"Ruchi, Ruchi, wake up, you hear me!" he shouted.
"He can't hear you," the girl said, her lips curled, "And don't shout, it draws attention."
Blop fell silent, crouched on the ground in fear, shook his friend, and then looked at the girl.
"What do we do now?" he asked pleadingly.
She hesitated, but then nodded her head to the side and said:
"Take him to Granny Etout. She will cure him."
"Where to?" asked Blop sharply, reaching up and grabbing his breathless friend's arm to hoist him on his shoulders.
"First pick him up, and then we'll go," said the girl doubtfully and took the basket with both hands.
Blop looked at her disapprovingly, then began to lift Ruchi, clumsily propping him up against the wall and trying to get his back under his chest and belly. Then he began to pull his arms around his shoulders and, panting, climbed up further. The girl kicked her knees against the basket distantly and watched Blop suffer. Ruchi's long body was beyond Blop's control.
Finally, he managed to get Ruchi on his back, and pushing, he climbed a few steps and fell down. The girl prudently stepped back and laughed.
"Nothing funny here," Blop said angrily.
"Drag him by the arms, you can't do it any other way," the girl said with a sniffle.
Blop sighed heavily, stood up, took his friend by the healthy arm, and dragged him half a meter.
"There you go, now follow me," the girl nodded and slowly moved into the fog.
Blop spat, turned to face her, sat down, took his friend's arm, and dragged him after the girl.
They walked for quite a long time. By Blop's standards, it was an eternity, and several times he asked his companion to stop and rest, trying to discern signs of life on Ruchi's face. Finally, they reached a small wooden door, and the girl knocked. Nothing happened for a long time, and Blop was beginning to think that his guide had made a mistake, but then an old creaky voice came from behind the door:
"Who are you bringing with you?"
"These are foolish people, granny, they don't want to hurt us," the girl replied.
Blop looked at her, but said nothing.
"They need help. One of them is dying," the girl continued, "Only you can help them."
The door didn't answer for a long time.
"Why should I help them?" asked the old woman's voice defiantly.
"Because they promised not to kill us," the girl answered as if that argument would convince anyone.
The door was silent again for a while, but then there was the sound of the deadbolt being unlocked, and the old woman in pince-nez looked out from behind the door. She glanced unkindly at Blop and Ruchi, who was lying on the ground, and then looked at the girl.
"Grandchild, are you sure?" she asked, squinting her eyes.
"Yes, granny."
"Last time you..." the old woman began, but sighed and opened the door, disappearing inside.
The girl entered, beckoning Blop after her. He dragged Ruchi clumsily inside, banging his head several times on the creaky wooden staircase that ran down from the door, almost into the cellar where the dwelling was located.
The fog was almost transparent, there was a table in the center, a bunk bed behind it, and the door to another room next to it. A few bent cabinets were littered with books and crockery, long since covered with cobwebs. With great difficulty Blop placed his friend's body on the mattress on the lower cot and sat down beside him, removing his cuirass.
YOU ARE READING
Heart's tale
FantasyA long time ago, there was a planet on the surface of which a real living Heart was beating. Each of its beat gave life to many wonderful creatures, and humans were no exception. Once, during a mountain collapse, they became afraid that something m...
