Book-7. Edem, novella

Chapter 1

Krazimova Anna opened her eyes while lying in bed. She was awakened by a persistent doorbell. For three long years, no news of Leni. Though she was told that her husband was missing. But deep down she could not believe this terrible news. She never for a moment doubted that her Lenya alive and ever will give news about themselves. And suddenly this doorbell. She sleepily glanced at the clock ticking away in the corner of uniformly, wedding gift Garinova General Alexei. Arrows these massive antique clocks pointed to ten minutes to nine.

“Again, overslept. – It occurred to her – again will grumble at the nursery governess Dima.”

She jumped out of bed, draping on the go on a nightgown robe and ran out into the corridor, heading for the front door. There stood the postman.

– Sign here, please. – Immediately, he said.

– Why should I sign? – Anya asked warily.

– You got a letter from abroad with the notification. – Insisted postman. He was obviously in a hurry, impatient and held out log with a red notice form. In the magazine in front of her name was a free cell.

– These logs are available at the post office and go there to get registered mail with notification. – Responsible Anya.

– I have no time for you, madam, to debate about this, so I ask you, sign. – He jabbed a finger into the box and gave her a pen to paint. Anya sighed and put his signature.

– Please, here! – He showed her a free box on a red notification form. Anna sighed and put his signature on the form. Postman in turn sighed and looked into his eyes expressively Ani, handing the envelope. The envelope had the Chilean address and almost all of it was plastered with beautiful stamps. Strange was this envelope with no return address and no name of the sender. It only means that this is Chile, “Villa Bavaria.” Anya surprised considered envelope, turning it in his hands, suddenly remembering that it is necessary to conduct Dima in kindergarten and threw the envelope on the table by the mirror.

– Mama! – The kid’s voice from the next room. – What, Dad came?

Anya sighed deeply and sensually:

No, son, it was the postman! Bring a letter!

– Pechkin? – Asked seriously kid. About postman he knew the familiar cartoon characters and genuinely believed that one day and the postman knocks on their door and it will certainly postman Pechkin from Buttermilk and then bring the cherished letter from the Pope, so that he waits and hopes that his father will certainly still write and his mother. Just Dad is very busy and he had no time. Whenever the day came for the evening dawn, and Dima came time, goes to bed, he thought about the same, that there will come the next day and the letter will come tomorrow.

– Mom, this is a letter from the pope? – Asked son with undisguised curiosity.

No, again, of what may be a Christian sect with an invitation to come to the meeting.

– And will you go?

Of course not, my son, I have a lot to do at home and at work.

Dima sighed as quite an adult. On the threshold of his room seemed a boy of five years in pajamas painted with color pictures of mushrooms and butterflies. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and fists went into the dressing room.

On the street the day met Anya March thaw. Gloomy sky nestled heavy leaden clouds. Rare wet snow was falling with large drops of rain. Gusts of cold wind threw a wet abyss in the face, blowing out cold under the scarf. Wrapped and trying to turn away from the spray on the embankment of the Moscow River Anya went to Dima for kindergarten. Toddler clung to his mother’s hand, and they soon came to a crossroads where on the opposite side of the street was a kindergarten.

– You would have led to dinner! – To meet their kindergarten teacher.

– Well, you know, I do not have time to sleep off duty! – In the hearts retorted Anne.

– And what is your husband, does not give money? – She asked sarcastically.

Involuntary eye tears rolled forward.

– I have three years of living in the dark, and no one can tell where he is?

– What have you loved him so he ran away? – Stalking the teacher.

– Look, you can, if you again in a similar tone will question me, I will not complain about you!

