Читать книгу SARA. Laws are keeping silence during the war - Elena Fishtik - Страница 4

– Sara, let’s go quickly, the ship won’t wait for us.

– I’m almost ready, Mum. And where is Boris?

– The brother is taking out things to the porch, be quick, please.

Sara ran out from her room with the signs of tears on her eyes.

She tried to hide them but nothing could be hidden from mother.

– Ow, ouch – Emma threw out her hands.

– I don’t want to go to Poland, Mum. But why it was Borka who was sent to L’vov to work as if there were no athletes in our city, – Sara exclaimed and pouted her small lips with the sense of resentment, and then she added, – if only Mania would go with us, I’ll miss my sister so much.

– My darling, Mania has got family. You know that Mosia can’t leave his barbershop.

– Why?

– Sara, his business is going well. And indeed Moisey is “a water boy” – they won’t let him go.

– And will you miss Mania?

– I’ll miss Mania, and my grandson, my little Izia, I will miss so much, but what can I do!?… – Emma turned away to hide her tears.

– Mother, calm down, Sara was asking crying and hugging mother’s waist.

– My dear daughter, don’t cry, everything will be good, you need to understand if the party sent Boris then he is needed there and his skills are needed, and you will love L’vov like you love your native city Zaporojye.

– You’ll meet new friends, – Emma clasped the daughter with care and stroked her splendid wavy hair.

Silk locks of hair were spreading over shoulders of a young and incredibly pretty girl.

She was proud of her hair so much.

– And Mania has got family and she can’t go with us, – mother continued.

– Oh, I understand everything.

Right at that moment Sara recognized that her childhood was finished and she began new adult life.

She was in prospect for not only changing the city for living!

She was at hand to get to know all the polar sides of life.

Nobody could know what was waiting for him in the future.

Summer, 1940

A long way lay ahead.

The ship was going by Dnepr to Kiev.

Passengers were sitting on the floor of the hold, it was quite crowded but Boris has found some sheltered place where Sara and Mum could feel themselves more comfortable.

The young pregnant woman was lying near.

Her face was frightened, time and again she protected her big belly by hands from the scrum, it seemed that she would give birth right now.

Emma smiled to her with encouraging smile and greeted her, Sara has copied her Mum’s behavior, though she felt uncomfortable.

Knapsacks, bags, kitbags, people – all was mixed, the shout, the scream of children, tears of people who were saying goodbye, loud greeting exclamations of people which met their acquaintances by chance, the moan of the old lady who was lifting on the gangway with difficulty, sailors who were finishing the last preparations for leaving, the powerful horn, and the ship is slowly going.

People are waving to their relatives from the shore and people from the ship are also waving in response, the last exhortations are heard, the picture of the shore is getting smaller and finally it is disappearing, disappearing…

The freight ship that was transporting people sometimes, finally it slowly began to go, it captivated Sara with Mum and brother Boris to something completely unknown.

And it scared the young girl.

She was afraid not only for herself but also for her brother and Mum who became a widow so early.

Very often Sara asked her mother to tell about her Dad as he died when Sara wasn’t even five.

Of course, she remembered some moments when her father was playing with her with hand-made toys, when he was reading books to her, he brought these books from the printing house where he’s been working for all his life and the printing house was the reason of his death, as some chemicals that were harmful for lungs formed the big cancer tumor that killed him.

Sara remembered even her questions that she asked her father:

– Father, is it true that Jesus was a Jew?

– Yes, daughter, it’s true. At that time all were the Jews – it was such time, – though her father was never religious, moreover he was a strong communist.

– Father, Sioma told me, that God lives above.

– Yeah, daughter, your friend is right, God lives above, – and mentally added to himself, – and torments below.

Sara’s father was the mine of information, he knew a lot of proverbs and sayings as all Jewish people knew.

They are wise in the womb.

It is said in some Jewish saying that Jewish people are born old.

When his father Isaac died Boris became the support of the family.

Since childhood he was notable for the great responsibility, accuracy and he liked to take care of others so much.

It was not necessary to ask him about the help, to force him or plead to do something, the nobility was in his blood.

The name – Boris he took for himself when he got eighteen and before his name was Ziama.

This story is also very exponential and it shows the qualities of his nature.

Ziama had his beloved cousin Boria.

They were very amicable. Boris died when he was young.

The death is very strange and mysterious.

Friends and acquaintances talked a lot about the solar eclipse.

