Читать книгу On the stone road - Venia Mishin - Страница 5

The squall of incredible feelings of joy and excitement overwhelmed Eric at the sight of endless spaces, which were hidden from the high mountains of the horizon. Snowflakes quietly fell from the sky on stony ground, which was covered with a white veil, where the sharp spears protruded out of depth.

– That’s my house – Eric heard a peaceful voice of Anders behind.

When Eric turned, he couldn’t see the Ander’s mansion: hid home was disguised as a rock, which was strewn with non-viable land, gravel and snow. Among the natural grandiose construction it was impossible to see the elements of an artificial construction.

In the distance of a slate landscape could be seen a sparse forest. Its sparse vegetation situated on a hill at the foot of the mountains.

– Are we on the edge of the world? – Eric marveled.

He had never seen anything like this. Previously, he had only hoped that in the near future he will be able to see the world from various angles.

– You can say so!

Going down from desert slope, Eric landed in a deep snow. Eric startled by the sudden collapse, he immediately rushed to get out of the quagmire of snow, which was concomitant with an unpleasant feeling of snow by the collar. Frozen icicles didn’t burn with cold fire. Eric hasn’t felt the icy touch, if only a touch of snow on the skin.

– Something is wrong? – Asked Anders with a serene expression on his face, when he drew attention to the thoughtful Eric.

– I don’t feel it … – indifferently said Eric, looking at snowflakes on his hands.

He felt by skin was, how chilly air, which was rushing around the body, was.

He felt its icy ferocity, but he still only felt, but he didn’t feel truly at its touch.

– And you won’t feel until you have an extra energy. Cold is one of the items in the list of unwanted feelings. The extra energy will protect its carrier from everything, except itself. And of course, it won’t protect of clumsiness – Anders added.

– But it is not the protection; it is deprivation of liberty, the senses! Am I not right? – Indignation captured the young man with gray hair.

Anders looked sympathetically; at least, he has tried to portray compassion, then he moved on to the valley, which reflected the night light by thin coat of frost.

They stood counterpart: at such a close distance Anders seemed even higher. It was quite funny to look at a man, which was dressed in light clothes in the middle of the mountain cold. The fierce blizzard, which suddenly appeared, has mercilessly blinded Eric and his friend. Finally, the weather taunts ended: snowflakes didn’t stop falling, they just froze. There were so many that they closed all around; Eric and Anders stuck in its web. Some later snowflakes budged, but in the opposite direction. The frozen fluffy drops rose skyward. A layer of snow underfoot was reducing; it climbed to the top, followed by the rest of the crystals. The rate has increased, Eric looked at his feet – he almost saw the earth, which was hidden from the eyes by the snowy mass. When Eric looked around, he didn’t see anything, even Anders, he saw only a continuous dark veil.

– Oh wow…! – he amazed.

It couldn’t fail to impress!

Eric heard a sniff of Anders. All the snow, which took off, instantly fell back to earth. After a few seconds, Eric brushed the pilings up of snow from his head and squinted grimly at Anders. The dark veil has disappeared, and then he could see the bristly beard: they once again stood on the flat valley, which was dotted with snow. – Very funny, I hope you will show me not just tricks – although he liked the focus, but that moment it wasn’t important. – You’d better to tell me how you control it, how do you manage it?

– First of all, you need to realize and accept the existence of energy in your body. Only after that, you can manage it. All the necessary levers for this are here – Anders touched his index finger to his temple. – Your mind controls the energy.

– That is, the energy takes whatever came into my head? – Eric tried to understand. – Energy is not a magic pollen, which grants wishes – said Anders, assumed a mine. – With the help of the energy source we can manage any matter, without touching it. We can move it, or break apart. Our mind works on the subject due to the energy source, but for doing this it needs to know and understand what a given object, how it works, what it consists of. Without this knowledge it is impossible to control the subject – he walked away and leaned on a small boulder, – he hid his hands in his trouser pockets.

– Really? What a shame, and I was hoping that you can get it by clicking fingers – Eric upset.

– Not so easy.

The silence lasted just a minute, and then Anders said:

– Come on, try something!

– Do you want me to repeat your trick? – Eric shrugged. – But I have no idea how to do it. And I don’t understand what I can do? What is our strength in?

