"You, eh, Pelageya live?
His face was a beautiful woman, even inviting, but it was something страшащее. I was surprised, because not met before a woman of such beauty and youth (for the time of stay in the village almost all remnants of its population were known to me). I couldn't even tell who she was.
I live.
-You are beautiful, guy, slender, wiry, wiry as a good horse, " said the old woman, looking me up and down black eyes, from the glance that my heart began to beat more often and more.
Her words made me confused. For a long time already разучившийся blush, I suddenly зарделся to the roots of your hair. Her face felt the greed for in sexual promiscuity, but not playful and modest, and some barbed, aggressive, devouring. Besides, the word "horse" sounded in my soul troubled, restless note, stirring in the subconscious some vague Association and guesswork.
The woman raised her head, and her black, blue-tarry, as Roma, long locks of hair fell on the face, covering it in half. Then she slightly bowed her head and looked at me askance.
Unable to make her sight, I turned hastily to get water. However, the woman was not going to go away, and stood behind me, silently watching me.
-Help me? She asked when I got their full buckets rocker.
-And what you aside?
-Yes to the same place as you, " she smiled, and the smile on my head spinning around. Now it was impossible to get rid of acute anxiety, sharp claws впившегося in the heart. My legs suddenly become exactly cotton, and the hands and even refused to obey. And the yoke with two плескающимися over the edge buckets's fixing to fall off the shoulder.
-What are you standing there for? "The woman asked, and my heart stopped for a moment, and then thumped with furious force. "Take my arm.
I tried to obey her and noticed a strange thing: my hands obediently and highly take up her burden and put it on the other shoulder. Not for the first time I experience the awe of female beauty, but to be surprised: this has never happened before to the village. "What the hell happened?" Unwittingly running through my mind, when only that the former numb legs became suddenly springy.
-Where to invest? I inquired and was stunned when the woman showed the house next door with Pelageya. Piercing guess deprived me speechless.
Not remembering itself was I at the gate ведьмячки. The effort it cost me stop here! I turned to her, trembling now with all the soul, вспомнившей shook me event. Now I don't have the strength to raise her eyes.
-That arose? Come, — has offered me a witch.
A waterfall of doubt and passionate impulses collapsed on top of me on the head, nearly tearing it. Seeing a woman dazzling beauty, I tried to get rid of the sticky web, уволакивающей me to the lair of the мракобасия, tried to reason with himself, that to me a tree whose trunk adorable — only rotten shell, for which the rotten core has formed enormous hollow. From the witch came something like a magnet тянувшее me to her. My passion зашептывала, trying to draw my attention to a beautiful figure, breast, countenance, the fact that finally, perhaps even likely, this is not a witch some, while beautiful, dazzling and passionate woman, who in his fiery beauty naturally envious rumors of rural females, superstitious speculation and false rumors. I was ready to believe her sweet whisperings, and coming over the top of a burning passion, if — if not what I saw with my own eyes. This is what gave me the strength to stop on the threshold of trouble hidden in this house, and still somehow resist.
That stopped that beautiful? Again smiled witch. — Quailed in any way?
I watched her at the waist, trying to, but not having the strength and courage to look up above.
-What are you waiting for? "She asked again, but her tone of voice changed, became subtly threatening. -A peek under the stables not scared? Not scary in the forest at night jump?!
She made a step to me:
-Yes, if you want to know, I could be without you these buckets attributed. Look!
Witch взметнула hand and something said. At the same moment shoulder, державшее on yourself rocker, felt noticeable relief, and then got rid of their cargo. The yoke risen over the shoulder and flew rapidly to the house of a witch, then opened itself door and there disappeared.
-Well, what a beautiful, you see?! See: do not go himself — влетишь, as these buckets. I know, just not bothering. I отвяжешься...
-It is a t what you intended, Barbara? — Sounded like a voice from heaven Pelagia.
-Oh, nothing! "Replied the witch. "You, Pelageya, don't bother! I want your guest to get to know, and you to visit all gathered, and I called back, vodka is not watered.
"Oh, PIP you in the language! "Pelageya, and the закрестилась. -Holy, Holy, Holy.
There was a pause. It seemed that everything was in disarray, nobody knew what to do, until suddenly Pelageya began to wail again, apparently foolish:
-Well, let lad's, nasty!
