Attracts beauty [Freelance Storyteller] (fb2) читать онлайн

Freelance Storyteller Attracts beauty

Chapter 1: A fateful meeting

I walked down a road littered with the dead and saw how the ground could no longer absorb blood. I stopped unable to go any further and heard a man's voice, "Mutilate and kill, destroy the earth!".

I suddenly woke up a second before the doorbell rang. I hesitate to open the door, not only because I'm still reeling from the dream, which I've had for the second time in the last six months since I moved to the Coast to a rented apartment near the sea, but also because I'm not expecting anyone, it's my day off. The visitor is not going to give up, the calls persist. I cover my head with a blanket and try to remember the voice from the dream. It doesn't sound like the voice of my fiancé, because of whose crime I had to run away from home, playing a play for my parents, in which I renounced the imposed destiny. I lied convincingly, afraid to sign their death warrant, cutting to the heart of the matter. My parents believed me. I remembered my mother's reproachful look, my father's first and only slap in my entire life, his words now sounding so clearly in my head: "Ungrateful creature!". The knocking and pounding on the door pulls me away from the painful memories, and I get out of bed, instantly changing my silk shirt into a light light dress down to my knees. Brushing my long black hair below my waist, I open the door and let in a handsome blond man, about twenty-four years old, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans that emphasize his muscular figure.

— Hi, Lena! I'm Michael. He's tense, pale, and angry, but he's trying to control himself. Fascinated, he watches the comb move through my silky, thick hair and begins to calm down. And I'm already convinced that this guy is my destiny. Love at first sight? Really?

— Hey, Michael! — I'm putting the comb aside. — Why are you here? My greeting and question distract him from gazing at my perfect figure. He pulls money out of his pocket and puts it on the counter. — Here's a hundred thousand for your help. My sister has been kidnapped…

— Kaar, kaar! — comes from the street. A black raven sits on the window sill and looks at us defiantly.

— Someone is coming, someone is waiting, someone is saving the dead," Michael whispers, and I see the fire of madness in his eyes, I see that he is possessed as he continues:

— Something terrible is happening to my sister. I can feel her suffering, and I'm starting to lose my mind. You're going to find her.

I try to remember what my father told me about exorcism: "Well, I don't do it, because it's not enough to exorcize a demon. The person remains the same with all his sins, so the demon comes back, not alone, but with a company. And it gets worse."

— I can't do that. I'm just a psychologist. You need to go to the police.

— The police are at a standstill, and I don't have time to wait. And I know the psychologist is just a cover, you're a hereditary witch and your parents are white mages. You can find out where she is.

— So I'm a witch? I laugh nervously. No one in this town knows about my powers, and my family, friends, and acquaintances don't know where I am. — What makes you think that?

— I can't explain.

— And I can't help you. Take your money and go.

He's got a gun.

— If you don't want to do it the easy way," he said tiredly, but he didn't point the gun at me. Maybe the groom had tracked me down and sent Michael to check my position. And in that case, I had a plan:

— Look, Michael, my parents didn't realize you can't stay white when you're dark. It's not like I'm using dark forces, I don't want to risk my soul. If I chose the other side, I betrayed my family, and that would be worse than death," I bluffed, not wanting to die.

— I won't hurt you, just help me. His look of anguish. Shouldn't I be begging for mercy right now? But I stand my ground:

— Who sent you?

— No one. I found you myself. I saw your counseling ads on VK.

— And you knew I was a witch right away?

— You wouldn't understand.

— Try explaining it to me.

I hear a voice telling me about you, telling me what to do.

— Do you hear it now?

— And now.

Let's see. I concentrated, tuning in to the other world. The entity was next to Michael, whispering in his ear:

— "Stop talking to her. Just shoot her in the arm and she'll do whatever you tell her to do.

— The voice you hear belongs to a demon. We call them entities. The entity is with you right now, it is pulling energy from you and making you do what it wants you to do.

— And how to get rid of it?

— Fasting, prayer and communion.

— Don't listen to her, shoot her in the arm. Come on, hurry up. Save your sister.

Michael surrendered under compulsion and began to raise the gun. I looked into his eyes. He resisted, but I was still scared. I involuntarily clenched my hands into fists and hid them behind my back. He just smirked:

— You don't have to be afraid of me.

A shot rang out. The guy shot himself in the palm of his hand. Blood from the wound began to drip onto the floor.

