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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Masha, listen to me. Just wait, don\u2019t cry. The place I\u2019m going to pays really well. It just turned out this way, but we can\u2019t give up. I\u2019ll earn money, and we\u2019ll start over.\u00bb Ivan tried to reassure her.<\/p>\n
Masha shook her head in despair.<\/p>\n
\u00abNo, Ivan, no. No money is worth a life.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat life are you talking about? What are you talking about now? Times are completely different, nobody goes into hand-to-hand combat. Don\u2019t worry so much. Do you really think I would go to certain death and leave you alone? No, you just need to hang in there until I start receiving. There is a place to live. At least we still have that apartment.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha sighed.<\/p>\n
\u00abIvan, we don\u2019t need this business anymore. Let it be lost forever. To lose everything in a week again? And we had to sell everything\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abMasha, I don\u2019t see any other way to prove to myself that I\u2019m worth something.\u00bb<\/p>\n
He sighed again, knowing she understood him well but categorically disapproved.<\/p>\n
Masha knew her husband wouldn\u2019t calm down. The incident was, of course, very upsetting. They had been building their business for almost ten years, everything was going well for them, everything was working out. And then, like little children, they fell for foreign scammers. Now there was no way to trace them.<\/p>\n
Two days later, Ivan left to serve on a contract.<\/p>\n
Masha felt as if half her heart had been torn out. She flinched every time the phone rang, and if someone knocked at the door, she would panic.<\/p>\n
A month passed, and the panic didn\u2019t subside; on the contrary, it grew more and more. Masha was sure something bad would happen, it was bound to happen.<\/p>\n
Early one morning, someone rang the doorbell. She looked at the clock, and her legs immediately stopped obeying her. She barely made it to the door and opened it. When she saw a man in uniform, she understood everything.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t even manage to say anything before Masha slid down the wall. She woke up in the hospital, initially unable to understand where she was. And then, when she did, she remembered and screamed out loud.<\/p>\n
It turned out she had been between heaven and earth for a week.<\/p>\n
She was discharged only a week later. She went straight to the cemetery. A cross, no photographs, nothing. No compensation was given; they said an investigation was still ongoing. Everything was so unclear\u2026<\/p>\n
Masha returned home. For a day, she paced from corner to corner. And then she decided that things couldn\u2019t go on like this anymore.<\/p>\n
For a small apartment, especially an urgent sale, she didn\u2019t get much. She immediately asked the agency to find her a small house somewhere far from people, from civilization. They found her one 300 kilometers from where she lived.<\/p>\n
When the taxi stopped, Masha looked in horror at the old shack she had bought without even looking.<\/p>\n
\u00abIs this where you plan to live?\u00bb The taxi driver looked at her in disbelief.<\/p>\n
\u00abRight here. How much do I owe you?\u00bb Masha gathered her strength and looked at the driver.<\/p>\n
He took the money and watched her walk away.<\/p>\n
\u00abThey\u2019ve completely lost their minds, living the high life, don\u2019t know what else to do to entertain themselves,\u00bb he muttered.<\/p>\n
Masha didn\u2019t hear these words. And they weren\u2019t important to her. She stood in front of the old house, thinking that she wouldn\u2019t have to live here. But to survive\u2026<\/p>\n
She built a large bonfire, pulled all the old junk from the house. Not much. While the little bonfire smoked, Masha grabbed a rag.<\/p>\n
\u00abGood evening to you. And here I was wondering what the fire was about,\u00bb a voice said.<\/p>\n
Masha turned around sharply. A grandmother stood on the threshold, the kind you see in fairy tales, a godsend dandelion.<\/p>\n
\u00abDid I scare you? Don\u2019t be afraid, I live next door. Well, or rather, I\u2019m living out my days,\u00bb the old woman said, appearing from around the corner. \u00abAnd what brings you to our remote parts?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha finally shook off her stupor.<\/p>\n
\u00abI decided I wanted to be closer to nature. Nothing holds me in the city anymore. My husband died\u2026\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abCome to heal your wounds, then?\u00bb The old woman nodded understandingly.<\/p>\n
\u00abI guess you could say that. Please come in, why are you standing at the doorstep?\u00bb Masha invited her in.<\/p>\n
The grandmother walked in and sat down.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
\u00abWell done, the house already looks like a home. My name is Klavdiya Nikolaevna.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd I\u2019m Masha.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWell, why are you alone, Masha? Didn\u2019t call anyone for help? We may not be young anymore, but we can help,\u00bb Klavdiya Nikolaevna offered. \u00abI\u2019ll call my girls. We\u2019ll quickly put things in order here.\u00bb The grandmother quickly rushed out the door.<\/p>\n
