And the two of them walked slowly, silently, towards the house.
– Natalia Alekseevna, – said Philip.
– What?
– Tell me, please, we didn’t go to school. And who is Ivanhoe?
Natasha laughed merrily in response and said softly.
– This is a knight who has only positive qualities in his character.
– You know, they called me Quasimodo from Notre Dame.
In response, she said kind words to Philip, and she felt unpleasant for the guy.
When they came to Natasha’s house, she examined him, dark and purple bruises, they lay scattered all over the young man’s body, his ribs also hurt.
The trip to the doctor was decided to postpone for now, there were no serious injuries. Immediately after the inspection, Philip went to the kitchen to have lunch, and then went home.
Silence reigned in Grandma’s room, he went into the room where she was lying on the sofa, on her favorite left side. Grandma was asleep.
Philip did not wake him up and quietly sat down to his lessons.
– Philip,» Grandma’s voice came from the room.
– Yes, Grandma.
– My boy, come to me now.
The guy got up from his chair and went to his grandmother.
– My dear, – Nina Alekseevna said softly, – I just dreamed of a fallen angel with black wings and a frightening abyss covered with darkness, and you are my angel standing next to this abyss, – and then grandma began to cry, tears rolled down both cheeks like hail.
«Don’t cry, Grandma, why are you worrying about some dream,» Philip said softly, taking out a handkerchief and gently wiping Grandma’s tears.
– After all, I have no one else in the world besides you, and I need you healthy.
– I’m so worried about you, you have no idea. It was not good that I had this dream.
– Forget it, Grandma. I’m doing fine. And you will live for a very long time.
– Yes, my son, yes, my darling.
Philip eventually became more and more withdrawn, because every day he spent at school was filled with ridicule and bullying and it really tormented him.
When he came home after school, he tried to forget about all the bad things, he took care of his grandmother, and his only outlet were paints and canvas. He loved to draw since he was three years old and was a genius at it.
And when Grandma fell asleep, he immediately sat down at the canvas and began to work miracles.
Philip’s paintings came to life under his brush as if they had not been painted.
He liked to experiment and draw different characters unknown to the world, it turned out that he was not only an artist, but also a writer of different stories.
And then one day he created an extraordinarily beautiful painting that was different from all his works. It differed not only in its plot, but also in its decorative and detailed design.
Grandmother and neighbor Natasha saw this work and were simply surprised by Philip’s high artistic skill and talent.
The painting depicted a very beautiful girl in a long, antique dress, and in her hand she held a candelabra with burning candles that illuminated her way through the thickening darkness to a huge, gloomy castle.
The girl was very graceful and had beautiful Slavic facial features. Philip has been working on her image for a long time, he lived in his heart. And after finishing work on the painting, Philip looked at the girl for a long time, without taking his sad, loving eyes away.
– Well, hello, my dear,» said Philip.
In response, the girl stared at the painting with her piercing gaze, continuing to hold a candelabra with burning candles in her hands.
– And what did you want, ugly Quasimodo, so that she would come to life now and rush to hug you? the young man said softly aloud and even laughed at this strange thought.
Now, day after day, when Philip came home from school, he sat down next to the painting like a motionless and silent shadow and looked at it for a long time. He felt comfortable and good next to her.
But one day, when he came home from school, he saw that a lot of people had gathered in his grandmother’s room, there were doctors and a neighbor Natasha. They were all fussing around Grandma, and two young guys were standing next to the bed holding a stretcher ready.
– Wait, – the boy shouted in fright, – Wait. Where are you going to take my grandmother? Don’t you have the right? I’m her grandson!
– Philip, my knight Ivanhoe, Nina Alekseevna has become ill. She called me through the wall, and I decided not to pull, and called an ambulance.
– No, I won’t give my grandmother away. I’ll take care of her myself.
The grandmother looked at her grandson and said softly.
– I’ll stay at home. I’m not going anywhere.
The doctors looked at each other in confusion, and the most important of them said.
– Well, if it gets worse, call us right away. And now here’s a list of medications and rest. Well, you young man keep your word!
Philip cried out joyfully and ran around the room.
– Grandma. I’ll be a better doctor for you than all of them!
When the ambulance crew left the apartment, Natasha sat down next to Nina Alekseevna and almost whispered:
– Philip and I will put you on your feet. You’ll see, but you’re still sleeping.
Then she went up to the boy and took his hand.
– Come on, I’m going to write you the phone number of a famous sorcerer in the city, I’m sure he will bring your beloved grandmother to her senses.
– Come on,» Philip whispered.
He went into the next apartment, and there a twelve-year-old girl greeted him with a kind smile.
– Mommy, where have you been? – she asked Natasha.
– She helped our neighbor. Wait, Philip, I’ll get you the phone now.
The girl at first stood aside, looking carefully, but then she came closer and stretched out her childish, elegant hand, chirped.
– I don’t see you on the street, Philip. Don’t you go for a walk?
«I don’t have time, – Philip replied.
– And let’s be friends with you? You don’t mind?
– I don’t mind. Only I don’t have time to be friends either,» he said even more gloomily.
– Well, we’ll somehow find time for friendship with you. My name is Alla. Well, even if you’re older than me, but I’m also an adult and very smart.
«All right, I’ll try to find time for a walk with you a little later,» Philip replied.
Then Natasha came up and handed me a piece of paper.
– Take this, and be sure to call tomorrow, but do not delay.
Philip thanked Natasha, then put the piece of paper with the phone away in his pocket and went home.
The grandmother, without waiting for her grandson, quietly fell asleep in her bed.
MEETING WITH A SORCERER
The next