I heard the essence again:

— Don't worry, the bullet went through and through. But we don't need her anymore. She can't help you. Kill her! Kill her! And I remembered the voice from the dream. "Mutilate and kill, destroy the Earth!" Now I knew for sure it belonged to a demon. Michael put the gun to his head, gathering the courage to pull the trigger.

— Give me the gun, please," I asked, holding out my hand.

And he handed the gun right back.

— You weakling," the creature howled. — Obeying a woman. What did she do to you? Don't look at her. She's the devil's beauty.

— This is going to hurt. I'll try to get information. There's no other way.

Michael nodded in agreement.

— You'll have time to wring her neck," the entity persisted.

I took his shot hand and squeezed it. He clenched his teeth. As the entity exclaimed and began devouring his energy with redoubled vigor, I "entered" its information center. Thinking it was possible, I was horrified by what I saw. I let go of his hand. My hand, stained in his blood, trembled. Michael didn't look well, I decided not to make it worse with the revelation. As I ran for the first aid kit, I tried to regain consciousness. Then injected a shot into Michael's thigh through his jeans and started bandaging him up.

— I can't hear the voice anymore. She's gone? — He broke the silence.

— No. The creature feeds on your pain and while it's busy, it won't do the compulsion. We're lucky you and your sister have one. The entity visited your sister often and fed on her fears. Through it, I saw your sister in a short black strapless dress.

— She disappeared in it.

— She's alive. We can find her. Let's go before you pass out. Along with the painkillers, I had to give you sleeping pills. As long as you're out, the entity can't hurt us. I expected outrage, but he just smiled understandingly:

— So you're driving my car. You know how to drive?

Like an angel in the flesh.

— Yeah. I took my purse and put my gun in it. — I don't feel like talking anymore.

I followed him, thinking about what I saw. I couldn't find any information about who had ordered me.

Chapter 2: The Savior's Spring

An hour and a half later, I stopped at the holy spring. Michael was sleeping uneasily and was delirious the whole way. Gently I shook him by the shoulder.

— Mutilate and kill, destroy the Earth! — he said without waking up. I shuddered. Was he dreaming my nightmare? I ran my hand gently over his cheek, then touched his forehead. His temperature is normal. That's good.

— Michael, wake up! — I began to shake him more vigorously.

He opened his eyes:

— Lina.

— You were talking in your sleep, do you remember the words? — I couldn't help but ask.

— No.

— What did you dream about?

— A war.

— War?

— I've been dreaming a lot these last few months. It's no accident. I'm a senior specialist at the Bureau of Climate Change. It's been clear for a long time that there's a battle for resources. Conflict, fighting, violence. But I have access to special information. Michael lowered his voice. — In a year and a half, war will come to the Coast.

Surprised:

— I chose this city for a reason. It has the best quality of life here, a place where people enjoy life. Far from migration crises, food shortages and terrorism. And in this fertile abundance…? You've got to be kidding me.

— The coast is a tidbit for which no blood will be spared, especially if it's foreign. Have you ever seen a war fought over something no one wants for nothing?

I remembered my dream. That's what it meant:

— You're right, Michael.

— Lina, promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Otherwise, I could go to jail for leaking classified information.

— I promise. But you, Michael, promise me you won't tell anyone about me. Or else—" I stopped talking for a second. — Or I'll be burned at the stake.

— Of course you will.

— Now take your shoes off. You need a bath. It'll get rid of your essence for a while.

He took off his sneakers. We got out of the car and walked to the spring.

I didn't want to see the entity. It was howling and spewing curses. So when Michael stood at the edge, I gently pushed him in without warning. As soon as he submerged, the entity disappeared.

He crossed himself and dipped his head three times. And then he called out:

— "Lina, look at this! — He began to bandage his shot hand.

I, on the contrary, moved farther away:

— And don't you dare throw me in the water!

Michael dived several times, and I drew holy water from the pipe into my hand and drank it greedily. Then I washed my face and went to the car. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since this morning.

— I made you hungry. Let's go get something to eat," Michael followed, wringing out his T-shirt as he walked.

I thought to myself, appreciating his muscular torso:

— No, we need to go to the TV tower, from there I can see the house where they're holding your sister.

He's tense again:

— Who's the kidnapper?

— You don't know him.

— Is he hurting her?

— Not yet, but we have to hurry.

— What does he want?

— Her.