-Pelageja, not poke your nose! — Hissed menacingly Varvara. -Do not go! You know me! Don't care if Stara...
-I said: let go!" Grandma already seed to me.
I looked at her and immediately felt the iron coverage on the wrist. It's fingers were barbarians. Cold, it seemed that, in General, the iron.
'You just try to go to the old woman! Threatening said ведьмячка. -'ll be sorry you then!
I tried to escape, but realized that it was useless: grip barbarians was iron.
At this moment Pelageya was next to me and grabbed my hand, pulling away. Despite his advanced age, strength grandmother was still abound. With surprise I found that me and stretched, like a rope. And Barbara stood quietly and did not strain, though, was the trunk of the tree, firmly держащимся their roots in the earth.
Barbarian, send the lad's! Breathlessly said выбившаяся of the forces of the old woman.
"Go away, go away, tell you! — Shouted in response witch. Her hand, cold as ice, even stronger, clutched the iron Hoop fingers on his wrist, and I barely kept not to scream with pain when I realized she was talking to me. "Well, tell her that she was left behind, not the простишься with his hand — отсохнет.
At this time I broke down and cried:
-Grandma, grandma, go away. She squeezed my arm, like claws.
Pelageya let go of me, and I fell to the ground unconscious.
Chapter 7.
I woke up on some couch. Don't know how much time has passed since the horror in the stairwell. In my eyes blurry, and I only saw the silhouettes of people moving before me in bright, dazzling to hurt light.
The vision became better, and I saw several doctors in white, bent over me with some devices, bandages and syringes.
-In General, there is nothing to worry about, " I heard someone's quiet, even voice. — We ought to take him to the hospital, Yes it would be better not to touch. The wound is a breeze, but...
-Understand, I understand...
-You police called?
-Yes, together with you, but something that's not in sight.
-Well, will have to wait, now I saw what the doctor says. He turned to her companion. — Well, we'll take?
-And what to take? she said, looking me in the eyes. He won already woke up. Tomorrow оклемается, the day after tomorrow is back on track.
"Yes, but... And you to him whom will you? — I realized that the doctor refers to someone from the apartment owners, who stood somewhere pray for the headboard.
-Yes, anyone, in General. I see it for the first time. So simple, sorry man. No joke — lies on the stairway with a knife in his breast. As was alive!
-Well, then we take, " shrugged the doctor.
-Where to take?! — врачиха widened her at him, surprised eyes, as though wondering what he does not understand something. — There's the same man said that he may have to leave itself.
Врачиха looked and pointed at someone behind me.
-Yes, — was heard in response vague шамканье. — Yes, if you like, and why not...
-Well, that's great!! said the woman and turned around to leave.
-Wait! — restrained her doctor. "Wait, should also at least wait for the police, the conclusion to give.
-And what is there to give? Now, врачиха learned from his bag and began to something scratching on it handle. Five minutes later she gave the doctor a piece of paper. — Here is our conclusion. All right, go.
They went out, and I now saw the landlord, who went to see them off. Soon he came to me, and I saw a man older, but it's not the old man. He looked at me intently and asked:
"How did you, guy? How could you do that?
I don't know, I'd shrug, but a sharp pain pierced body, and involuntary groan escaped from his chest.
"You lie, lie, — the landlord made a stop motion of his hand.
-Do not call the police quietly, I asked.
-Why? "He ejaculated.
-Do not.
-Yes, but how does it all...
-Why don't they took me to the hospital?
-I do not know. Now someone will understand? Now, asked to leave... Although had to pick up, " the man hesitated for a while, but then asked. — And you yourself where you live? Maybe your parents call, inform, what happened to you?
-No, I am not local.
-And how you got in trouble? For what to you?
-But you never know what happens.
-That's right. So you say, the police do not call?
-Do not.
-Well, well, lie down until...
The next day I felt much better and was able to explore his body. The wound was the heart, but only slightly deep, already there was dried blood top. I asked the man, that he bound up the new слезшие bandages. And then he began to get acquainted.
The host name was Sergey. He had two children. He was sixty, but he looked more amazing young for his age. The children were quite young. Sergey Vasilyevich explained that it was the children of his daughter-in-law, and where she is, I never understood.
