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– To talk to them.
– We're having a stupid dialog. I talked to a butterfly today.
– That's weird.
– What about my parents?
– Do you want to?
– Yes, I do. I do!
– Then write a letter to your mom. I'll tell you where to send it.
– Where does mom live? Does Daddy live with her?
– Have your lunch and get started. There are sheets of parchment in the drawers," Galya continued to explain nonchalantly.
– Okay," the girl replied, but she could not calm down at once: the spoon was running in her hands, and the soup threatened to spill all over the table.
"Why didn't Galya say anything before? Why didn't tell the child that he could write to his parents? His own! Hmm, something's not right here. And I should know what awaits me after my eighteenth birthday. It's unlikely that the crown of some magical princess will fall on me on the same day".
The school day of the hot summer was coming to the end, but Niels was in no hurry to go home, even though he didn't like to miss his Latin lessons (he had to have time to eat and get his textbook). His red hair was even hotter, and it was as if the boy had suddenly become a walking sun himself. At the entrance to the school, Roxy and her friends lingered too. The girls were discussing their current idol, Edol, the boy from the eleventh grade. They were saying that he had single-handedly slain some terrible forest monster, though they all knew that no one had ever seen one. And no one ever will.
Niels would be a warrior, but Edol knew nothing of the border, nor of the Forests and Fields beyond it. Fairies and elves certainly didn't live there (but you never know!), but ancient priestesses or witch doctors might.
The inhabitants of the City were afraid of who could be found outside of it, and those who lived in the border village didn't really want to be pessimistic, but it was ridiculous to deny the fact that there was no one in the neighborhood.
– Where are you going, Niel? " Roxy asked cheekily. She often pretended to be the real ruler of the world, if not of the world, then of the school.
– Never mind. I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and moved away from the gate, taking his time.
– Why are you being so rude? " the girls, Evie and Thea, started.
– Nothing.
– Goodbye, then! " snapped at Evie, then whispered: "I'll find someone else".
– Evie, don't take offense. He's nothing. He doesn't look like anyone. We're so much cooler," Roxy told her friend as she flipped through the news feed. The first line of the day read: "A heat wave is coming. Be careful." Why now, she wondered, with important exams looming? Roxy turned off her smartphone and turned to Evie and Thea:
– Shall we play, detectives? Let's find them and destroy. I bet I know who's responsible. Let's show them who's boss.
"Dear Mommy,
Louise, your daughter, writes to you. Although, am I really your daughter? I want to see you very much, but I don't think you share my wish. Do you love me at all? And does my father? Galya doesn't say anything about him, and I'd like to know where he is and how he's doing. Honestly, I don't even know your names.
Tell me, why am I living with Galya in the Forests and Steppes? I'm a child, and a child needs a mother and a father. Sometimes I even feel like an orphan. What made you give up your own daughter? Don't you need me at all?
There's a town near us, but I've never been there. Galya says I don't belong there. I know that ordinary children live there, who will not become Butterflies and will not eat flakes of flower pollen every day. Surely there are schools in the City where all the teenagers go and have fun with each other. Why can't I do the same? I'm a teenager too and I want to make friends and I end up living like a caged animal.
I talked to a butterfly recently, but she didn't say anything sensible. Why would I even want to turn into a Butterfly if I was born human? Are there any other butterfly people like me? What about you? Do you have wings too? Why did nature set it up this way? It's not logical at all.
Galya said that in six years you'll take me away from here. Where will we go when I have wings? If I'm not supposed to come to the City of Men, where are we supposed to live? And what's the point of all this anyway? I don't understand.
I hope you and my father remember that your own daughter lives on this planet at all. Write to me as soon as you can.
Louise".
