The story of how trying to keep warm in a car led to an important discovery.

 

 

Nadya shivered in the cold February wind. Just recently, there had been a thaw. The sun had come out, the rain began to drip, and puddles appeared on the sidewalks.

It felt like early spring had arrived; even the birds outside began chirping more cheerfully. Nadya was so happy that winter was over. It was the first winter she’d experienced outside.

Long, cold, snowy, unwelcoming. She even risked going further from the wintering grounds, into the city. Now it’s warm, now she can.

In the city, there are simply more opportunities to find something tasty and nutritious. Shops, cafes, restaurants. You’ll always find food in the trash bins near these establishments.

Products with recently expired dates, yesterday’s dishes that were no longer fit to be served to customers. Nadya had been starving all winter. Things weren’t easy for her.

She lived in an abandoned house in a dacha community. She’d stumbled upon it back in the fall. She immediately realized the property was abandoned, overgrown and unkempt.

This was exactly what the girl needed. Nadya knew it all too well that early November evening. The frosts would soon arrive.

A long, cold winter lies ahead. She needs some shelter. And in this house, fortunately, there was even a stove, and it worked.

Nadya knew how to heat a fire; she’d learned it from the Savelyevs. Well, at least she had something to thank them for. The girl shivered, and a shiver ran down her spine.

Whether it was the February cold or the memory of the family with whom Nadya had spent two years, the girl herself didn’t know. Perhaps it was both? Nadya had never seen her parents. She couldn’t even imagine what kind of people they were.

And the girl will never know who her mother is, much less her father. How could she? After all, fifteen years have passed since she was wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown into a trash bin. Now, there are surveillance cameras in every house.

Today, such a stunt would hardly have worked. The unborn mother would certainly have been found and held accountable. But Nadya’s mother remains unknown.

They searched for her, of course, but to no avail. And even if they had found her, what difference would it have made? Would a woman who abandoned a newborn baby in a trash can suddenly fall in love with him? Of course not. At fifteen, Nadya knew perfectly well that her mother had never needed her.

Her parent probably saw her as an annoying misunderstanding, a problem, a burden that needed to be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. Nadya grew up in an orphanage. Indifferent teachers, irritable nannies and nurses, embittered children.

Things weren’t easy. But at least Nadya always had a clean bed and food. Adults often reminded the orphanage children of this, urging them to show gratitude.

The girl knew no other way of life and therefore took everything for granted. Until a certain age, she didn’t even consider that many other children lived completely differently. They had caring parents who loved and protected them.

These lucky ones are hugged, kissed goodnight, supported in difficult situations, and comforted when they suddenly cry over something. As Nadya grew older, she understood how life works. Naturally, she began to have questions.

The girl’s curiosity was mostly satisfied by the older children from the orphanage. Some of them even had experience living with a family. “They’re homebody, we’re orphanage kids,” explained the tall, thin Alenka.

“They have parents, but we were abandoned, and that’s it.” “I wasn’t abandoned,” little Slavik chimed in. He had only recently arrived at the orphanage.

He cried a lot, didn’t talk to anyone, and was mostly silent. Then suddenly he couldn’t take it anymore and started talking. “I have a good mom and dad, but they were in a car accident.

That’s why I ended up here. They would never have abandoned me otherwise.” Some time later, Nadya learned how she herself ended up in the orphanage.

Semyonovna, one of the most talkative nannies, lifted the veil of secrecy. It happened at night. Semyonovna, it seems, had had too much to drink.

It was some kind of holiday, the staff was quietly celebrating in the shelter, and the nanny went out to make her rounds at the appointed time. It turned out Nadya wasn’t sleeping. And the girl had woken up from a terrible dream.

This happened to her before. Nadya was eight or nine years old at the time. Seeing that her ward wasn’t sleeping, Semyonovna wasn’t happy.

“What are you staring at? It’s nighttime!” the elderly woman said sternly, her brows furrowed. “I’ll go to sleep now,” the girl promised. It was best not to argue with Semyonovna, who had a surprisingly heavy hand.

“Look at me too, if you do, I’ll punish someone, got it?” “Got it,” Nadya whispered. She mentally scolded herself for not having time to pretend to be asleep. But Semyonovna was already getting worked up.

“I look after you here, look after you, take care of you. It turns out your parents don’t need you. They got rid of you like trash.

“And we’ll bend over backwards for you.” Semyonovna didn’t like children. Why would she work in an orphanage with such hostility? Nadya didn’t know the answer to that question.

Perhaps they didn’t hire the grumpy woman anywhere else? She was already quite old, after all. But the fact remained. Semyonovna wasn’t simply indifferent to children.

She hated them for some reason. Maybe it only applied to orphans; Nadya couldn’t know. “You’re all the children of alcoholics and marginalized people,” Semyonovna continued.

These words no longer applied to Nadya. The woman was clearly simply pouring out her soul, speaking to the void. “Nothing good will come of you.”

The same future parasites as your relatives. An aspen tree doesn’t produce oranges. And why does everyone fuss over you? You, for example.

Your own mother threw you in the trash. And she did the right thing. Well, who needs you here in this world? “If your own mother had no use for you either.

That old man had to find you in time. I couldn’t sleep with him, you see. I went to take out the trash at five in the morning, and there you were.

“If I hadn’t made it, there would have been fewer problems for everyone.” “You’re talking about me,” Nadya perked up. Under other circumstances, she wouldn’t have risked speaking to Semyonovna.

But she was just talking about Nadya’s past. It was impossible to remain silent. “Otherwise, who would it be about?” Semyonovna fixed the girl with a look full of disdain.

“Did they really throw me in the trash?” Nadya’s voice trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes. She suddenly felt so hurt and offended.

All the local children who didn’t know their parents fantasized about this a lot. Nadya, of course, did too. She made up stories in which her mother was simply forced to abandon her to the orphanage.

For her daughter’s sake, of course. And the girl hoped that one day her mother would come for her, take her away from this terrible place. And then suddenly this happened.

“So you don’t know?” Semyonovna asked in surprise. “The whole staff knows about this. Hasn’t anyone told us about it before?” Nadya shook her head.

Semyonovna smiled maliciously. “Well, just so you know. Yes, your old man found you in the trash and brought you here to the orphanage.

“Your mother gave birth to you and immediately threw you out. You’re clearly some kind of alcoholic. That’s just how you are, unwanted from birth, just like the rest of these.”

Semyonovna clearly enjoyed looking at the girl’s upset face. She elaborated on her story, describing the dirty plastic bag from the supermarket in which the newborn was wrapped.

She told how they searched for her mother in brothels and homeless shelters. But they never found her. She also added details from Nadya’s early childhood.

“You had a whole bunch of diagnoses. They thought you’d end up disabled. If you even survived.”

Your mother was clearly drinking and smoking during her pregnancy. That’s why they didn’t take you away as a child. She had too many illnesses.

“And now you’re all grown up. Who needs a horse like that anymore?” Semyonovna left. And Nadya couldn’t sleep for a long time afterward.

She kept thinking about the nanny’s words. Maybe Semyonovna was lying? She was capable of doing that. Maybe she was deliberately teasing Nadya to hurt her? The next morning, the girl, having plucked up her courage, approached one of the teachers, Klavdia Petrovna.

She’d been working at the orphanage for a long time. She must surely know her story. Klavdiya Petrovna confirmed everything.

“Yes, an elderly man really did find you in a trash bin. Completely by accident. He even wanted to take you in later, to raise you as a daughter or, more likely, a granddaughter, but who would give a child to a lonely old man?” So it’s true.

Nadya’s mother didn’t want her from the very beginning. She threw her in the trash can like some kind of trash. The girl burst into tears.

This was the end of her childhood dreams of suddenly finding parents. Alenka, who was now twelve, approached Nadya in the dining room and sat down next to her. It wasn’t exactly friends—the girls were too different in age for a full-fledged friendship—but Alenka treated Nadya with a certain warmth.

Alena once had a younger sister. The girl loved her dearly and cared for her. Then one of Alena’s mother’s guests left a lit cigarette on the table.

A fire broke out, killing everyone in the house. Only Alenka miraculously managed to escape. That’s how the girl ended up in an orphanage.

Alenka often said she didn’t feel sorry for her mother at all. She drank, neglected her daughters, brought her numerous girlfriends and suitors into the house, and partied from night until dawn. But it was her sister that Alenka truly missed.

Nadya probably reminded her of her little sister in some way. At the very least, Alenka was the only one from the orphanage who treated Nadya with warmth. And now, noticing the sobbing girl in the cafeteria, Alenka immediately approached her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Are the boys bullying you again, or did the teacher punish you?” Nadya told her older friend everything. She smiled sadly.

