mother, she must be already sleeping!
- Not. She reads until midnight. Stay, and before your service you will go closer from here in the morning!
- Good. It's decided. I stay! So where did we end our conversation?
“In the second room,” Vitya reminded
- Yes. In the second room there was a bookcase. Remember what you said about books?
- That one book on the shelf was missing!
Do you think this is the same book? - Petya was surprised, - However, I think so too!
“The only question is,” Slava picked up the thought, “where did this book come from in your home?” Vitya, of course you did not bring this book?
How could I bring her if she wasn't there? - Vitya was offended, - the fact that I took the paints does not mean that I am a thief! I explained that I took a box of paints by accident! I took it from Volodya when he...
“Yes, yes,” Petya interrupted me, “we remember what you were talking about and don’t blame at all!” We're trying to help you, don't you get it? And to help, you must first understand what really happened. Let's recap: we have the paints from room three, the book from room two.
“Yes,” Slava picked up, “these items do not match at all and do not give clues. Listen, the thought occurred to me: we don’t have anything from the first room. No item. Or, - Slava, carefully looked at Vitya, - or is there?
I didn't take anything from there. - Vitya frowned, - I'm not a thief!
- Vitya, what are you doing? - Petya again leafed through the book - we never thought about you like that! Stop doing that! Well, how much do you have to say that we're just trying to figure out what's what! If you keep being offended, we will never move forward! You still haven't answered Glory's question. Do we have something from the first room?
- Yes, there is, - Vitya put his hand under the pillow, and God's light appearedThere was a string with a bell - Arina brought me this bell. She said that she had met Sasha, my friend, on the street. Mother and Sasha were loading things onto a cart. Arina said that Sasha was very scared. He saw Vovka several times. But Vovka was blue-blue, he did not have a finger, and he knocked on the window and asked to be let into the house. Sashka, - Vitya had tears in his eyes, - said that they were leaving the city forever, and gave Arina this string with a bell.
- Like this. - Slava tried to summarize everything he heard, but fell silent, and then turned to Peter, - Why didn't you tell me about the bell from the first room? If I had time to convey the story about the bell to the shaman Mitka, then maybe we would already know everything!
“Yes, because this is the first time I’ve heard about this string with a bell!” Peter looked at me questioningly.
“Arina brought me a bell after you left for Vyacheslav,” I tried to justify myself, “I completely forgot to tell you about it!”
— Okay, — Slava smiled, — Why now! I'll tell Mitya tomorrow.
Peter, do you understand what that means? After all, these three items were not in vain in the hands of Vitya.
- Probably not in vain!
Petya wanted to add something else, but he was interrupted by a cry from the street
- We're on fire! Good people, help!
We rushed to the window. Uncle Mo's house was on fire. In fact, it's already burned out. The entire population of the street poured out, trying to defend the house. However, this turned out to be impossible. When the fire brigade arrived, the house was already burning down. The fire station was located not far from our street - on Suifunskaya, but the firefighters could not help in any way.
I vaguely knew that this fire was my fault. However, it turned out to be impossible to understand and formulate what I was guilty of. I felt uneasy. After we returned home, there was no more talk of Uncle Mo's house. We went to our rooms. Petya, however, returned fifteen minutes later. He closed the curtains tightly, and then patted my head and promised that everything would be fine. With these words, he left his former room.
PETER LEFT. I AM ALONE WITH HORROR AGAIN
When I woke up, it turned out that Petya was not worried in vain, he was indeed called back to his duty station. The package with the order was delivered at five in the morning. Petya told me not to wake me up. Uncle Pavel brought me a note left by my brother.
“Victor,” the note began, “I’ll be back as soon as I can! I didn't have time to take a vacation. I leave Vyacheslav for myself. He will help you! He will tell everything he learned from us to the shaman Mitka. Keep your nose up and don't be afraid! Your brother, Peter."
