"Mom, where should I put this heavy suitcase!?" July shouted to the thoughtful woman standing by the window.
"I'm coming, honey. Put it on the desk for now. Are you hungry? We still have sandwiches left from the trip.
" "No, thanks," the girl replied.
She was seven years old, with shoulder-length black hair, green eyes, and a petite figure. She had always been very pale. She had never been able to tan. Until then, she had been in first grade at elementary school in Salt Lake City, where she lived. At first, she lived with her mom and dad, but later her father moved out, for reasons unknown to the girl. Besides, she wasn't interested anyway. Her parents divorced, so July and her mom, Karen, had moved to Mexico, or rather, to its outskirts. They were currently unpacking their luggage and furnishing their rooms. Their new house was located north of the city, in a small village called Gerou. The landscape around the posada wasn't very appealing. Soil and sand predominated, grass was rare. There was practically no greenery, but plenty of rocks and other stones. Karen and the child didn't particularly like it, but for now, they couldn't afford anything else. When July's mother accepted a job in the city, they would move downtown, but for now, that was out of the question. Apartments in Mexico were very expensive.
"Can I go play with the kids?" the girl whined.
"You don't know the area, or any children," Karen said (if there are any here at all; this place looks like a complete wasteland; I haven't seen any signs of civilization here yet, except for a metal trash can in front of the building), she thought.
However, she was interrupted by a loud and clear knocking on the door.
"Who's there?" she asked, peering through the peephole. She saw a short, elderly woman dressed entirely in black.
"Please let me in, I wanted to talk!" the old woman practically shouted.
Karen opened the door, and the unknown woman burst into the house.
"Hey, how about some privacy!" Karen said nervously.
"Well, well, well, she's new, and she's already bossing around. That speaks volumes about you.
" "Sorry, I'm a little nervous today, you know, divorce, moving," she explained.
Uninvited, she just glared at her.
"Divorced, huh? Mmhmh.
" "Is there something wrong with me?" Karen asked, surprised.
"No, no, absolutely not, quite the opposite, you've had experience losing people close to you... I wanted to talk, but actually, I already know everything. Goodbye, or rather, see you soon..."
She left and slammed the door.
"That was suspicious and mysterious, to say the least," the woman said, and continued unpacking her suitcases.
Evening was approaching, and they had nothing to eat. In the meantime, they had eaten the provisions left over from their journey. Something to eat would be good, Karen thought.
"July, how about a little trip to a nearby restaurant? I'm starving.
" "Me too! I'll just take my teddy bear, Mom."
It was already getting dark outside as they walked along the narrow path between two rocks. "A little longer and we won't be able to see anything, why the hell don't they put some lights here," the woman cursed silently.
"Did you say something, Mommy?
" "No, honey. Let's go a little faster, it's quite late."
Karen continued to use the small map of the village, finally reaching a small café with lights in its windows. There are clearly a lot of people, you can hear them all the way here. I hope they'll be normal, unlike that unpleasant woman. I don't even know her name," the woman mused. Finally, they arrived. They went inside, and suddenly all the noise and bustle stopped. There was complete silence, and every pair of eyes were on the mother and child. Karen felt uncomfortable and very foolish. She looked at them all and realized with surprise that they were all dressed in black! This was too much! What does all this mean?! she screamed to herself. They were still staring. What do these people see in her? Maybe she's dirty somewhere? she thought.
"Mommy, why are they staring at us like that?! I'm afraid of them!" July cried out loudly.
Karen lowered her voice:
"Just 'stare'; don't use bad words. I don't know why they do it. Maybe I'll find out soon, then I'll tell you.
" "Promise!" the little girl squealed.
"Yes, and don't scream like that. What do you want to eat? They have pancakes, scrambled eggs, and some soups. There's also fish with salads and yeast cake.
" "And I want pancakes!" the girl exclaimed.
The woman turned to the right, then to the left; the people were still watching her and the child. She decided to ignore them, even though it was very difficult.