– In a move – pointedly said Anders.

– Manage your power in the same way as the parts of the body. Send commands from here – Anders again tapped his index finger on his temple – use your imagination.

Eric began to think, what he would try to make. He didn’t try that did Anders – it was unlikely he will succeed; probably he won’t manage to do anything. Eric shook his head in different directions; his attention caught nothing. Then he just decided to lift into the air a small clump of snow. Moreover, it was a very simple task. After all, according to Anders, he could use his energy on the sole, whose nature was known for Eric. And what was the snow – Eric undoubtedly knew, like any other!

Mentally Eric began to present the outlines of a lump of snow, its size, how it was raised. Nothing happened. Even when Eric pulled his hand in front of his imaginary lump – the result didn’t change.

“If only my friends have seen me… they would have a good laugh!” – Self-doubt didn’t leave him for a moment. Discarding the thoughts, he began to concentrate all his attention only on the snow pile again. Eric began to imagine how cold and light it is, as he takes it and lifts. He began to feel it; he believed that he could do it: thus, Eric believed in himself.

Something moved. Noticing this, the young man tried to focus even more. A little snow separated from the land and then headed straight into his face.

– Damn it! – Eric angrily cursed. He had to shake off the snow again.

Suddenly he heard a laugh, Eric stared at Anders, but he just gazed peacefully somewhere in the sky.

– Just don’t be so; I know it was you laughing! – Eric angrily uttered, wiping his nose.

In fact, the failure of Eric looked very funny, but the laugh Anders teased him, as it was with any other laughter, which was directed at him. He hated to look foolish. He always tried to avoid such situations; they are unbearable for him.

– I have no idea what you’re talking about?! – With a straight face Anders rejected Eric’s accusations in schadenfreude.

Of course, the teenager didn’t believe him. Eric definitely heard his laugh, and he didn’t doubt it, although Anders tried to portray apathy.

– Well, you already have at least some idea of how your energy works, and how to use it, – Anders summed up the success of Eric.

– Probably, – he mumbled doubtfully.

He really managed. The main thing was that a little result happened. A little snow really took off the ground; and though it subsequently flew straight into the nose. By the way, Anders was not lying – the nose quickly stopped hurting after hitting the bar, and since then, it was no longer bleeding.

– Try again! – Anders ordered.

– I should to pick it up in the air again? – Eric said, turning to him.

– Try… to give it a shape.

Eric nodded.

“If only I knew how!” – In addition to this, Eric began to think, what kind of form to give a handful of snow. The choice fell on the most common variant – the ball. The main difficulty of this assignment was completely different.

“To believe, you just need to believe, to perceive your ability seriously” – it was not the easiest task, especially for an uncertain person. The thoughts of madness were constantly wandering somewhere nearby. Sometimes it was hard to resist.

Eric tried to abstract from all those things and focus on the goal. Little by little he began to do it. Snowflakes whirled one after the other at a small distance from the ground: they chased faster and faster. When one overtook the other, snowflakes combined, and then the new players joined the chase. It lasted until the snowball didn’t appear in front of Eric. He was of small size, below the knee.

Happened! He did it! He did it, he did it deliberately, controlling entirely the whole process.

– Okay, you’re done! – Anders immediately praised Eric, when he saw the embodiment of his efforts. He didn’t even stinged with the approving smile.

– I don’t even know what to say … – Eric was glad and he could hardly talk, he was amazed by himself. – Is that the control of which you spoke?

– No, – cut off Anders. The smile on his face disappeared. – Control – this is not a skill to sculpt a snowman, it is much more. – Anders took a couple of steps forward.

– Then why am I doing this? – Erik immediately got angry. He didn’t want to waste his time.

– This is the path to what you really must do.

Anders came to the stone, reminiscent of the parapet, and raised his left hand over it. Under his hand, which was slowly moving, built rectangular figures from the snow, like dominoes.

– The great begins with the small. The path to the desired lies through overcoming difficulties, laziness – he kept going – and of course time. The main thing is to keep on and not give up – Anders hand stopped – otherwise everything will be in vain, – he pointed to the last figure, which was created by him, and the whole chain has fallen to the ground.

– That is, it needs a very long time? – Eric mournfully pursed his lips and lowered his head.