The girl reread these lines several times, but did not correct anything. The letter was like a confession of her own soul – Louise was able to pour out on paper everything that had been languishing inside for so long. Would her mother answer her? The girl really wanted to know the answers to a lot of questions, even though it seemed that she was still six years away from transformation. But, really, why is it even necessary? Man was born a human, and an insect was born an insect. It is perfectly natural. Louise knew very well what balance was. Doesn't all this mean that if she becomes a Butterfly, another butterfly will become a human? But who or what would want that? Does the universe itself engage in such nonsense?
– Did you write it? " Galina asked, sitting at the table and stirring something in the pot. This something smelled rotten, but mixed with the wonderful smell of strawberries. It must be strawberries again.
–Yes, it's ready. Can I send it out?
– Maybe now you want a smartphone? " asked the old lady.
– What? " the girl didn't understand. – What is it?
– All the people in the City use them. It's like a magic window – it transmits messages instantly.
– Oh, come on, it's ridiculous. How do you know about this thing?
– I've been around a lot.
– Okay. So I'm gonna go?
– Well. Let me write the address," Galya took the parchment, folded it four times and wrapped it in a white envelope, on which she wrote: "Chascha, street 15, house 135, apartment 9".
"What an address. I wonder where that is? And why don't they tell me anything? …" Louise thought with annoyance, hiding the envelope in a small wicker bag.
– The mailbox is on the border with the City.
– Will I really be able to go there?
– Yes, go ahead.
– I won't need stamps?
– No. Go on.
– So are you in?
– I don't even know," Edol answered Roxy's question uncertainly. He was a very tall guy, and he always smelled like some kind of cologne.
– We're going to cross the border and find scary creatures. You've been there, haven't you?
– I was, but…
– Scared?
– Not at all! Okay, I'll go.
– Let's go grab a bite at the pizza cafe and then we'll make a plan.
– Nice. But why are we even doing this?
– You'll find out.
Niels stood behind the fence, listening intently to their conversation with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. This wasn't going to end well.
Chapter Three
The day had not yet begun to wind down, so Louise walked along the path through the Forests and Steppes with a peaceful mind. This day seemed to be one of many boring summer days, but only an hour ago it had been special: something new had come to Louise. Something she hadn't even realized before. Her parents were far away and living in unknown "Chascha", but the girl would find out about them. Or she would do something else – go straight to the City. To spite them. They'll take her there when she's eighteen anyway. But where is the Chascha? Is it really in the City? And is it the only one on the planet? Since the girl grew up, if I may say so, in the middle of nowhere, she had little idea how many people there were on Earth. But she will definitely get to the Big World. She might even make a friend – you don't meet them among the children of farmers and students of the Forest School.
– We are here," the young man Edol informed his companions. The trio approached the cottages, beyond which a single bright line was clearly visible, separating the human world from the one where beasts, birds, insects, farmers, and the few witches reigned. The teenagers did not suspect that their comrade Niels was following them on their heels. In fact, he had an objective reason – the boy, after all, lived in that village. But curiosity and a sense of excessive caution took over, and Niels decided to follow the girls and Edol. There was no telling what they might get themselves into – they were not without a clear mind. And Niels was a warrior, after all, who knew a thing or two.
– What's next? " Roxy inquired. She was obviously eager to demonstrate her superiority. Not only over other teenagers, but over the whole world.
– Do we wait for someone to show up? " Evie asked uncertainly. They didn't see Niels.
– I only see butterflies. Get out of here! " Roxy waved her arms, but soon realized that it wasn't really necessary. The butterflies couldn't get close to the children – something was blocking them. Like a barrier.
– We'll cross the border," Edol announced and stepped forward. Nothing much happened. Roxy, Evie, and the silent Thea followed suit. Niels, meanwhile, lurked behind the wall of one of the houses and decided to wait until they returned. Certainly not with booty. But, on the other hand, what if they got into trouble? Niels knew he might be late for his class, but not to leave these clowns in trouble, right?
When the four "brave men" began to move away from the border and were almost out of sight, Niels decided to make a quick run home and come back here on the way back. But then his attention was suddenly attracted by a small, lonely figure approaching the border. It was coming from that world, the world of meadows, steppes and sparse forests.
