𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 -𝐘𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐲

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐲𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧

You left your backpack on the floor in the hallway and followed Grandpa.

-Aren't you accustomed to taking off your shoes at home, young lady? - He quenched with a grin and narrowed his eyes.

his eyes were still Bright blue - on dry, tanned Skin, Swarthy and lined, and everything about him looked like the earth And the sky, the world around, the whole of Tyumen. Grandfather had lived here for two years and was still as sturdy as an old walnut growing on the very edge of his plot near the golden sea.

The golden sea is a field with sunflowers stretching in all directions wherever you look.

you were embarrassed by his remark and quickly took off your sneakers. The new white Nikes that you bought before the trip were perched next to your backpack and went into the living room.

The house was a big old one with two floors. A massive wooden staircase led up; the grandfather clock, which was tolling deeply, was polished to a shine. Grandma often told you when you were little that this is an antique watch inherited from your great-grandmother. A real family heirloom. You chuckled Looking at them: the clock was still more alive than all the living and the old ones didn't look much like it. Maybe the old people bought them somewhere in the village market and are messing with her brains?

Delicious Smells wafted from the kitchen. Grandma probably cooked corn cobs and baked a turkey every time she arrived. Remembering her famous kidney pie, you rubbed your hands with pleasure and stood in the doorway.

-Ma, I've arrived!

Grandma Meredith was actually standing by the oven, helping herself with a striped oven mitt to pull out a baking tray with a turkey bursting with fragrant heat.

-You're already here!-She looked at You with a confused smile and carefully placed the hot baking tray on a towel. - wash your hands, change your clothes... Honey, I'm so glad to see You! Let's get you off the road a little bit first and then we'll talk, right? In the meantime, I'll make Mashed potatoes...

that's how grandma and grandpa always have a task every year - to fatten you up. You chuckled again - at this age, when you were barely Eighteen, chuckling comes out more often than smiling. Then you rolled your eyes And shook your head And went back into the hallway to get your Backpack And take it to the room on the second floor that you always occupied when you stayed in this house.

the old staircase creaked in every way. Family portraits and photographs hung along it. You only knew some of them: you didn't care about the rest, and your Grandparents never insisted on studying the family tree and other nonsense.

You pushed the door to the room and it gave way easily. Something in the hallway creaked behind you at that moment, that's when you turned around - but there was no one there.

You rubbed your shoulder and frowned.

It's just an old house, there's a lot of creaking and rustling. The clock is ticking at the bottom, the floorboards are moaning even when no one is walking on them.

We need to repeat this more often.

You turned away and looked around the room.

for almost two years, nothing has changed here, but it was noticeable: the dust was wiped off on the windowsill in a clean vase there is a bouquet of field daisies and a narrow bed is made with fresh linen. You walked thoughtfully along the wall, touching it with your fingertips. The pillowcases and duvet cover smelled strongly of bleach. The old-fashioned children's wallpaper - all the walls in teddy bears - was a little annoying, but that's okay, at least with a sigh You sat down On the springy bed. You would like to spend the end of summer in a different way, of course.