Michael got behind the wheel, started the car, and held out his hand to me. The wound on my arm had healed, leaving a small scar as a reminder. I couldn't help but run my finger over it. Incredible! He who endures to the end will be saved.

Chapter 3: The Guiding TV Tower

When we got to the TV tower, Michael climbed up behind me and kept me safe. When I got partway up, I felt a jolt and fell off. He caught me, holding me tight against him.

— The creature had found us. It's going to attack again," I warned, finding my footing. Michael covered me with his arms, and the creature slammed into him, but it bounced away and disappeared.

— The holy water on your clothes drove it away. Let's move on," I opened my arms.

Our lips touched. Michael wanted to kiss me, but I pulled away:

— I have a fiancé in the capital. When I turn twenty-one, I have to marry him.

As I climbed up, I heard him following me:

— How old are you?

— Nineteen.

— Then I have two years to talk you out of it.

— Give it up. Our families have agreed on this since I was born. He's a very powerful sorcerer. And I'm his Coast," I said and sped up.

When we got to the top, I looked down and tried to find the right house.

— Do you love him? — Michael wouldn't stop.

I thought I shouldn't tell him how much I hated my fiancé. There was no reason to jeopardize us:

— I love— And then I added, "you. I'm in love with you."

— Who is he?

"The man who killed my childhood friend," I wanted to scream, but I kept silent. My so carefully hidden memory came alive. I felt my presence there. The place where I was hiding and my fiancé was killing. The blood in my veins froze again.

— Who is he? — Michael repeated his question.

— Anton Silansky.

— The Silansky?

— Yes, the same one.

— The second man, after the president! An outstanding and strong politician, a rich heir, handsome, perfect and charismatic, — Michael stopped talking and thought for a moment.

— Yeah, perfect and charismatic. "Sadist," I hummed to myself and finally found the house. — See that gray-blue one with the peeling paint? — I pointed in the direction. — Your sister is locked in the basement of that house. Her kidnapper is a homicidal maniac.

Chapter 4. The Collector

After I told him about the maniac, Michael raced to the house like a madman:

— So my sister's kidnapper thinks he's the Beauty Collector. He finds, abuses and kills the most beautiful girls who appeal to his sensuality. You've seen four embalmed corpses in his basement in glass coffins that he admires at night. Why hasn't he touched my sister yet?

— Because she made him disgusted with her. She's soiled herself, and he's squeamish. He's getting up the nerve to clean her up. Besides, he just tortured and killed his fourth victim a couple weeks ago. Satisfying his violent compulsion.

Gathering up the courage to clean it up. Besides, he just tortured and killed his fourth victim a couple weeks ago. Satisfying his violent compulsion.

— What's odd is that he even kidnapped the sister right after the murder. He used to kill one girl a year. Now he's regressed? Is it possible that the real purpose of this kidnapping was to kill you?

— Or yours.

I'd already thought about who might have ordered me or Michael "dark," but I hadn't found the answer to that question, so I didn't speculate, but took the gun out of my purse and gave it to Michael. — Are you gonna kill him?

— Why?

— If you kill him, you'll take some of his sins on yourself.

— Then I'll try not to.

— We're already in position.

— Lock the doors and wait in the car.

— I'll go with you.

— No, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever known. I don't want him to see you.

— Okay, well, then be careful.

About ten minutes later, Michael came out of the house, carrying my sister wrapped in a blanket. I got out of the car and headed toward them.

— I tied him up and called the police and an ambulance. Take my car and go home. As promised, I won't tell anyone about you. I'll come and see you later.

— Okay. Okay. Don't worry about your sister. She's fine, she's sleeping soundly.

— She's fine? She's covered in shit.

— Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Chapter 5: The Astral

It was dark and scary, but there was no way I could turn on the saving light. I searched for the switch for a long time, then pressed the button to no avail. The light wouldn't come on. So I was asleep and an attack was imminent. I tensed even more. My body was yanked off the bed, and then something heavy landed on my chest. It was trying to penetrate me, and I was frozen with terror.

