Direville Dreams. Lina Dee
hysterical cry of a woman who scolded her husband in a new house on Veil Street, and the crying of little children. But he was deaf and dumb, and therefore the sounds did not touch his ears; he continued to walk without fear of a gusting wind blowing directly into his face and open neck with a nasty ice cold chilling down to his bones until another vision took him by surprise.
The man punched himself on the head, but the vision only became clearer. Then Melville stopped near the majestic marble arch and leaned against the column. In a vision, an unfamiliar woman appeared on his knees in the Direville Forest, which the inhabitants called «hissing». A woman wearing a light dress with a fur cape looked like a queen. She looked straight ahead into the void at someone or something, and uttered some words. But there was not a soul around her. Land and trunks were covered with moss. And through the mist-shrouded crowns of trees rays of light penetrated from all sides.
The vision ceased. Melville shook his head and walked on.
His weathered white face became red, but a calm and purposeful walk led him, now over the ruts, to the coast.
Without going down to the shoreline, Mel found the highest cliff, and, going to the edge, without looking down, he slowly began to undress.
Melville unbuttoned the buttons and took off his coat, boots, pants, shirt, several amulets, underwear – and all this neatly, lined up to a millimeter, folded in separate piles – out of habit. Having tucked his hair behind his ears, a naked man held his gaze on the shoes he’d taken off, as if he had noticed something on them – or remembered something – and, turning around, lifted his head up, directing his gaze to the bottomless dark-blue abyss.
The moon illuminated his body again, snowflakes cluttered around skin, face, eyes. He noticed them for the first time, but did not move.
Realizing that he was standing on the edge of a cliff he took a desperate step forward, straightened his shoulders and jumped headfirst down. Approaching the water, Melville closed his eyes for fear, not noticing how his shadow, turning into reflection, had a different outline.
A loud outburst followed, which Mel could not hear, the blinding brilliance of the moonlit splashes and dark waves enveloped him with calmness.
Diligently folded shirt, riding up in the wind, unfolded like a Christmas gift, and a light bracelet made from dried rowan berries was blown into the air and swirled, taking it off the cliff in search of a new shelter.
Ruby octopus
At first there was a translucent silence.
The birth of a new day has become pure and silent. In the «Hissing Forest», a gray squirrel sat motionless on a stump covered with moss and sparkling frost. It seemed to be bewitched and turned to stone, listening to other sounds with wide eyes and picked up ears. Everything was coming to life.
Somewhere nearby, the crunch of branches and the snorting of a large animal were heard. It was a sorrel thoroughbred horse that glittered even without bright sunlight and waved a glistening mane on the run. The silver vapor from her nostrils melted into the air as quickly as the deaf thumps of the hooves, slipping into the invisible past.
The rider was a dark-haired, handsome woman in a cream airy dress and a fur cloak letting her not to cold, managed the horse very powerfully and strict; every movement she performed at high speed was perfectly accurate and confident. The woman galloped in lonely pride, and the trees came apart from her flash-like glance.
After spending the whole night in an abandoned hut in the Direville Forest, Fairly was able to complete preparations for her important visit and was finally firmly established in her intention.
Silence gave up, defeated, and cheer up from sleep, rapidly speeding wind broke free from captivity, moved its branch of the majestic pines, aspen leaves and rare mountain ashes, down to earth, relentlessly he began to tear off the last leaves of blueberries, leaving twigs leafless, naked, stirred up the ferns and walked along the soft moss.
Fairly was overwhelmed with inexplicable excitement and having jumped out of the forest, she only put on speed. Small rare snow fell from the sky.
The deaf thud of hooves, invading the awakened Direville, turned into a clatter, beating the rhythm along a cobbled road. The city was already buzzing like a big steam engine, especially on the main streets and markets, sinking in a million mixed smells. People selling along the road frightened jumped off to the side in front of a fast galloping horsewoman, fearing to be crushed. On the square there were not only adults, but also children of different ages. The poor children of peasants and artisans were very different from the spoiled and well-groomed offspring of aristocrats and the rich. With a miserable look, they stared at the windows of bakeries with fresh pastries, the first fair carts with sweets and handicraft goods, appearing everywhere, as if by magic, the first bright decorations. Everything was interesting for them. Such people usually huddled in apartment buildings for several kids in a tiny room or even in one for the whole family, in old barracks… or shacks for servants.
The rider looked into the eyes of a dirty, unkempt child, turned to her, and her heart responded with a sympathetic blow, the horse reared, even more frightened the boy, but, turning the animal around, she rushed on.
The woman was already far from this place, and the face of the poor boy had long stood before her eyes. She galloped very quickly, but managed to notice how a red two-story trailer with young passengers was moving along the steel rails running through the city. It was the first time she saw a real tram, in Fairville they have not been yet.
Fighting up a cough, Fairly crossed several familiar streets and climbed the bridge over a green duckweed pond, not covered completely with snow, where her horse almost knocked down a shocked, something painted clown with a round wicker basket, from which a baby crying came…
The green pond was left behind, and the woman slowed down; the horse named Thunderstorm stopped, and the tired lady regally looked around the southern part of the clearing behind the pond, looking like an abandoned wasteland. She knew that she was hiding behind this visible emptiness. She did not need to cast any spells, warn of her extremely rare visits, or wait a long time for an invitation. Just a second later, the protective shroud fell, revealing an impressive Victorian castle, and the gate creaked open.
The beige-and-coffee stone castle with a gray roof, covered with greenery in some places, as well as an extension, has not changed at all since the last visit, only in some places rusted gates twisted around dried ivy. All the same barely visible cracks and chips and the same indifferent hospitality. She mentally ran her hand over her beloved balcony, from which she adored admiring the beautiful view… The woman was breathing heavily, her chest was excitingly heaving under the cape; Because of the surging memories, blood ran through the veins twice as fast, she remembered every grain of sand in this gloomy world. Whether from excitement, or from the beginning cold, she nevertheless went into a cough and could not stop for a long time.
Having driven a horse into the castle courtyard, the rider walked along a path strewn with the last dried autumn leaves into a stable and tied Storm to the stall, where two wild horses and a horse were already standing.
– Hello, Demon! You’re just the same as him.
She tried to stroke the black escaping mount, but he was only moving away and spinning strongly, as if stung.
Leaving the stable alone, she crossed the main road and was at the foot of the castle. Quickly running up the stairs and brushing off the road dust and dirt, the brunette started to open the heavy door, but it immediately opened and a gray-haired butler, an obliging henchman of the castle, appeared before her, and bowed very low, inviting her inside.
– Mrs.