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«I didn't mean to; it was an accident,» Ivan retorted in his characteristic manner. «In any case, she didn't fall, did she?»
«Thank you,» Olga responded with grace.
«And weren't you frightened?» Leonid inquired with genuine concern.
Her face illuminated with a serene, grateful smile. A smile that was undeniably beautiful…
From that moment onward, Leonid began to view his neighbor with newfound attentiveness, subtly assuming a protective role over her.
Chapter 3: The Great Catastrophe
Overnight, the world collapsed in an unexpected twist of events. Yet, at Solonytska station, nobody fully grasped the impending calamity, except, perhaps, Mikhail Mirachevsky. He had forewarned that if the war persisted, trouble would ensue.
Initially, the vast Russian Empire's entry into the war seemed remote from the daily life of a small Ukrainian village. However, soon farewells to future soldiers echoed in the huts, and excited boys eagerly shared news of their relatives conscripted to the frontlines, using the newly acquired term «mobilization.» Gradually, the once tranquil station of Solonytska was drawn into the tumultuous whirlwind of wartime. Trains laden with troops, supplies, and weapons arrived from the west, while those heading eastward brought refugees, wounded, and prisoners. Echelons piled up, not only at major hub stations but also, gradually, at smaller stations like Solonytska.
As autumn waned, Mikhail found himself toiling ceaselessly, working around the clock. Exhausted, he would return home, barely having time to exchange words with his son. While Olga maintained her composure, she grew increasingly anxious as managing the household became increasingly challenging due to shortages of familiar goods and even firewood.
* * *
One fateful day, the boys hastened to the station upon hearing of a prolonged delay of a train carrying refugees. At first, their boisterous group strode confidently, feeling masters of their domain, but their excitement waned as they neared the wagons. Silently, they huddled closer, moved a little further away from the railroad tracks, nudging each other along, their remarks growing subdued until even the most vocal amongst them fell silent.
Their collective gaze fell upon a sight etched forever in their memories.
Haggard women with soot-blackened faces sat near the wagons, some cradling wailing infants, while older children huddled nearby. Suffering, fatigue, and fear of the unknown etched deep lines on the faces of ordinary people, compelled to abandon their homes due to war. For the boys, it was an eye-opening revelation of the true face of war, far removed from the headlines penned in newspapers…
Amidst conversations with the refugees, they learned that most hailed from the western provinces of Vistula Land. Curiously, the boys even managed to communicate with a group of their peers, finding no hostility in the strangers' expressions.
For a few moments, the two groups, the locals and the refugees, stood there, scrutinizing each other, until a young lad of about fourteen broke the silence with a question:
«Brothers! Do you have any bread? There's still a long way to go…»
Ivan, unable to resist, interjected with a jest, «Maybe we do. But not for you!»
«Wait a minute,» Leonid intervened. «Are you guys hungry?»
The bread beggar bashfully lowered his eyes, prompting Leonid to spring into action.
«Well, you wait here.»
They promptly returned with provisions – boiled potatoes, bread, dried apples, and cherries, and seeds.
They returned from the station with a sense of duty fulfilled, and the following day, they agreed to come again with provisions. The train was eventually allowed to proceed late into the night, heading toward Kharkov, where refugee reception centers awaited.
For eleven-year-old Leonid Mirachevsky, that day marked a turning point, crystallizing the significance of events unfolding around him, illuminating his parents' behavior, overheard adult conversations, and his own emotions.
* * *
Yet, the true trials had only just begun. Alongside the influx of refugees, disease crept into the village.
When Mikhail fell ill, Olga forbade her son from going near him, sensing danger. Leonid yearned to be of help and pleaded.
«I can give him some water! Why can't I help more?»
Olga remained steadfast, and the doctor's diagnosis confirmed her worst fears – «typhus» sounded like a dreadful verdict. For two weeks, the patient battled in a feverish haze, but his weakened body, exhausted from months of arduous work and anxiety, struggled against the infection.
Days passed in a blur – funeral, wake, an influx of acquaintances and strangers, followed by the profound quietude of an empty house.
As Leonid sat there silently, his gaze fixed on his father's photograph adorning the dresser, vivid memories flashed before him – fishing on the Sula, attending fairs in Poltava, and the precious moments of learning from his father about steam locomotives. He couldn't fathom a world without his father – the man who had been his mentor, his hero. It seemed impossible that Mikhail would not return, strolling out of the kitchen to resume his daily routines…
Olga approached her son, tenderly stroking his head, breaking the spell of silence. Leonid shuddered, sighed deeply, and finally allowed himself to cry – for the first time since he had learned of his father's death.