Suddenly I was transported to a small room with rough-hewn walls and an iron door. There was a tiny window in the ceiling that let in light. In the corner of the room was a bucket of toilet paper, and in the center of the room was a mattress on which lay a naked crying girl with loose hair. Next to it in a paper bag were two chebureks and a bottle of water. The girl got up and walked barefoot across the cold dusty floor to the door. After making sure the door was locked from the outside, the girl took the bucket and threw it at the window several times in a row, creating an incredible rumble, but the glass didn't break and no one came. "Soundproofing, so yelling is useless," she said aloud and sat down on the mattress and started eating. When she heard the door open, the girl fixed her hair and bent down to strike a seductive pose, trying not to shiver. She looked like a goddess imprisoned amidst the grayness, gloom and emptiness. A boy came into the room. He was breathless at her beauty, silently devouring her with his eyes for a while, then he put the knife to her throat, pulled her to him, and kissed her. I felt nauseous. I wanted to spit, but my mouth was closed. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't speak. "Jesus," I tried to whisper. It seemed like an eternity before I was finally able to open my lips and speak loudly: "Lord, have mercy." And then I woke up. I was still shaking with fear, though I lay still and tried not to move. "By "protecting" Michael and his sister, I'd gotten a side effect in the form of a night visitor. Their essence tormented me every night now, but this was the first time I'd ever dreamt about this girl.

Chapter 6. Dejavu

The doorbell rang. I jumped up, quickly cleaned myself up, and rushed to open it. My intuition told me that Michael was there. After we'd kissed passionately more than once one night, I'd had to turn him down, and we hadn't seen each other in over six months. All that time I loved him and missed him immensely.

I opened the door and, on a sudden impulse, I wanted to hug him, but when I smelled the "scent of a woman" on him, I pulled back. My joy has been replaced by something oppressively heavy, but I'm still smiling:

— Hi, Michael!

— Hi, Lina! He pulls money out of his pocket and places it on the nightstand. Here's the usual… for your help. My fiancée Dina has been kidnapped.

I miss the punch for a second. Though it hurts, I try to keep my face as Michael continues, examining him and noting how mature and strong he's gotten in the meantime:

— Last night, when I wanted to propose to her, she didn't show up. After seeing the video for subscribers that she made when she walked out of the clinic from the plastic surgeon, I got the police involved. I still have contacts from the last case. Today they found her cell phone in the grass, not far from the road, and witnesses who saw her get into a car with a skinny, smiling guy.

— Dina," I try to react, but to change the subject, I add. — You've changed.

— Yeah, I'm taking a "young fighter's course." As they say, if you want peace, prepare for war. But more on that later. First, check out this post Deena made on her page last night:

"Hello, my good ones! I have news for you. I've decided to remove a couple ribs to make my waist thinner. Now I consulted with the doctor who did my breast augmentation. And I'm happy with the conversation. And my boyfriend's paying for the procedure. I'm meeting him in an hour. And maybe tonight I'll have a surprise to share with you. See you tonight, my favorites!" While the girl was writing this down, one man with lustful eyes and two women with faces twisted with envy accidentally got into the frame. But Dina didn't notice it, she was in anticipation and glowing with happiness.

I watch carefully, trying to distract myself from the irreparable situation that is slowly destroying me from the inside out. There's something else that makes me push all my feelings deeper. The first is that Dina is the girl from my dream tonight. So through the creature I saw the kidnapper and the place where they are, but only from the inside. And the second was her eyes. I realized from her eyes that she had been "done to death". The customer was a woman. Reason being jealous of Dina's demand for men.

— Is it another maniac? — Michael's anxious and confused.

— No. He's just a guy who thinks he can get away with anything.

— How do we find them?

— I know one way. If you sink to the bottom of the spring, the heart can stop. Then the soul can leave the body and find anything.

— Can you do that?

— Theoretically, yes. Do you know how to resuscitate?

— I took a course. Shall we go to "our" spring?

— Our spring has dried up. The drought's gotten to it. There's another one in the mountains, but it's three hours away.

— Then let's not waste time. Pack and bring your passport. I put a power of attorney on the car for you, just in case. The papers are in the glove compartment.

Realizing I might not come back, I pull out my backpack, first aid kit, towel, makeup, a change of clothes, a folder with documents and money, in which I add Michael's money.

— Did you bring a gun, too? — I try to distract him from my careful packing.

— No, I had to leave it in the armory safe. They're strict about that now. But I have a perfect hand-to-hand record. No one can beat me.

While I'm packing, Michael starts talking about the course, his plans, and Deena. Noting that he's channeled the effects of the magic in the form of irritability and anger into sports, I listen half-heartedly, trying to take in everything that's valuable and necessary. There's no telling how the dive into the spring will go, but I have a feeling I won't be coming back here again.