"Mom! I want pancakes!" July demanded.
"For God's sake, keep it down!
" "When you're not listening to me at all."
The bartender approached the counter. She was a tall, plump woman with long black hair, like her clothes.
"Are there pancakes?" the girl's mother asked.
"NO," the woman replied firmly. Karen jumped in fear at the sound of her voice. It was incredibly thick and loud.
"And scrambled eggs?
" "NO.
" "Maybe there's soup, maybe tomato soup," the woman suggested.
"There's no soup.
" "And fish?" Karen asked doubtfully.
"There's none either!" the woman behind the counter almost shouted.
"Then what's there?
" "French fries!
" "Not very good for the baby, but okay."
After fifteen minutes, the waitress brought the promised dish, which didn't look particularly appetizing. Karen, however, ignored it and began eating her fries with her daughter. The woman couldn't concentrate on what she was doing, as all the customers in the bar continued to stare at her. She was fed up. She tugged on the little girl's hand and hurried outside. She didn't even notice her daughter had lost her teddy bear...
After returning home, Karen couldn't fall asleep for a long time; when she finally did, it was half past one.
The next day, the woman went shopping, this time to Mexico City itself; she didn't intend to encounter the villagers' hostility again. She bought a lot of groceries to last her and her child a while longer, and she also picked up a newspaper with job advertisements. After all, you can't just laze around forever. Arriving at the village, she realized that Mexico City was quite a nice city, unlike Gerou. Finally, she was home, greeted by July. She hadn't seen her mother yet today because Karen had left while the little one was still asleep.
"Mom! Yesterday in the rush I lost my beloved teddy bear. I think it was left at that bar," July said sadly.
"Don't worry, I'll buy you a new one soon," her mother consoled her.
"When the other one was from Daddy.
" "So the new one will be from Mommy.
" "Okay, fine. I'm going to play outside," she announced.
"Shouldn't you phrase it as a question? For example, 'Mommy, I'd like to play outside, can I?' Or, 'I'd like to go out, will you let me?' July! July! Oh, I see, you're gone. As usual, she ignores me; I have to raise her," Karen said to herself, then began cooking dinner.
Meanwhile, little July was walking around the cottage, occasionally venturing away from it. She climbed a small hill, constantly picking flowers for her mother, when suddenly she spotted a small building in the distance. Judging by the cross at the top, she knew it was a church. She approached it. It looked old and long forgotten. It was practically overgrown with weeds, and the weeds were almost as tall as the door. It didn't look very welcoming, especially since the church was built of dark wooden planks. After a moment, the girl heard a small kitten meowing. It seemed to her that the sounds were coming from inside the building. "I wonder how that kitten got in? Or maybe someone trapped it? 'Kitten, aren't you cold?!' she asked, hoping the kitten would answer. But it just kept meowing mercilessly. July's heart sank; she wanted to save the kitten, but she didn't know how. The door looked as if it hadn't been opened for at least half a century, and the windows were too high. The little girl circled the church three times, hoping to find some "secret entrance." Nothing of the sort happened, however. Devastated and a little sad, July slammed her fist furiously against one of the walls of the ruin and was surprised to find that eating the disgusting porridge had been worth it after all, as the board simply broke apart under her force. The little girl felt immediately better and quickly went inside. She didn't even notice that the kitten's "crying" had completely stopped. The church was gray, probably because the windowpanes were covered with a thick layer of dust. In the center of the room, pews were arranged in three rows; the little girl felt as if they would collapse even under the weight of a butterfly. She walked around the entire interior of the church. To the left and right were two smaller vestibules, on whose walls hung beautiful, old paintings and a rusty clock that had surely stopped long ago. Suddenly, a strange noise, like the flutter of wings, echoed behind the little girl. July thought she'd misheard, but a moment later she heard the same sound as the first time. She was a little terrified. After a moment, she regained her composure, thinking it was a bird or birds, until suddenly, someone grabbed her arm with an icy hand! She turned and saw a tall, translucent woman with long black hair. She had wings! Huge, dark wings! July was as naked as cotton wool. Although her mother had once told her about angels, she never would have imagined meeting one. She didn't know whether to rejoice or cry.
