Immortal Ash

Chapter 11

Eugenie stayed at home to comfort Volodya, and Sonya, without delay, rushed to the place where Tanya had been a few minutes ago. There seemed to be nothing strange in the fact that her friend had decided to walk across the meadow to the lake. But Volodya, pointing his finger at her, shouted so fearfully, as if something terrible had happened. Sonya and Eugenie were only distracted by the child for a moment, and when they looked out the window again, Tanya had disappeared.

Where could she have disappeared to? It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

"Tanya! Ta-anya!"

Sonya crossed the meadow and stopped confusedly. It wasn't just them! Sonya reached the lake and wandered near the boat station, looking for the brightly colored dress, then asked the boatman and a passerby. But no one had seen a young woman who looked like Tanya. Sonya returned not only alarmed but angry. The vacation, which was intended to be peaceful, had turned into an incomprehensible thing: Eugenie with his investigation, Alexei does not respond, Tanya is having an affair with the first person she meets and does not pick up the phone. That's not counting accidents and a nightmare in the woods!

Sonya stepped out onto the road and saw Alexei saying goodbye to the blonde girl. And this one to the same place! She was going crazy with excitement, and he was picking up girls!

"Alexei!"

He looked back, said something to Sonya and rushed to Sonya.

"Where have you been?!" She went after him. This handsome and wet! He must have gone swimming. "You should have warned me!"

Wolf rushed towards her, but Alexei held the leash. The dog stood up on his haunches, hammered in the air with his front paws and, clamping his ears, grinned happily. Another 'handsome' who almost gave her a heart attack!

"Sonya, don't be angry! Wolf broke free and rushed to the lake. It's my fault, I couldn't hold him. And then I couldn't get him out of the water. I was chasing him all morning!"

"All morning?" She squinted.

"Well... I don't know. My phone was dead, so I left it at home."

"All right," Sonya softened, because she was tired all at once. Her nephew and the dog are fine, and that's the main thing. There's no need to yell.

"Sonya, I'm sorry," Alexei apologized and hugged her. She once again marveled at how quickly such a tall handsome man had grown from a tiny baby. Wolf immediately squeezed in between them, Sonya put her arm around the dog and, covering her eyes, breathed in the soothing smell of wet fur. Wolf did not let them hug for a long time, because to express joy calmly did not know how to.

"Did you go looking for us?"

"No," Sonya shook her head and told about Tanya.

"Have you seen her by any chance?"

"No. I haven't seen Tanya, but..."

Alexei was silent, as if in doubt, and then continued:

"When I went up to the shore, I noticed near the forest a beautiful girl with a wolf. They were translucent, the trunks even shone through them. But then they disappeared. I must have imagined it."

"A vision?" echoed Sonya. What if it wasn't? Suddenly she remembered a picture: a tall man, grinning, thrusting a knife at a blond girl. She squints, her back pressed against the tree trunk. And the scene is cut short by Sonya's scream.

"Are you okay?" Alexei called out to her, alarmed that she had stopped.

"How can one be fine when a friend is missing and a terrible thing has happened?" Sonya exclaimed and briefly told about Tanya's husband.