Chapter 7. The Path to Truth

When we reached the spring, I looked around, gathering my strength. The beauty of nature had always fascinated me, but not now. It was peaceful and warm all around, but not for me. I prayed, realizing that I was about to go through death.

Michael, having undressed, went into the spring and after dipping a few times, began to swim. When he came up to me, I realized that the spring had "taken the spin off of him."

— Why don't I love her anymore? How could I love a girl like Dina, she's not my person at all? — He started the conversation, perplexed. I watched his whole planned life go down the drain, but I kept silent.

— I remembered our relationship with you. What happened then that I forgot you? I forgot I loved you.

— I gave you a spell. I didn't want to get in trouble with my fiancé.

— Oh, I see. I didn't want to upset him. If you'd told me, I wouldn't have pursued you, so why go to such extreme measures? Do you realize I almost ended up with the wrong girl?

— I'm sorry. I didn't know it would turn out this way with Dina. Magic always has a side effect. I couldn't tell you. You wouldn't have backed off right away, and I wouldn't have been able to keep up my defenses for long. I loved you, too, and I still do, but I was afraid my fiancé would hurt you. He won't let any man near me.

— He and I could have made a deal. Why would he want a fiancée who loves another man?

— He doesn't care about my feelings. He's a powerful sorcerer and his power can be amplified through my energy. That's why he doesn't touch me, he waits for my energy to be at its maximum. But the energy can pass on to another man I'm close to. Do you understand now?

— What's not to understand? You already told me you were his Coast, and I was willing to fight for you.

— He tortured my friend to death on a whim. And then covered up the crime by using a very powerful spell called "burning with fire" to turn the body to ash. He wouldn't have spared you.

— You didn't believe in me at all, did you? Even after I dealt with the maniac? I can't be beaten in a fight. And you decided everything for us, for me. You say you love me, but you don't know what love is. Let's finish this and you'll never see me again.

— That's fine! — His self-confidence after my revelation pissed me off. He wouldn't defeat me in a fair fight, but I know Anton too well; decency and valor are not for him. But I did not continue the argument, and went to the source.

I walked down the steps into the icy water, plunged in, and clutched at the bottom of the steps and squeezed my hand tightly. The cold made me want to dive out and scream, but I sank deeper and deeper.

Chapter 8. Death in the Dark

When I left the body, I didn't waste a minute and went in search of Dina. Soon I was in the room with the girl and the kidnapper. But I was too late, Dina was dead. Three entities surrounded the skinny one and whispered:

— You killed her, you killed your precious, your sweet girl….

— How will you live without her?

One of the demons spoke in Dina's voice:

— Honey! You know what to do. I'm waiting for you! We'll be together forever. The kidnapper pulled the knife out of the girl's heart and made harakiri. Two of the entities took his soul under their arms and dragged him away.

A third came to me:

— This is your time to see your ancestors, Lina. Come with me.

I was sure my kin were burning in hell and cursing the day they contacted the dark ones:

— I must return to the living. Michael's waiting for me.

— Don't be. He'll be dead soon enough to join us.

— I suspect not without your help. I'll go with you, provided he lives. Long and happy.

— That's impossible. Michael may have a special child who will find ways to control the elements of nature. For example, he could make it rain or prevent it, make or break a hurricane, change the direction or flooding, change the temperature, put out forest fires. We're not going to let that happen. Climate change will lead to a deadly battle for resources. A great war is about to break out. We'll create hell on Earth and add to the hell in the underworld. There's no reason for you to go back, you'll be better off here," the creature came toward me and tried to grab my hand, but yanked it away as if it were on fire:

— Holy water," it howled and stepped away.

I ran and started to move to my body, in time to see the police coming down the road to the scene.

Chapter 9. Salvation

Upon reaching the source I saw my body lying on the ground. Nearby, Michael was performing CPR. The creature kept up, it loomed over my body and blocked my path.

I watched as Michael fought desperately for my life. He was doing everything right, but he couldn't see that I wasn't being allowed to "get back into my body". One more minute and it would be over for me. At times I felt like I was going to live forever, that I had everything ahead of me. I never thought that life could be cut short in an instant. How many mistakes I would have made then, knowing that. I looked at him and regretted that I couldn't touch him, be in his arms, kiss him. For now I could still see him, but soon that would be out of my reach too. I tried to memorize his image, every feature of his face, every cell of his body. Underworld and the torments of hell awaited me, but my mind with my memories will stay there with me. And whatever happens next, I will remember you forever, my love!