– Oh, oh, oh, what a scare! – Running, leading the boy by the hand of the children’s locker room, she threw at him. Anya, sniffling, wiping her tears with a handkerchief. She ran out into the street. Fine snow and rain threw a wet veil in the face. It became even more repulsive to the soul. It spoiled the mood of not passing slush added. And the oppressive loneliness again took possession of all her being. Everything in the world at that moment it seemed she was bad. Anya thought her Lenya alive and that it was something out of the ordinary, so he cannot report yourself. At the thought of her actions of the authorities have imposed such that in the event of the death of her husband as the wife of the Hero of Russia was to be put a good pension. But instead, his family deprived of the gift giving and the state have not appointed a decent pension. Anya was handed a message on the letterhead of the Department of Defense that her husband was missing. Soon to work in a prestigious medical facility chief doctor called her to him and announced a categorical tone that brooked no argument that she was fired for careless attitude. In fact it was a wolf ticket. With this wording in the workbook it will not be hired, even in places not so remote. She still managed to get a nurse on duty in the home for the elderly disabled, ex- military, where it was necessary to carry out the dirty and sometimes rewarding work to care for the sick. Money for all missing. And they Dima heckled as they could. This state of affairs in the family could not affect relations with others. And the first thing neighbors on the landing. All of a sudden stopped to say hello, others pointedly turned away, passing by Anya and Dima. Only Anna Sobinova was a frequent guest at Krazimova. But had fallen on her head and trouble completely crippled young woman. Anna began to drink, vodka, drowning the hardships of life.

“Did you ever have a son! – Often said she drunkenly. – And I have no one.” – Pouring himself a glass of vodka next faceted, she said Ana, who at that time was preparing meager dinner. Anna often thought about a change in the nature of friends and wondered why Sobinova could talk to her Anya just drunk? At a time when Ana, more than ever, needed a friendly support, which would somehow sort out this situation in life and do something. When Krazimova was on duty at his home for the elderly disabled, Sobinova sat with Dima. Relegated him to a children’s garden and picked him up from day care. Sobinova not dump her friend in trouble, but to talk with Anna in a sober state still refused. Anya with felt, somehow the catalyst, prompting Sobinov drinking. And when, one day, Anna told her about it, she began to cry. Through tears, explaining to Anya that it becomes too sad because it reminds her best years.

Rain and snow blinded. Curl, knocked out of the shawl, melted snowflakes on the forehead. Meltwater nasty phlegm tickled his forehead and cheeks. The woman often looked like the water from the face with a handkerchief soaked through and through.

“Here again took the umbrella.” – She complained to her forgetfulness. Anya slowly wandered the boardwalk along the waterfront. By noise and splashes raced cars, enveloping wet slush highway. Near the house where she lived Anya had a cozy cafe, where she decided to go. And the way from kindergarten to it no longer seemed so hopelessly gloomy. Warmed by this looming ahead flashing advertisements near heat, in which she can now enter. In the cafe, sitting at a table by the window, it was particularly comfortable to watch the passers- by was wrapped in a garment and for overcast weather- beaten outside. The waitress brought her a cup of coffee double. Thanking her, Anna was a pleasure to eat small sips invigorating drink with every sip doubled its strength, banishing fatigue, instilling courage and what that self- confidence. Thoughts clearer and clearer to refresh your memory, mood improved. Suddenly she remembered the morning visit to the postman and a strange letter. But why Chile? Why, what of that villa? After all villas in Latin America are called farms. And, it’s probably an invitation to work for agricultural wages, speculate Anya. Or again, what may be a preacher from one of the many sects welcome to contact him by e- mail to provide charity care. Either someone wants to tie friendly exchanges. And without determining that the message, Anna left the cafe and headed home.

At the door of his apartment in a pool of his own urine richly colored menstrual blood lay snoring, Anna Sobinova. A puddle of red blood flowed on the landing, making a nasty putrid smell. Anya in terror gripped with both hands behind his head. But the time for reflection was not coming to his senses, she quickly dragged her girlfriend in the hallway of her apartment under the drunken rambling grumbling. Then poured into a plastic bucket of warm water, abundant added to a bucket of detergent and quickly clean up the mess left from the landing. Having dealt with the cleaning, she began for her friend. She resisted, spewing choicest curse to know someone, do not give yourself to undress. Anya silently removes her wet clothes smelled unpleasant and throwing it in the laundry digesting. Then dragged her friend into the bathroom and, pouring a cold shower, tried to revive her. This is it, in the end, failed.

Who are you? – Asked through a vague mist in the eyes of Sobinova lying under a cold shower jets.

