Direville Dreams

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. Fairly…

– Hello, Pastar.

Having entered the dark living room, the guest inhaled the familiar smell of «home» and climbed the oak spiral staircase to the second floor. The reigning twilight was familiar to the eyes and now was very comforting. It seemed to be a deep night in the yard, although the day was in full swing. A woman found Dire in a solemn blue suit, tailored to order and decorated with golden mustard flower patterns on a waistcoat, in a library, studying myths and legends about sea monsters. The brother turned the pages coyly, like an actor playing in an amateur play with a candlelight dancing flame.

He genuinely smiled at her, throwing the age-old quarrel into an endless abyss.

– Hello, sister!

– So you already know?

– Damn Ruby octopus… Well, at least he made you visit my modest abode…»

– Yes. But I come not because of it.

Fairly changed her face, becoming more serious, pulled a battered card hidden in a secret pocket from her long sleeve and showed Dire a movement of mystical red fog…

At this time, a dirty little boy with the female nickname Bonnie, who met his eyes with the keeper of the city of Fairville, got to the house, went into his room, which looked like a small closet, and said goodbye to invisible friends. Having sat on the dirty floor, he began to dig in old, tattered boxes and finally found his beloved and only wooden toy a cute donkey, recently donated by his grandmother, with whom he still lived, was very happy to find and, dusting off the toy from dust, proudly put on the windowsill. Bonnie thought that the donkey looked out the window, but he immediately pulled himself up and, gathering the boxes in a row, got up from the floor and again called out invisible friends.

«Boomerang»

Through the evening darkness it was possible to see only the pale light from the windows of houses and street lamps.

Shrouded in secret, Direville was excited and with bated breath waiting for the famous maestro, who at this moment was already slowly entering the city in a painted carriage, waving long blond hair at bends and occasionally tapping musical fingers on hard surfaces. His crazy eyes glowed, his pupils were dilated, and Mr. Rockwell dreamt images of local young charmers and married ladies, trying to see through the windows the carriages hidden under the headdresses of the faces of oncoming women, besieging the carriage, like snowdrifts.

The great, young violinist, heartthrob, the coveted handsome man with shady reputation of Casanova and the card player, on his third attempt, reached Direville, despite the impresario’s dissuasions.

Placed on the pillars of the city posters with the announcement of his long-awaited performance in the «Theater of Dreams» brought beauties to frenzy. And now, brassily jostling, they were shaking from the cold, breasted across the milky mist to the motel to try to get inside and figure out the maestro’s apartment.

Having enjoyed the street buzz, Rockwell knocked back the harsh drink in one fell swoop, winced with a satisfied grin and rubbing the bow with a rosin, picked up the instrument. Having played a quarter of the concert in a passionate rush, fascinated by his favorite music and himself, he threw open the window and leaned out.

Wild frenzy wasn’t long in coming and Rockwell, without closing the window to the end, performed several long pieces for his fans. The night came on and the violin, tearing apart the soul, was silenced. When he looked out of the window again, one after another the lights went out before his eyes. The cries at the gate subsided, and he called the impresario for a personal conversation, after which he washed himself and quickly fell asleep.

The next day, on Saturday, after midday dry permafrost and after a dizzying performance, hot and tired Rockwell, leaving the «Theater of Dreams», like a noisy crowd of jubilant fans who were at the concert, heard the bell ringing from all over the streets. According to custom, they spread important and urgent news. And now, in front of the theater, trying on the mask of an important gentleman, a man with a solid baritone called for public attention. He stood on a high stool, holding a bell in one hand, wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief clamped in the other, and chanted: «Listen, listen!»

But his voice melted into women’s screams: the girls started a fight, trying in this way to «divide» the attention of the desired maestro. At that moment Mr. Rockwell was approaching the carriage in a long fur coat of ermine, saving himself and the precious violin.

Rockwell has already learned about the strange incident from the impresario, with whom the eared coachman shared the news. And they, like many other residents of Direville, headed towards the coast to see the miracle with their own eyes.

The horses screamed desperately, reared up, the carriage reeled, and the restless women rushed to catch up with the elusive idol, clinging to the windows and sides of the carriage. The blond beamed back.

Strangers and streets flashed around the musician. Underfoot, hooves and wheels squished terrible slush mixed with discarded last leaves. From the pipes of industrial factories and stone houses, like gins, ready to fulfill bad and good desires, clouds of dirty smoke were flying. A little girl with a bright bow on her head was sitting and loudly crying on the steps of the one of houses, having lost her doll named Juel. She petted the curly big dog and did not want to go back home.

Rockwell followed the weeping girl with his eyes and stared at the fat rat running across the road. Rat wasn’t afraid.

The musician was ready for everything: work hard, give concerts, revel in women and alcohol, help those in need, give interviews, play cards, be in the thick of things, change cities, just not to be alone with himself for a long time and not to remember the face of mother dying from measles. Memories floated randomly and now he was returning to childhood, where he played hide-and-seek with her at the pond, hiding behind a mighty rustling willow, and after a moment blue lupines growing at her parents’ house were remembered…