The boy saw a girl, a little younger than he was. She wore a gray dress with a white apron, and her blond hair swayed merrily in the wind. Louise saw Niels too, so she slowed down a little and looked closer. The young man also kept his eyes on the little girl from the forest. Who is she? Why is she here alone? Does she really live there on the other side of the border?
Completely unexpectedly, two things happened at once. First, hot tears sprang from Louise's eyes, burning her face unpleasantly. Second, a boy was speaking to Louise.
– Hey, what are you doing? So beautiful, and you're crying? " Niels asked. He sincerely did not understand what happened. Did he really scare the poor girl? Niels, of course, was lonely. No one ever sat next to him on the bus, and the girls secretly laughed. It was like he was a stranger.
– No, uh. no, no, no. I just…" Louise cried, hating herself for it. So much for the first meeting! How do people live, other people? …
– I'm sorry. Can I help? " Niels said quietly. He couldn't hurt a child!
– I saw… a girl and a boy. They were walking together.
– There were two of them?
– N… no. There were four. Three girls and a boy. It made me feel so, uh… Lonely.
– I understand you. I'm not loved too.
– No, no. I'm loved at home. I don't know anyone else. Even at Forest School, I'm…
– What's your name? " the boy asked.
– L-Louise. And you? " she said, wiping away her tears, which, however, had already begun to recede on their own.
– I'm Niels. Where do you live?
– We… W-we hardly know each other, I'm sorry…" said the girl, but then she asked:
– I'm looking for a mailbox. Can you tell me where it is?
– I'm only sixteen, Louise. You don't have to refer to me as an adult.
– I've just, uh. I've never talked to a boy.
– Not once in your life? " Niels was surprised.
– N-not once.
– So how…
– I'm sorry," Louise whispered, and ran away as if from a fire. The tears were glistening in her eyes again. A second, and only the girl's skirt was visible in the distance. She was making her way toward the cottage village.
"Gee!" Niels stood there as if struck by thunder. Who was this girl? And such an unusual name – Louise… Who is she? Apparently, she had met Roxy and the others and was upset about it. What's going on in her soul? …
– Uh, excuse me. Do you know where the mailbox is? " Louise shyly asked a farmer with a straw hat and a sack of flour in his hands as he passed by.
– Right down Main Street. You won't get lost," he smiled. – You're not from around here?
– I am. I'm just confused.
Well, that's it. Louise has been seen. No one can know who she really is! People don't like magic. People don't like people who are different. True, Galya hadn't said anything about what to do if you were being hunted. The girl looked around and did not see anything like an angry mob with pitchforks and burning torches. It was all right, then. And what little girls there might be in this village…
Louise soon found the box. It was very, very rusty and did not inspire confidence. What if he ate her envelope and didn't even choke on it? And mom wouldn't even remember that she had Louise. But there was no choice, so she put the letter inside. The deed is done and she can go home. Or rather, run as fast as she can. But Niels… Her heart beat faster. Her breathing seemed to freeze. The girl had never felt anything like this before. The day had taken on a very special color. Fantastic.
Roxy and Edol took a step forward. A moment more, and there was only darkness. They stepped onto the ground of the Forest. And in a moment they were gone. Stunned, Evie and Thea were left standing on the bright ground of the Field.
– Where are they? " Evie exclaimed. She was used to always following Roxy and had no idea how to act alone.
– Ugh!" said Thea. – What are we doing now?
– Call someone. Call the cops.
– I can't get a signal.
– So I don't know. You'll have to think of something!
– Ay, ay, girls, girls. You talk like cobblers. How did you get here? " they heard a voice behind them and almost jumped from surprise.
When they turned around, they saw an old woman in a ragged apron. She had some roots in her hands. What is she doing here?
– Who are you? " Evie asked, apparently desperate to take the lead.
– My name is Galina. Nice to meet you.