“Well, what’s so bad about that? Everyone’s got ugly stories here. At least they left you in the trash right after you were born.” “It’s unpleasant, I agree.”

But Kolka Sorokin’s mother actually gave him away to the gypsies for a bottle. Alenka Sergeeva’s grandmother wanted to sell him, even put an ad in the newspaper. “Why is that? Why don’t parents need children?” “I don’t know,” Alenka shrugged and stroked Nadya’s head.

“Well, that happens. I think about it a lot too. But imagine, imagine that you never had parents.”

It’s easier somehow. As if you’ve always been nobody’s, as if no one has ever abandoned you. Nadya dealt with her feelings then.

What else could she do? Everyday life at the orphanage went on as usual. Early rises, exercise, school, gym classes. And then suddenly something happened that Nadya completely unexpected.

She was adopted. Nadya was already 12 years old at the time. The girl understood perfectly well that she would never be blessed with the opportunity of adoption.

People prefer to adopt babies from shelters, but she’s already a teenager. And she doesn’t have the most popular appearance. Adults often commented that one of Nadya’s parents was clearly not Russian.

The girl’s appearance was decidedly un-Slavic. She had bright black eyes, dark, arching eyebrows, swarthy skin, and raven-black hair. “Your mom probably had you with a migrant worker, that’s why she threw you out,” Semyonovna would sometimes laugh.

“Ugly as hell!” She saw her daughter, got scared, and ran to the trash can. “Don’t believe her,” Nadya reassured Alena later. “You’re very, very beautiful, a real model.”

You’ll find out later. I wish I had eyebrows and eyelashes like that, mine are kind of gray and pale. And you’re a beauty.

In short, Nadya’s chances of finding a family were practically zero, and the girl knew it perfectly well. And then suddenly this happened. “People want to meet you.”

The orphanage director once approached Nadya with these words: “They want to take a child from the orphanage, a teenager. It’s rare.”

They’re interested in you. We’re meeting tomorrow, be ready. Nadya was very nervous about the upcoming meeting.

She’d already given up all hope of finding a family, and then suddenly these people showed up. What if the adoptive parents didn’t like her? It was terrifying to see the disappointment in their eyes. The girl hadn’t even considered that Nadya herself might find the potential parents undesirable.

She desperately wanted to finally have adults of her own. Someone who would care for her and protect her. They would help their adopted daughter grow up, get on her feet, and fit into this frightening and incomprehensible world.

The future terrified Nadya. After all, she had no idea what life outside the orphanage was like. But if she had an understanding, loving mother and father nearby, then there was nothing to fear.

The morning before the meeting with potential adoptive parents, Nadya woke up before dawn, washed, combed her hair, and got dressed. Unsure of what to do, the girl wandered around the orphanage corridor for a long time. “Alena, of course, came to support her.”

“Everything will be fine,” she smiled at Nadya. “You’re lucky. I’m already sixteen, there’s nothing left to hope for.”

I’m so happy for you. The Savelyevs, Anna and Petr, caught Nadya’s eye at first sight. They were sitting at the table next to the smiling headmistress.

They were kind-hearted in appearance, simple, neat, and polite. Anna was dressed in a formal blouse and long skirt, Pyotr in a buttoned-up shirt and classic trousers. The couple didn’t look particularly modern, but Nadya even liked it.

They didn’t look like her, the teachers, with their bright makeup and pretentious outfits. And that was for the best. They were modest people with excellent taste.

“And this is our Nadya,” the headmistress introduced Nadya. “She’s a very good girl. Quiet, calm, obedient.”

There were never any problems with her. In her entire life, Nadya had never heard more kind words addressed to her than at that moment. She really liked the way Savelyev was presenting her.

“Nadya,” Peter smiled at the girl, “do you want to start a family?” Does she want a family? It’s her deepest desire. Nadya couldn’t find the words to express the depth of her feelings, so she simply nodded in agreement. “That’s good,” Anna rejoiced, giving the girl a warm smile.

— We live outside the city. We have a large farm, chickens, ducks, geese. And we also have children.

You’ll have brothers and sisters. You don’t mind, do you? “Of course not,” Nadya replied. But she thought to herself that if these brothers and sisters treated her like Alenka, she’d be absolutely happy.

They talked for an hour. The Savelyevs were interested in everything Nadya liked to do, what food she preferred, what made her happy and what made her sad. It was so captivating, talking about herself.

Nadya didn’t even notice how her embarrassment in front of strangers had vanished. She was not indifferent. Pyotr and Anna were genuinely interested in her thoughts, dreams, and aspirations.

The girl talked about herself and remarked that the Savelyevs liked what she heard. They exchanged glances and smiles, nodded at each other, and looked at the girl with obvious approval. This made Nadya feel like she had wings behind her back.

She had never felt so needed. They picked up Nadya, came for her one early April morning, and whisked her away to a new life. At first, Nadya liked everything, absolutely everything.

The Savelyevs had a huge wooden house outside the city, a large garden, numerous outbuildings, a garage, a barn, a chicken coop, a summer kitchen—a whole little town behind a high fence. Nadya got her own room. Small, modestly furnished, but at least it was hers.

The girl, accustomed to living with fifteen other roommates in a large shared bedroom, couldn’t believe her luck at first. She even helped Nadya furnish the room to her taste. Together, they chose and hung curtains, painted the walls, and bought a comfortable desk.

Nadya suddenly had a large family—a mother, a father, five brothers, and four sisters. Everyone welcomed the new arrival warmly, smiling at her and happily showing her how things worked around the house. Nadya was delighted with the pets.

Goats, ducks, chickens, cows, rabbits, two dogs, and four cats. The orphanage had a petting zoo with hamsters and turtles, but it was nothing compared to the Savelyevs’ zoo. Anna, Pyotr, and the older children taught Nadya how to care for the animals.

The girl felt needed and loved. The family traditionally gathered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the long table in the living room. The girls helped their mother set the table, everyone sat down, then said a prayer and began eating.

The Savelyevs prayed a lot. Icons hung on the walls of the house, and oil lamps stood on shelves here and there. Before bed, Anna would gather the children around her and read them passages from the Bible.

It was very unusual. Nadya hadn’t seen anything like this at the orphanage, so she had to get used to the new routine. Oh well, no big deal.

It’s even a little interesting. You had to obey your parents unquestioningly. And Nadya did, and it didn’t cause her any trouble.

Here she was loved and cared for. Anna hugged the girl before bed, always crossing her and kissing her on the forehead. It was so sweet.

Peter wasn’t particularly affectionate; he was more reserved and stern, but he often praised his adopted daughter for her quick grasp of things. She’d learned to garden and look after the livestock. This was all new to Nadya.

At the orphanage, no one taught the children to do such work. The children there didn’t even wash their own dishes. All the children were homeschooled.

The school was quite far away, in a neighboring village, and the Savelyevs lived on a secluded farm. They couldn’t travel back and forth. So the children had online lessons at specific times.

Not every day. Nadya liked learning this way. The curriculum was easier than at the orphanage.

There’s hardly any homework, it’s just beautiful. So much time for walks, hanging out with her siblings, and playing with the animals. Of course, Anna had to help with the housework, but Nadya found such chores a joy.

It’s so nice to be needed by someone, to feel like part of a family. For a long time, Nadya felt euphoric at finding herself in such a wonderful place. Life seemed bright and sunny.

It seemed like only good things lay ahead. The Savelev family, of course, had its own rules, which still required some getting used to. First, children were expected to obey their parents in everything.

Well, that’s natural, it’s the same everywhere. Secondly, the whole family prayed before every meal and at specific times in the morning and evening. Nadya quickly learned the necessary words, so this didn’t present any difficulties for her either.

Dressing was a special thing. The girls wore long skirts and formal blouses, just like Anna’s. Anna, with the help of her older daughters, sewed these clothes herself on an old sewing machine.

The hair of the fair half of the family was always tied back. They were braided tightly or styled into neat buns. No strands of hair hanging loosely around the face—that was considered inappropriate.

“This is exactly how a well-bred girl should look,” Peter praised his daughters’ appearance. “Exactly. Not like those loose, depraved girls from the city.”

Nadya liked this less. She used to love wearing her shiny black hair down. She thought it made her look like the girls in shampoo commercials.

But no, so no. Ultimately, the parents know best. They care about their daughters, after all, and that’s why they make such demands.

Her mother and father wanted the best. But there were no irritated nannies, no embittered children, no drab orphanage walls, no bland orphanage food. Her new brothers and sisters treated Nadya kindly.

They often played together in the yard after chores. It was so beautiful. Only Alenka missed it, of course.

