Exactly one month after Nushka’s arrival in the village, a great feast was organized. All the inhabitants gathered in the evening around a large bonfire. Magnanificent came to the center and spoke:
– Today we have a special day, because today is a month since the arrival of our wonderful Nula – with a smile she extended her hand towards Nushka, and all the gathered cheered. Surprised Nushka approached the Magnanimous and took her hand.
– I am very happy with her presence here. Our rule of not asking about the past of newcomers always results in many benefits for the village – Magnanificent released Nushka’s hand and walked a few steps around her – but here we have an exception.
Nushka froze, all eyes fixed on her changed expression from happy to surprised
– Fortunately, our beloved grandmother is one of those who see more. But I wouldn’t have learned anything from her if Jadzia hadn’t told me her doubts.
Nuszka found the two mentioned persons with her eyes. Grandma stood even more stooped than usual, her eyes glazed over, and Jadzia looked at Nushka with a satisfied look.
– But it saddened me that Grandma didn’t want to talk. But you know our grandma, she can’t lie. So I started asking her questions. And when I managed to ask the most pertinent question of all, she couldn’t deny it.
Clearly enjoying the tension building around them, Magnanificent walked a few steps in silence.
– And this is how I found out that you are a boginka – she looked at Nushka with a slight smile. The whole village held its breath – a boginka stripped of her powers, who had once dabbled in the foul trades of this wretched tribe. I’m an honest person, so I’ll explain to you why you’re leaving the village. We don’t tolerate evil here. We tolerate here only goodness and crystal purity.
– What will you do with me? -Nushka asked
– We’ll send you on a journey
– Child! – Grandma moved towards Nuszka as fast as she was able. Magnanificent stood in her way, she looked furious. She swung and simply slapped Grandma across the face. This one fell. Terrified Nushka ran to her grandmother to help her get up. No one else moved except her.
– Yes, yes, say goodbye. You’re about to embark on a journey. Jadzia will help you pack. – Magnanificent nodded to several other girls. These stood around Nuszka in a semicircle. Nushka grabbed Grandma’s hand, a single tear ran down her cheek.
– Don’t worry Grandma, I’ll find a way to visit you – she whispered in Grandma’s ear, then got up and followed the girls and Jadzia. Grandma seemed inconsolable at Nushka’s assurance. She looked downright disturbed.
The girls accompanied Nushka to her hut and announced that they would wait outside until she packed. She had very little to take with her. Just as she was getting ready, she heard someone whisper:
– Nula!
She looked around, but no one was there.
– Nula! – She felt something hitting her head and looked out the window. The blond hair and blue eyes were noticeable – packed? – it was Yurek
– Yes, I’m leaving soon – she replied in a whisper
– Nula, you’re not going anywhere, they’ll take you to the Dream Room, they’ll kill you!
Nushka ran silently to the window:
– What are you talking about?
Suddenly, Yurek dived back into the bushes. After a few seconds, he appeared again:
– Climb out the window, I’ll help you escape. Come on, they’re here!
Someone knocked loudly on the door, a solid, female voice could be heard, “How much can you pack?”. Without answering this, Nushka grabbed her bag and suddenly leaped out the window. Yurek, surprised by her quick reaction, jumped up and ordered “Quick, there!”. Attracted by strange noises, the girls chased after them, but Jurek had his horse ready. He threw Nushka on its back and jumped on it himself, only to rush ahead. Nushka heard a loud “ow!” in her ear. – apparently Yurek was hit by some stone, which flew around them for a moment.
They drove for a long time, and throughout this journey Nushka felt both fury and joy. Rage that Grandma was treated so cruelly and joy that she finally listened to her intuition again.
***
At the first stop to Nushka, she gave vent to her emotions.
– How stupid I am! Humans are worse monsters, than mamunas or boginkas! And a few days ago… there was even a will-o’-the-wisp and it was calling me! I didn’t listen – the last words she snarled, throwing the bag on the grass with impetus.
– Not all people are like that
– And how can you know what? You’ve probably been hanging around here your whole life, like all of them
– No, I came from far away…
– How stupid I am, so stupid! Nushka grabbed her hair in a handful and began to tug at it
– What are you doing! – Yurko ran up and grabbed her wrists – don’t hurt yourself
– What about Grandma? She can’t stay there, she has to be taken out of there! – having said that, Nushka saw Yurek looking at her. I don’t say anything writhing, he did not move.
– Won’t you go?
Yurko searched for the right words for a while to make his answer acceptable:
– We are not the ones who can help Grandma.
– Will someone else help her? – asked Nushka with pure curiosity and hope
– Nulka, believe me that Grandma is happy in her own way
– What?!
– It sounds silly – Yurko explained hastily, approaching Nushka – but if she had wanted to leave the village, she would have done so a long time ago. She can do it every day. Many know about her suffering and would like to help her.
– No man would want to stay in such conditions! If you were so humiliated, wouldn’t you want to leave your executioner?
Yuri laughed grimly.
– Didn’t it take you 90 years to understand that you had to leave your family? Grandma is younger than you. Some people choose this fate, and there’s nothing we can do about it. It doesn’t make them worse or weaker, they just have the strength to carry on.
– Maybe you don’t understand, because grandma doesn’t mean as much to you as she does to me – replied the embittered Nushka
– It means so much to me that after several attempts to help her escape, I finally accepted the answer “this is my home, Yurko”.
Nushka looked at Yurek in silence, tears welling up in her eyes. The energy she would have been willing to put into devising a plan to save Grandma a moment earlier turned into a poignant sadness. She understood that her and Grandma’s paths diverged here. She didn’t care even now that Yurko somehow knew about what she was hiding about herself. It didn’t matter now. Yurko approached Nushka slowly, taking a small handkerchief from his sleeve.
– For two years I thought I was ready to go. – He brought his hand gently to wipe away the huge tears from her cheeks, but she pushed it away and took the handkerchief from his hand to do it herself – but only today did it appear. something that pushed me to it. That means I was ready only today.
Looking into his kind, blue eyes, Nushka understood that Yurek was saying these words with no less pain than the one she felt herself. Despite the great bitterness in her heart, she trusted him.
After this conversation, the tension and blackout left her body and she realized how furious she was. At Magnificent, at Jadzia, at Grandma for not wanting to leave the village, at herself for allowing herself to be submerged in the illusion of Magnificent of this place. So she screamed until her throat gave up. And then she asked the moon to say goodbye to Grandma, and she fell asleep.