Anders rubbed his nose and said:

– I didn’t mean it that way, but in general you caught my meaning. Eric, you have to practice to use a source of energy, in order to learn, how to control it. If you don’t want it to control you – he flashed his colored eyes. Even in the night Eric could see its shine. – In this case, it will occur the things, because of which you’re here.

Eric didn’t answer; he decided to keep silence. Fire and death crunch squeezed his throat, cutting off access of oxygen. Memories.

– What happened to you? – Anders noticed haze in his eyes. – Is something wrong?

– Oh, you’re very obvious! – Barely holding back, grunted Eric. – I need time. I have a feeling like I was stuck in something sticky… It seems that I’m sleeping! – He walked from place to place. – I find it hard to take, and so easy to get used to the idea that all of what you tell me, Anders – the truth!

– I perfectly understand, through what you have to endure now. But know this, you’re the lucky one; other people, who faced with the madness, experienced it alone.

Indeed, Anders was right: Eric should be glad that he was not alone. The loneliness would destroy him! Eric said nothing, but in his eyes could be seen gratitude.

Without any reason, he flopped back in the snow and stared at the sky, which was painted in dull black tones. The iron clouds overshadowed the shine of stars; tiny dots occasionally were shown between the sliding through the air smoky blocks.

It was so strange, Eric couldn’t see anything ahead. Earlier it was different. He always adhered to the stability, he was afraid to be in an unpredictable position. Much of what he had done before, was sent to the steppe. After the school followed the entrance to college, then was a future job, then a career, and so forth on a sloping, which was the existence of the average person’s life. He didn’t want to become a lawyer, together with Constantine, but at the same time he understood that this path will lead to unwelcome particular destination. This, as he always thought, was mandatory! Even if it didn’t suit him.

And now he just looked up at the sky, which was closed from his eyes with saddened clouds. Eric had no idea what would happen next.

– Do you have a family? – He asked, still staring at the sky.

– Yes, I have, – said shortly Anders, brushing snow from the shoulder.

– Where are they? – In his voice didn’t sound any notes of interest, except the manifestation of curiosity.

– There are a lot of places, the family is big. All have parted on corners of our hopeless planet – Anders continued to respond in the same hurried manner.

– Do you communicate or meet with anyone of them? – Lifelessly continued to ask Eric.

– I meet; or rather I sometimes watch them. How do they spend their time; whether all of them good. But all of this I do at a distance nobody of them knows about me. After all, I officially died more than six hundred years ago – Anders said, with a grin. – To be more precise, I disappeared, I went missing.

Swallowing information about carriers Eric couldn’t imagine what it was like, so many years in the shadow. Eric hoped that all this time he was not alone there.

– So, we’re immortal … – Eric exhaled and mumbled dryly.

– No, but we live a very long time, if we are allowed – ending sounded cruel and hard.

– It hurts?

Eric decided to go back to talking about the family; he wanted to find out what he had to experience.

– Over time, you start to think that this way of life is the norm. And that another way can’t be. Only time can make us come to terms with the objectionable acts for us.

– I have a small family. I have to part only with one person – Eric decided to share his story with a new friend.

– With whom exactly?

– With those who are still alive – Eric pulled barely from himself. He knew that sorrow will overtake him because of his desire to share.

– And who is it?

– Mom, – instinctively replied Eric.

– What happened with your father? – The question of Anders caught Eric off guard. Anyway, it was like a blow to the bruise.

Kitchen, explosion, and self-loathing – that now calls the word “father” in the sad Eric.

– He died – he quickly muttered, lifting his head from the ground.

“I killed him” – while Eric couldn’t admit it to anyone. It was hard to do it, even to himself. Let the best Anders won’t know what a boy of fifteen had done.

– I sympathize; it’s awful to lose loved ones. I know this firsthand.

Eric was undermined by the condolences, and he couldn’t resist:

– It is not necessary, he was rare… I don’t want to say, – Erik half rose from the ground. He hardly resisted not to express what he thought about his father, who never was for real.

– It is not unusual when a native person becomes strange and hateful.

Although Anders said all right, his words caused a desire to thwart it.

– He was not only a stranger, he was the one who broke the TV remote on the head of his son, because, he fell asleep and didn’t turn it off. He did it because the sound of the movie disturbed his sleep.