The doctor has not yet allowed me to go outside. I bombarded him with requests, and with a creak snatched permission from him tomorrow to go to my friends in class. Today I was ordered not to leave the chapels of the house. Glory came in the evening. He was gloomy and not like himself. Since it was already late, my mother ordered to make a bed for Slava in one of the guest rooms. Petya agreed on this with his mother before leaving. At night I woke up from rustling and scraping sounds. The curtains were bent almost to the ceiling, as if from a big wind, and they froze. Now nothing blocked the windows. A blue man was looking out the window. Looking closer, I really recognized Vovka in a terrible person. The blue man's body was swollen and huge. However, the man did not knock on the window, he simply tried to pull himself up on his hands as high as possible. His body has grown a few more inches. The man just looked at me and smiled senselessly. Then his lips began to move, I tried to understand what he was saying, but the frames were already prepared for the winter and, therefore, almost nothing was heard. Although it seemed to me that I made out the word "Key!", However, I was not sure about it. I rushed into the room that Slava was taken to. My adult friend did not sleep, it seemed that he was waiting for me. As soon as I ran into the room, he nodded in satisfaction. We exchanged a few words and walked, almost ran, to my current room. The blue man only chuckled when he saw Glory. Celebration flickered across his face. He looked at me again, unclenched his hands and disappeared from our field of vision. The word "Key!" Now Slava also heard.
I couldn't sleep anymore. We sat in silence for about five minutes, then Vyacheslav said:
- Mitka warned me that the blue man would return again today. I didn't sleep, I was waiting for you. The shaman also reminded me to tell you to use the key. The blue man must not be allowed to grow fully. If this happens, there is nothing I can do. The danger threatens not only you, but your entire family.
- Glory! shouted Vitya, "but I don't have any key!" My mother never even gives me the key to the house, she is afraid that I will lose it!
“The key,” Peter’s friend rubbed his eyes, “is one of the three items from Mr. Mo’s fanza. Paints, a book or a bell with a string. Get out the paints and the lace, and I'll take out the book now.
KEY IS ME
We laid out the items on the table. I really wanted to sleep and reminded Vyacheslav of this several times, but Peter's friend was inexorable. Everything must be decided right now, tonight. Istared blankly at all three objects and did nothing. The bell had no tongue, it did not ring. The book still did not want to reveal its secrets, but the colors… Slava ordered me to get a large blank sheet. I did what he told me. I dipped the brush into the paint and froze. It seemed to me that a high, clear sound spread through the room. However, Slava's face was motionless. My older friend didn't hear anything, and I thought I was only imagining it. I started painting. Slava said that I could manage on my own and went to bed. I didn't even notice when he left the room. Everything in me sang. I almost stopped being aware of where I am and what is happening to me. My heart was filled with delight. I was not mistaken, each paint had its own sound. I drew, the colors mixed, and led my own melody. Finally the drawing was finished and I woke up. I looked at the drawing. The picture was a view from the window of my nursery. In the place where Mr. Mo's house had stood, there was now another building. In the picture it was clear that there were buildings nearby, which I used to see from childhood from the window of my nursery. There was a sign above the house. She proudly said: "Pharmacy." The door of the house was ajar, and it was clear that people were crowding in the pharmacy. There was a closet with drawers from ceiling to floor. The boxes were small, dark brown wood. Another door was visible. It was probably an emergency exit. This door was also open. Somehow I even managed to depict a small garden that was in the courtyard. Through the emergency exit, this garden was clearly visible. People sat in the garden and waited their turn. For it was possible to enter the pharmacy only in turn. People smiled and talked. A young man stood at the pharmacy table and, weighing something on a pharmacy scale, mixed herbs in order to give the finished medicine to the next visitor. I looked into the face of the young man and was dumbfounded. I myself was standing near the table.
And in front of me stood a girl, almost a girl. The girl was quite tall, she towered over the rest of the customers. The oriental appearance of the girl did not go well with her height. And the timid, driven expression on her face suggested that the girl would now break away and run away. Fear was read in her entire figure. The pharmacist, that is, I, handed the girl a package with ready-made medicine. It could be assumed that the girl would pay with money. But no. The girl held a green button in her open palm. The button was shaped like a gem. I looked into the face of the young apothecary. It seemed to me that indignation and indignation should be reflected on his face at the sight of such a strange payment. But no, the young man, that is, I was delighted. He tenderly looked at the girl and held out his hand to take from the tender fingers what was supposed to serve as payment for the healing herbs. Looking into the faces of those who were waiting for their turn in the kindergarten, I saw five young people. Three Japanese looked at the girl and smiled: a girl, a young man and a Japanese about thirty years old. A Russian and a Chinese girl stood nearby. A tall girl came out of the pharmacy smiling, and constantly looking back at me. Behind her, one after another, her friends began to approach. I gave each of them a packet of medicinal herbs. Finally the drawing is empty. The door under the Pharmacy sign slammed shut. The tension released me and it became clear to me that I was the key. Uncle Mo will never come back. I became the keeper of thousand-year secrets, and at the same time the key to these secrets.