Читать книгу Two Suns - Дмитрий Наринский - Страница 5

Overnight, the world collapsed in an unexpected twist of events. Yet, at Solonytska station, nobody fully grasped the impending calamity, except, perhaps, Mikhail Mirachevsky. He had forewarned that if the war persisted, trouble would ensue.

Initially, the vast Russian Empire's entry into the war seemed remote from the daily life of a small Ukrainian village. However, soon farewells to future soldiers echoed in the huts, and excited boys eagerly shared news of their relatives conscripted to the frontlines, using the newly acquired term «mobilization.» Gradually, the once tranquil station of Solonytska was drawn into the tumultuous whirlwind of wartime. Trains laden with troops, supplies, and weapons arrived from the west, while those heading eastward brought refugees, wounded, and prisoners. Echelons piled up, not only at major hub stations but also, gradually, at smaller stations like Solonytska.

As autumn waned, Mikhail found himself toiling ceaselessly, working around the clock. Exhausted, he would return home, barely having time to exchange words with his son. While Olga maintained her composure, she grew increasingly anxious as managing the household became increasingly challenging due to shortages of familiar goods and even firewood.

* * *

One fateful day, the boys hastened to the station upon hearing of a prolonged delay of a train carrying refugees. At first, their boisterous group strode confidently, feeling masters of their domain, but their excitement waned as they neared the wagons. Silently, they huddled closer, moved a little further away from the railroad tracks, nudging each other along, their remarks growing subdued until even the most vocal amongst them fell silent.

Their collective gaze fell upon a sight etched forever in their memories.

Haggard women with soot-blackened faces sat near the wagons, some cradling wailing infants, while older children huddled nearby. Suffering, fatigue, and fear of the unknown etched deep lines on the faces of ordinary people, compelled to abandon their homes due to war. For the boys, it was an eye-opening revelation of the true face of war, far removed from the headlines penned in newspapers…

Amidst conversations with the refugees, they learned that most hailed from the western provinces of Vistula Land. Curiously, the boys even managed to communicate with a group of their peers, finding no hostility in the strangers' expressions.

For a few moments, the two groups, the locals and the refugees, stood there, scrutinizing each other, until a young lad of about fourteen broke the silence with a question:

«Brothers! Do you have any bread? There's still a long way to go…»

Ivan, unable to resist, interjected with a jest, «Maybe we do. But not for you!»

«Wait a minute,» Leonid intervened. «Are you guys hungry?»

The bread beggar bashfully lowered his eyes, prompting Leonid to spring into action.

«Well, you wait here.»

They promptly returned with provisions – boiled potatoes, bread, dried apples, and cherries, and seeds.

They returned from the station with a sense of duty fulfilled, and the following day, they agreed to come again with provisions. The train was eventually allowed to proceed late into the night, heading toward Kharkov, where refugee reception centers awaited.

For eleven-year-old Leonid Mirachevsky, that day marked a turning point, crystallizing the significance of events unfolding around him, illuminating his parents' behavior, overheard adult conversations, and his own emotions.

* * *

Yet, the true trials had only just begun. Alongside the influx of refugees, disease crept into the village.

When Mikhail fell ill, Olga forbade her son from going near him, sensing danger. Leonid yearned to be of help and pleaded.

«I can give him some water! Why can't I help more?»

Olga remained steadfast, and the doctor's diagnosis confirmed her worst fears – «typhus» sounded like a dreadful verdict. For two weeks, the patient battled in a feverish haze, but his weakened body, exhausted from months of arduous work and anxiety, struggled against the infection.

Days passed in a blur – funeral, wake, an influx of acquaintances and strangers, followed by the profound quietude of an empty house.