But it’s okay. Alena will grow up soon, graduate from the orphanage, and they will definitely meet. Nadya will invite her to visit.

Anna and Peter will probably allow it. They rarely have guests, which is odd. But they probably won’t mind.

Parents are so kind. Nadya’s rose-colored glasses shattered about a month and a half after she moved in with Savelyev. May was drawing to a close, and the trees in the garden were in full bloom.

The contrast with the scene unfolding in this beautiful place was all the more striking. Nadya was raking trash behind the house when she heard the sound. The rapid ringing of a bell came from the garden.

Masha, Nadya’s little sister, winced. “What’s that?” Nadezhda asked in surprise. “The bell’s ringing. We have to go to kindergarten, he’s going to punish Mitka now.”

“Mitka?” Nadya asked in surprise. Mitka is one of the older brothers. The day before, he returned from the city later than planned.

The teenager periodically went to the market to sell dairy products. He already looked like a grown man, so Peter and Anna let him go alone. The boy was then allowed to wander the streets for a while.

He still had friends from his old school in town. But the boy had to be home by a certain time. And yesterday he was late.

Well, he was late, so he was late. Pyotr shook his head sadly, and Anna sighed. Mitka himself looked so miserable and even frightened that, as Nadya thought, that was punishment enough for him.

The brothers and sisters looked at the boy with sympathy. The girl thought that was the end of it. But no.

Masha said that Mitka was now facing punishment. That’s why the sound of the bell was calling everyone into the garden. It was very strange, even unpleasant.

Nadya followed Masha into the garden, still thinking that perhaps everything would be alright. Everyone was already there. Anna was holding the bell.

I wonder where my parents got this rarity? Pyotr looked serious, almost solemn. Mitka stood next to him, pale and frightened. He was clearly afraid of something, but he meekly accepted his fate.

Peter held a belt in his hands—a thick leather belt with a metal buckle. Nadya didn’t notice it right away, only later, when the weapon was already in use. “A son should obey his parents and honor them,” Peter said, looking around at his many children.

He didn’t even look at the misbehaving Mitka. “A parent’s word is law. Those who deviate from parental precepts will face an unenviable fate.”

We want all our children to be happy and prosperous, so we don’t tolerate disobedience.” “You’ll regret it, my dear, you’ll lose your son,” Anna added, looking sympathetically at Mitka. “We love you, my son, and we can’t allow you to fall.”

“You must be punished.” Mitka sighed heavily and nodded. And then… then something terrible happened…

Pyotr beat Mitka with a belt. He lashed the teenager across the back, legs, and shoulders. Each time, the blows grew harder, as if he were enjoying it.

Nadya looked at her new father in horror. His eyes blazed with some kind of abnormal pleasure. Somehow, he even reminded Nadya of Semyonovna.

But at least she didn’t cause physical pain to the students and didn’t disguise her anger with concern for her charges. A strong, tall man was beating a skinny, defenseless boy. Mitka’s body quickly became covered in red, swollen stripes.

Some of them started bleeding. It must have been unbearably painful. “Be patient,” Masha whispered, standing next to Nadya.

“Just be patient, otherwise he’ll get even more angry.” Nadya felt sick. She wished that what was happening was just a bad dream.

“Anna and Peter are such pious, such virtuous, such nice people. How can they? He does this, and she silently approves, allows it. The other children—they watch Mitya being beaten with complete calm.

They sympathize with their brother, but it’s clear they consider what’s happening normal. Even in the orphanage, this wasn’t the case. The teachers would slap someone, give them a smack, a slap, or a pinch.

Nothing more. The children underwent regular medical checkups. Adults were held accountable for every bruise, and then Mitka fell.

He even seemed to lose consciousness for a moment. Nadya was afraid for him. What if the boy died now? Pyotr lashed the teenager a few more times and suddenly calmed down.

“A lesson for you and the rest of us,” the man said, wiping his face. “Go to your room. Two days locked up and without food.”

Anna helped her son up and led him, unsteady and even paler than usual, into the house. The others, as if nothing had happened, returned to their chores. “Let’s go,” Masha said, tugging at the dumbfounded Nadya’s hand.

“We need to clean up the house. I’ve seen what happens for disobedience.” From then on, fear settled in Nadya’s heart.

What if she, too, did something wrong? And would she be like Mitka, standing there in the garden and awaiting punishment? The very thought of it made her heart clench. The Savelyevs no longer seemed like wise, kind, understanding adults. They were terrifying, these two, religiously obsessed people who exploited child labor.

What had seemed so sweet and pleasant to Nadya just recently suddenly took on a completely different aspect. The children live like hermits, far from people, under the control of two despotic men. They tend to the livestock, toil in the garden, barely study, and communicate only with each other.

The small, cozy world the Savelyevs had created on this property no longer seemed safe and kind to Nadya. She would have been better off staying in the orphanage. But now there was no turning back.

It’s unlikely the Savelyevs would let her go so easily. The Savelyevs were very strict with those who disagreed, rebellious, or simply sluggish. Nadya often witnessed such scenes.

Children were beaten for the slightest infractions. Failure to complete work on time or poorly, arguing with elders, inappropriate appearance—anything could lead to a reprimand. The punishment matched the offense.

Sometimes children were simply locked in a room without food or water for several days or placed in a corner on peas for a couple of hours. If something more serious happened, a public flogging in the garden followed. The ringing of a bell summoned the entire household to the place of punishment.

It wasn’t just the boys who suffered. One day, Pyotr beat up Inna, his eldest daughter, simply because she was looking at pretty swimsuits online. Pyotr and Anna long lamented the possibility that their daughter might grow up to be a vicious woman.

“I won’t allow that,” the man promised, lashing the girl across her back and sides with the belt. Inna bit her lip to keep from screaming. Now Nadya knew, too, that screaming only inflamed Pyotr even more.

Nadya also got into trouble, of course, mostly because she tried to argue with her parents. One day, Pyotr decided to spank little Masha with a belt; the girl took a pie from the pot without asking, which the strict parent considered a serious offense. Masha was hungry, and it was still far from lunchtime, so she couldn’t resist.

But no one cared about her excuses. Anna noticed and told her husband. He accused his youngest daughter of stealing, took the bell out of the closet, and both Masha and Nadya, who was with her at the time, knew perfectly well what that meant.

Masha shook like an aspen leaf, but she didn’t dare cry or beg for forgiveness. As for Nadya, she imagined Peter beating this little girl in front of everyone, and the sweat even broke out on her back. She stood up for her little sister. Very politely and carefully, she asked Peter and Anna not to punish the girl, to forgive her for this offense.

And she herself fell into disfavor. That day, Peter flogged both his daughters. One for theft, the other for disrespecting her parents.

Nadya understood they were getting far worse than their elders, but she still cried from the pain. Not just from the pain, but also from resentment and helplessness. Then they were both locked in their rooms without food or water for a whole day.

This happened more than once. Sometimes Nadya was left in the basement without light or food for several days. This was even more terrifying than a public flogging.

In the pitch darkness, the girl soon began to feel as if they’d forgotten she’d never be allowed out into the world again. Time dragged on endlessly. In the two years she’d lived with the Savelyevs, Nadya had experienced every kind of punishment—whipping, seclusion, kneeling for hours on dry peas, hunger and thirst.

The girl wasn’t allowed into town. Only the older children occasionally ventured beyond the village boundaries to help their parents sell produce—meat, dairy products, and home-grown vegetables. Nadya understood that everything that was happening was abnormal.

But she couldn’t complain to anyone. If one of the children fell ill, Anna treated them. No one called the doctors.

The children studied online, watched recorded lessons, and then emailed projects every quarter, after which they were transferred. So, even here, there was no way to reach people. Pyotr turned off the internet during classes; only he knew the password.

So the girl couldn’t leave a message online either. The Savelyevs were the absolute masters of their adopted children. And these boys and girls considered what was happening normal.

Most of them were taken in by the family when they were still very young. They knew no other life. Pyotr and Anna managed to convince the children that the world beyond the fence was dangerous, cruel, and unjust, and that only here, on the farm, were they safe.

Only Nadya knew that wasn’t true. She just wanted to get out of there somehow, just to tell others what was happening beyond the fence. Pyotr often went to the village; he had some friends there.

But no one ever came to visit them. That’s understandable. People would have immediately realized something was wrong.

Nadya desperately searched for a way out. The fence was high, completely smooth, and impenetrable. The trees grew far away from it.

Apparently, this wasn’t a coincidence. Climbing over such a high, solid fence was simply impossible. Even if they’d managed to find a ladder, someone would have surely noticed Nadya trying to get out.

