––––––––
I felt his hands grip mine and knew instantly that she was not.
I felt him shake his head and his body heave as he struggled with the words.
“She is gone, Anca. Nobody knows where.”
I fought back the tears, but the resistance was futile. Already weakened, I had no control over my emotions and wept openly, until I could feel the bandage against my eyes reach saturation and salty tears began to drip down my cheek. I felt the firm hand of my benefactress against my shoulder, offering incomprehensible but comforting words.
Composing myself with difficulty I said, “Little one, do you know where we are? Who is this woman that aids us so?”
Nicolae raised his head from my chest. “I do not know, Anca. She is a lady. There is a man, too, but they cannot speak properly. Their words make no sense. I tried to tell them about Elone, but they would not listen.”
I traced Nicolae’s face with my fingers. “We are in a different land, Nicolae. It is not that they will not listen, just that they do not understand. They speak a different language. Polish, I suspect.”
I paused, realising my explanation was beyond Nicolae’s comprehension.
I asked, “Nicolae, are we still in the forest? Are we in the dwelling we sought?”
“I think so, Anca.” I felt his fingers near my eyes. “Why are your eyes bandaged?”
I took his hand in mine, guiding it away. “My eyes need to rest, Nicolae, that is all. How about you, little one? Are you harmed in any way?”
“No, Anca. The man and the lady looked after me when they found me. I have had a bath and lots to eat, while you have been asleep.”
“That is good to hear. Have I been asleep long, Nicole?”
“Two days.”
“Two days?”
Was this an accurate statement or a misconception of time’s passing by my little brother? I had no way of knowing. But if it were true then there could be scant hope for Elone, lost still in the forest.
I fought back tears and clutching my brother’s arms said, “Nicolae, the people who helped us. Are there just the two of them?”
“Yes, Anca.”
“How did they find you?”
“I found them, Anca.”
“You found them? Explain, little one.”
Nicolae paused, as if gathering his thoughts, mentally rehearsing his response.
He said at last, “It was after you told us to run, Anca. Do you remember? The big dog was there, then you told us to run and me and Elone both raced as fast as we could. We ran and ran until we heard you scream and then we stopped, frightened, and heard a really loud bang. We did not know what it was, Anca, but Elone said she would go and see. She told me to stay where I was, that she would come back for me...”
His voice trailed. I took his hand, stroking his wrist, wishing I could see his face.
“What happened then, little one?”
“She never came back for me, Anca. I waited for ages and ages, truly I did, but she never came. I was so frightened on my own that I decided to go to her.”
“But you could not find her.”
“No, she was nowhere, Anca. I just kept walking, hoping I would find you or she. Then I saw this house and went to the door. The lady answered and took me in and there you were, lying on the floor in front of the fire, covered in blood. I ran to you, but the lady would not let me hold you. She would not listen to me or speak properly to me or anything.”
“That is okay, Nicolae. Do not hold it against them, for they are kindly people. The lady, she is still here with us now?”
“She is there, Anca.” He took my hand and guided it to my benefactress, evidently sitting just beside me, perhaps trying to make sense of our conversation.
I held my hand out and felt rugose fingers slip into my palm.
I said slowly, as if hoping I might be understood better for it, “My name is Anca.” I released her hand and put my palm to my heart. “Anca. Anca.” I found Nicolae’s head and patting it said, “This is my brother, Nicolae. Nicolae. Nicolae.”
“Nicolae,” the woman repeated. “Nicolae. Anca.” She took my hand and held my palm against her face. “Izabella,” she said. “Izabella.”
“Hello, Izabella. I am so very pleased to meet you. Nicolae, the lady’s name is Izabella.”
“How can you know, Anca? How can you know what she says?”
“Be assured, little one, we will manage.”
I turned to my benefactress again and held my hand to her, then to Nicolae and myself, saying, “Izabella. Nicolae. Anca.” I moved my hands together and gestured a human form, flattening my palm to indicate Nicolae’s height.
“Elone? Izabella, please, there is another child. Elone. Elone. Nicolae, say it too. Elone.”
“Elone. Elone,” Nicolae repeated.
There was silence, as if digesting this message, then from Izabella, “Elone?”
I nodded, “Yes, Elone. She is nine years old, but small like Nicolae. She was in the forest with...”
I stopped, remembering I was not being understood, that only the simplest of communications were appropriate.
“Elone,” I said, using my hands to illustrate an imaginary child in the air. “Elone.”
Suddenly I felt Izabella’s hands against my cheeks as she stood before me. She said something quietly, eased me to a prostrate position, speaking again. I guessed it was for us to remain still while she left us, and I could only hope she had understood that a further child was still in the forest somewhere.
As the door closed, Nicolae said, “Where is the lady going, Anca?”
My answer was immediate and confident. “To fetch Elone, little one. Be patient. She will be here with us soon.”
I prayed my intuition would not prove me a liar.
I felt Nicolae leave my side and run across the room. “I can see the lady, Anca,” he said excitedly. “She is talking to the man.”
“Her name is Izabella, Nicolae,” I chided quietly. “I would think the man must be her husband. No doubt we will learn his name in due course. What is he doing?”
“He was chopping wood, Anca, but now he is coming back to the house. But the lady, Izabella, she is staying outside.”
“Keep talking, Nicolae. For the next few days, at least, you must be my eyes. You will have to tell me all the things I cannot see. Will you do that for me, little one?”
“I will try, Anca.”
“So what can you see, Nicolae? Tell me what you see.”
“Just the forest, Anca. There is a garden, where the lady, where Izabella, is standing, and then the forest. And here comes the man again. Anca, he has a gun. A huge gun! Why has he— Oh! Oh, Anca! Anca!”
I sat up, his excited tones demanding my attention. “Nicolae, what is it?”
“The dog, Anca! The big dog! I can see it!”
My heart missed a beat and I was struggling to my feet. “Nicolae, shout to Izabella quickly! It is a wolf! Warn her!”
Nicolae’s laughter in response was at once disconcerting and reassuring. “But Anca, it has no head!”
“No head?”
“Honestly, Anca! It has been chopped clean off! I can see it on the ground near the body. And lots of blood! Lots!”
I could not help but smile at this macabre report, for there was no prospect of sympathy for the beast that had so nearly claimed my very life. It was, of course, but supposition that this was indeed the same creature, but all reason suggested it must be.
Nicolae’s earlier story began to make sense in my mind now. Izabella’s husband must have been in the forest at the time of our attack and came across the wolf even as it set about me. Presumably armed with the same gun Nicolae had just seen, the man had been able to finish the creature there and then, bringing both the beast and its victim to his home, the one to behead, the other to tend her injuries. Nicolae must have presented himself at their door soon after. That much I could fathom.
But of Elone, I could only hope and pray that she was still safe and would soon be found. For now, exhausted by my ordeal and thankful at least to have Nicolae with me, I allowed myself to be lulled by the aeolian chimes and the tranquil sussuration of the forest.