This day came. Boris as many other people went out on the street, he spent an hour in the yard and watched the sky.

He watched the disc of the Moon that slowly hid the solar disc – this beautiful new formation enraptured him.

The sky got dark and the bright stars appeared on it.

And suddenly, around the solar disc that was hidden by the Moon, he noticed the bright solar crown.

Feelings were inexpressible.

It continued only a few minutes but it was enough for Boris.

As if he discovered something essential for himself.

As if he got to know the Great Secret.

His face was calm and unruffled.

He looked at the sky one more time, smiled and went home, lay on his bed and… died.

This mysterious death of a young and healthy boy shocked the whole family, and Ziama closed for a few days, he couldn’t communicate with anyone, and when his stress has gone away he announced to everybody that in memory of his brother he would take his name.

And from that time he is Boris.

The hold of the ship was impossibly full.

People were sitting, lying and staying, yawning with boredom.

Sara’s pregnant neighbor name was Maria.

She was going to Kiev to her parents for childbirth as her husband was taken to the army.

She was afraid a little bit because it was almost the time for childbirth, but it was much more awful to stay alone in Zaporojye where there weren’t any relatives at all, where there wasn’t any help, and this one was her first child, she didn’t know what to do and how, she hadn’t any experience, that’s why she made so desperate decision.

The first day of the journey was quiet.

The weather was fine. Passengers were eating and drinking, the food was not so good but still passable.

Sara spent a lot of time on the deck watching the changing pictures of the nature.

There, on the coast, thick trees that was brightly shined by the sun lights were gently swaying on the wind as if they were saying goodbye with their branches.

On the other side of the Dnepr voices of children were heard, they greeted the next vessel and immediately said him goodbye.

The night was coming: the fantastic sunset, the singing of birds, that was heard from the coasts of the Dnepr, quiet lullaby for a little girl, the smooth surface of water and shadows of trees that were reflecting in it – this all made Sara so calm, appeased her…

Day by day, night by night, the vessel was slowly going to the final destination.

It was seven and the last day of the way, it was dark and suddenly the thunder and lightning appeared in the sky and a heavy rain poured.

The vessel was so poor that it became clear immediately as water with high speed appeared in the hold, people worried, the ship was swaying from side to side because of strong wind, it was impossible to stay, and to sit on the floor was more impossible, as water appeared very fast and all things: wallets, suitcases, bags almost everything was under the water.

Everybody panicked.

People ran by the ship and nobody knew what to do.

Boris shouted to Mum and Sara:

– Go upstairs quickly.

Sara just made a step and she felt that someone seized her leg, she turned and she saw the frightened eyes of pregnant Maria, she murmured something pleading about the help.

Sara called her Mum:

– Mother, quickly, here… – Sara showed on Maria, she couldn’t speak because of fear, she was shivering and her leg was in tenacious hand of Maria.

– Maria, stand up quickly, let’s go upstairs, – the mother leaned forward to help but at that moment Maria screamed and she writhed in pain. It was clear for everybody – the contractions began.

– Boris, mother turned, she was looking for the son.

– I’m here. What’s going on? – Boris helped an elderly people to climb on the board.

– Maria is giving birth.

Boris immediately appeared beside, with very fast and resolute movement he caught Maria and went upstairs.

All passengers were frightened because of heartbreaking scream of Maria.

Sara was shocked and she couldn’t move faster, it seemed that her legs clung to stairs, people lined up behind her, pushed each other, hurried the girl, pushed her in the side and back with accusations and shouting.

The wind got stronger, the rain lashed people with a violent force, sometimes it knocked them down, sobs and wailing, the scream of children, women’s crying mixed in with the thunder, and shrill, the unbearable scream of pregnant Maria.

Boris carried Maria upstairs, covered her with a sailcloth that he discovered in the fore ship, the mother settled beside, she was stroking Maria and saying to her:

– Be patient girl, everything will be good, you need to be patient.

Maria was keeping silence for some time and then she began moaning, and again it was a terrible cry.

The pain didn’t give her relax for a long time.

And the rain got stronger and stronger.

The hold was almost flooded.

There is inexpressible fear in people’s eyes.

Sailors are going back and forth down the vessel trying to patch holes in some way.

The frightened voices are heard:

– I can’t swim!

– God, help me!

– Semyon, where in my Semyon?

– Alyosha, go here quickly, leave your bale.