At the same moment Eric turned away from Anders, and looked into the distance, at the high mountains, he wanted to get on them and hide there from all that had happened to him. He wanted to be on the brink of infinity, naively believing that this way he will be able to escape. Eric regretted that he spoke about the immoral act of Karl Lanter. Now Anders probably guesses what Eric tortures himself.

To his delight, Anders didn’t continue the conversation and left him alone. Eric went on to test the newfound opportunities, but alone: he raised fallen snowflakes in the air and made them spin around. He was in the center of a small tornado. His fantasies started to turn out to overcome the barriers, which were built by conventional laws of impossible. Although he still didn’t give a full account of his actions. Its results were made at random, like a computer game, whose control you haven’t fully learned and you are trying to lead the way in it blindly, to the touch.

Returning from a curve hill, Anders stopped the training of Eric.

– I think you have enough for today, – he said, approaching him.

– Ok, – Eric nodded.

Artificial tornado crumbled to the ground.

They returned to the rock, on the hillock. Anders absented to hide his car; he disguised it under a thick layer of snow.

When the broad-shouldered man closely approached the rock, he moved his hand a little bit, and then there was a roar. The gnarled barrier was split into two parts, and then budged: the moonlight filled a cave, in response it threw out the stale air, which was trapped in it for a long time.

– Very cute – Eric whispered.

Moonlight froze in the cave twists, the tunnel began to fall, Eric and Anders continued to walk down the corridor, hiding in the darkness. A few minutes later they were at an impasse.

– Are we lost? – Eric wondered when he saw nothing in front of him.

Anders awarded his question with a heavy sigh; he pressed his hand to the barrier: the ebony doors opened wide.

Four giant stone columns supported the sky; the domed ceiling was decorated with bright stars, which were sliding on the supports. Marble women in marble coats shrouded columns over the full height, holding a cup, from which was emanating a bright golden light.

Under the ring of mezzanine, between the columns, were placed the archways. In total there were four through passages in the corridor, which were allocated with metal frame: a thin thread sprawled the arc on the wall, like the veins on the exhausted hands. One passage led into the dining room, the other in the living room, and the third led to the library. The fourth passage led to the exit of a luxury home, through a non-illuminated long tunnel, through which they had just stepped inside the mansion.

A spiral staircase gently poured into the balcony circle, standing out from the center of the hall. Following the dark-haired Anders, Eric climbed the stairs, looking at the bas-reliefs of people and animals, which were hidden in the shadow of the mezzanine. The bulges at the basalt walls displayed the proud ram, a mighty bull, half-naked men with swords in his hands, a huge cancer.

– This is the image of zodiac signs – Eric guessed by looking at the stone embodiment of the majestic lion.

– For the former owner of the mansion they were the symbols of faith – without turning notified Anders.

Eric wondered who owned this matchless house, which was reminiscent of the medieval cathedral, which interspersed with ancient temple. He wasn’t going to wait for a long time to find out the answer:

– And who previously owned this house?

– The man who saved my life – Anders quietly satisfied the curiosity of Eric.

– He died?

Eric somehow was convinced that it was true.

– Yes.

Once Anders confirmed his thoughts, Eric asked:

– How?

The man stopped and turned to Eric with a stern face. He regretted that he touched the wound, which he obviously was trying to forget.

– When a person stands in the way to achievement of one’s dream, that time dedicated to his life is significantly reduced. My advice to you, Eric – don’t destroy someone else’s dream, because you can lose your own.

– So, he was killed. – Eric didn’t ask, he commented the meaning of the words of Anders. He nodded.

Without saying a word, Anders turned and walked away, and Eric followed him.

Along the upper mezzanine were placed twelve doors in a circle. Each of them was decorated with a symbol of the zodiacal constellation.

– Oh, Yeah. Probably for your friend zodiac really played an important role in his life. If we consider, how many images are here.

– It was his faith – reiterated Anders.

– You mean religion? – Wondered Eric, when he finished examining one of the doors.

– There, where he was born, the stars – is the belief, art, life, and the law.

After Anders finished, he stopped at the door, where two babies were pictured. Eric was surprised, because he was born under the sign of Gemini, at the first day of summer.

– And where he came from, your friend?

