Читать книгу Chronicles of the Coast, or Solveig’s Song. Realistic fantasy - Larisa Sugatova - Страница 7

Grandma Lisa and I were sitting at the table eating breakfast when Ty came in the morning a couple of days later. He joined us and had a fresh berry compote.

The sun had not yet risen high when he and I hit the road. I wanted to see what the town was all about, Grandma told me to stop at the bazaar and buy different spices and good tea.

We walked along the river behind the lodge, crossed over moss-covered greenish stones to the other bank and rounded the village. We walked along a small road towards the morning sun. It shone tenderly and warmed everything around us.

On the right the cold sea was murmuring. The dark sea surface glistened in the sun, and the foamy waves unhurriedly rolled onto the shore, slowly running back. All day we walked and walked along the steep cliff shore. Only once we sat down for a snack. Before the road, our grandmother packed a sorrel bag with scones and pies, and gave us a bottle of milk.

As the sun began to set in the west, Tai suggested a fire and a good rest. He found a brook and made a stew of the grits he had brought from home. We made a fire of brushwood. They spent the night there, and in the morning, at first light, they ate some leftover stew and flatbread and set off.

By noon we could see the wooden gate in the distance, and I was glad to see it, for the road had worn me out. It was exhausting to walk for a day in the heat, to spend the night in the woods, and to walk again without rest.

Behind the gate there were different houses, but mostly also wooden, with the occasional stone house. Along the road there were old plank sidewalks. Almost everything here was wooden.

This town was located in a tsunami hazard zone. During earthquakes, a huge wave came from the sea.

We came to the market. There were vendors selling things in the rows. The many smells began to make me dizzy. Unwashed bodies, different spices, «fresh» fish from the coast that had been delivered the day before yesterday, pork offal and cheap wine all combined to create something sticky and unpleasant. Oh, no, I didn’t like those places. We struggled to find where they sold herbs, teas, and bought what my grandmother instructed.

Ty haggled, picking and choosing. I didn’t know how to do that at all, I could only take the first thing I could find, I’d never haggled before.

– I’ll wait for you at the exit,» I told Ty. I never liked pushing in crowds, so I tried to get out where there was more air. I made my way through the crowd and waited. Ty soon appeared with a puppy in his arms. the little white fluffy dog looked trusting.

– Where did you get him? – I asked.

– Yes, some bad, very angry man sold. I felt sorry for him.

– How cute! Come with me.

We walked through the town, the dog sat mostly in Ty’s arms. Fluffy little lump. We gave our new friend something to eat, the pooch loved the scones from Ty’s bag. On the way home we walked along the shore, looking at the surf. When we went through the forest, Ty was suddenly alert.

– What are you doing?» I asked softly.

– Shh!» Ty pressed his finger to his lips and tugged my hand gently, and we hid behind a large bush. After a while, two guys in long light-colored shirts with red embroidery on the chest and black belts walked by.

– Who are they? Why are we hiding?» I whispered in Ty’s ear.

– Let’s just say we’re not friends,» he looked at the boys with distaste, but without fear.

– That’s no reason to hide, is it? – I wondered.

– I don’t want you and the dog to get hurt. By the way, what shall we call our friend? – Ty was gazing fondly at the baby.

– Barking,» I answered.

– Barking,“ I answered. „Why?

– I like it. Do you like it?

– Yeah, me, too,» Ty’s lips stretched into a smile.

We couldn’t avoid meeting Ty’s enemies. After a while, they came towards us from behind tall trees, probably camping there.

Ty warned me to stay behind him and not talk to any of the guys coming toward us. I wasn’t very sociable with strangers, so I didn’t need to be warned.

The strangers were trying to provoke Ty with rude words, pushing him into a fight.

– Hey, Ty, don’t you want to talk? – said one.

– He doesn’t have the guts,» his comrade replied.

And I stood up for Ty before he could answer.

– We didn’t touch you, go about your business,» I said, looking at them defiantly and pulling my head into my shoulders as if I wanted to hide from their gaze.

One of them stared at me.

– Who’s that with you? – The tall blond guy hissed angrily, turning to Ty.

The cocky guy looked me over from head to toe. The sight of him sent shivers down my spine. He had a nice face, and he was good-looking, but there was something slippery about him, and I could tell he was a big fan of women, and people usually liked handsome men like that, but not me. Sometimes there was something predatory about him, and he looked like the fire that attracts moths.

– None of your business. Come on, Lisa,» Ty took my hand, and we walked without looking back.

– Ty, who are they? – I asked when we were far enough away.

– Glen’s. Actually, they’re Calshire. And the blond one is Glen, the son of the chief, or rather one of the sons, the eldest. His father is the chief of their village.

It was a long walk. The sun burned mercilessly. Clothes were soaked, trickles of sweat rolled down the back, temples, neck. At least it wasn’t raining, it was not very pleasant to walk on wet grass in wet clothes.

We spent the night in the woods near a stream, we often met them here. We ate by ourselves, fed the dog and talked.

***

Granny was excited about the shopping.

We were glad to finally be in the cabin by the creek. We ate quickly and ran to the lake for a swim.

– Ty, catch up! – I shouted cheerfully.

He ran after me, pretending to tell me that this was no way to treat a tired man.

– So am I, we’ve been together this whole time! – I did not stay in debt, – But now how great would be!

The cool water was pleasantly cooling my skin. We washed off sticky sweat. We swam and dived.

Freshened up and came ashore. Skin was instantly covered with goosebumps. Hurriedly pulled on a clean T-shirt and jeans that I had brought with me. The skirt and blouse needed washing.

– Ty, let’s do the laundry,» I suggested.

– What am I going back in? – he looked at me in surprise.

– I brought you a clean shirt and pants, too. Grandma gave them to me.

We did a good wash and rinse of our dusty clothes. Ty was good at laundry. Then we sat for a long time in the thick shade of the trees until the heat of the day was gone.

From Ty I learned the history of his village.

Years ago it was a small town. Several mines were operating in the vicinity, and in those days people rode down the main street in horse-drawn baby carriages. It was a long time ago that the mines were exhausted. The main street was overgrown with grass. Most of the houses were ruined, rotten, and the forest came very close to them. Now houses were built next to the forest, where the outskirts of the town used to be. The village was sinking further and further into the forest. And so it turned out that it was now located behind the old ruined city.

The sun was already setting, and we went to my grandmother’s cottage. She was waiting for us with freshly brewed tea and sorrel and strawberry tarts.

Soon, at my request, we went to the old town. There wasn’t much to do anyway, at least I could see the area where I found myself.

The scene before us was depressing. There was an unpleasant smell of neglect and decay in the air. Next to one of the dilapidated buildings stood a cracked old wooden table. Vines overlaid its legs. There was a crumbling cement pile beside it, and the platform itself was cracked and overgrown with grass through the many gaps. The empty windows against the background of old half-destroyed walls looked eerily. It was a sad sight.