This is an episode from my childhood. I was in the sixth grade then. Heavy war years. Most of the students are half-starved, dressed somehow. One girl - Valya - is just on the verge of poverty.
She studied mediocre. Quiet, silent, ashamed of her poor, she always kept herself apart from other girls. Yes, and they are from her.
Valya always answered the teacher with a stammer, barely audible. She was sitting on the back desk alone. It must be said that no one touched her, did not humiliate her, they even regretted her, but they were not friends.
They lived together with their mother in a small house, it is not known for what means.
Once Valya did not come to school. A week later, our teacher, visiting her, told the class:
- Valya buried her mother, there are no relatives, except for aunt. She took her to her in Sarapul.
We never heard anything more about Valya.
It was only many years later that I learned the truth about this girl. After the funeral organized by the neighbors, Valya was left absolutely alone. During the day she was fed by compassionate neighbors. And when night fell, her dead mother came to her. She felt sorry for her, stroked her head and called with her. The girl told the neighbors about this.
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The women invited a priest, who consecrated the house. The next night, the deceased was unable to get into the house. She walked around for a long time, and then a deafening blow to the wall followed. The next day, Valya, almost crazy with horror, was taken to her by the same aunt.
The teacher learned about all this from the neighbors, but she did not tell us, fearing that she would be condemned for propaganda of obscurantism. Could have removed from work. It was only many years later that I, by chance chatting with Vali's neighbors, found out about it.
Boris Nikandrovich Lebedev, Kambarka, Republic of Udmurtia