Masha just shook her head. Imagine that, where only the soul holds on, and still so quick. Twenty minutes later, Klavdiya Nikolaevna returned with three more grandmothers, about the same age.<\/p>\n
Listening to their humorous banter and memories from their youth, Masha felt very hungry. When it got dark, they sat down to drink tea. The grandmothers brought all kinds of food.<\/p>\n
\u00abDon\u2019t worry, Masha. Our places are remote, of course. But they\u2019ve been peaceful for a long time, everyone\u2019s forgotten about us. The authorities, our children. Nobody needs us. A mobile shop comes once a week. We only buy bread there,\u00bb one of the grandmothers explained.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd how do you live?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat\u2019s how we live. Some have chickens, some have rabbits. We plant gardens, share with each other.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd where\u2019s the nearest store, medical post?\u00bb asked Masha.<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, that\u2019s ten kilometers from here. Sometimes grandchildren and children come by. Look, Klavdiya\u2019s grandson tried to take her away so many times, but she won\u2019t leave. She says she won\u2019t leave us here,\u00bb another grandmother answered.<\/p>\n
Klavdiya smiled.<\/p>\n
\u00abHe\u2019s a good grandson, only he\u2019s just unlucky in life. He\u2019s been married twice, and it never worked out.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha immediately pictured a self-centered young man.<\/p>\n
\u00abI know what you\u2019re thinking. But you\u2019ll see for yourself. He\u2019s threatened to come in two weeks. Says he\u2019ll gather firewood for you, grandmother,\u00bb Klavdiya added.<\/p>\n
The grandmothers helped Masha with the garden. They didn\u2019t do much, but they did something.<\/p>\n
Who would have thought she would be digging in the garden beds? Even in her worst nightmares, she never thought of such things. But now, it was nothing; she sat there, arranging seeds in the holes.<\/p>\n
Every evening, the entire female population of the village, consisting of four grandmothers and Masha, gathered at someone\u2019s house for tea. Masha eagerly listened to various stories.<\/p>\n
\u00abRemember how we caught bandits here?\u00bb Klavdiya waved her arms.<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, how could I forget! Those scoundrels hid in my attic. And I didn\u2019t even know.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha\u2019s eyes widened.<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, please tell.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThat was about fifteen years ago. Many had already left, but there were still many residential houses. We had policemen show up in the morning. We all poured out of our houses, didn\u2019t understand what was going on. Turned out, some bandits had robbed someone, took a lot of money and all sorts of gold. And apparently, they headed our way by car, only they got lost somewhere. So the policemen were looking for them.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat policemen? It was already the police,\u00bb someone objected.<\/p>\n
\u00abOh, what difference does it make. So, they went through the yards. And it turned out that the bandits had settled in the attic at Nikolaevna\u2019s. Oh, we suffered so much fear then! They were shooting, and Klavdiya was at home and couldn\u2019t leave.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd did they catch them?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abThey caught them. But they didn\u2019t find either the money or the car. After that incident, the last residents left the village. They say it\u2019s a place lost by God,\u00bb one of the grandmothers said.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd yet people used to flock here. We have a very clean and healing spring here. So many legends about it, laid down by our great-grandmothers.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abYes, exactly. Women who couldn\u2019t have children would come, live a few days on the spring water, and then everything would work out for them,\u00bb another grandmother added.<\/p>\n
Masha dreamed all night of bandits and pregnant women. In the morning, waking up, she remembered how the grandmothers talked about a strawberry glade and decided to go there.<\/p>\n
She always thought she was good at navigating the forest. But there were so many berries, and the forest was so beautiful, she lost track of time and realized she didn\u2019t know where to go.<\/p>\n
She wasn\u2019t initially afraid, but fear set in later, as it started to get dark.<\/p>\n
\u00abWell, just what I needed, to disappear in the forest,\u00bb she muttered, realizing that for the first time since Vanya\u2019s death, she wanted to live.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it was indeed the miracle spring doing its work. When an owl started hooting, Masha ran. She felt as if wolves were surrounding her from all sides. She ran, not knowing how long, only to suddenly stop, finding herself in the middle of a glade. In the moonlight, a car stood. It was completely unclear how it had ended up there, surrounded by bushes. She remembered the grandmothers\u2019 story. Could this be the same car that the bandits had abandoned?<\/p>\n