There are a lot of people around, and everyone looks out for each other. That’s just the way it is. Nadine and the new brothers and sisters, they seriously believe that there, on the other side of the fence, is an unfair, vicious, hostile world.

They trust the Savelyevs, accept cruel punishments as the norm, and can’t even imagine how these terrible people are ruining their lives. If any of the children learn that Nadya is planning to run away, they will either stop her themselves or immediately report it to the adults. They seem like good kids, kind and humble.

They treat each other well, encourage and support each other. But the Savelyevs raised them in such a way that the siblings shamelessly inform on each other to adults. They even believe they’re doing the offender a favor by doing so.

If one witness sees another stumble, intentionally or unintentionally violate one of their parents’ prohibitions, that witness will certainly tell their father or mother what happened—even knowing what will happen to their brother or sister afterward. They’ll even believe they’re doing a good deed, saving a lost soul. Later, this same informant will, of course, pity the victim of Savelyev’s massacre after the punishment.

She’ll look sympathetically at the unfortunate child, maybe even pat him on the back and hug him. But next time she’ll do the same thing, reporting the misdeed to his father. Nadya had witnessed such scenes many times.

It was even more terrifying than her adoptive father’s belt. Once, Nadya herself was punished simply for failing to report Kristina, one of the younger sisters. She had accidentally kicked a bucket left by her eldest daughter on the threshold of the barn.

It tipped over with a clang, spilling milk. The girl was frightened and cowered. “Don’t worry,” Nadya, who had seen it, reassured the little girl. “No one saw you. We’ll say it was the cat who did it.”

Noticing Nadya, Christina flinched. She looked at her sister in surprise, as if she couldn’t believe her ears. But nothing happened.

A couple of hours later, the bell rang in the garden. This meant someone was about to be punished again. Savelyev used his belt on both Kristina, who had spilled the milk, and Nadya, who was planning to lie to her parents again and cover for the culprit.

It turned out that Masha had witnessed the scene at the barn, and the kind little girl, always wishing only the best for everyone, immediately ran to Pyotr and laid it all out before him. The brothers and sisters were completely convinced that it was all right, even good. That their parents were simply caring for them, that the punishment was like purification.

The Savelyevs managed to instill their rules and ideas into the minds of their adopted children. But this trick didn’t work with Nadya. Perhaps she was lucky that she was adopted by a family with a developing teenager, not a small child…

But to survive, Nadya pretended. She tried her best to act in a way that wouldn’t arouse the Savelyevs’ suspicions, while desperately searching for a way out. But her adoptive parents still suspected.

They watched Nadya more closely than the others, restricting her freedom in every way. She couldn’t see any way to break free, to even let people know where she was.

The adults were afraid to let Nadya out. They had already snatched her paper airplane once. In desperation, the girl wrote a letter asking for help, folded it into an airplane, and launched it over the fence.

Unlike her, the paper toy could overcome this barrier. Perhaps someone would see the note, even if only by accident. They did.

And that witness turned out to be Savelyev himself. He beat Nadya so badly. The girl thought she was about to be killed.

Then the offender was thrown into the basement, left there for several days without food or water. She was terribly thirsty, her wounds ached mercilessly, and time dragged on endlessly. Nadya began to feel as if she would never see sunlight or breathe fresh air.

Then there was a long conversation with Peter and Anna. They again drummed into Nadya this whole pseudo-religious story. They scared her with Hell, the Fiery Hyena, and assured her that they simply wanted to save her.

Nadya looked at them and nodded meekly. These people are either criminals or crazy. It’s best not to argue with either.

And then, then Peter said something that made Nadya shudder. “You now have an official psychiatric diagnosis,” the man said, looking Nadya straight in the eye. “It’s recorded in your medical records.”

You’ve been prescribed strong medications. Delusions and strange fantasies are one of the symptoms of this disease. So now you can write your notes as much as you like.

“Nobody will believe you. Nobody.” “But how did you do it?” Nadya gasped.

She knew that to get a diagnosis, she’d have to see a doctor, maybe even more than one. “With Christina’s help,” Anna explained, “you’re almost the same age, and you look very similar. So she played along with us to save you.”

We took Kristina to the doctor. She’s in the hospital now. “When you get out, you’ll be officially psychiatrically disabled,” Pyotr smiled contentedly, looking at the girl’s confused face.

“We had to do something, we had to protect ourselves,” Anna said, throwing up her hands. “You forced us to take such measures.” Nadya chuckled.

Good cop, bad cop—a classic. The girl got it. Now she’s officially mentally ill.

This means—scream or not, call or not for help, no one will believe her. It’s terrible. The chances of breaking free and living a normal life are practically zero.

But Nadya wasn’t about to give up. Staying in the Savelyevs’ house and living by their rules for years wasn’t for her. The Savelyevs had long-term plans; they wanted to eventually move to the outback and join the Old Believers.

They lived in the forests, far from people, subsisting on subsistence farming, rejecting all the benefits of civilization, and for Peter, they were an example, an ideal to which he aspired. Nadya understood perfectly well that after this move, she would definitely not be able to escape; the entire community would be watching her. One day, however, an opportunity to escape presented itself.

Of course, Nadya took advantage of this opportunity. Pyotr, leaving for the market in town, forgot to lock the door—or rather, thought Mitka would do it, but he apparently didn’t hear his father’s request and stayed in the workshop. Nadya was supposed to be weeding the garden beds at the time, and so she witnessed everything.

Masha was with her; from now on, one of her brothers or sisters was always nearby. Savelyev had arranged it that way. He needed his wayward stepdaughter to be constantly watched.

The adults didn’t trust her, no matter how hard Nadya tried to act like a humble and broken young girl. Nadya noticed the door ajar, and her heart began to pound. Here it was, her chance to break free.

But Nadya, she was completely unprepared, her things unpacked, her plan unthought out. What plan? She had to run while she could, she might never get another chance like this. And Nadya slowly straightened up, brushed the dirt off her hands, thought that Pyotr’s car must have already pulled away to a safe distance, and ran as fast as she could toward the open door.

“Wait, where are you going?” Masha’s small, surprised voice called from behind. Nadya didn’t even turn around. She knew that after her escape, everyone would get it.

The children, and Anna too, will get it for not keeping an eye on her. Masha and Mitka, who didn’t close the door in time, will be punished the most severely. But Nadya shouldn’t be worrying about that right now.

The girl ran out the gate and looked around. It had been a long time since she’d seen such open space. Ahead lay a wide field, with a country road running right through it.

It was along this road that Peter set off for the city. Nadya raced along it. She remembered that there was a village nearby.

That’s where Nadya will ask for help from the people. If only she could get there. Masha will quickly get everyone on their feet and… The older brothers will rush after the runaway, and they are fast and strong.

Nadya picked up speed. She had no chance of escaping her brothers on the open road. The girl suddenly realized this clearly.

But she simply couldn’t go back there, beyond the fence. Nadya turned into the woods that ran alongside the field. She climbed into the thicket.

From there, she couldn’t even see the road, but the girl was heading in the right direction. She remembered exactly where to go. Pushing through the dense bushes and trees was difficult.

Fresh scratches were added to the girl’s scars and wounds from her punishments. Insects were also a nuisance, swarming around the runaway in swarms, sensing prey. Still, it was better than being locked behind the Savelyevs’ fence.

Because Nadya was finally free. She even breathed easier. The girl understood that nothing was over yet.

Her brothers were probably already following her, but she still smiled. It was an indescribable feeling. To be free after almost two years of captivity.

Go where your feet take you, breathe deeply. Soon the girl reached the village. She didn’t dare leave the shelter of the protective landing right away.

First, I need to look around. There it is, the village, just nearby. Quiet streets, cozy houses, low, colorful fences, behind which I can see the people and their gardens and vegetable plots.

These were ordinary houses, not the impregnable Savel’ev Fortress. There was a certain liveliness in the village at that hour. Nadya saw people on the streets, and groups of adults and teenagers were wandering around the village.

Were they looking for someone? Perhaps her? Then Nadya noticed the bicycle that belonged to her brothers. It was lying right in the grass next to the very first house on the village street. So that’s what it was.

Nadya immediately realized what had happened. The brothers quickly rushed to the village and warned the residents that their deranged sister had escaped. And now everyone was looking for her.

A fool with delusional ideas and fantasies in her head. A group of middle-aged women approached Nadya’s hiding place. The girl hid.

The friends were talking loudly and animatedly, constantly interrupting each other to express their opinions. “We should comb the planting,” suggested one. “That little thing looks like she’s possessed.”

She’s probably looking for solitude and silence. And our forest is quiet and peaceful. Are you sure she’s hiding there? “The men are already getting ready to go into the forest with their dogs,” another said.

“If she’s there, they’ll find the girl.” “I feel sorry for the girl,” sighed another. “She’s still so young and already has such a diagnosis.”

It’s only going to get worse. She needs to be returned to her family with Aveliev. They’re looking after her there, they’re treating her there.

Holy people. “Not holy, just stupid,” a woman with thin lips and a piercing gaze joined the conversation. “They’ve taken on such a burden.”

I don’t understand those who take in children with disabilities from orphanages. Why go through all this trouble? It’s a nightmare for them, and for the other children, too. It’s not a pleasant place to live next to such children.

“You’re mean, Irina,” another interlocutor shook her head. “These children are sick. They’re people too, after all.”

“I feel sorry for this girl. They say she’s frightened herself with her delusional fantasies and even inflicts injuries on herself. They even tie her up during periods of exacerbation.”

“She needs to be taken to a hospital, to a closed room with soft walls,” Irina insisted. “That way, everyone will be better off. And the girl herself, too, by the way.”

“That’s what they’ll do. I heard those Anton boys saying that if they could just catch the girl, they’d get her into the hospital in a jiffy. She has an official diagnosis, after all.”

They’ll admit her to the hospital without any questions. They’ll give her injections and IVs. She’ll emerge a completely different person.

The illness won’t go away, of course, but it will be calmed there. The women chatted a bit more and left. And Nadya sat in the bushes for a while, pondering her situation.

“No, she can’t go out to people; they won’t help her. Everyone in this village is on the Savelyevs’ side. Pyotr managed to convince everyone that he was raising a mentally ill daughter…”

And now she’s run away. And no one will believe Nadya if she suddenly starts telling the truth. She’s sick in everyone’s eyes.

Delusions and hallucinations are commonplace for her. Nadya will be immediately returned to the Savelyevs, and they… They might actually lock her up in the hospital for a while. And even there, they won’t believe Nadya, because her medical record already bears a terrifying diagnosis.

The girl had placed great hope in her scars. She thought these wounds, sustained as a result of numerous punishments, would serve as some kind of proof. But now the women were talking about how the runaway, sick girl was supposedly prone to self-harm.

So, there’s a failure here too. Savelyev thought it all out very well. This cunning man calculated a lot.

Nadya decided she needed to go to the city. Savelyev wasn’t known there. There, she might finally get some help.

And, by the way, at the same time, we can save Savelyev’s other children. Perhaps psychologists or psychiatrists can help them, bring them back to normal, and open their eyes to the true nature of their adoptive parents. And we need to act quickly.

The women had said that people with dogs would soon start combing the planting. Nadya had never run so fast. She knew which way the city was and was hurrying there.

The girl didn’t stop even at night. It was as if she didn’t even feel tired. On pure adrenaline, Nadya endured the entire arduous journey for a whole day.

And around six in the morning, the girl finally emerged into the city. Nadya knew she looked strange. Her long skirt with a torn hem, her dirty shirt, her disheveled hair.

It was a good thing there were no people on the streets at that time. The girl caught her breath and looked around. She needed to find the police station.

They’d definitely help her there. And Nadya found it. She wandered along the still-sleeping central streets and saw the sign she needed in the distance.

The girl quickened her pace, but then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a notice on a pole that made her freeze. It was a leaflet. A regular A4 leaflet.

And on it was a picture of Nadya herself. Below was some text. The girl quickly scanned it and realized that she wouldn’t get any help in the city either.

“Saveliy, you’ve gotten ahead of yourself and already reported it to the police.” They even managed to put up flyers. The text said that a girl with a psychiatric diagnosis had gone missing.

Nadya’s characteristics were reported. But here’s the icing on the cake: People were warned to be careful when encountering the teenager.

They said the girl was behaving erratically because of her diagnosis. Nadya didn’t go to the police, but instead went to an abandoned part of the city and found refuge there.

A nook in a dilapidated house. And finally, she fell asleep. She couldn’t think about the future now.

She needed to get some sleep first. The pent-up fatigue suddenly overwhelmed Nadya, and she fell asleep almost instantly. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.

Her head cleared. Nadya sat up, wrapped her arms around her legs, and leaned her back against the wall. She needed to consider her situation.

The outlook was bleak, but the girl faced the truth boldly. She couldn’t go to the police; they already knew about her. She shouldn’t go to the shelter either.

They were probably warned too. No one will help her now. People know about the crazy girl who went missing.

They were prepared for the runaway to spout delusional fantasies. The Savelyevs, they thought of everything, everything. Surely these terrible people guessed that Nadya would sooner or later escape and call for help.

And they’d made sure everyone thought she was crazy. So, there was only one thing left to do: survive on the streets. Yes, right there on the streets, but what else could she do? She couldn’t go back to the Savelyevs.

She had nowhere to go. Nadya sighed. She knew it would be hard.

But if there was no other way, there was no other way. She would have to start a new life. First of all, the girl suddenly wanted to get rid of her clothes.

That ugly uniform that was customary to wear in the Savelyev household. She wanted to look like a normal teenager, not a nun. And it would attract less attention.

Nadya knew that people often left bags of still-good clothes near trash cans. That’s where she went to look for a new wardrobe. And she found one.

Changing into a sweatshirt and slightly loose jeans, Nadya immediately felt better. And she decided that everything in her life would be fine from now on. At first, Nadya hung out with some street kids at the train station.

Boys and girls with difficult lives, forced to survive on the streets. They slept in a crowd in an old house, located, oddly enough, almost in the city center. There was a neighborhood there, a historical center, so to speak.

In plain sight was a beautiful, wide street, with lanterns, monuments, fountains, and stylish cafes. At any time of day or night, it was filled with well-dressed people—parents with children, fashionable young people, couples in love, and elegant seniors. And just a stone’s throw from this splendor, literally behind a restored wall of shops and cafes, lay this hidden alley.

Old, crumbling houses, sidewalks overgrown with tall weeds, a refuge for the poor and disadvantaged. People left homeless lived here. Sometimes the police would come here, and then the residents would scatter across the courtyard like cockroaches.

Some were caught, but the little street kids, being the most agile and nimble, always managed to evade capture. Each of these children had a difficult fate. Some escaped their parents, while others were already hiding from the police.

The street children were united by one thing. For some reason, they all didn’t want to fall into the hands of adults. Just like Nadya.

She knew for sure. If she showed up at the police station, they would either hand her over to the Savelyevs or send her to the hospital. There was simply no other option.

Nadya knew she was wanted. She’d seen flyers with her photos on walls and lampposts. And so she had to be especially careful.

Nadya didn’t like being around street kids. Sure, they all lived on the streets, but Nadya was used to cleanliness, and her new friends weren’t at all concerned with hygiene or order. They also stole things.

They tried to teach Nadya too, but for some reason she couldn’t. But she couldn’t overcome her own compulsion. The worst part was that these children were already drinking and smoking heavily, despite their young age.

So, according to one boy in the group, they tried to make the world at least a little more tolerable. The longer it went on, the more Nadya realized that such a life wasn’t for her. And one day, she simply left everyone without even saying goodbye.

She came up with a plan. She knew the cold weather was coming, and she needed to find a place to spend the winter. And Nadya thought she’d find that place in the dacha community.

There must be abandoned houses and abandoned lots there. He who seeks will always find. One November morning, Nadya, having already explored many courtyards, finally found what she was looking for.

My home. The small wooden house looked abandoned and lonely. It even seemed happy to have a new tenant.

He greeted her very warmly and kindly. An old lady must have lived here once. Antique furniture, crocheted doilies on every surface, a colorful rug on the floor.

Cozy. Just dirty, dusty, and cold. Nadya happily cleaned the single room and the small kitchen.

I swept the floors with a broom I’d made from branches, dusted them, and then lit the stove. There was, of course, no shortage of firewood in the dacha area. It immediately felt warm and cozy.

Nadya silently thanked the Savelyevs for their skill in lighting the stove. At least they had helped her in some way in this life. And so the girl began to live her own life.

Quiet, peaceful, and cozy, the house became a cozy haven for Nadya. She felt safe here.

Nadya got water for her hygiene routine from the nearby lake. She had to carry a heavy bucket from a distance, but it was bearable. Then she spent a long time boiling the water on a hot stove to kill any germs in the lake.

Nadya found warm clothes at a landfill located about a kilometer from the dacha community. It was a good thing that people often left bags of still-decent items at the gate here, too. You could find a lot of useful things at the landfill…

Furniture, toys, and books. Nadya would go there sometimes, like she was going to a store. She’d stroll around, choose, and look around.

The hardest part was food. This isn’t a city, so there aren’t cafes or restaurants on every corner. And yet, it was precisely near the food establishments that Nadya used to get her food.