– Already out of nowhere – briefly replied Anders. – This is your room – please! – He pulled the handle and opened the door. – You should put yourself in order, so I won’t interfere you.

Anders foisted to Eric the bags with clothes, he was already going to go, but he suddenly stopped.

– Sorry if I made a mistake with the size.

– Come on, – Eric closed the door, and then opened it. – Thank you, – he growled at last, and as soon as possible, shut the door behind him again.

In the room, which he was granted, easily could fit all the property of his family. Rough bronze statue glittered like foil from candies. Its arms and legs unnaturally bent, and the head rushed up and followed by eye into shrouded with clouds sky, which was flowing above the transparent ceiling. Curved humanlike creatures without a face and without gender were randomly leaning on the ghostly wall, which surrounded the dial, which was spreading out on the floor. The acute second hand was moving in the opposite direction around the marble stool, which enchanted by the presence of ideal simplicity.

– It’s funny.

It was the only thing that Eric was able to utter, thus expressing his perplexity to freak show atmosphere.

After a couple of tentative steps forward towards the reclined bronze statue, he saw glittering gold handle, the door of cream shade color was barely noticeable, hiding behind a bathroom. In the center of the white square was a huge granite boulder, turned out to be a real bath. Outside the reservoir for bathing looked clumsy, and even a little dangerous: sharp edges of the cleavage didn’t inspire confidence. But inside the bath was a continuous smooth surface.

Throwing his bags of clothes, Eric went to the mirror: for long time he carefully examined every bit of his face. Running his finger along the jaw, high cheekbones, lips – he couldn’t understand what has changed? Everything was as before, but the reflection looked different, not as usually.

As it turned out, he didn’t notice that his green eyes almost drowned in the cold colorless, which was surrounded by galvanized streams. Pupils also sparkled, like Ander’s eyes. Despite the beauty he acquired, Eric didn’t like it: it was neither his eyes. It was the eyes of monster, who had killed a man.

The guy with the gray hair washed and no longer tried to look at his reflection.

“Even it was different. Perhaps only here I remained the same "– Eric thought, clenching his fist over his heart. He didn’t believe that thought; because there is deep inside everything fell apart.

The guy immersed in the fresh water of rock bulk, Eric got rid of the remnants of a reminder of the hard day. However, the water has cleaned him only from the outside, it couldn’t penetrate in his soul and cool the accumulated there agonizing despair and fear. The pain was there the most, but Eric has denied its presence.

The size of clothes, which Anders selected, fitted to Eric, but to style it was in defiance with Eric’s preferences. He has resigned with narrow trousers, shirts and shoes, but he left to lie on the floor tie and the eccentric cylinder. Eric didn’t understand why Anders has bought all of them. In other packages with clothing it was exactly the same, except for the color and model.

The lights had lit up in the sky, through the glass ceiling Eric could admire the stars without going outside. Dropping to a marble seat, Eric lost in thought of a new life. He couldn’t understand – how such a thing could happen? How for such a tiny amount of time his life could abruptly turn around and give up all that was left behind? Almost everything that had previously at least some value, has ceased to exist, was relieved to second place, and even a third.

“So, what we have: I am an incomprehensible threat to others, and I’m not the only one. I can something, but I don’t know what exactly… the eccentric Anders didn’t explain to me everything yet. The strength inside me is my greatest danger; I should subdue it, but how? How can I subdue what is inside of me, to myself? I hope, Anders hasn’t lied to me, and he will really help me, or… I don’t even know what will happen to me if his help turns out useless.

How to live with it and not go mad? I don’t know, but I’ll ask Anders, he doesn’t seem crazy, but who knows? He lives on the edge of the world, in the bizarre, eerie mansion, sometimes secretly watches his descendants, but still chooses to himself in the care a stranger youngster – it doesn’t look like a normal person’s life!

But what is like a normal life? Every person understands the word “normally” in his own way, and it is his right. The main thing is that this right won’t harm to anyone. However, what for one person doesn’t mean anything for the other is a threat.

What can unite all the people? Nothing. Maybe, a common goal? Perhaps, but only till the moment, as will originate disagreements with the choice of a way to achieve it. So, it is inevitable, unity is impossible! "– starting with the one thought, Eric didn’t notice that he ran away from one thought to another.

