Sivana

I felt that the figure on the swing was glaring at me, but curiosity overcame me and I took a step closer.

The figure jumped down from the swing and darted towards me. At that moment, I was numb with horror.

Big strong hands grabbed me and spun me around in an embrace. I felt a kiss on my lips and the familiar scent of Clive Christian C. The fragrance, like its owner, I was never destined to forget.

– Did you like my gift? a familiar voice said

"Yes," I answered, barely holding back tears of joy.

–I'm back.

Chapter 2. The first memory

A wild rage seized me. I was clenching the fist of my left hand. Blood was oozing from a wound on my wrist and dripping onto the hem of my dress. I had a big stick in my right hand, I was going to attack a huge wolf.

The beast stared at me, its snarl and the snarl of its sharp fangs betrayed its readiness to attack at any moment. From the mouth of the beast, equal to me in size, but not in strength, saliva flowed, mixed with my blood.

I didn't feel afraid. I wanted to protect Arthur. The boy behind me was almost torn apart by a wolf, blood was oozing from his wounds. He couldn't get up from the ground. I heard his muffled voice: "Sivana, run, save yourself!".

I went on the offensive, I was indignant, I was furious…

And then I heard the barking of dogs approaching. Instinctively, I turned, just for a moment in the direction of the sound. I saw the terriers approaching, and a man running after them. They were approaching me along the pine alley, in which it turns out I was now.

And there was no one else around. There was no boy behind my back. There was no attacking wolf. They were gone.

And I was standing in the middle of a pine tree on the withered, damp grass and did not understand what was happening.

Two terriers ran up to me, sniffed and wagged their little tails. A couple of minutes later, the owner caught up with them. He was a stocky man, with a curly head of black hair, a neat beard and an aristocratically straight nose. He looked to be in his early forties. He was wearing a tweed blue suit and did not look at all like a man who had just gone out for a dog walk. He looked more like a serious professor.

When he came up to me, I caught the excitement and joy in his brown eyes, framed by thick eyelashes. This made his gaze seem friendly and warm to me.

– Girl, how did you get here? Are you lost? Where are your parents? – the man bombarded me with questions.

–I don't know…Have you seen a wolf? – the first thing I said.

– What's your name? There was alarm in his voice.

"Sivana," I said.

"Come with me, Sivana. You need help, you're cold.

And then I felt very cold and weak. Everything swam before my eyes and I fell into a dream. As I later found out, it was a faint from the loss of blood that flowed from the wound on my arm.

This was my earliest childhood memory. I was 7 years old. It was the middle of autumn. I remembered my name only because Arthur called me Sivana. I remembered that the boy's name was Arthur. I remembered my yellow dress and ribbons in my braid, brown leather pants and boots in color on a yellow lace-up. I was dressed like this. I remembered the feeling of rage and the wolf. And that's all.

No matter how hard I tried to rewind my memory a little more, I couldn't remember anything else. I didn't know how I ended up in that forest. I didn't know where I was from. I didn't know where my parents were. I didn't know how I lived the first seven years of my life.

All I knew was that Dr. Reindir had helped me.

Chapter 3. Saint Hope

I woke up in a room flooded with light. The same man was standing next to my bed. He introduced himself as Dr. Reindir and explained where I was.

It was an orphanage, simply called the St. Hope Orphanage. The shelter of the Holy Hope, as I learned later, was located at a distance from the roadway, surrounded by a pine forest. On its territory there was a small lake in a ravine, and behind it a wooden church and a large cemetery. This shelter received children from all over the country, abandoned, sick, difficult teenagers, everyone from whom society turned away. And now I was considered one of them.

– Doctor, Raindir, I can't stay here, I need to go home. I need to find out what's wrong with Arthur, " I said when I was completely stronger.

– All right, Sivana. Do you know where your home is? How to get there? I could hear the support in the doctor's voice. Apparently it was my innate ability to read people's intentions.

"No," I said, confused.

– It's been three days since you've been with us. I think the fresh air will do you good. Let's go for a walk, " the doctor suggested.

I agreed, because I saw in it a way to escape from this place. But the clothes I was wearing were gone.

– Sister Pauline will help you get dressed, I'll wait on the veranda with Tinky and Joe, remember my terriers? – he said, closing the door.

A few minutes later, a plump woman in a white lab coat entered the room. She had clothes for me in her hands. Without saying a word, she left the bundle of clothes on a chair and headed for the exit.

– Sister Pauline, these are not my clothes! I called out to her, realizing that there was no yellow dress and trousers in the package.

–It's cool outside, put your coat on top. These are clean clothes. And your clothes are in the wash, " she said, walking away.

In the bundle on the chair there was a simple T-shirt and beige corduroy trousers, a sweater with reindeer, brown lace-up boots. How glad I was to see my boots, at least they left me something. I got ready, threw on a tweed coat and wrapped the scarf that was in the bag around me. I went out on the veranda.

Dr. Reindir smiled at me, and we walked through the orphanage garden, where toddlers and older children were swarming around, removing the withered autumn leaves. They were either playing, or were busy with business. When the doctor and I passed by the children, they greeted him, nodding happily and shouting "good morning, doctor". They didn't pay any attention to me.

The dogs ran ahead without leashes. They were spotted fox terriers, intelligent dogs and very affectionate. Later we will become good friends, and I will often walk them myself, but more about that later.

– Sivana, do you remember this place? Here I found you-the doctor asked when we were on the path.

The place seemed completely unfamiliar to me, but I replied that I remembered. I was looking for a way to escape and decided not to arouse suspicion.

–Do you remember where you got these wounds on your arm? – asked the next question, the man.

– Yes. The wolf attacked me. I was protecting myself and Arthur, " I replied.

"There was no wolf here. And no one was near you when I found you. Who is Arthur? – he continued.

– Arthur… And the wolf was here, I'm telling the truth, " I said confidently.

– Sivana, I believe you. You're a brave girl. You say what you think. You are not afraid of adults. I noticed the strength of a fighter in you…but if you want to survive here, you will have to hide your knowledge. You will have to not stand out. I'll help you…in due time. Now you just need to blend in with the crowd. Make friends with the guys. Be like everyone else. Until…I don't know how to help you. Ok? Dr. Reindir suggested.

For some reason, I felt sympathy for him, I felt the support and sincerity of his words, and I decided to postpone my escape. Moreover, I did not know where to run to, to whom.

– Joe, Tinky, guys, come to me! –he called out to the dogs, who were playfully frolicking in a pile of fallen pine needles.

We returned to the shelter for lunch.