Michael raised his eyes to the place where my soul was now and said:

— Lina, I want to live together with you all my life. And the Lord is my witness, if you come back now, I will marry you and never let you go again and will not give you to anyone!

At the word "Lord" the entity disappeared and I was able to return to my still body. I was hurt and cold, but I opened my eyes and said:

— I agree.

Michael kissed me and I saw two tears run down his face. I hugged him and I wanted to become one with him and I didn't waste any more precious time.

Chapter 10. Retaliation

I woke up the next morning in Michael's arms, and as I felt the presence of a new soul in my field, I realized we were having a baby. Which meant we needed a ritual. I got up and went into the woods.

Having made protection for the child, I went to Michael tired, but satisfied. Now no one could harm the child. I accelerated my steps, I wanted to be in the arms of my beloved. But suddenly I fell. I wanted to howl in pain. I realized Michael was gone. I smelled death, the smell of my fiancé. So he'd gotten to us after all. Tears rolled from my eyes, sobs shook my body, and I covered my mouth with my hands to keep from screaming.

Okay, Lina, pull yourself together, my inner voice told me. He won't spare you or your baby. Part of Michael is in you now, and will you let that be destroyed? I slowly got to my feet and cleaned myself up. I took a few deep breaths and went to Anton. He'll pay, Michael, I promise you.

I came closer. In my short life, I'd seen a lot of violence. It was in that moment that I realized why it was sent to me. Not to faint now, not to lose my temper, not to make a mistake. Cold analysis and calculation are now my allies. I "froze" all my feelings, distanced myself. So Anton put Michael in a sleep paralysis, absorbed my energy from him, and then used the knife, letting out his anger. Michael's whole body was stabbed and turned into a bloody mess.

Anton, covered in blood, turned to me, satisfied and satisfied that his energy had increased in times, smiled:

— Hello, Angelina! I decided to give you a surprise! I even summoned a creature to bring me here, I was in such a hurry to see you, my love. And what do I see? Not only did you cheat on me, but you got knocked up. But nothing, as soon as you get an abortion, we'll get married. In the meantime, get in his car and wait for me. I'll clean up. And don't try to run away. I'll catch you and put you in a cage on a chain. Do you understand, darling?

— Of course, darling! I slowly walked to the car, got in and watched Anton in the mirror. I knew what was about to happen, I had seen it once before, and I was ready for it. Anton gathered all his energy into a fist and threw it towards Michael. The charge was so powerful that my amulet, which had been created to protect Michael from such a spell, didn't save his body, but it mirrored part of the charge. It was enough to kill Anton and turn his body into ashes.

I gathered Michael's ashes and scattered them over the water of the spring, crying and saying goodbye. When my time comes, I will find you in the other world and we will be together again, I promise, but for now I have to give birth and raise our child. It's going to be a hard time, and I'm going to need help and protection. And I knew where to find it. I was going home to my parents. I was going back.

Chapter 11. The Temple

I walked into the church and sat down against the wall on a bench. My tortured soul was looking for solace, but I couldn't find it. More than a year ago I had given birth to a child and named him Nikita, but the happiness of motherhood had passed me by. I felt only fear. The constant fear for his life was slowly destroying me. Besides, I never got over the murder of my beloved. How can I stop seeing him in every person I meet, turning around at the similar familiar voice, seeing him in my dreams? Right now I wanted to howl in pain, roll on the floor, cry and scream, but my mouth was closed and my eyes were dry. Did I realize I was possessed?

I didn't have time to think about it before, or I would have lost my mind by now, but it's time for me to admit it. I want to be with you, Michael, and yes, I'm obsessed with you. How am I gonna live without you? God help me. My thoughts were interrupted by sobs:

— Son, who did you leave me for? — On the opposite side of the temple, a woman in black was kneeling in front of the icon.

Everyone has his own misfortune and his own pain. And I'm not an exception, but a proof of it. And my child is still alive, not because of it, but in spite of it.

Chapter 12. A Friend

At the entrance to my parents' house, Dmitry was waiting for me with a huge backpack behind his back, the older brother of my childhood friend. I hadn't seen him in six months, since he'd gone to war on the Coast. He didn't waste any time, so he offered his services as a bodyguard in exchange for a roof over his head. He couldn't live in his apartment, because during his absence his neighbor had flooded it, and now it had to be repaired.