He sat and attentively followed the movement of the second hand – the black arrow, as before, was moving in the opposite direction. He wanted this to happen not on the floor, but in reality.

It was quiet, he couldn’t hear anything: the second floor was empty. Eric went to the stairs, intending to talk to Anders: there was no one to talk with. He wanted to know when he will begin to teach him self-control, or even tell anything.

From the living room Eric could hear a crackling sound. Slowly, passing the shadow of the columns, Eric walked through the archway, and finally came to a crowded room. All the people, except one, were not real. Anders sat motionless by the fire, watching, how the bright embers were slowly fading into black gold of soot.

– You want to ask a question – what is going on here? – Without turning around, he asked.

– I’m tired of asking this question – Eric walked into the room, looking the lifeless visitors.

Across the living room were scattered black mannequins in dull robes, they looked like tired people, who didn’t withstand exhaustion. A woman in a dress was lying on the silk carpets; a scrawny man cowered in a corner, covering its face with its hands. Eric came mighty close to the piano, in order to get a better look to artificial little girl, which held tight by its tiny hands the leg of the tool: it seemed as if its glass legs will soon be destroyed.

– I won’t hide – I am not own – confessed Eric and stayed near another dummy, which was looking thoughtfully out of the window, holding a curtain. – By the way, I hope – you will give me a room with a bed. Because we sleep, sometimes for no reason, I want to lie down sometimes. Eric sat on an elegant settee, which was upholstered in dark green jacquard. On the edge of the sofa sat a woman, which was wrapped in saffron rebozo with a wide black hat on her head, covering the artificial face.

– There’s no time! – Anders snapped, remaining petrified, he continued sitting in front of almost extinct hearth.

– Okay, okay … – Eric muttered. – My eyes have changed, why? And why only they have changed?

– I don’t know the answer to this question. One thing I can say – our eyes are the reflection of our soul.

“It is not surprising that they have changed their warm color to a lifeless. After all, now I have such a soul "– Eric didn’t stop lamenting.

Exactly above the black table hung iron roots, they enmeshed angels with black and golden bowls. The saddened chandelier, which was fixed on a high ceiling, reflected in glossy round tabletop, which was kept on a sharp leg. The only support of the table pierced in polished anthracite floor. Its boundaries etched in dark rough walls, which were similar to the rock, mixing with the ceiling of a similar appearance.

There were only eternity and gloom around.

– How long have you lived here? All this luxury… sculptures – from which he was not himself, – its cumbersome and unclear. It’s snazzy, but, at the same time, it’s repulsive.

– Loneliness. There is nothing worse and more painful than loneliness, Eric. Tit was a single woman, the presence of silent statues somehow fill the void in her life.

Until that moment, Eric thought Tit was a man, not a woman.

– Tit had to leave her people; she went in search of a new home and family. Everything was not as easy as she thought. Admired people left her very quickly, because they were ordinary mortals, their life were short. Titus tired to experience the loss of loved ones, and ventured on spending her time in mire of loneliness. This house and everything in it is a reflection of crippled souls, of disappointment.

Despair and sadness overlapped each other by layers; it has been seen in every subject. From more luxury items came more suffering and sorrow.

– But she was not always alone, she met you? Didn’t she?

Let the whole story remained behind the curtain; Eric was very sorry Tit, even though he didn’t know her.

– We met when I was trying to get away from life. Having part of the power source of energy, I decided that I was turning into a demon. You know, in my lifetime obsession was at its peak, so I ran away. Abnormal fanatics kill anyone who they thought was the devil incarnate. In fact, they were themselves. And I needed to protect my family from these righteous geeks – a stern voice of Anders Eric could hear as if from far away, even though it was very close. – I remember this feeling, I remember the pain, the fear… and of course intolerable anguish. For over twenty years I had to spend on the margins of the world, hiding in the shadows, to ignore the existence of people, and indeed any life. In general, I had to learn how to get pleasure from the loneliness. Naturally it didn’t work out and then I went to the rocky shore. When despair overcame hope for the best, and the unwillingness to commit a mortal sin – I jumped, – the story briefly interrupted. – Then I was on the beach. I don’t remember how I was brought there. For a time, it seemed to me that I died – Anders was silent again.