* * *
The beloved family of Mikhail was not only left without a caring husband and father, but Olga and twelve-year-old Leonid were now bereft of a breadwinner and without any means, even losing their state apartment. A life of hardship commenced, and only Olga's indomitable spirit steered them forward, securing a corner for them in Solonytsya. She worked tirelessly, taking on any part-time job available.
Yet, the events outside their small world gripped the entire vast country, leaving no one untouched. The revolution that unfolded in Petrograd in late February reverberated in Kiev. The overthrow of the tsarist government, followed by the fall of the Provisional Government in October 1917, spurred Ukrainians to forge their own state. However, the path forward was uncertain – a conundrum of how to navigate the Great War with minimal losses, reconcile the aspirations of the people with the interests of landowners and industrialists, and address the demands of diverse political factions. The challenges were manifold, and solutions varied greatly. The future of the fertile lands of Malorossiya (Little Russia) was a matter of contentious debates…
As power changed hands, governments succeeded one another, and the World War metamorphosed into a civil war. Throughout these tumultuous years, the armies of different factions swept through the lands of the Poltava Region: the Red, the Austro-German, Petliura's haidamakas, the Directorate troops, the White Volunteer Army, and, once more, the Red Army. This list omitted the fleeting raids of atamans Makhno and Grigoriev!
During this tumultuous period, all military operations were accompanied by a series of hardships for the local population. Contributions, seizures, and levies became a common occurrence, further exacerbating the already trying conditions. In the midst of the chaos, robberies became the norm, taking advantage of the lawless atmosphere prevailing during those turbulent times with peasant uprisings flaring up here and there throughout the province.
Amidst this turbulence, the orphaned Mirachevsky family struggled to survive. The young widow, Olga, shouldered any available work, mopping floors or accepting whatever odd jobs came her way. In times of scarcity, they traded clothes and utensils for food. As Leonid grew older, he joined in to lend a hand whenever possible.
* * *
Throughout this tumultuous time, Olga harbored a deep longing to return to her homeland, the picturesque Podolia Governorate, to the embrace of her family, the Shpirkans. As soon as the turmoil began to subside, she set her sights on packing her belongings, seeking to fulfill her heart's desire. Meanwhile, young Leonid pondered his future path and, without hesitation, gravitated towards the calling of the railroad, a passion that had beckoned him since childhood. With conviction, he set his sights on Kiev, where his uncle, Andrei, resided, and fate favored him, casting a benevolent smile upon the seventeen-year-old lad.
Fate intervened as the Railway Construction Technical School presented a golden opportunity. Leonid's admission was secured with the support of his mother's petition and the compelling documentation, for he was indeed the son of a distinguished railroad employee.
Though this momentous event brought joy, it also heralded the departure of Olga, as she embarked on a journey to Chervona.
However, there was something else that Leonid regretted about leaving Solonytska station, which had become his cherished home. His mother discerned the melancholy in his eyes and correctly surmised the cause, but she playfully inquired:
«Do you not wish to leave, my dear?»
Leonid endeavored to respond with confidence, «What gives you that impression?»
«I sense a lack of cheerfulness,» she observed.
«All my friends will remain here. Ivan has no plans to go to Kiev…» Leonid paused, hesitating, before adding, «Perhaps I'll visit him again to bid farewell.»
Olga understood her son well; his sorrow did not stem from leaving his friend but rather from his thoughts revolving around the captivating Olga Gurko. Ah, such is life, he must live it and eventually choose a life partner…
Leaving the house, Leonid hastened towards Olga's street.
Chapter 4: Fragile Girl Shoulders
The untimely demise of Olga's mother left her to navigate the challenges of life prematurely. Tatyana, a sturdy and resilient Cossack daughter, was the very embodiment of tenacity, refusing to be cowed by anything, not even illness. Her children could scarcely recall a moment when their mother was unwell, for she was always steadfastly tending to their family's welfare.
Her husband, Sergei, a short, agile man with a neatly trimmed beard, toiled diligently as a railway worker, earning a modest income. To augment their means, the Gurko family relied on their garden's bounty, livestock, and the toil of their hardworking children, two sons and two daughters.
Olga, had a particular responsibility: tending to the geese. Though the task was not particularly onerous during the summer, guiding them to the river, where they knew the way, she could go for a swim or lay down with a book. The crucial part was not forgetting to keep an eye on her wards so they could safely return home, her wandering thoughts sometimes led her astray.