As Leonid sat there silently, his gaze fixed on his father's photograph adorning the dresser, vivid memories flashed before him – fishing on the Sula, attending fairs in Poltava, and the precious moments of learning from his father about steam locomotives. He couldn't fathom a world without his father – the man who had been his mentor, his hero. It seemed impossible that Mikhail would not return, strolling out of the kitchen to resume his daily routines…

Olga approached her son, tenderly stroking his head, breaking the spell of silence. Leonid shuddered, sighed deeply, and finally allowed himself to cry – for the first time since he had learned of his father's death.

* * *

The beloved family of Mikhail was not only left without a caring husband and father, but Olga and twelve-year-old Leonid were now bereft of a breadwinner and without any means, even losing their state apartment. A life of hardship commenced, and only Olga's indomitable spirit steered them forward, securing a corner for them in Solonytsya. She worked tirelessly, taking on any part-time job available.

Yet, the events outside their small world gripped the entire vast country, leaving no one untouched. The revolution that unfolded in Petrograd in late February reverberated in Kiev. The overthrow of the tsarist government, followed by the fall of the Provisional Government in October 1917, spurred Ukrainians to forge their own state. However, the path forward was uncertain – a conundrum of how to navigate the Great War with minimal losses, reconcile the aspirations of the people with the interests of landowners and industrialists, and address the demands of diverse political factions. The challenges were manifold, and solutions varied greatly. The future of the fertile lands of Malorossiya (Little Russia) was a matter of contentious debates…

As power changed hands, governments succeeded one another, and the World War metamorphosed into a civil war. Throughout these tumultuous years, the armies of different factions swept through the lands of the Poltava Region: the Red, the Austro-German, Petliura's haidamakas, the Directorate troops, the White Volunteer Army, and, once more, the Red Army. This list omitted the fleeting raids of atamans Makhno and Grigoriev!

During this tumultuous period, all military operations were accompanied by a series of hardships for the local population. Contributions, seizures, and levies became a common occurrence, further exacerbating the already trying conditions. In the midst of the chaos, robberies became the norm, taking advantage of the lawless atmosphere prevailing during those turbulent times with peasant uprisings flaring up here and there throughout the province.

Amidst this turbulence, the orphaned Mirachevsky family struggled to survive. The young widow, Olga, shouldered any available work, mopping floors or accepting whatever odd jobs came her way. In times of scarcity, they traded clothes and utensils for food. As Leonid grew older, he joined in to lend a hand whenever possible.

* * *

Throughout this tumultuous time, Olga harbored a deep longing to return to her homeland, the picturesque Podolia Governorate, to the embrace of her family, the Shpirkans. As soon as the turmoil began to subside, she set her sights on packing her belongings, seeking to fulfill her heart's desire. Meanwhile, young Leonid pondered his future path and, without hesitation, gravitated towards the calling of the railroad, a passion that had beckoned him since childhood. With conviction, he set his sights on Kiev, where his uncle, Andrei, resided, and fate favored him, casting a benevolent smile upon the seventeen-year-old lad.

Fate intervened as the Railway Construction Technical School presented a golden opportunity. Leonid's admission was secured with the support of his mother's petition and the compelling documentation, for he was indeed the son of a distinguished railroad employee.

Though this momentous event brought joy, it also heralded the departure of Olga, as she embarked on a journey to Chervona.

However, there was something else that Leonid regretted about leaving Solonytska station, which had become his cherished home. His mother discerned the melancholy in his eyes and correctly surmised the cause, but she playfully inquired:

«Do you not wish to leave, my dear?»

Leonid endeavored to respond with confidence, «What gives you that impression?»

«I sense a lack of cheerfulness,» she observed.

«All my friends will remain here. Ivan has no plans to go to Kiev…» Leonid paused, hesitating, before adding, «Perhaps I'll visit him again to bid farewell.»

Olga understood her son well; his sorrow did not stem from leaving his friend but rather from his thoughts revolving around the captivating Olga Gurko. Ah, such is life, he must live it and eventually choose a life partner…

Leaving the house, Leonid hastened towards Olga's street.