— I don't need a bodyguard," I was dumbfounded by his offer. And I didn't want to live in the same house with a man, even though we had a good relationship.

— I think that after the accident that almost killed you, it is required. There's talk that it was an assassination attempt by your father's rival. So your parents and Nikitka secretly went abroad, and you stayed behind to distract them. You succeeded, but do you really think they're gonna leave you alone?

— They don't need me.

— But you know where the ones they want are. They'll make you talk.

— I don't know where they are.

— You don't know yet, which is why they're not touching you yet, just watching you. Once your people contact you, you'll be doomed.

— I hope to disappear before then, but in the meantime, I'll take you up on your offer. Make yourself comfortable in the guest room, I'll go make dinner.

Chapter 13. Hope

It had been a week since Dmitri had moved in. During the day I was getting ready to leave, and at night I dreamed about Michael. I dreamed of him alive and as if he had come back to me after a long separation. In the dream I was happy with him, but then I started to realize that he was gone and I started to cry.

— Lina, why do you cry every night? — I heard Dimka's voice and woke up. He was crumpling in the doorway, hesitating to come in.

— Are you watching me?

— No, I have a sensitive sleep, I hear every rustle. Case in point, your sobbing in the night.

— Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I cry in my sleep, so I can't control it.

— Nightmares?

— Nick's dad. I miss him.

— I heard he died. I'm sorry. I wasn't gonna tell you this, but maybe it'll help you. There's a pill that can take you to the afterlife for up to three days. They give them to officers in war in case of capture and torture. If you take a pill, it will seem to everyone that you are dead, your soul flies away from the body, and when the danger passes, it comes back, the person comes back to life. They are produced and stored in a laboratory on Ilyinka, where interns are needed now.

I wanted to go there myself, but you don't need the military in a scientific environment.

— Why'd you want to do that?

— I miss my brother sometimes. I guess he's dead, even though his body was never found, and I want to know when it happened, where, and why.

Chapter 14. Encounter

I walked over to the mirror to see how the morlock looked. I now looked like a slender eighteen-year-old blonde with waist-length hair, aquamarine eyes, and golden tan skin. Today was my first day in the lab.

When I went down the stairs, I caught my heel and lost my balance, flew down a few steps, and fell into the arms of a blond guy. It was Miron Yasterzhemsky, the only son of the head of the laboratory and an enviable groom for all the girls in the neighborhood, who did not give him a pass. Once I was in his strong arms, I looked into his eyes, and his turquoise eyes sparkled. His touch sent a wave of sensuality through my body, a first for me. Must be the effects of abstinence, I thought, and hurried to pull away.

— Seductive predators play more and more professionally every day. How natural you faked a fall and pretended to be unattractive, I give you a standing ovation. Why? Do you want to be mine, sensitive girl?

— No, I don't. I'm not interested in the big, show-offy types. Go look elsewhere for predators, seducers, hotties and sensitive girls," I continued on my way without turning around.

I knew the guy was standing there, staring at me with his eyes open. He wasn't used to rejection from the opposite sex.

Chapter 15. I see the goal, I believe in myself

A month flew by unnoticed. Beautiful appearance, charm and impeccable appearance brought me closer to my goal. I found out that the pills were in a vault in a safe with a code and I had official access to it. I found out that the code was changed every three days and that Professor Nerman had access to each new code. So after a while she was already working on his project, watching him. Every morning I ran in the park to get rid of the thoughts that were eating me up inside. Myron and other guys started running around nearby. The interest of the opposite sex in me increased, I did not have time to fight off the male attention, which annoyed not only me, but all the women in the neighborhood. That's why I never made any friends. Stupid chickens were constantly building intrigues and complicate life. They didn't know that there was only one man for me, and that was Michael. Sometimes Miron stirred up strange feelings in me, but I wrote it all off to my youth, hormones and need for love. One day Miron snuck into the yard of my parents' house, was caught by Dmitri and brought to me. That's how he saw me for the first time without a morocco and fell in love even harder, he tried to kiss me, but after getting a turn away, he started to keep his distance.

Chapter 16. Disappointment

Today, when Nerman is speaking at an event, I decided to visit his office and look for the code. I already knew he has a bad memory. He writes everything down so he doesn't forget.

When I entered the office, I looked around. "Pretended I was Nerman," and after a minute I found the code written on a sheet under the desk. I memorized it and hurried to the vault, where I met Miron.

