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Post by dead character on Jul 15, 2005 1:05:21 GMT -5
Lilia smiles and stares out into space, lost in a thought. She stays fixed in that position, taking shallow breaths. She closes her eyes slowly and experiences a mixture of memories. She remembers the orphanage and can hear the voices of the children laughing and playing. She remembers a fat woman who would make their meals. She would slap her wrist with a wooden spoon if she grabbed at the food with her dirty hands. "Ouch, don't do that. Ouch, don't. Ouch." She repeats again and again and rubs her pale little hand.
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Post by Salome Weil on Jul 15, 2005 1:06:50 GMT -5
After searching for about 20 minutes I locate Zivon, Natasha and Heikki in a cafe.
"Hello, I do not mean to be rude or interupt you, but a young Russian girl just wandered into our house and she doesn't speak a word of English."
"I don't know what she wants, so it might be nice if one of you could come and translate for me."
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Post by Zivon Nechayev on Jul 15, 2005 1:08:20 GMT -5
"Huh? Uh, okay..." Zivon replies. He stands up and walks over to Salome.
"Some random person came over and is speaking Russian, and you left them alone in the house?"
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Post by Salome Weil on Jul 15, 2005 1:10:24 GMT -5
"Oh please, Antero, Nea, and Helvi are all in the house. It will be fine." I say, waving my hand at him.
I stand before him and start walking.
"Come along then. And thanks for agreeing to help me. I would like to get to know you better. I do find you quite fascinating, but, another time, another time." I say and we make haste back to the house.
"She is on the sofa. Try talking to her." I order him, without meaning to.
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Post by Heikki Toivonen on Jul 15, 2005 1:12:30 GMT -5
Heikki watches Zivon leave with Salome and shrugs. He turns to Natasha who seems a little uncomfortable with Zivon. "Sorry about that. I guess you are really uncomfortable around him. I..didn't mean for us to hang out with him if you don't like to."
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Post by Zivon Nechayev on Jul 15, 2005 1:12:31 GMT -5
"Yes ma'am." Zivon replies, somewhat sarcastically.
"Hey, what the hell do you want?" I ask the crazy looking girl in Russian.
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Post by dead character on Jul 15, 2005 1:16:04 GMT -5
"The priest sent me here to find my husband. He told me that he had gone and moved to France. That is where I will find him. I want to thank him for the money he's been sending me, but I want him to come home now. I am lonely, and winter is coming. I don't want to be alone this winter again. I might run out of gas for the stove. And what will I do then? The money he sends only covers rent and some food." Lilia explains to Zivon. Her eyes remain dreamy and looking off into the distance. She turns them and looks Zivon right in the eyes. "I am Lilia, Lilia Sirotova. I know that you're one of his friends. You can reason to him. He just doesn't listen to me." She takes his hand and presses his finger tips gently, with affection.
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Post by Helvi Toivonen on Jul 15, 2005 1:19:06 GMT -5
I hear voices downstairs and decide that I want to check it out. They are speaking in Russian. I think one is Zivon. When I hear him speak in Russian, my heart skips a little, since it sounds so exotic to me.
I sneak down the stairs and see him sitting on the couch with some girl, who is holding his hand. I stay hidden in the stairwell, but have to wonder what's up with this.
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Post by Salome Weil on Jul 15, 2005 1:20:42 GMT -5
I have no idea what they are talking about, but it has caught my interest. She seems to be close with Zivon so maybe they know one another. I notice Helvi in the stairway and smile at her.
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Post by Zivon Nechayev on Jul 15, 2005 1:21:29 GMT -5
Zivon is a little weirded out by all of this. He pulls his hand away.
"So this was the first place you decided to check in all of France to see if your mysterious husband exists? Why didn't you just ask him yourself to go and pick you up?" This whole thing leaves me feeling a bit creeped out.
"And who is your husband?"
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Post by dead character on Jul 15, 2005 1:26:45 GMT -5
"His name is...Shura." Lilia says, perhaps remembering the name that Salome used earlier or perhaps because she remembers Shura vaguely. "He sends me money every month and wants me to stay away. But I am alone and winter is coming and I don't want to be alone this winter." Lilia repeats and her eyes become watery. She forces her tears back and remains composed. "He saw I was in a bad situation, being abused, and he came and took me away from that and got me a little home in Moscow, where I live alone. But to get me away, he had to marry me, or else the house wouldn't let me leave. I was their servant." "That was the winter before I met the man on the street. The one who gave me this." She unbuttons her collar and there is a knife scar in her neck. She shows Zivon then buttons up her shirt once again. "Why has he forgotten about me? He didn't even see me in the hospital."
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Post by Salome Weil on Jul 15, 2005 1:27:43 GMT -5
"What is she saying Zivon?" I ask curiously.
I thought I heard her mention Shura.
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Post by Helvi Toivonen on Jul 15, 2005 1:29:43 GMT -5
I enter the room shyly and stand next to Salome. I avoid eye contact with Zivon, and everytime I think he might be looking at me, I turn my head the other direction, like a fussy cat.
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Post by Zivon Nechayev on Jul 15, 2005 1:32:13 GMT -5
"Neechevo." Zivon says to Salome, still speaking in Russian, then turns back to Lilia.
"So, Shura's been sending money to you, and you two are married? He hasn't said anything to either of us, maybe you're mistaking him for someon else." I reply. Though it sounds like a plausible story to me, Shura seems like the kind of person that would marry someone for that. I look back to Salome.
"She says she knows Shura." I finally tell her.
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Post by dead character on Jul 15, 2005 1:37:38 GMT -5
"Yes, and we have a son, but I don't remember where he is. I think I lost him too. He was with me, and then gone after I got out of the hospital. And I am not mistaken. I am not! I remember now. Yes, he was the one." Lilia says nodding her head and crossing her arms. Her stomach is starting to hurt. "I don't remember him hardly at all any more. But he is tall, and has dark hair, and the most beautiful eyes. They are pure and clear like a fresh lake. And he is honest and speaks kindly and softly." She goes on, going into a dream like state. "And he came back one winter a few years back. He brought with him some books and things for me to look at. And he brought some new clothes. And he told me that he felt bad for leaving, and when I started to cry, he told me he would stay, and he did for a few days, but left one morning while I was asleep."
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