The Picture Painters.

They'd been wandering through the forest for a good few hours now. It was hard for them to admit it, but eventually they had to. They'd gotten lost.

"I told you to turn right," Natan said, his voice slightly flustered.

"So we did," Peniel replied, in a similar tone.

"But not when I told you.

" "What difference does it make?"

"A big one, because if we had turned right then...

" "But we didn't, so what?" Peniel practically shouted. "Do you want to turn back?"

"No."

"Well, look which side of the trees the moss is on, we'll get out of here eventually."

They walked in silence again. Thirst was tormenting them. They'd run out of water hours earlier, and they hadn't seen even the slightest stream or spring anywhere. Fatigue was also making itself felt. Their legs ached; they weren't used to such a long walk. They didn't stop, though; they would have wasted a lot of time that way.

"Why didn't we turn right?"

"Shut up and look at the trees.

" "I'm looking, but I still feel like we're walking in circles. This forest can't be that big.

" "Quiet!

" "Why? You don't tell me what to do. If I want to talk...

" "Shut up and listen!

" "And what will I hear?

" "Just listen."

They both became absorbed in listening, and the entire forest listened with them. Somewhere in the distance, they heard a dog barking. Had they finally found their way out of the forest?

"Is that a dog? Right?" Natan asked, checking.

"No. A squirrel. What other animal is barking? Of course it's a dog, you idiot.

" "Where's that coming from?

" "I'm trying to figure it out, but you keep talking."

They pricked up their ears again.

"That's where it's coming from!" Natan pointed.

"Thanks! I never would have thought of that on my own."

They set off, taking their time at first, but after a while they couldn't take it anymore and started running, eager to get out of there as quickly as possible. The forest began to thin out, until finally the trees ended. They emerged into an open space. The sun blinded them, and at first they didn't know where they were. When their eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight, their faces fell. They had indeed emerged from the forest, but only seemingly. They were in a clearing surrounded by trees. A few dozen meters ahead, they spotted a house with a small garden. A dog stood in front of the fence, barking.

Well, at least they could get a drink of water, rest for a moment, and ask for directions. A figure appeared in the doorway of the house. It was a boy, maybe six or seven years old. As they approached, the dog fled into the kennel and was now barking at them from there.

"Hi, buddy!" Peniel greeted the boy. "Are any of your parents here with you?"

"Uh-huh." The boy nodded.

"Can you call them?

" "Uh-huh. Mom! Someone's here!" he yelled.

"Who? I'm not expecting anyone!" They heard a muffled cry coming from inside the house. "Ask what he's looking for here?"

"We got lost in the forest and wanted to ask for directions, and if possible, we could also rest here for a while and get a drink of water.

" "There's a well there." A middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway.

She looked drunk, having to hold on to the doorframe to stand. She slapped the boy on the head with her open hand.

"Move away, you brat, your mother wants to pass. Can't you see?"

The boy was clearly used to this kind of treatment, because he didn't even groan. He stepped aside from his mother and sat down on a bench by the door. He picked up some sheets of paper and began scribbling on them. The woman crouched down and then sat on the threshold. She began to stare at the two young men with a bleary gaze. They were approaching the well.

"Can you handle it on your own, or do I have to help you?

" "We'll manage."

Natan picked up a bucket from the ground and lowered it into the well. He turned the crank until he heard the splash of water. He turned it twice more, and then began turning the crank in the opposite direction.

"You're city people, aren't you?" the woman said teasingly. "Only city people get lost here.

" "Natan and I are from Haub City. We came here to camp. "

The one in question pulled out a bucket of water and began drinking greedily. When he had satisfied his thirst, Peniel did the same.

"And why did you come to the forest?

" "We wanted to pick berries," Natan replied.

"So what? Did you manage?

" "No, we didn't find any.

" "Because there are no berries in this forest. Didn't anyone tell you that?

" "We didn't ask anyone."

"Could you tell us how we can get out of the forest?" Peniel asked, setting down the bucket.

"Well, what could I not tell you?"

The woman began explaining the path leading out of the forest to Peniel, and Natan, meanwhile, approached the boy.

"What are you drawing, buddy?

" "You.

" "Can I see it?"

"I haven't finished it yet.

" "And any other drawings, the ones you've finished?"

The boy handed Natan several sheets of paper. In one drawing, he and Peniel stood in the shade of trees. In another, the boy captured them walking toward the house. In another, they stood in front of a fence.

"You draw very well. Who taught you that?

" "Nobody. I've always been able to draw like that."

Natan glanced at the other pictures. Him and Peniel standing by the well. The other drawings were two portraits, of him and Peniel, both so perfect they looked like photographs.

He held his breath. Jesus, he thought, this boy is a genius.

His traveling companion approached and peered over his shoulder.

"Look at how this little one is drawing."

Peniel took the sheets of paper Natan had handed him and began to alternate between looking at the boy and the drawings.

"I think it'll be best if you two leave," the woman said. "My boy should be here any minute, and he doesn't like strangers.

" "We'll be going soon," Peniel replied, then turned to the boy. "Listen, kid, when did you manage to paint all those pictures? We only got here about fifteen minutes ago.

" "This morning.

" "Morning? What do you mean morning?

" "Don't listen to him. He's stupid," the boy's mother chimed in. "He does nothing all day, just scribbles."

"You couldn't have painted us in the morning. We weren't here this morning," Natan stated.

"I paint what I see."

"Don't lie, kid, or you won't go to heaven," Natan threatened.

"Don't listen to him. He's stupid," the woman repeated. "You should go now. My husband is terribly jealous of me. He's a powerful man. He's a lumberjack, and when he sees you here, he'll hit both you and me.

" "We're going," Peniel replied. "You heard what she said, Natan, that boy is stupid. Come on, come on!

" "Wait a minute. Listen, kid," Natan persisted, "you couldn't have seen us here this morning.

" "Yes, I did.

" "We weren't here this morning.

" "Natan! We're going!

" "I can already hear my old man singing. It's high time you got out of here.

" "Natan!"

Peniel watched the boy for a moment longer, then thanked the woman for her hospitality and joined Peniel. They had covered a few meters when the boy shouted,

"I'm finished! Want to see? "

They stopped.

"Show me!"

From somewhere deep in the forest, a loud male song echoed. The boy ran over, handed Natan his drawing, then returned to the bench in front of the house.

Peniel approached his friend, who was staring at the picture.

"What's in there?"

The man handed him a piece of paper. The drawing showed a fallen tree, and beneath it, two bloody bodies. It was undoubtedly them.

The singing grew louder, closer. The two friends looked at each other, then at the boy sitting on the bench, who was drawing again.

"Boy!" Natan shouted. "Did you see that this morning too?

" "No! Just now!" the boy replied.

"Get out of here!" the woman screamed.

They stood for a moment, wondering what to do. Finally, Peniel moved, and Natan did the same. They entered the forest, stopped, and looked back once more. The woman and the boy had disappeared. They must have hidden in the house. On the other side of the clearing, the figure of a powerfully built man appeared. He walked, swinging a large axe in time to the song. The two young men glanced at the drawing again. According to what it depicted, their future wasn't rosy. And then Natan tore up the picture. After all, the boy's mother had said he was stupid. So there was nothing to worry about. He threw the scraps of paper into the winter and followed the retreating Peniel.