"Don't be afraid of me, I'm an angel," the unknown soul suddenly said, her voice echoing throughout the church. July was impressed. For a moment, she even thought she was dreaming.
"Mommy once told me about angels; she says they're completely transparent!" she replied in astonishment.
"But only the good ones..." the angel began to smile mysteriously.
"I'm scared!" the little girl cried.
"You have nothing. Death doesn't hurt.
" "Death?
" "Let's change the subject, how old are you?
" "Almost eight. My birthday is in two months, and Mom will buy me a cake and throw a party and buy balloons and...
" "Enough!" the woman-ghost shouted.
The little girl suddenly felt uneasy and a little terrified. What did this scary lady want from her? And how did she even get here? She wouldn't have fit through the small crack she'd gone through," July thought.
"I have to go now, come tomorrow at noon. I have something that belongs to you. You can get it back the next day. But don't tell Mom, or our plans will be ruined."
The little girl didn't have time to ask what it was because the angel vanished. A moment later, she left the enchanted church and went home. She didn't say anything to her mother because she was terribly curious about what the "woman with wings" had in store for her tomorrow.
After entering the house, she noticed her mother talking to an elderly man, but she wasn't interested. She went to her room and fell asleep.
"So, what's your name, you say?
" "Hilary Gordon. I've lived here for over sixty years. Honestly, the people of Gerou don't like you.
" "I've already noticed. I don't know what they want from me, after all, I haven't done anything to them.
" "They're just like that. Always sad or angry. They form a unity, a nation of their own. Do you understand? They don't like strangers.
" "I wonder... why are they like that? Can you tell me more about them?"
"I don't know. I don't think I should. It won't be fair, but I'll tell you, if only to warn you...
" "Warn you? Against what?
" "About angels...
" "What??? Hehe, you've got to be kidding."
"They haunted the village 123 years ago. At least that's what I was told. Since then, they've been taking people close to them from the locals. They don't do it anymore for reasons I don't know, but watch out for your daughter... They're evil angels, capable of anything.
" "Get out of here immediately and stop talking nonsense! No one's going to take my only child away from me! An old lunatic, just like everyone else!
" "Why do you think these people are so hostile? Angels have taken people close to their hearts. There are orphaned children, widows and widowers here, mothers without children, and husbands without wives. Now you know the whole truth. Watch out for the child! Don't let him in the church! Never!
" "I don't want to hear this again! Leave the apartment immediately!
" "Remember, I warned you... Remember the haunted church!"
Karen slammed the door behind him and burst into tears. She couldn't believe what he was saying, yet it seemed so believable, so real. She sank to the floor and sat by the door. "I'm not stupid, I'm not going to believe an old storyteller," she thought. After a moment, she went to the little girl. She slept like a log. Karen suddenly felt more tired than ever. She lay down next to the child and fell asleep.
Suddenly, someone started shaking her. She woke up and saw a dark blue figure with a blurry face above her. It was a woman. She started talking to her, but Karen couldn't understand a word. After a moment, she realized the woman was speaking Latin. The only thing she managed to understand was that July would soon be gone from her life. The woman quickly turned and headed for the front door. Karen noticed small wings on her back. She was terrified.
She woke up in an icy sweat. For a moment, she thought it was some horror, a nightmare, not the peaceful life she'd led. Everything ceased to matter. Only July mattered now—her beloved little daughter. Everything came flooding back to her. That awful, old man had come to visit her and told her all this nonsense. Nonsense? She was slowly beginning to doubt it. But the old man left, and she went to the child. "Oh God, where is her child?! For God's sake!" she screamed. "July, for God's sake, where are you?" Karen was beyond nervous. First the old man, then the terrible dream, and now the disappearance of her child had left her shaking and pale as a sheet. She jumped to her feet and searched the entire apartment, but to no avail; there was no sign of the child. The disoriented woman ran outside. There, she saw her long-awaited daughter, playing in the garden.