– Somebody help, here is a granddad!

– Mum, Mum, I am afraid… – children are crying.

The lightning flashed menacingly across the sky, it was impetuous thunder, it seemed that the sky was burst, nobody could remember such rain in his lifetime. Old people were praying and begging for mercy.

The vessel became more and more unstable, the wind threw it from side to side, people were clinging ropes, cuts on palms from coarse rope immediately revealed themselves, many people couldn’t endure the pain and let off the rope, they were immediately cast on the opposite side and they saved themselves only with the help of some miracle by clinging for everything, as the main aim was not to fall out of the side of the ship because they understood that otherwise a certain death would expect for them.

The strengths were all at the end.

Soaked to the skin, plagued to the point of exhaustion, people were ready to drop elements continued throughout the night, there was no power no beg for help, not even moan.

In an ominous buzzing mess of thunder, lightning and rain noise, people felt themselves like hostage to a raging storm, and already people were almost resigned because there was no more neither the strength nor even the idea of how to resist such attacks.

Under the morning, as a challenge to this power, the crying of a newborn child sounded loud and shrill as if claiming the human strength and endurance.

Maria lay almost breathless Boris was holding her by the shoulders during all contractions while Emma was helping delivering the baby.

Sara huddled in a corner far away, she was trembling and sobbing, her lips were bitten to the blood because of fear.

At the dawn the downpour began to recede, the thunder grew quieter and quieter.

The wind gradually died down, and people became alive, they began to move.

All people were wet and tired but extremely happy that all of this was already behind.

Emma decisively took off her jacket, staying in one combination she squeezed the water from it, and wrapped the baby, putting him on Mary’s chest.

Maria hugged her little miracle, and cried with happiness.

Emma stroked her head and comforted:

– All right, I was telling you that everything would be good.

We have almost arrived and Kiev could be seen.;

– Thank you, – Maria was slowly speaking, – in a weak voice, still sobbing.

When came to round the passengers realized that all their belongings were drowned in the water.

And it was also a shock, many of them didn’t have anything.

So it was Emma and her children.

Some woman took off her gas handkerchief and handed to Emma, with the words:

– Take… cover up somehow!

Emma nodded and thanked, threw a shawl over her shoulders, barely tied to a small nodule on the chest.

The vessel was like it has visited the mouth of the sinister monster, it was torn and worn out, slowly and heavily docked at the port.

The meddle with the strained faces followed every movement of the ship, realizing what have survived all people who were on the board.

The exhausted passengers eagerly lined up, they were ready to leave the ship.

Boris and Sara kept Mary under their arms.

Emma was helping the old lady to stand up.

Finally, the ship docked and filed the ladder.

The noise, noise, tears, cheers, greeting.

Parents met Mary and they thanked her rescuers infinitely.

Immediately Mary’s mother took off her jacket and scarf and quickly swaddled the baby in the dry.

Mary’s father took off his jacket and gave it to Emma.

They proposed to Emma with children stay with them in Kiev for a while, but Boris could not, he had to arrive on time to L’vov where he was expected duties.

Now they would also have not a simple way from Kiev to L’vov by train.

The freight train was already at the platform, and people rushed to take their seats.

In fact, there were no places in such cars, as it is a solid platform with a wooden flank places.

People jumped into the car and tried to sit on the floor in a way that would have more room to win themselves, that is, almost reclining.

Boris jumped the first, and gave his hand to his sister and mother.

They have located close to the musicians and the family moved from Kiev to L’vov.People who got to know about the loss of all things of Emma and her children immediately gathered dry clothes for them.

Sara changed into a dress, which had to tie a rope, it was the size of two more.It became immediately warm and comfortable.

She clung to her mother’s shoulder, as if searching for protection.

The car quickly filled and the door closed, chattering by constipation so loud.The train that followed to L’vov finally moved and Sara, in order to distract a little, began to torment her mother by the memories of her father, as she has done it so often.

Boris was sitting near and also listened attentively to the memories of the past wonderful time when the whole family gathered on evenings in the kitchen and after dinner Dad read books to children or played games with them.

Emma remembered Isaac when he was young; she praised him all the time, saying that he was very much a model husband and father he worked hard and loved his family greatly.

Sara listened, but the thoughts of the unknown future life absorbed her more and more.

A strange premonition of a joy and misery at the same time.

Suddenly she was dreaming of an idle life, costumes and fans, and then she felt the anxiety and tension.

The passengers were talking loudly, someone even joked, they laughed all together, even Sara could not help burst out laughing, listening to the stories of the older musicians.

Having passed almost half a day, the train made a stop in some remote area, Sara did not remember that name.

– Parking for 30 minutes, – the loudspeaker announced at the station, followed immediately one after the other passengers repeated aloud the announcement, all rushed to the door.

People quickly jumped out of their cars and wandered around the neighborhood.

– Hey, kid, where is the water here?

– Emma asked the child who was passing by.

He pointed in the direction of the column with the water, and all passengers rushed to this side.

People lined up, each drank and took the water with him.

Sara was staying in a line of two elderly men who were constantly exchanging their stories:

– I travelled so good last year, I decided to thumb a lift, maybe someone would drive me, and someone stopped, so I went with him and, ah! I even didn’t pay money!

– Oh, how was it?

– When we came, I went out of the car and began to rummage through my pockets, and so cunningly that the driver heard I said as if to myself:

– Damn, I think I’ve dropped the wallet in your car…

When the driver heard it he hit the gas and went away.

– Listen Ziama, and aren’t you lying? Well… You’re a genius!… – they are laughing and patting each other on the shoulders.

– Musia!!!

– From a distance coming toward the line, loudly and angrily his wife was shouting and you couldn’t stay the last in the queue, what kind of simpleton!;Musia and Ziama hunched their necks from fear, but it seemed they were lucky, Haya was running past, her main aim was the market place which was opposite side.

Three middle-aged ladies were ahead, they turned at the cry of Haya and recognized in her an old friend, they portrayed a smile, saying some words of welcome.

Haya, on the run replied in kind keeping the same etiquette, and ran on.

I must say that Haya screamed so loud that she could easily outshouted the signal of an approaching locomotive, so that the whole line responded to her cry, but three ladies who were standing in front of Sara, didn’t miss the opportunity to discuss Haya, but not her cry, they were not bothered by it, they were not timid by themselves, they may cry, no less shrill, one of them by changing smile on a wry face, as if just she has smelt the rotten sauerkraut, cheerfully she set the tone:

– Listen, there is Haya!

– Really!

– Did she live behind the school? – said the third.;

No one was going to answer the question, the first lady who exclaimed was burst with the desire to savor Haina, sorry ass:

– Is she put on weight more? Well, asshole!

– The nightmare – the other assented shrilly.

– Keep your voice down, – the third person hissed loudly, pushing her friend by elbow, fearing of Haya’s wrath, and glancing in the direction of running.

– Ah! Why are you worrying!

If I was not sure that she was among the other things also deaf, I would not speak so calmly.

These phrases have reached all who was staying in the queue, they giggled.

Then the baton was intercepted again by Grandpas.

– Ugh! – it could be heard when grandfathers breathed together.

– Well, how did you marry Haya?

– Ziama cried in the hearts – she is so ugly!

– Well, I say – a little oblique!

– A little bit?! When she is crying, her tears flow on the back crosswise!

– So this is my mother’s choice

– Musia mumbled guilty.

She told me that I would never marry a beautiful girl – she can leave me.

– And the ugly can leave too.

– But this is a different matter!; And Grandpas again were giggling.

– Ziama rushed into memories – but my mother always told me; – My son! Your first wife should be Ukrainian.

– How so, why? You’re a Jew, – Musia embarrassed.

– And I just asked my mother why, and she said that Ukrainians are beautiful, they cook tasty.

“She will make the burly man from you. Then you will divorce and marry a Jewess”

– Why? – Musia bewildered more.

– Well, I asked her why? And I got a slap for the slowness.

– Firstly, – my mother told me – you are a Jew.

Secondly, a Jewess wife – this are some connections and string-pulling. And when you will have connections, the position in the society, children, you will divorce and marry a gypsy.

– ?!

– Musia entangled in the calculations of Ziama’s mother completely, he crouched the proper “face”.

Ziama continued with a serious expression of face, understanding the silent scene of Musia:

– Mum likes so much how beautiful the Roma bury.

– ?!

– Did you believe? Well I’m laughing!;And playful old men were giggling again, coughing and tapping each other on the back.;;

Next was the turn of Musia, Ziama called him so, copying the style of Haya:

– And remember, I was in Kiev last year?

– Of course, you were in Kiev, I remember.

– So I’ll tell you, there are such Ukrainians!