«What on earth is this?» Mother couldn't fathom. «She stares into space as if she's not here.»
«Come on, mom! Look at that cloud! It looks like a ship…» Olga found it challenging to tear her eyes away from the sky, which enticed her with its captivating shapes.
«A ship!» Tatyana exclaimed, raising her hands in exasperation. «You have ships and dogs on your mind, but you forgot about the geese! Now, we have to go looking for them from all over the village again. Look, they've run away!»
«Excuse me, mother…» Olga swiftly drove the flock of feathery mischief-makers into the yard with a skillful wave of a twig, cackling playfully as if making fun of her.
«You, stupid,» Olga said, her irritation directed at the geese. «Their necks may be long, but they can't see beyond their beaks.»
«Do you want them to stand up and stretch their necks to look at the sky too?» teased her sister Maria. The mother joined in the laughter, admiring her daughters, «They're all so lovely.»
By the way, Olga was well aware of the fairness of the reproach. Recently, a neighbor's goose was crushed by a freight train on the tracks. Had the birds run towards the railroad, it would have been a disaster.
Even Maria, who was closest to Olga in the family, occasionally scolded her younger sister when they were peeling walnuts with disdain from the poisonous green peel, working together:
«Shorty, stop daydreaming, hurry up, or we'll be at this all evening! I need to wash my hands.»
For the local children, household chores were part of their routine life at Solonytska station. However, Olga seemed to approach these tasks with a sense of duty. She appeared as if she were brought here from some other world with her thoughtful gaze. Yet, she was not a quiet girl. Quite the contrary – with her pretty, round face and lively dark eyes, she was remarkably bright and quick-witted. Her sharp tongue occasionally caught others by surprise. Her thoughts, though, often wandered far away, perhaps to the horizon line where the steel rails disappeared.
* * *
The realization of dreams came to fruition after enrolling in a women's gymnasium. The district town of Lubny on the Sula River, surrounded by lush green gardens, boasted of its size and featured two gymnasiums – one for men and another for women. The local train conveniently took the children of railroad employees there without any charge, and the journey was brief and not too far.
Olga's immediate and lifelong affection for her vocabulary lessons began. Finally, her fantasies found expression in correct, compelling, and eloquent words. Books, the cherished companions of romantically inclined young ladies, became her favorites, although not the sole ones.
During her trips to the gymnasium, Olga somehow managed to forge a friendship with Leonid Mirachevsky. Or perhaps, he became her constant and caring companion.
«But Leonid is mine, only my beau,» Olga mused. «He looks out for me… He'll offer me his hand or carry my backpack. Besides, he doesn't care about the ridicule from the boys. Being with him is genuinely fascinating.»
He was truly not dull. Leonid always took the lead in starting songs during their journey and invented engaging games when the children gathered at various houses in Solonytska station in the evenings.
It soon became evident that they both shared a passion for reading. For Leonid, it felt like expanding space, pushing the boundaries of the horizon. Books, especially thrilling adventures, prompted him to ponder, explore adult life, and dream of remarkable exploits.
Literature provided Olga with an escape from reality, not that her life was challenging – well, at least not until her mother fell ill – but it was not the reality Olga desired. She took great pleasure in keeping the house clean, appreciating its order and coziness. However, she did not particularly relish digging in the ground or tending to animals. Nevertheless, rebelling at Tatyana's house proved futile as the bossy mistress suppressed any whims with unwavering authority.
* * *
In the Gurko family, all the children shared a harmonious bond with each other, and the sisters were always well-protected. One could easily promise a neighbor who was getting a bit unruly, «I'll tell my brothers…» Their family seemed to expand like clockwork, with new additions arriving every two years, as if by design. However, while the older brothers were later drawn apart by the revolution, the girls remained steadfast friends.
The boys matured rapidly and eventually left for Kiev: Stepan enrolled in St. Vladimir's University, while Ivan joined military school. Now, the family was held together, as the head of the family aptly put it, by «woman's troubles.» Some of their land had to be leased out.
When the brothers visited, they lent a hand with heavy chores and, in their free time, engaged in endless debates. Stepan had come under the influence of the Social Democrats and actively participated in revolutionary circles, while Ivan, like most of the Yunkers was ready to lay down his life for the Tsar if the need arose.
«The country will descend into chaos without tsarist power!» the younger brother fervently exclaimed.
