Book of Fates ✔

Uninvited guests

It was tiny perfect world.

"Dad?"

And what about Anya's mother? Eva disappeared when her little girl was five. At first, Anya would ask her father tones of questions. "Where did mam go? What for? When will she come back?"

Anya's father would give her a sad smile and say, "Your mam had to go on an important business, but she will come back soon."

The little girl grew up, stopped being little and stopped asking, still not knowing the truth. Anya didn't remember her mother much, and didn't miss her. Well, maybe sometimes. When she saw her mother's things.

Though many years had passed, Eva's clothes were still in the wardrobe, her books on the shelves, and a pile of recipes written by her hand on the kitchen table.

Anya wondered if the father really believed that one day a key would click in the lock, the front door would open, and his wife would stood in the doorway. She would offer her husband a tired smile and, like nothing had ever happened, would go to the kitchen to make a dinner.

"Dad?" Anya peeked into the father's room. He was packing his travel bag, briskly moving from the bookshelf to the desk to the wardrobe and back.

"And I bought our favorite cheesecake," And added, watching him.

Her father flinched, turned around and stared at Anya, surprised. "Oh? Hey, sweetheart. I didn't hear you coming."

"Yet here I am."

"Yes, I'll make some tea... in a minute," he threw another folder of documents into his bag. "Are you hungry?.."

"You're leaving again," Anya frowned, ignoring the question. "Another unplanned expedition?"

Anya's father was an archaeologist. He was often away, carrying out some excavations and leaving his daughter alone for weeks or even months. She got used to it a long time ago, but now there was another problem-crazy people stalking her. Not exactly the best time to stay by yourself.

"You said you'd be home this summer," Anya said, turning the corners of her mouth downwards and trying to look as pitiful as possible. "I thought we'd go on a camping trip as usual, sit by the fire, eat roasted marshmallows. You'd tell a few incredible stories of yours about the ancient cultures..." And I'd tell you I've failed my history test.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie, you know can't stay. It is my job." Her dad flipped through his papers on the desk, then scratched his neck in frustration and began flipping through the same papers again. "I promise to be back as soon as possible."

"Can I go with you then?" One last try. "You wanted me to know more about your researches."

"Not this time."

"Fine," Anya signed loudly, feinting irritation.

She wanted to leave, but remembered something and stopped. "Dad, have you ever heard about daitias?"

For a brief moment, her father stood motionless by his table. Anya didn't see his face, but she thought she noticed some sudden tension in his shoulders. Or she didn't.

"No," the father's voice was flawlessly calm. "What is it? Some creatures from a new superhero movie?"

"Doesn't' matter. Forget about it." Anya waved her hand and left.

She walked into her room and, without turning the lights on, looked out of the window. Charna was nowhere to be seen, and Anya finally felt peaceful. She dropped on her bed-or it rather was a giant mattress lying across the floor with a dozen of pillows.