"Mommy, Mommy! Look, I've got my teddy bear back!" she cried.
"Honey, it's so good you're here. Come home, it's getting dark.
" "Okay, Mommy. I'm a little hungry.
" "I'll fry you some eggs and bacon.
" "Yes! Yes! Eggs and bacon!"
Kren lifted the little girl into her arms and carried her to the table, then began preparing the dish.
"So? Where was your teddy bear?
" "A black lady with wings gave it to me. The lady claims she's an angel, but you told me angels are transparent, and that lady was... Mommy, are you okay? You're all white."
But the girl's mother wasn't listening anymore. What she had just heard paralyzed her. And yet, what that old man had said was true, those angels... Karen couldn't think about it. It was a nightmare, a bad dream. It couldn't be true. But it was. The woman, staring at her daughter, took her from the kitchen and carried her to her room.
"But Mommy, I didn't finish my meal."
- Come on, we need to rest. We're leaving tomorrow.
July didn't understand her mother, but then she rarely understood her. Grownups are strange, she said. First they move, then they want to leave.
The evening was chilly, and Karen felt it in her sleep. She woke up once or twice to adjust the covers for herself and the little one. They were so tired that they dozed even as night slowly approached, and the rain slowly began to drizzle on the thirsty grass. After an hour, the downpour intensified, and the sky clouded over. Thunder could be heard in the distance. A moment later, the first flashes of lightning appeared in the sky. The storm had finally begun. Lightning began to strike the rocks, and the clouds seemed to have broken. It was already night when July woke. She thought someone was calling her, but she decided no one could have been calling her so late, especially since her mother was lying next to her. But then she heard the calls again. She heard a woman's voice, emitting an eerie echo that the girl knew from somewhere. She couldn't remember where. A moment later, the child was asleep again. It didn't last long. Someone was bothering her. Someone was calling her, someone needed her. July got out of bed and began to sleepwalk. She headed for the door. She went outside; it was terribly cold outside; an icy gust of wind hit her face, but she ignored it; she kept hearing the voice. She walked, soaking wet and freezing, hearing the clap of thunder, and occasionally bright flashes of lightning split the sky. July wasn't afraid. She followed the sounds. She slowly approached the church. Keeping her eyes closed, she went inside... Meanwhile,
Karen was having night visions again. She dreamed of that navy blue woman – an angel. This time, she fulfilled her promise... She woke up drenched in sweat. Her first instinct was to look at her daughter.
"Oh God, July, where are you?" "She screamed, unsure what to do. "A church! That's it. Hilary Gordon said something about a haunted church. I'll be there soon," she said to herself.
Fortunately, the church was visible even from near her cottage. In the darkness, she would never have found it if it weren't for the lightning that constantly lit up the sky. Karen was observant. The window caught sight of a building with a cross on the roof. She ran there immediately. She was close to her destination; she was about to enter, but she started banging on the door, it was impossible. She searched for the entrance, circled the church, but found nothing. Pounding the door with her fists and crying like a child, she began screaming,
"Give me back my daughter! Don't do this to me! Take me, but leave me my July! She didn't do anything to you, she didn't do anything to you! Why?!
Suddenly, the earth began to tremble, and in places it even cracked. The roof of the building split, and the storm intensified even more. Now lightning continued to rage throughout almost the entire sky. Rain began to fall in greater quantities. Thunder roared loudly. A blinding light emanated from the church. Karen had never seen anything like it before. Suddenly, a black figure emerged from the brightness. It had enormous, dark wings spread, and its dress flowed in all directions. An angel. A black angel. She held July in her arms, the little one sleeping in her arms, and tears flowed from her eyes. The spirit rose upward, along with the bright rays. It receded until it finally soared into the sky.
"Nooooo!" Karen screamed. "No..."
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz