1He pulled the curtain closed. Darkness. Save for one solitary candle that flickered unsteadily in the bathroom. He got up to fetch the candle. Oil wick in hand, he wandered into the other rooms of the house. To Natassia's room, where she sat silently in a corner watching the snow fall outside her small window. To Milla's room, where she wasn't to be seen. He furrowed his brows in thought. Where could she be at this hour? She was usually fast asleep at this time. He strode back into Natassia's room. Hesitantly, he addressed her. She was not one to speak very often.
"Where is your sister?"
Natassia looked up at him with sad eyes. They were always sad. They always had been... ever since the death of her beloved brother. Her voice was quiet... yet clear.
"The snowflakes. They are pretty"
Niclova tilted his head uneasily.
"True. The winter can be a very breathtaking season. But your sister? She is not in her room"
"Milla is not with me"
"Do you know where she might be?"
"She does not talk to me very much. You talk to me. But you only seek her"
"I am worried Natassia. It is not a brave hour to be wandering about"
"She rests in the house"
That was all Niclova needed to hear. He took leave of Natassia and continued in his search of the elder sister. He made his way up the unsteady stairs. They creaked beneath his weight and movement. Trying to make as little noise as possible, he reached the second floor. All the rooms were dark. He didn't expect to find any light anyway. It was a rule unspoken in this house that after the sun set, no light should be seen. Niclova felt all this quietness unnecessary Just because of those Milovic's... his family didn't have to live in hiding like this. Tatiana deserved a good school, a good education... and friends. The poor girl hardly ever met people. The only friends she might have ever had were the Gypsy children who came around once in a while. Even then, her mother protested when she played with them.
Niclova pushed open the door of Tatiana's room. She sat on the floor, playing with her dolls in the dim light of a candle which she'd placed carefully behind the table. When she heard the door open she shrieked and tried to conceal the candle unsuccessfully. She started mumbling and babbling nervously.
"I-I-I... I only put the candle on for a little while papa. I'll put it out. I just wanted to see my dolls... I'm sorry. I won't put it on again"
Niclova laughed good-naturedly. He put his own candle down on the table and swooped down and scooped her up in his arms.
"My pretty do not have to worry so much. I never say anything about the light. Why do you sit in the dark child?"
"But Mama"
A stern voice interrupted their conversation.
"But Mama does not allow it"
Anna strode into the room and blew out both candles.
"Anna!" Niclova protested.
She extracted Tatiana from his arms and gave her a tight hard slap on her cheek. Now Niclova roared.
"ANNA!"
He grabbed her hand and held a firm grip on her wrist.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?"
Anna glared at him defiantly.
"Would you rather I let the girl burn all the candles she liked? And the those Milovic come here and have her murdered? Well, you see, my love for this child might just exceed yours Niclova"
Tatiana was held firmly in Anna's left arm. She buried her head in Anna's neck and started crying. She sobbed and hiccuped hysterically. Niclova gestured a hand at Tatiana.
"Would you look at the child? She is miserable living like this. What makes you think we can not have any light at all?"
Anna put Tatiana down on her bed and faced Niclova with a furious compartment. He still held a strong grip on her wrist. Her voice was so forceful that even Niclova drew back.
"HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN TURSHKOV? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE FATE OF THOSE INNOCENT WHO COMMIT SMALL ERRORS? NO-ONE IS INNOCENT IN THE EYES OF THAT BASTARD FAMILY. No-one. And I do not want my family to suffer at their hands when it can be avoided."
She lowered her voice calmly. Niclova was amazed. The woman had such a strong handle over her emotions. He loosened his grip on her wrist and brought her hand up to his cheek. Her hand was red around where he had held her.
"Anna... why do we live like this? Why do you feel trapped? They have not made any offence to us for at least 6 days. It might mean something"
"Yes", her voice was bitter, and full of spite. "It means they are waiting for us to come out of our shells and fall right into their cursed arms"
He sighed. He didn't tell her about the events of the day. It would only make matters worse. The Englishman who had come to visit their town... the poor man. He had no idea that he was walking into a war zone. He had taken up temporary residence in the farmer's small house by the lake. They had come in the dark of the night. They had gagged the farmer's daughters and done terrible things to them and slit open the throat of the wife. The farmer himself was hung in the barn and burned several times. The two young sons were kidnapped and the Englishman himself was beaten up, thrown into a sack, suffocated and thrown into the lake.
Niclova closed his eyes for a moment of pain. The humble farmer had been a close friend of his. The girls... they had been playmates of Niclova's first daughter, Tanya. Before Tanya had been murdered... The wife... the town's most amiable femme. The sons were the town's pride. He knew Anna would find out anyway. If not today... then early tomorrow.
Anna softened as she saw him hurting. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her head against his chest.
"Something has happened?"
Niclova squeezed his eyes shut again. She always knew when something happened.
"Yes"
"I never want to know. I don't want the children to know either, understand?"
Niclova nodded and hugged her close to him. He turned his head to look at Tatiana. She had fallen asleep. He softly shook Anna.
"You cover her up... I have to look for Milla"
Anna looked horrified.
"She is not in the house?"
"I cannot find her anywhere"
Anna let her hand fly to her mouth.
"No" she breathed.
Niclova straightened and pushed Anna slightly away.
"I will go search for her. You take care of Tatiana"
With that, he strode out of the room. He was used to finding his way about in the dark. He pushed open the door to the upstairs lounge. Kirov was arranging books in the shelves, as he always was. Niclova nodded at his elder son. Kirov caught Niclova as he turned to leave.
"Milla... I saw her leave"
Niclova muttered a curse under his breath.
"But Natassia said she was in the house"
"Natassia often strays from the truth when covering for her sister."
"Which way was she headed?"
"Towards the barns"
"NO!"
Niclova left with the force of a hurricane. He took hold of his pistol as he ran out the front door. Of course, he made sure to close the door firmly behind him and lock the house.
He ran as fast as his age allowed towards the barns. He could see her tracks faintly as the snow fell fast and covered up the majority of them. He entered from the back and immediatly felt the bile rise at the back of his throat.