The Stone of Life

Sarah was sitting in the big soft armchair on the veranda of the beautiful tale castle, shined by warm rays of the morning sun. Her soft cute face was absolutely carefree as if she was tormented by no sorrows or fears that usually torture all hearts including the children’s. She was smiling calmly touching awkwardly her brother’s face – dark, sad, broken by a deep internal suffering.

- Andy, - said the girl cheerfully, ruffling his hair, - I know you’re sad. It is very bad. I don’t like it. If you are sad, I will be sad too, and then all of us will grieve. You think it is good?

- Sarah, - said her brother with an unhappy smile, - I am not sad; you imagined it.

- How can you lie to me? – Exclaimed the girl. – Although I don’t see anything, I feel everything around me perfectly. And I know you are sad, brother! Don’t be sad, please! It is very bad.

Andy squeezed firmly her palms:

- I know, Sarah, it is really very bad.

- So why don’t you cheer up?

He shook his head:

- It is not so easy. Sometimes we cannot control our feelings.

- What nonsense! If we cannot, who controls them then?

He would like to say something sharp and desperate but restrained himself, seeing clearly that such harsh words can upset this gentle being.

- I am sad, Sarah, because we have to be separated. Today I am leaving, and I will return not before than after five months. All this time we will be far away from each other and could not meet.

- Yes, mummy told me, - said that one thoughtfully, - but, you know, I have given it some thought and decided that it is not so badly. Of course, I will miss you, but when we will meet again, just imagine what a joy it will be! – She smiled brightly. – Probably, I will jump up to the sky and, maybe, will discern your face in a rush of joy. Indeed, what if it will be exactly so? You know, it seems to me that I am gradually forgetting your appearance. I try to remember your green eyes, dad’s brightly blue and mummy’s green, but it becomes more and more difficult as if something leads away these images from me. Sometimes I am scared because of that, but when mummy said you would be leaving soon I had a hope that I will see when you get back. I don’t know what it is. Maybe, it is just a stupid childish dream, because I am eleven years old. But I will dream. No one can stop me from doing this. After all, if you don’t hope for anything, it is time to die, is not it? And I think if I will not stop dreaming, finally, I will see again. When you will back, I will definitely see and remember your face, so this separation, probably, is just for the best. That is why, brother, I hope you will be joyful and happy in the academy. Then, knowing that you are well, it will be easier for me to dream, and my desire will come true for sure.

Andy’s soul suffered while she spoke, while he was watching her beautiful blue eyes, so lively and bright but seeing nothing.

Sarah lost her eyesight quite recently, just half a year ago, but numerous healers and medicos to whom they appealed, had already made an undeniable conclusion, that poor thing is doomed to eternal blindness. Of course, it was a terrible strike for their family. Pauline, Sarah’s and Andy’s mother could not say a word during several weeks, while Bergin, the head of the Hawk family, seemed to have lost all interest in life. He almost did not eat; barely participated in affairs of the Royal Council where he had an honorary post; did not sleep at nights and cried soundlessly looking at his poor little daughter.

As for Andy, there is no need to say in what kind of condition he felt into when he knew about the tragedy that had befallen his much-loved little sister. When it happened, he was barely sixteen years old, and, probably, he was the unhappiest in Hawk family. It seemed to the boy that it was he who should have gone blind, he, but not his tiny sincere sister. His thoughts invariably returned to this conviction, and he gradually pulled away from life, became emotionless, cold and mortally sad. Nothing could relieve his sorrow.

But time passed, and parents, seeing their son destroying his life, his right to be happy, which in fact is a duty of any person, took a decision to separate him from home, sending to a famous noble academy for young aristocrats, where, as they hoped, he will return to a joy and mental well-being. Till that time the youth was studying at home that matched their noble title, but Bergin confirmed finally this measure to be effected. And he immediately announced that his son.

As it was expected, Andy flew into a rage; he could not stand with thought that he will have to leave Sarah, but Bergin was adamant like a mountain, so after long furious disputes, the youth had to humble. Quite naturally that he was going at the academy not with bright anticipations but in immense anger and real disgust. In his opinion, parents had treated him cruelly and unfairly, and, to everything else, he was leaving in a quarrel with his family. The carefree days of the past, light, clear, so beautiful and cheerful, seemed now incredibly far away; they were changed by the seal of the enduring grief, despair and powerlessness.

- Your desire will come true. - Said Andy, kissing Sarah’s hair; of course, he did not want to crush the hope of little heart. – I am sure.

- Andy, are you crying? – Asked the girl anxiously, holding out her hands toward his face. – Really crying?

- Of course, not, - answered the guy, carefully placing her hands over his eyes.

Convinced they are dry, Sarah smiled softly again:

- So, are you going to be happy at the academy?

- I’ll try.

- No, that’s not enough! I need your promise. Honest!

He smiled in spite of himself:

- Well, fine. I promise.

She immediately calmed down.

- I know, Andy; you, mom and dad are terribly upset that I ceased seeing. But you should not. It is not forever. Soon the eyesight will return to me. I know that as good as I know you are the best brother in the world.

- I am not the best.

- Yes, you are! Don’t argue; it is true. And because of that I get sad when I feel that you are suffering. It says to me that I am dreaming some trifles that will never come true. But I know they will, and I want to persuade you too!

- You are so selfless, - said Andy with a depressed smile. – I would like to have your confidence…

- What is so difficult about this? – She laughed. – Just believe. That’s it. You know how it’s wonderful to believe in a dream! This is a real happiness. In this moment I am really happy!

Strangely, Andy had no doubts about this, but he did not feel the same. Because he remembered the unquestioning statements of the healers: the most powerful and reliable of them in the kingdom. He remembered, and these thoughts, like a poisonous bee, alarmed his consciousness, not giving him an opportunity to let in the heart of a wholesome faith.

During all this day he did not leave Sarah even for a minute, and in the evening, when it was time to go, and the carriage had been waiting him near the entrance, it was so difficult for him to do this, to leave her for such a long time that he barely fell into despair. But the unbearable minute came, and soon he was sitting in the carriage, with wet eyes, remembering the frightened Sarah’s moves when she grabbed his hands, for the first time realizing that the upcoming separation was not dreamed by her, and she was really losing her best friend. Probably, she would not let him go at all if not Pauline who gently persuaded her to release brother.

Andy looked out of the window, watched grimly the passing by big houses, majestic copper statues, beautiful elegant bridges, spanning the wide shining on the sun dark-blue river.

The understanding that he will not see Sarah during the next five months made him feel a kind of sick resentment; he felt an uncharacteristic simmering anger that seemed to be trying to consume him completely. And he was a little ashamed because of his inability to keep a promise that he gave Sarah.

Although, maybe, it was ridiculously, unreasonable and just funny, all his unquenchable rage fell down on the hated academy that he thought had forced him to leave his sister. This rage grew and grew, and nothing could extinguish it. Andy gloomily looked out of the window knowing firmly he barely will become at the academy an obedient and harmless pupil, and this thought seemed to perpetuate his sufferings, making them absolutely irrepressible.