They were throwing out food there that was still almost completely fresh. But what about here, at the dacha? A solution was found. Firstly, Nadya still periodically visited the city and inspected the bins near the cafe.

She’d packed enough food to last her for several days, maybe even a week. How much did she need on her own? But the city was a long way off. If the weather was good, she could still take a walk.

If not, then Nadya didn’t go far. It turned out there were many houses in the area that were easy to get into. The girl learned to identify such dwellings.

These were clearly the plots of people of modest means. And these houses had basements. Sometimes in the building itself, sometimes in a shed nearby, sometimes right in the yard.

And in the cellars there are jars of pickles and jam. Lots and lots of jars. The lids of some of them have already turned black with age.

These supplies were obviously stored up a long time ago and never eaten. So Nadya kept taking these jars. Sometimes she’d grab a couple, sometimes three or four.

Of course, it was essentially the same theft. But the owners of these cellars wouldn’t notice the loss. They have tons of these jars.

At least, that’s what Nadya liked to think. And yet, Nadya preferred to forage for food in the city. But the last few days of winter had been particularly frosty.

You couldn’t leave the house for long. Getting to the city in this weather was out of the question. Nadya knew perfectly well she wouldn’t make it; she’d freeze somewhere along the way.

No way. Nadya’s house was warm and cozy. She sat in an old, creaky chair, reading by candlelight a book she’d found in the same dump.

These were purely childish tales. But Nadya immersed herself in the magical stories with interest. She loved such evenings.

The girl wasn’t worried about hunger. There were plenty of jars of pickles in the kitchen. She was tired of such monotonous food, of course, but what could she do? The frosts would pass anyway.

Then Nadya would go into town and have some treats there. For now, she was fine. Sometimes, on these days, when she couldn’t leave the house because of the cold, Nadya thought about her future.

What awaits her? Will she spend her entire life alone in this old country house? No, not really. That’s not a realistic expectation. Sooner or later, the heirs of the old woman who once lived here will show up and sell the property.

Nadya would have to find a new place, then a second, a third. Was she really going to wander around like this her whole life? These thoughts left a bitter feeling in her soul. It was hard to live like this, alone, unwanted.

Nadya missed her person. She’d once had Alenka. She wondered where she was now. Would they ever meet again? And Nadya cared less about anyone in this world.

It’s hard and painful to acknowledge this. And getting used to it is probably downright impossible. And now, finally, it seems like a thaw has begun.

The sun came out, the drops began to ring. Spring had arrived. Nadya had been waiting for it.

Her mood naturally improved. The girl now spent her days humming cheerful songs to herself. Soon, very soon, she would be going to the city again.

Walks always brought her joy. And she was craving something other than pickles and tomatoes. So one day, when the warm weather had been going on for almost a week, Nadya decided to go.

She set off toward the city along a familiar path. She walked, admiring the soft blue sky and enjoying the gentle sunshine. She even unbuttoned the down jacket she’d found in a dump at the end of autumn.

She felt so warm. Everything in the city was going great, too. It was Sunday.

Many cafes had hosted weddings and anniversaries the day before, so there was plenty of leftover food. Nadya filled two bags full. That’ll last her a long time.

He’ll leave it outside in the snow, no matter what the fridge is. And it’ll feed on it for over a week. It’s just beautiful.

But then something happened that the girl couldn’t have foreseen. The sky suddenly turned gray. It suddenly became cold and uncomfortable.

Just a couple of hours ago, spring was in full swing. And then suddenly the wind picked up. A dark cloud began to pour down with stinging snow.

It turned sharply cold. Nadya looked at the sky in despair. The girl knew it would be very difficult for her to get home now.

If it’s even possible. But something has to be done. We can’t just stand there and wait for God knows what to do.

Nadya set off quickly toward the city’s exit. It was a long way. She had until evening to go.

In this weather, Nadya quickened her pace. She practically ran until she was exhausted.

It happened outside the city. Nadya was wandering along the bypass road, hiding behind a wall of stunted, leafless trees. Now the girl could no longer move so quickly.

She literally crawled forward at a snail’s pace, knowing she’d likely never reach the dacha community. Nadya scolded herself. But why had she even left the city? At least she could wait out the storm in the shopping center.

Well, I could have stayed in the city for a couple of days, maybe even spent some time on the heating main. Yes, it was dangerous. But going home was even worse.

Nadya was freezing. The cold penetrated to her bones. Her down jacket seemed to offer no warmth at all.

Her face was burning, her eyes were watering. The girl walked out to the road. Visibility was practically zero due to the snow and wind.

It was getting dark fast, too. And what about this? At least there were cars driving around here, their headlights illuminating everything. Nadya knew she was about to fall right into the snow.

It will quickly be covered, and then, in the spring, when the snow melts, it will be discovered. Only it will be too late. But that’s okay.

Nobody needs her anyway. No one will even be upset. Cars were rushing towards her.

Perhaps drivers didn’t notice Nadya in the headlights. The girl still kept well away from the side of the road. And even if they did notice, who cared?

A dog hobbled past the frozen tramp. An old dog on three legs. He tucked the fourth one under his chin.

He must have gotten hurt. The girl and the dog looked at each other. And continued on their way.

They both knew perfectly well they were likely doomed. Suddenly, Nadya heard the sound of brakes. She stopped and turned around.

An SUV pulled up to the side of the road. The driver jumped out, leaving the door open. It was a man.

Tall, so handsome, like from the movies. Shearling coat with a fur collar. Stylish sneakers, jeans.

The man wasn’t wearing a hat. That’s understandable. It was probably very warm inside.

The man ran after the dog. He must have noticed the lame dog on the side of the road and decided to help. He seems like a compassionate man.

Nadya acted as if on autopilot. She turned and ran toward the car. It was warm there, there was no wind or snow.

The girl needed at least a few moments of warmth. And this saving warmth was right there. While the man first caught up with the dog and then examined him, Nadya, without a twinge of shame or remorse, slid into the backseat.

It was so nice here. Soft seats, a light citrus scent, a pleasant melody pouring from the speakers. And most importantly, it was warm.

Her cheeks and arms tingled. Nadya felt slightly dizzy. No force could pull her out of this salon now.

Nadya saw a man romping with a dog on the side of the road. He stroked its skinny flanks, and the animal wagged its tail gratefully. Perhaps even animals need to feel cared for and cared for…

Out of the corner of her eye, Nadya suddenly noticed something to the side. She turned and gasped. A child seat.

And inside it was a small passenger. Or rather, a female passenger. The cabin was so dark that Nadya couldn’t get a good look at the person right away.

The girl was frightened. What was a child supposed to feel when a frozen stray suddenly flew into the car from the street? Nadya hadn’t wanted to scare the little girl at all. But she didn’t seem frightened.

The girl sat motionless in the chair. She was probably asleep. The young passenger was dressed like a princess.

A white rhinestone-embroidered jumpsuit with a fur-trimmed hood, silver ugg boots, and a hat with a huge white pompom. Two light-brown braids peeked out from under the headdress. Nadya approached the girl to get a better look.

Was he really sleeping that soundly? She shuddered in surprise. The child’s face was lifeless. Plump lips, rosy cheeks and eyes.

Glassy, ​​blue eyes staring blankly into the distance. Inhuman. Nadya’s heart began to pound wildly.

She wanted to get out of this strange car as quickly as possible. A doll was sitting in the car seat designed for children. A large doll, the size of a real child, and dressed in expensive clothes from the children’s world.

Why would people do such things? The owner of the car must be crazy. As much as Nadya didn’t want to stay in the warmth of her beautiful car, she rushed back to freedom. But it was too late.

The man was already returning to the SUV, carefully holding the old dog in his arms. There was no way he could slip past him unnoticed. And this… this must be a very scary person.

It’s not normal to carry a doll like that in the car. The man opened the back door to put the dog in the seat and met Nadya’s gaze, filled with horror and despair. The girl jumped out the other door and ran straight into the field, sinking knee-deep in snow.

But that man… was he following her? The man quickly caught up with the girl, grabbed her arm, and spun her around. Now, now, he was probably going to hit her. Nadya tried to break free, but it was no use. The man held her tightly, and she couldn’t escape.

“I didn’t take anything from you,” Nadya said briskly. “Honestly, I’m not like that. I’m just homeless.”

I just dropped in for a minute to warm up, sorry. Let me go, I’ll go on, I need to go. “Wait,” the man stopped her.

“How did you end up here… how did you even end up here? It’s a long way to the city, and even further to the nearest village. Where are you from?” “I’m homeless, I live in a dacha community, in an abandoned house.” “Homeless?” The man’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“And what’s your name, homeless girl?” “Nadya,” the girl answered honestly. This man seemed completely normal and seemingly harmless. On the other hand, she had seen that scary doll in his salon.

“Nadya, you seem to be in trouble. Teenagers shouldn’t have to live alone like this. And it’s a long way to the dacha community.”

You won’t make it, you’ll freeze on the way. Let me at least give you a ride. Nadya shook her head.

To be back in the salon next to that horrible doll, no way. “I see,” the man sighed. “You saw the doll and got scared, am I right?” Nadya nodded.

“Well, yes, she does look creepy, I agree. But she’s just a doll. She has a special story.”

There’s no need to be afraid of her. Let’s get in the car quickly, you’re already completely frozen. Nadya looked at the man with fear.

She really wanted to curl up in the warmth, but… What kind of person is this? No normal adult would carry around a scary toy. And put it in a car seat like a real child, no less. The man seemed to understand everything from the girl’s expression.

He sighed heavily and said, “I’ll tell you about the doll. It’s hard, of course, to remember, but what can you do? Otherwise, you’ll freeze to death here.”

Nadya looked at the man with interest. History. It was intriguing, yes.

Nadya really wanted to hear this story. “I still haven’t introduced myself,” the man smiled. “My name is Sergey.”

You can call me by that name. Nadya nodded again. She looked at Sergey and waited.

She was eager to learn the story of the mysterious doll. And perhaps, after that, to return to the warmth of the car. Sergei began to tell his story.

Standing there in the windy field, hatless, he seemed completely oblivious to the cold. They were both snowed in, but it didn’t matter. The story captivated both the man and the girl.

She captivated them completely. Sergei had been in love with his classmate Nika since childhood. But the girl ignored his shy, nerdy personality.

She preferred other boys, bold, reckless, and daring. Sergei was worried, but what could he do? And then, somehow, everything changed. They were both already studying at university.

They met by chance on the street, struck up a conversation, and never parted again. Nika said at the time that she saw her former classmate with new eyes.

And she wondered how she’d never noticed how wonderful he was before. And Sergey finally confessed his feelings to Nika, the ones he’d had to hide for so many years. So, the students got married.

But they decided not to rush into having children. First, they wanted to get on their feet, get a home, and build their careers. After a few years, Nika and Sergey were completely ready to become parents.

And so they had a wonderful daughter, Alisa. Beautiful like her mother, and smart like her father. Not a girl, but a dream.

Alice was an affectionate and obedient child. She tried to please her parents and helped them in everything. The three of them traveled a lot, visiting all sorts of places.

Sergey and Nika enjoyed introducing their daughter to the world. They also learned many new things together. Nika didn’t work until her daughter was in first grade; she spent most of her time caring for her daughter.

Early development studio, English, choreography. The parents wanted their princess to be well-rounded. But the girl grew up.

She no longer needed such attention. And Nika decided it was time to end her seven-year maternity leave. Especially since Alisa had turned out to be an unusually conscientious and independent child.

It wasn’t scary to leave someone like that home alone. And so it went. Her parents were at work, and Alice came home from school on her own and did her homework.

Sometimes she even makes dinner for Mom and Dad herself. She’s not a child, she’s a gift from heaven. And then, then, a busy road was built next to Alisa’s school…

It became dangerous to walk there. Drivers tried to quickly get through the intersection. There were still not enough traffic lights and crosswalks.

Nika now took time off work to bring her daughter home. Because she was simply afraid. Afraid that her little girl would one day be hit by a car.

The woman had a vague, unpleasant premonition. But trouble came from a completely different direction. From an unexpected place.

That day, Nika couldn’t get time off from her boss to pick up her daughter from school. This happened more than once. Alisa walked home just fine on her own and immediately texted her mother to let her know she was back.

Nika waited and waited for a message from her daughter, but it never came. And Alisa’s phone wasn’t answering. She finally asked for time off and went home to check on her daughter.

But Alice didn’t show up at home. Then Nika became truly worried and called her husband. They went to school, where they discovered the girl had left immediately after class.

The alarmed parents found their daughter’s friends, who reported that they had parted, as usual, outside the store. And that was it. That was where Alice’s trail disappeared.

The parents rushed to the police. Their statement was taken, and a search began. Volunteers immediately joined the search.

Three days. For three long days, Nika and Sergey were in the dark. They were beside themselves.

They couldn’t sleep or eat. And then one of the volunteers discovered Alice. Already dead.

Her body was hidden in the basement of an old building in a disadvantaged neighborhood. Whoever did this to the child was never found. The search for this person continued, but for Nika and Sergey, it was over.

Life stood still. “Time passed,” the man said, looking off into the distance. Nadya looked at him, and she felt incredibly sorry for him.

And his unknown wife. And the little girl Alice, of course. This little girl was so loved.

Her parents needed her so much. And then this happened. And she, Nadya, unwanted and unloved by anyone, lives on.

“Time passed,” Sergei repeated. “I was gradually coming to my senses, returning to life. But not my wife.”

She was black with grief, and Nika blamed herself. She blamed herself all the time for what had happened to Alisa. After all, if she had asked for time off and walked her daughter home, as she usually did, nothing would have happened.

Nika constantly tormented herself with difficult thoughts and grew weaker day by day. She was literally melting away. Neither therapy nor medication helped.

The woman quit her job. Firstly, who needs a worker who does nothing but suffer and stare blankly at the wall? Secondly, Nika herself found it difficult to show up at the office.

Seeing the boss who wouldn’t let her go meet the baby on that fateful day. One day, when Sergei came home, he found Nika in high spirits. Her eyes were feverishly shining, and a bright blush played across her cheeks.

“Come in,” she said, looking at her husband. “My hands, sit down and eat. I’ll check Alisonka’s homework now and then have dinner with you.”

Sergei was struck by lightning. “What lessons?” Nika slipped into her daughter’s room, Sergei following. For a moment, he thought he’d gone crazy.

Alice sat at her desk with her back to him. She was wearing her favorite avocado pajamas and was bent over her textbooks.

Such a pleasant and familiar sight. Sergei initially thought it was someone else’s child, but it turned out to be a doll. Nika had ordered it from some special website.

These toys were made to order, usually for collectors. The dolls were remarkably reminiscent of real children. So much so that it was almost frightening.

And, of course, this pleasure cost a fortune. So, the inconsolable Nika ordered a doll that looked like Alice. The toy was made from a photograph of the girl.

They captured every detail of her appearance. They even remembered to draw her birthmarks. But the key was missing.

A warm smile, a curious glint in the blue eyes. Sergei was horrified. The toy was unpleasant to him, to put it mildly.

And my wife’s behavior was frightening. But Nika, for the first time since the tragedy, looked happy. I thought it would pass.

I thought this was some kind of salvation for Nika, a path to acceptance. Nothing could pull her out of her depressing state. And then this doll… But Nika’s behavior became more and more bizarre with each passing day.

The woman treated the doll as if it were a living daughter. She cooked Alice’s favorite dishes for her, talked to her, and even bought her clothes. Nika drifted further and further away from reality.

When she suddenly decided to take her daughter to the movies to see a girly cartoon, Sergey realized it was time to act decisively. So, he called the doctors. Nika was diagnosed with a serious disorder, caused, of course, by stress.

She was taken to the hospital. Nika has been undergoing treatment for almost a year now. Her condition has improved significantly.

The woman now understood the reality, but she was still far from a complete cure. And yet, progress was evident. The doctors even allowed her to take home for weekends.

Sergey was looking forward to these days, but Nika still had some quirks, and that was frightening. For example, Nika insisted on keeping the doll in the car, and always in a child seat. She didn’t ask him to take the toy home, which was a good thing in her case.

But she refused to get into the car unless the doll was there. “I understand it’s not our daughter, it’s just nice to see a familiar sight out of the corner of my eye,” Nika explained her request. Sergei didn’t object, especially since the doctors said there was nothing wrong with this request.

This is how Nika is gradually and smoothly emerging from her condition. Doctors assure her that Nika will soon fully recover, but she just needs to find something to do. Something that will truly engage her, something that will bring her back to reality.

But my wife absolutely doesn’t want to go back to her old job. It all reminds her of that terrible day. It’s so scary and sad and miserable.

Nadya couldn’t find the right words. “There’s plenty of sadness and grief on this planet,” Sergei nodded. “You, for example, a child, still find yourself in such a situation.”

“Come on, get in the car, you’re freezing, and show me the way to your dacha.” Nadya nodded and obediently sat in the passenger seat next to the driver. The doll, sitting in the booster seat in the back, no longer seemed so scary.

Rather, looking at her, Nadya felt sadness. So sad that tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m going to the hospital to pick Nika up now,” Sergei explained.

