The old man only sighed hard. Could he tell the first-meeter about his pain, share what has been gnawing at his soul for so many years? After all, he loved his Svetochka, he loved her very much. And they were happy together like no one else.
The only thing that darkened their marital life was the absence of heirs. It is now that medicine has stepped far ahead. A child can be conceived even artificially.
And in the days of youth, Anatoly did not have such innovations. A few years after their wedding, it did not work out with the children. Poor Svetlana cried, the spouses went to church, hotly prayed to the Holy Mother of God that she would give her mercy and help them conceive a baby.
And the higher powers heard their desperate requests, Svetlana carried. And Anatoly was in the seventh heaven from happiness. He carried his Svetochka in his arms, did not give anything difficult to lift, himself called to manage the household.
He was sure that his son would bring them happiness for the rest of their lives. But it did not happen. Being already on the ninth month of pregnancy, Svetlana suddenly felt bad.
While the ambulance arrived, the young woman was groaning with pain, and Anatoly did not know where to go. He was so worried about Svetochka and the unborn baby. The spouse was taken to the hospital and decided to do an emergency operation.
The births were very difficult. Svetlana could not carry them. The baby was also not saved.
The midwife left the operating room and, hiding her eyes, without looking at Anatoly, only said, I am very sorry. We did everything we could. But not everything in this life depends on us.
Your child has not breathed for a whole day. This happens. Forgive us, please.
Anatoly, hearing this, howled like a wild beast and immediately fell to the cold floor of the district hospital. How to live on? What is the point? He remembered the funeral himself. Everything was as if in a fog.
After Anatoly buried his beloved Svetochka, he had to start life anew. Every year he closed himself more and more in his shell, in his deep sorrow. He did not let anyone near him.
He did not want to see anyone. But, as you know, time heals. And although it cannot completely get rid of mental wounds, deep rifts always remain in the heart.
But the pain of loss over time becomes dull. This is what happened to Anatoly. He moved to this village where his wife was born.
He led a hermetic way of life, not letting women near him. Although after a while he melted a little. But he still did not love when he began to be asked about his personal life.
The villagers considered him a little strange and inhuman, but everyone had their own life. Therefore, they gossiped a little and calmed down. And only Olevtina was used to gathering different gossips and spreading them throughout the village.
She could easily come up with something about a person, fantasize a little more about herself. And immediately spread it to all the neighbors. One day a man came to Anatoly and asked to live with him.
No one knows what they were talking about behind the closed door. But the man agreed to let the stranger stay. And half an hour later terrible screams and scolding were heard from his house.
Again, none of the villagers knew what was going on in his hut. But the next day the stranger left, and Anatoly continued to live as before. Sometimes some strangers came to him and again terrible screams The villagers were scared and did not even know what to think.
Oh my God! What are they doing there? People asked each other. But they were afraid to ask Anatoly directly. And they began to avoid him even more.
That’s what Olevtina thought about today, walking through the forest through the mushrooms. She saw one white mushroom, then another. And all her thoughts were swallowed by a quiet hunt, which the woman loved very much.
She did not even notice how she wandered deep into the forest and realized it only when she was near the wolf swamp. Swamp sludge chewed under her feet, and Olevtina fearfully retreated back. Oh my God! Where did it take me? She exclaimed, addressing herself.
You are tired, young lady. Come on, turn around! Home! It was not enough to die here in the swamp. And then the woman felt the cold running down her back.
And the hair on her head moved. Someone’s moan was heard from the swamp. Olevtina screamed and suddenly bounced aside.