The eldest endeavored to remain calm and held on to hope of changing his brother's perspective. «Have you forgotten the Khodynka Tragedy? The numerous victims during the coronation – where was the response? No one took responsibility! And what about Bloody Sunday in 1905?»
«Oh, come on,» interposed their mother, «what are you saying!»
«The authorities care little for ordinary people; their suffering is deemed worthless! Our people may be kind and forgiving, but they possess an excellent memory. When the time comes, they will remember everything!» Ivan argued passionately.
Tatyana crossed herself fearfully, while Ivan continued to assert that the people were partly to blame for the tragic events, citing how the crush on Khodynka Field was fueled by everyone's love for freebies. According to him, giving people complete freedom would only lead to self-destruction, wreaking havoc on everything around them.
Sergei frowned, disapproving of these heated squabbles. He advised his sons, especially the eldest, to refrain from quarrels at home, and if they had disagreements, they should settle them by going «all the way to Kiev.» The sisters listened intently, sensing the echoes of a grand, tumultuous life, but they were yet unsure which side to take in this dispute.
* * *
However, their everyday life changed too soon, and it was no longer the time for mere verbal battles; instead, they faced very real ones. Whether the station was seized by the Bolsheviks, Haidamakas, German troops, or unknown forces, the teenage girls had to seek refuge in the underground. The emergence of each «new power» often left them feeling utterly powerless.
«Ivan is right,» Maria whispered as they descended into the cellar once again. «You see what's happening!»
Olga concurred; life «under the tsar,» with its tranquility, predictability, and sense of security, now appeared as a distant fairy tale. No one could predict what the future held. However, even in their darkest dreams, the sisters could not have fathomed that their mother would pass away, shattering their world.
Following Tatyana's demise, the father did not grieve for an extended period; he soon found a new mistress. A good-natured, sociable man with an appreciation for women's beauty (and, by local standards, quite wealthy), he became a sought-after groom. As we know, men of such caliber do not lead solitary lives.
Maria, the closest person for Olga in this world, hastily arranged her own destiny by getting married; she had already turned eighteen.
And Olga found herself all alone, surrounded by her father's new family (her stepmother with her two sons) – yet still alone. Throughout her life, she had felt like an outsider, not receiving the warmth and affection she craved from her parents. Her mother's reserved nature kept her preoccupied with household duties, leaving little room for attention and tenderness. Strangely enough, even her father seemed to favor her older sister more. Now, burdened by the responsibilities of a stepdaughter, the weight of everyday life fell upon the fragile shoulders of a fifteen-year-old girl, who was utterly unprepared for this role.
One evening, she wandered to the station and settled on a bench, gazing at the fleeting windows of a passing train that never stopped. Her thoughts turned to her sister – Maria, who had ventured far to the north, to Bryansk, alongside her husband, a railway engineer – and a sense of melancholy washed over Olga. «Ah, I wish I could grow up quickly and live a life of my own,» she dreamed.
The train, whisking away its joyous passengers, seemed to bring with it dreams of a different, undoubtedly more beautiful life. A life free from a worn-out vegetable garden, and most importantly, a life without a stepmother…
In that moment, Alexander Blok's poem On the Railroad, which she had once transcribed into her gymnasium diary, flashed in her mind:
… Once only a Hussar, carelessly leaning
His elbow on the scarlet velvet,
Smiled gently at her in passing…
In passing – and the train rushed on.
Just so, futile youth flew past,
Worn out in empty fantasies…
Till iron railroad longing shrieked,
And shrieking tore its heart apart…
«Well, no!» thought Olga. «I will not succumb to ennui! My dreams are not in vain. I will achieve everything I want!»
Impatiently, she waited until she completed her schooling, and then she set forth to enroll in a labor school in Kiev. A whole new world awaited her there!
Chapter 5: Matchmaking in Lazirky
Olga didn't hesitate for long after Leonid's sensational appearance in Lazirky. It was no ordinary visit from an old friend; it was a marriage proposal – unexpected and sudden, almost from the doorstep, after two years of not seeing each other.
She vividly remembered that June day in Kiev. Having completed the last exam of the summer session at the Higher Institute of Public Education, she and her girlfriends strolled down the boulevard from the Red Building of the former university to Khreschatyk Street. Near the bustling Khreschatyk Street, their path was obstructed by a lively group of young men who immediately sought to make their acquaintance. But among them stood Leonid, now grown up, lean, clad in the uniform of a railroader, his face beaming with a smile. What an extraordinary encounter!