On the third day I got up and began to walk, although wounds and injuries arm still hurt. When the owner of the apartment where had gone out, asking me to watch their children, I looked around the room. The situation was woefully poor, only on the balcony where I wanted to go, hung strange hides and skins of different suits. Not without брезгливого disgust I looked them over, but he did not understand, with what animal they were taken.
Shortly before noon came Sergey Vasilievich, brought apples for children, and we sat down to eat some dinner, cooked by coarse male hands. At the table I accidentally asked origin skins and almost didn't spoil your appetite to learn that they dog.
-I собачником work — munching a piece of hard meat, said Sergei Vasilievich, and I have at the same time there was a feeling that we eat собачатину. "Want to see what we catch?
-Want uncertainly, " I said, not knowing want it or not.
-Well then, in the evening..."
When his granddaughter, brother and sister were already in bed and quickly fell asleep, he asked:
-How do you feel? Can you move?
I shook his head.
-Then go. On, — it was, " he threw me some дерюгу of tarpaulin, something like a short cloak with a hood.
I dressed and we left the apartment, carefully притворив door, went downstairs and sat down on a bench.
-Beyond that, I inquired.
Now, not now. The car should drive up.
Ten minutes later, in the silence of the night, they heard the sound of the engine, and drove up to the entrance of the van. We sat in a booth. Sergey greeted with a young driver, maybe a little older than me by age:
-Hello, Zhorik, you ружжо picked?
-And how! Hello, Sergey Vasilyevich, and who is this?
Is the us assistant. Went.
-Where today?
Dumpster, he named the area of town and as we crossed his story, whether they invented it, or really happened:
"On the landfill as hex: every autumn this bunch of dogs is going to pass by, walk not dare you. That them there beckons is not clear, because pile piece of iron and nothing more.
Whether past, or the year before last guy girl there took, " well, the well-known case, why frown. Now, there dogs attacked. Girl managed to run away, she assistance called. From the guy horns Yes feet remained. One Shoe and only found. In the evening there is better to avoid it".
-Do the dog can a person eat? — I was surprised and felt a large goose bumps on the back
-What's new?
-Well, not the wolf still...
-Why not a wolf? — intervened in the conversation Zhorik. — They are wild. On forests and run with the wolves, sometimes mixed with blood. Retrieved полусобаки-полуволки — a fierce animal, man is not afraid and merciless, bloodthirsty, worse than any wolf.
-Well, if so, it is directly disaster of some sort and this must be fought, uncertainly, " I said.
-What do we do? "exclaimed Sergey Vasilievich.
"Oh no, " shook his head to me not so. It is necessary to declare a real war stray dogs, and let all the inhabitants of the city, as they are destroyed.
-Yes well! skeptically, with irony handed George, vigorously driving machine. — Tell too! Not all so is terrible. Us is enough. Or you want to leave without work?! he laughed indulgently over my naive proposal.
'I don't want to. Who am I?
Soon we were on the outskirts of the city. Street suddenly ended, and the car dropped on a bumpy dirt road. Departing from the garden дичка, we saw in the darkness ahead of strange juggling torches.
As it turned out they were teenagers, boys secondary school age. They hid behind the dilapidated fence with the breach and from there, thrown in a pile of crumpled, наваленных each other automobile cabins bottles of gasoline, plugged burning rags, and tarry torch, wound on long sticks.
Bottle fought among iron, flashed растекающимися fires, illuminating purple flashes skeletons of cars, and there is sometimes like the ghosts appeared shadow of dogs, there were squeals and roar.
"Hey, guys, you shto do here? walked over to him, Sergey Vasilyevich, holding in one hand at the ready carbine, and the other something resembling a network.
Dogs kill — a simple answered one of them.
-In, Vidal помощничков?! — turned Sergey Vasilievich to become next to him Жоре, which also had a weapon. On the face of it the reflections of the flame shone wicked smile with which he suddenly rushed to the boys. — Well, git out, kids!
The boys laugh in different directions by the darkness, and from there soon began to hear in response offensive swearing at the big bad guys". Sergey Vasilyevich raised his carbine to his shoulder and held the barrel from side to side, threatening прикрикнув:
-I'm not kidding! Now someone he will finish badly!
For persuasiveness rapidly turning the hand and almost without aiming, he shot into the standing ten meters, at the fence, a bucket, which ignited densely чадящей soot.