“The doctors gave us permission to take her home for the weekend. And that’s why she’s here, this doll. This is what Nika needs for now.”

Now it’s clear. They say I should find her something to do. Something to distract her, excite her, inspire her.

It’s not an easy task. Nika used to love her job, but now she doesn’t even want to think about going back. “I think everything will be fine,” Nika tried to reassure Sergey.

“Time heals all wounds, you know.” “What happened to you?” The man looked away from the road for a moment and into the eyes of his young passenger. “Will you tell me?” Nika hesitated.

On the one hand, Sergei was sincere and open with her. He told her about his life, about his pain. And all so that the girl wouldn’t be afraid to get into his car, because he knew otherwise the homeless girl would freeze to death on the way.

Such honesty encouraged a reciprocal truthfulness. But then I’d have to talk about the Savelyevs, too. And about my psychiatric diagnosis.

What if this Sergey, what if he takes her to the hospital? To that same Nika, who’s currently being treated in the hospital. Will he decide Nadya is truly sick? And he, he’s so kind. He wouldn’t pass by a wounded dog.

The dog is now lounging in the backseat, enjoying the warmth and peace. Of course, such a person could even take a sick girl to the hospital. He would consider it his duty to save a sick person.

Don’t worry, Sergey seems to have noticed Nadya’s hesitation. Just tell me if you need help, and be honest. But if you want things to stay the same, I won’t interfere in your life, I promise.

Just if there’s anything I can do to help you, just tell me. And Nadya made up her mind. She’d never told anyone about her life.

But it turned out she really wanted to share it with someone. So the girl took a deep breath and… She told him everything. About the orphanage, where it was cold and uncomfortable, but where at least no one beat her or locked her out.

About Balenka, the only person Nadya desperately missed. And about the Savelyevs. It turned out to be very difficult to find the right words to describe everything Nadya had to endure in that family.

As Nadya described her life on the Savelyevs’ farm, Sergei frowned and gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. But he didn’t interrupt the girl; he listened attentively. Only occasionally did he ask clarifying questions.

The answers apparently shocked him. Finally, they reached the dacha street where Nadya’s house was located. “Well, here we are,” the girl smiled at the driver.

“You live right here?” Sergei asked. “What about you? Are you freezing, I suppose?” “No, I have a stove there, it works, so…” “Listen,” Sergei turned Nadya towards him and looked into her eyes. “What happened to you was terrible.”

The Savelyevs are criminals, and we must punish them. Nadya nodded, a wave of joy surging through her heart.

Sergei believed her, believed her completely. “You’ll have to… you’ll have to report everything, file a police report.” “No,” the girl shook her head, “I can’t.”

They… they’ll send me to the hospital. The Savelyevs made me out to be crazy. That’s why I’ve been hiding from everyone for so long.

I’m afraid that if I show up in public, I’ll either end up in the hospital or back with them. And I don’t even know which is worse. – Listen carefully, girl, you’ve been intimidated.

They simply intimidated and deceived you. This was done deliberately so you wouldn’t even think about complaining to anyone. Any examination will reveal that your diagnosis is bogus.

You’re a perfectly healthy child. They took advantage of your inexperience and naivety and filled your head with this nonsense. Apparently, quite successfully.

Nadya nodded again. “The way you live here… It’s impossible. This life isn’t for children…”

And it’s not for people at all. It’s survival. You need to study, communicate with your peers, develop.

And yet I’m scared. Think about the children who are still in this family. And these terrible people might not stop with them.

They can take more babies from shelters and turn their existence into the same hell. You are strong.

You managed to escape. And the rest… Nadya remembered Masha’s anxious little eyes, meek Kristina, pale, skinny Mitka. You’re right.

“I’m ready,” the girl sighed. “I’ll do it. Great.”

I’m going to pick up Nika now, and you pack your things here for now. Don’t take too much, you’re unlikely to need them in your new life. Just the most precious things.

Three years passed. Nadya was already all grown up. And that year, something truly monumental happened.

She became a law student. All thanks to Sergey and Nika. After all, they took the girl under their wing from the very day Sergey found her on the road.

At first, they helped Nadya informally, then formalized guardianship. Sergey returned for Nadya later that same evening. He wasn’t alone.

His wife was sitting in the passenger seat. Beautiful, pale, with dark circles under her eyes. But her gaze clearly showed keen interest.

She didn’t look like an absent, broken woman. Sergei, immediately after picking his wife up from the hospital, told her Nadya’s story. Naturally, she was horrified and expressed a desire to put the Savelyevs behind bars.

“People like that shouldn’t be left free,” Nika said. “They’re monsters.” Sergei agreed with her completely.

Nika could help restore justice because, before everything that happened to her daughter, she was a first-class lawyer. And now, having learned Nadya’s story, Nika, for the first time since the tragedy, wanted to do something. So much so that, even on the way to the dacha, she began collecting case materials online.

So far, only online. Nika and Sergey picked up Nadya from her little house and brought her to their place. It’s a spacious apartment, with clean, soft furniture and a warm, fragrant bath.

The girl enjoyed ordinary things as if they were incredibly luxurious and elite. And then came the process itself. Nadya had a hard time remembering everything that had happened to her again, telling people the details.

It was incredibly painful. Sometimes the girl couldn’t hold back her tears. The thought that she might have to see her tormentors haunted her.

But Nika, seeing the state of her charge, made sure the girl didn’t have to meet her adoptive parents. For this, Nadya was very grateful. Nadya had to spend some time in the institution.

First, the children’s hospital. The girl was examined for two whole weeks. The doctors’ verdict was unambiguous: the child was completely mentally healthy.

Only a little emaciated, which isn’t surprising given Nadya’s lifestyle. Then Nadya ended up in an orphanage again. The same one, her own.

Alenka was no longer there. She’d already graduated by then. No one knew anything about the fate of Nadya’s only friend…

“She doesn’t report to us?” the teachers shrugged. “She fluttered away and was gone forever.” And yet, Nadya no longer felt lonely and abandoned.

After all, Sergey and Nika often visited her, bringing gifts and inquiring about the girl’s affairs. At first, Nadya thought it was only because of the case Nika was now handling. But then, when the Savelyevs were given long sentences and finally ended up in prison, Nika and Sergey’s visits continued.

Nadya understood that Nika’s investigation was the very thing that brought the woman back to life. Nika was revived. She was once again filled with the desire and strength to fight injustice.

Nika even changed in appearance. Her pallor disappeared. Her gaze became confident and penetrating.

A thirst for life appeared in her eyes. Nadya was pleased to witness this transformation. Then, during one of their visits, Sergei casually asked if Nadya would mind if they formalized guardianship over her.

Against. The girl hadn’t even dared to dream of such a thing. There were some difficulties with this at first.

Nika, a recent psychiatric patient, wasn’t the best candidate for adoption. Yet, the couple ultimately succeeded in securing Nika’s guardianship. She began living with them.

True happiness. Sergey and Nika never pressured Nadya. They gently guided her, offered advice, and had long conversations with her.

The girl had never felt so needed and so happy. They also found Alena. She lived on the outskirts of the city, in an apartment given to her as an orphan by the state, and worked as a salesperson in a store.

Nadya was happy to have her friend back. Alena, of course, was too. Nika and Sergey took in the Savelyevs’ younger children, Masha, Kristina, and Timofey.

They needed long-term rehabilitation. Pyotr and Anna had already caused serious damage to their fragile psyches. Nika, Sergey, and Nadya faced a long and difficult journey.

But all three were prepared for this and eager to give the children their childhood back. The Savelyevs’ older victims, however, required more complex treatment. They were sent to a hospital under the supervision of psychologists and psychotherapists.

Sergey and Nika continued to inquire about their fate. Fortunately, their recovery, albeit slowly, was progressing. The couple had no intention of abandoning the Savelyevs’ older children, who had fared worse than the youngest.

Nika and Sergey intended to continue supporting them even after they were discharged. They were adults on paper, but they were completely unadapted to life in this world. They needed help.

Nadya planned to help the foster parents with this as well. Nika… She became a role model for Nadya in everything.

The girl wanted to be just as smart, just as driven, just as beautiful. That’s why she chose law school. And Nika, as always, supported her.

Very soon, Nadya is leaving for school. And her new life will begin. Again, once again.

Nadya knows. She knows that when she gets tired of the bustle of the big city and the abundance of new tasks and responsibilities, she can always return to Nika and Sergey for a little rest, to receive a dose of love and attention, to recharge.

And the doll? It’s gone. Nika herself suggested donating it to an orphanage. This happened when the Savelyev case was in full swing.

Sergei happily delivered the toy. After all, it meant his wife had finally recovered.