— Hello, fallen angel! What are you doing here?

— I ran out of water in the cooler. I'm looking for someone to change the bottle.

— Everyone's at the event, why'd you leave?

— I was thirsty, so I went out for a minute.

— Okay, I'll get you some water. Wait here and don't let anyone in.

— Thank you!

I went to the safe, lucky it wasn't sealed, typed in the code, but I was disappointed. There was only one pill in the safe. I quickly put it in a baggie in a secret pocket. As soon as I closed the safe, Miron appeared with a bottle of water.

I took the bottle and hurried home.

Chapter 17. The End

I entered the house, immediately lay down on the bed and took a pill. I'd had enough of seeing Michael. A sharp pain pierced my heart. It was so intense that I couldn't stand it, and I kept waiting for it to end, trying not to scream. When the pain was gone, I saw my body lying on the couch in the room, and I started to climb up. I got an unpleasant premonition of doom. I heard howls, screams, the inhuman whispering of the dark ones, "Gotcha! You've taken the pill. There's no turning back now." I saw them.

Then I saw a light and an Angel in the midst of it:

— Leave the house, the enemy is coming. If you survive, go to your son.

When I woke up, I was shaking, cold, my head was splitting. I felt like a different person. It was like something in me had broken, and now it was rebuilt. And this new thing was scaring me. All the feelings and memories of Michael were gone, only a slight sadness remained. I'd forgotten him, but that wasn't what I wanted.

Dimitri's here.

— Dim, we have to leave. There's gonna be an attack soon.

— We'll make it! He who is destined to drown will not burn.

As he drew his weapon, there was a bang on the door and a voice:

— The house is surrounded, you'd better open up.

— Yeah, we're running," Dimka said.

We took the defense, the door was broken, Dmitri shot first, hit, there was a firefight, and I blacked out.

— Lina, can you hear me? — Miron was squatting next to me, checking my pulse.

— Dimka! — I wanted to get up, but I couldn't.

— Lie still, he's dead, they're all dead. The police and ambulance are on their way. I know it's a bad time, but you took the pill, you have to give it back.

I was too shocked by Dimitri's death to lie:

— I took it.

— I don't think so.

— Because I'd be dead right now? How can you deceive your protectors and condemn them to certain death?

— It's a mercy. Do you have any idea what they're going through? And the bottom line is the same.

— They have to figure it out for themselves.

— The pills make them fearless. That's how we win.

— We will win, but we won't save the Earth out there. It's soaked in blood and won't bear fruit for a century until it's cleansed. What will happen to me?

— You'll owe me. I've got an unaccounted-for pill I put in the safe. Let's pretend that pill you took never existed.

Chapter 18. The Wave

Three years had passed.

I stood on the stage of an oceanfront bar and sang in the local language, but in my head I was still translating from my native tongue to a foreign language:

"I was so naive to think that by playing with death I could win.

So overconfident and foolish that I fell into traps more than once and lost everything.

I died, but rose like a Phoenix from the ashes.

Like a Phoenix from the ashes, I am reborn again…"

I was interrupted by a scream:

— Run for your lives! Tsunami!

Miron was already running towards me with Nikita in his arms.

— Dad, let me go. I need to stop the wave.

Miron looked at me questioningly, but still put his son on the sand.

— We won't be able to escape in time. Look. I hope Nick knows what to do," I said.

A huge wave was coming ashore. Nikita raised his hands toward it. When his hands tensed, the wave gently moved away from the shore. The ocean calmed down.

— There will be no more waves, — said the child contentedly.

— My sunshine! — I squatted down and hugged my son.

— Are we going to go to the park to the amusement park now?

— Let's go, son, — Miron affectionately ruffled his hair.

— Dad, will there be ice cream, too?

— There will be, a double portion.

Оглавление

Chapter 1: A fateful meeting

Chapter 2: The Savior's Spring

Chapter 3: The Guiding TV Tower

Chapter 4. The Collector

Chapter 5: The Astral

Chapter 6. Dejavu

Chapter 7. The Path to Truth

Chapter 8. Death in the Dark

Chapter 9. Salvation

Chapter 10. Retaliation

Chapter 11. The Temple

Chapter 12. A Friend

Chapter 13. Hope

Chapter 14. Encounter

Chapter 15. I see the goal, I believe in myself

Chapter 16. Disappointment

Chapter 17. The End

Chapter 18. The Wave