– Better than ours?

– How can you compare?!

– Musia outraged. – I had an intimate date with someone, uh-uh! Oh!

– Cheer up and smacking his lips with pleasure, Musia who was already eighty years old, Sara thought so, he added exclaiming:

– Oh, now I know everything for sure!

– So tell me, finally!

– losing patience and scattering spit with envy, Ziama urged him.

– Listen: she wore a cape with a hood lurex – nothing like you would not find here.

And when she took off her, then it was under the blouse in pink chiffon, transparent as glass!

And her skirt was all completely covered with sequins, so that it was painful to even look at her. Then she took off her skirt…

– And what? – Ziama insisted impatiently.

– And what, – his friend shouted at him above, – she had underclothes decorated with Walloon lace of purple color and silver threads… Garters were decorated with the precious stones…

– And what? – Ziama asked losing his patience and self-control.

– Then she took off her clothes and garters …Ziama wiped the drops of sweat from his forehead, by the movement of hand that gripped the wrist of a happy storyteller, he made it clear that he needed a brief respite, and after a few seconds, exclaimed again:

– And what?

– Well, what – what, what – what?

– Musia waved disappointed

– And then everything was exactly as with my Haya…

– Mmm!

– Musia shook his head in disappointment – listen and how is your Haya feeling now?

– She is sick and ill, I said to her:

– Haya, do you know if any of us will die, I will most likely go to Israel…

– I understand you, and now you’re going to L’vov, – Ziama laughed.

The queuing for the water was quite long, friends countered each other relentlessly, the language in which they spoke was a surrogate for the Jewish, Ukrainian and Russian:

– How did you marry Haya, I am afraid of her, she can kill by the glance?!

Listening to the elders, Sara became cheerful.

After drinking some water and taking it with them, she and her mother crossed the road, where there was a small little market, the brother, a little later, caught up with them.

The mother thought it would be good to exchange her ring on the products, as the way was expected to be not near and not easy, where there is such a possibility could be.

The voices of traded were heard everywhere:

– I would not for a half price buy this fur coat.

Look – there is a fur out! – a thick aunt squealed.

– Madame, but for this price a couple of years you will have a great leather coat!

– Either he made fun of, or really believed in his words the seller with the silly expression on his face, reminiscent of a caricature.

Suddenly, as in the gramophone, right behind Sara the voices were heard:

– We haven’t seen for a long time! How are you doing? What do you do?

– Thank you, slowly. I am working on memoirs.

– Writing memoirs? It is wonderful. By the way, have you already reached the point when you have taken me 30 rubles?

Pictures, characters and actions change like a kaleidoscope.

– Good day, Semyon Markovich, how are you doing?

– Little by little, and yours?

– The same. I have an interesting little case to you.

There is a luxury bride for you – the young widow of great beauty, she is very serious. And innocent.

– How innocent? You said that she is a widow.

– Oh, a word that she is a widow, it was so long ago, she has already forgotten everything.

“The bazaar”, you can see and you can hear everything!

The signal train whistle alerted that passengers should take their seats.

People hastily rushed to their cars.

The bazaar deserted at once and traders immediately bored, staring at the chain of cars, whether envying departing, or regretting that did not have time to bargain and sell, barter or more items.

Meanwhile, the train had already started off.

The night was falling.

All the passengers began to prepare for the bedtime.

Each tried to stretch his legs, but it was not easy, everywhere they were bumping into the other passengers, the little wick was lighting, people had to navigate almost to the touch.

At the end of the car someone screamed, the voices of neighbors were heard:

– A! Are not you ashamed?

– So many thieves are around!

– No, I mixed up the bag!

– We know how you are confused!

– All right, leave him alone, maybe he really mixed up, it is too dark in here.

– Stop yelling, let sleep!

– Sleep yourself there.

– I said, shut up already!

– What? – a hefty man outraged rising from his seat.

– Okay, okay, keep calm, – probably his wife wailed.

Near the neighbors hissed, and somehow it all gradually found a peace.

Sara and Emma sat down on either side of Boris, and put their heads on his shoulders.

Boris was already snoring and his mother was also dozing, Sara could not sleep.

Thoughts assailed her.

– What is L’vov? – Sara wondered mentally.

After all, this city still belongs to Poland, though it is already managed by the USSR.

According to the stories, it is beautiful, that’s all.

Laws are keeping silence during the war.

Lukan