A branch snapped behind her, and Masha jumped into the car with a shriek. She didn\u2019t care what was inside; the main thing was that the forest dwellers wouldn\u2019t reach her. By morning, she had dozed off and woke up to the sun shining directly in her face. She looked around: dust, cracked seats, and a bag full of bills on the back seat\u2026<\/p>\n
Masha leaned over the seat and saw that the grandmothers had gathered around.<\/p>\n
\u00abMy dears, how glad I am to see you!\u00bb She cried with joy.<\/p>\n
Klavdiya Nikolaevna said:<\/p>\n
\u00abI\u2019ve already called my grandson, he\u2019s on his way.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Everyone gathered at Masha\u2019s house, and she told them about her adventures.<\/p>\n
\u00abWe\u2019ll turn things around here with you! But let\u2019s not tell anyone where the money came from.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWe\u2019ll clear the road, beautify it, and people will come to our spring,\u00bb they discussed.<\/p>\n
\u00abThat\u2019s the plan! Does anyone really understand how good it is here?\u00bb<\/p>\n
Everyone turned around. A young man stood at the door, smiling at the gathered group.<\/p>\n
Klavdiya Nikolaevna jumped up:<\/p>\n
\u00abVanechka, the grandson has arrived!\u00bb<\/p>\n
Of course, the word \u00abgrandson\u00bb hardly fit this two-meter-tall man. Masha flinched when the grandmother called him Vanya. Ivan turned out to be nothing like she had imagined. He was cheerful, straightforward, and seemed very smart. In two days, he mowed the grandmothers\u2019 and Masha\u2019s yards, piled up trees.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Masha tried to figure out where to start beautifying, what to buy. And somehow Ivan caught her at it.<\/p>\n
\u00abMay I help you? I happen to work with business plans,\u00bb he offered.<\/p>\n
Three years later.<\/p>\n
\u00abMaria Anatolievna, we have a two-month waiting list ahead, and people keep calling and calling.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha sighed:<\/p>\n
\u00abI understand, but we don\u2019t have that much space.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Ivan stood up from the table:<\/p>\n
\u00abMash, maybe it\u2019s time to think about expanding?\u00bb<\/p>\n
She smiled at him:<\/p>\n
\u00abWell, dear, of course, we can think about it, but you\u2019ll have to handle it alone.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Ivan looked at her in surprise:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhy alone? Without you?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abWithout me, because I\u2019ll be busy with completely different things,\u00bb she answered.<\/p>\n
Klavdiya Nikolaevna looked at Masha and suddenly said:<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd I always tell everyone: it\u2019s not a legend at all, it\u2019s all true.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Ivan looked at his grandmother in confusion:<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat are you even talking about? I don\u2019t understand.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abVanya, why do people come to us? Because the spring is healing. And we live here,\u00bb she explained.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd so?\u00bb Ivan stared at her in the same bewilderment.<\/p>\n
\u00abMash, don\u2019t keep us in suspense,\u00bb Klavdiya added, winking.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat do you want to say\u2026\u00bb Ivan asked, looking at Masha.<\/p>\n
Masha nodded. Ivan slowly stood up, looked at her in bewilderment, and then yelled, picking her up in his arms!<\/p>\n
In the evening, they stood on the porch of their new house and looked at the village. There were new houses, more residents. The village was unrecognizable: lighting, new buildings, paths. Nearby, the sanatorium building was visible, the very one that had such a long queue.<\/p>\n
\u00abSo, Mash, aren\u2019t we great?\u00bb Klavdiya rejoiced.<\/p>\n
\u00abAnd we\u2019re great, and those bandits who left the bag in the forest.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abLet\u2019s not even remember about it, just live here and now.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abBut we have to remember something,\u00bb Ivan interjected. \u00abMash, I\u2019ve been submitting requests for three years\u2026 Basically, your husband \u2014 he\u2019s a hero. I know it was important to you. So we need to go to the city, get all the documents, and there\u2019s a medal waiting for you there, awarded to him posthumously.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha stood silent for a while, then leaned into her husband.<\/p>\n
\u00abThank you. This was indeed very important to me.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Ivan stroked her head.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat do you think, who will we have?\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abI don\u2019t care, as long as everyone\u2019s healthy.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Ivan sighed.<\/p>\n
\u00abWe need to think about building a school.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Masha laughed.<\/p>\n
\u00abWhat, not about a university right away?\u00bb<\/p>\n
They hugged and turned to face the village. They would do everything to make this place thrive, to make people here happier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Masha, listen to me. Just wait, don\u2019t cry. The place I\u2019m going to pays really well. It just turned out this way, but we can\u2019t give up…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n