– Oh, you do not know me yet?

– A, and it’s you Anna?

– As you can see, I am!

– And I’m going to see you, and you’re already here.

– You drank a lot, Anna.

– Oh, nothing. – Responsible Sobinova.

– You cannot go anymore.

– Well, this is the last time. No longer will this shit in his mouth to take.

Anya had washed her warm shower. Then gave a clean towel. Anna, too, had been able to wipe themselves. Soon she came out of the bathroom in a terry- cloth robe and Anya are not paying attention to her friend, collapsed in her bed, immersed in an almost unconscious sleep. Anna took her dirty clothes. Washed in a washing machine and drying up there, she smoothed her dress and hung it on a chair at the head of a sleeping friend. And only then remembered the letter. But again, the work on the dirty clothes Sobinova Anna spent the rest of the day. The time is rapidly and irreversibly flashed like an instant. It’s time to go for a child to kindergarten. And reading the letters had to be postponed. Throwing a threadbare coat, and tying a feather head scarf, she went out into the snowy darkness of the street…

When Anna returned with Dima covered in snow dust may stick together on downy scarf and coat on his shoulders, Dima, looking at my mother exclaimed delightedly:

– Mama you look so much like Snow White Santa Claus!

– Oh, my son, my granddaughter still not enough to go?

They took off his outer clothing, and Dima did it with a serious look, “the adult” imitating men, in which he had already, learn, watching the TV. Anne, looking at his son, could not stop grinning, noting that maturity. When they coped with clothes, Anya said:

– Son, go to your room, and I need to talk to Aunt Anna!

Yes, Mom! – He obediently went to his room.

Anna was sitting at the kitchen table and drank strong coffee. Her hands were shaking like a fever. Formed under the eyes dark circles. She was bad.

– I like you, tell a friend, as you found herself under my door? – Asked her which became Anya.

– Annie, I do not remember anything! Trust me! I do not remember how to drink vodka. I do not even remember how and with whom! – Sobbing, slurring the words, justified Sobinova as the guilty schoolgirl in front of the class teacher. Sniffing, Anna wiped her tears with trembling hands clenched into fists. Behind him Ani suddenly appeared Dima. He looked at Anna, wide- open eyes: – Aunt Anna- bad? – Anna took her son’s arm: – Come on, come on, son. You, why not take off warm overalls? – Dima was taken aback by it and led to his room. It gave a little bit of time to think about the situation and decide something with the hapless girlfriend, or rather with her addiction. Anna was determined to talk and talk to her seriously about drinking and try once and for all put an end to it. But it’s only her can be very naive and insecure desire to help her friend, and wants to Sobinova, is another question. Ultimately, it is up to Anna herself. It was only when she realizes her worthless existence and will fight this habit, and the only way to overcome this illness. Stripped son, Anya went to Anna in the kitchen.

– There you are? – I met her Sobinova. She was still sitting at the table, finishing his coffee.

– I wanted to talk to you! – Immediately set to work Anya.

– What a friend we say?

– About you!

– Here’s more! Again begin disciplinary measures! You changed that, my Lenya, that’ll bring up, eh? – On her face white with anger went red staining. This does not bode well for Anya. The words flew from her unhappy Anna, like peas from the wall and only called it unreasonable anger. Anya for the first time in my life angry at her

– Do you want to walk the streets, kea resurrected zombies? You that nothing interests except this murderous booze?

– Oh, do not remind me of vodka, and so I feel sick! Yes, and now I do not want to live, you must understand!

Anya in his rush aid ran into an impenetrable armor wrapped around Sobinova to reach out and not giving up her ailing condition. And nothing could move, destroy this cocoon that has become an obstacle between them.

– Now, I’m gone! – A tambourine Anna – To prevent you from Dima.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. Ana was deeply sorry for her. But she decided it did not hold: – Go! – Suddenly, she said. – I’m not stopping!

Anna jumped up from his chair and ran sobbing into the bedroom, where hung on a chair Anna laundered her clothes. There was a fuss in the room. After a while she got dressed in the hallway. Became nervous look on his coat hanger hanging of clothing.

Well, where is it!

Anya watched from afar for its fuss:

– I washed it. It’s in the bathroom on the coil dried. – Anya replied. Anna sat down on the bellboy telephone table. Ana was, again sorry friend:

– And where will you go? – All of a sudden, tremulous voice, she had compassion Krazimova.

– What is true is true. – Anna said. She slowly got up from the table, intending to hide in the kitchen splattered tears from her eyes in two streams. Getting up, she inadvertently dropped on the floor a letter, which has had time to sit:

– Oh, what? – It automatically picked up the envelope.

– It’s me! – Anya said. He stuffed the envelope into his hand Krazimovoy, she ran to the kitchen. Soon there were heard her sobs. Anya out of it in the hands of the envelope, decided to distract her friend from a nervous breakdown. And the letter turned out quite the way. She came back with an envelope on the kitchen sobbing to a friend:

Well, do not cry. Come on, it’s better, it’s an honor. Certainly, some of the sect of the border with a proposal to join. And for sure, what be fans to warm their hands on unsuspecting citizens.

Anna stopped sobbing. She wiped her tears. Said:

– Oh, Annie, I can be, and then started to drink because of this.

Yes, we know, we know.

– Do you remember when it started with a general litigation Garinova?

Of course, I remember.

– It was then flooded with work. And then the endless raids and ambushes in our apartments. And then I could not stand it. In sect was nice and quiet at first. I regained her family the same impoverished, like myself. Yes, yes, of course. – Yeah Anna Krazimova saw that she had calmed down, and you could carry on a conversation in a peaceful way.

– Because then they disappeared all of a sudden. And we began to drag, to find out we could not cover them. Frayed nerves so much to us. – Told Sobinova, sighing on the verge of bursting into tears again. – So you’ve decided to join the cult. Sold the apartment, gave money to the so- called teacher and…

– I was on the street.

– But you probably forgot that you had and I have! – Anya said proudly. Sobinova sadly looked at her friend and a quiet voice she said: – Then here I started treated with vodka.

In order to somehow change the subject, Anna pointed to the letter and stated: – Honestly, I wanted to throw in the trash, but it was here when such passions with you come on, come on, read what there. You can always throw together laugh at these fishers of men’s souls.

– This letter has now no meaning for me. But still, let’s attempt to open Annie, look, it’s there!

Anya got out of the kitchen cabinet table knife and pierced them, envelope, opened it. Inside were neatly packed in another envelope smaller color photographs, and was attached a piece of paper covered even calligraphy. Anya took that piece of paper, said:

Handwriting- so wrote Elsa Eduardovna. Bah! Yes this is a letter from her!

– You cannot be serious! – Cried out in surprise and astonishment Sobinova.

Yes, look, here’s in the end her signature.

– What are you waiting for? Read!

Anna began to read a letter, time, and then taking his eyes from reading in utter surprise, commenting read: – How so? After Villa was founded by Nazi criminal still in nineteen sixty- first year! And there, suddenly, is general and Elsa Eduardovna!

– I, once, my Peter told me that the Nazis at the end of the war is very advanced in the development of flying saucers. And that helped them in some kind of extraterrestrial civilization.

– You probably do not in themselves a girlfriend?

Sobinova ignoring the remark Ani, continued:

– This is the most alien civilization and put away our relatives there this Villa. Here’s what I think!

– In any case, the general Garin could not on their own be in the nest. – Pointedly concluded Anya.

Yes, read the same, that there is this Aunt Elsa writes? – Impatience Sobinova come to an end. But Anna could not believe what he was reading, and broke new tirade:

– As far as I know the general, he would never, never, even under no circumstances would not agree to hide as timid hare, there, in the den of refuge, founded by former criminal.

– I believe that there were circumstances and took them there against their will! – Sobinova said firmly. – Yes, read it at last! Maybe they’ll find the answer to many questions! We learn though that be about our husbands?

Anya continued to read further. And the answer is found. Elsa Eduardovna wrote:

“… We are constantly terrorized, took fright at. Said that destroy unconditionally, until one day I was with Alex loaded into the machine, similar to ours, but with significant differences inside the cabin. Released us here have indicated the house in which we will have to live. And now, after years, only recently, just the other day I find out where we are and where we have hidden. Yes, it is very convenient and the lives of Alexey we do not complain. But constant anxiety does not leave me a sense of isolation from the outside world and oppresses depressing. Locals do not talk to us and try not to get us on the eyes. Reception staff speak only on the Latin language incomprehensible to me. But I learned the language and started a friendship with the maid. Here it is, and has forwarded this letter, which I hope, will get to you. I have a surprise for you, Anya. After three- plus years, you still will be able to request an main post office in Moscow to demand Sent me with a light hand on Alexei your name. If all else fails, take your passport and go down more every administration. you will have to give it. There you will find an indication of the fact that you have a substantial amount of money in U.S. dollars and this amount is hidden in a safe place, where you will learn from the message. Dimochka you with enough for a lifetime. This is Alex asked to hide the money from their accounts. How he did it is better not to ask. Yet he did it before our flight to Antarctica. Well, that’s about all. Be happy. We do not look, it’s useless. Unless something changes in our destiny for the better, then we shall find you themselves. Eduardovna Your Elsa, our little Dima and Alexei.”

Sobinova at the time of the photos depicting a happy family Garinova Elsa Eduardovna background of mountain scenery Villa Bavaria in Chile.

– Why not a word about my Pete and Lena? – Sadly Anna asked.

– You, that I realized that they were immediately isolated from each other. Aunt Elsa did not even know if our husbands are alive! – In our hearts, with tears in his eyes passed over, she replied Anne.

– That’s it, my friend, you have to go to the main post office for the letter.

– You want me to again clung to me with questions!

– What are you, Annie, you fool! It has been three, almost three and a half years, who comes into my head to follow the poor widow?

– I am not a widow! – Suddenly cried Anne. – Do not you dare me so, do you hear, do not you dare call me that more than ever! Do you understand?

– Yes! Understood. – Deaf Sobinova said.

Anya straightened. Her eyes flashed angrily. Anger she was breathing rapidly. Her breasts under a red woolen blouse heaving in time with the rapid breathing.

– You still pleases me to teach? Tell me what time it is?

Anna, grabbing hold of the saving straw reconciliation, answered:

– Five to six!

– It’s too late. As long as I get to the main post office issuing letters of demand to cease. We’ll have tomorrow. ‘ll Take Dima in kindergarten and I will go for the letter. Well, what a job the next day.

Anna, surprised and cautiously looked at Anna. This she saw her for the first time and scared. And suddenly Krazimova take and throw it on the street. Where it go? No housing, no job. She suddenly found itself in such a terrible situation. Gradually unwittingly found herself on the bottom of the homeless and destitute beggars.

– Forgive me. – Suddenly, she said, lowering her eyes, and hid them in his hands. She was terribly ashamed of this fragile and beautiful woman, still consider her a friend.

– Forgive me. – Again she repeated. But this phrase has rang through her sobs. Tears streamed down her palms and hands, moisturizing cloth kitchen table. Anya with undisguised sense of pity Sobinov watched in confusion, not knowing what to do with her crying. Finally a wave of surging anger left her, replacing compassion and resentment for her friend, which has reached such a state.

Yeah right, then. Calm down and tarry until we have. I will not ask every time a neighbor take Dima in kindergarten and take it from there as long as I’m on duty. It’ll do you.

– I will drop to drink, you’ll see! How could I come to this? – Again, sobbing, said through tears Sobinova.

– You know, Anna I almost washed down myself, when I came to the paper Lenya, that he was missing. Here are just Dima and saved me from that.

Anna wiped her tears with a handkerchief and with a sense of the faithful and loyal puppy, staring into the eyes of Ani. Krazimova calmed down. Its preventive measures to take effect, this time.

– You go to the bathroom so wash away the paint from his face. And I would advise you to wash your hair well, and so sitting here stuffed overseas. There’s a bathroom you will find on the shelf shampoo.

Anna sighed with relief. She got up and already had calmed down, went to the bathroom.

– That’s what misfortune! – Looking into her trail, expressed regret to Anna.