З життя
Суботній ранок.
Ранок суботи. Олена відключила всі будильники й телефони. Молода жінка вирішила нарешті виспатися, адже за спиною залишився дуже важкий тиждень, впродовж якого в її житті відбулося багато чого.
У Олени була чорна смуга в житті. Кажуть, що після чорної обов’язково буде біла… Але наразі була лише чорна…
У вівторок Олену скоротили з роботи. Вона віддала кілька років задля розвитку компанії. І тут, як гром серед ясного неба: “Вибачте, але штат компанії скорочується вдвічі. Ми не зможемо продовжити з вами контракт”.
Це здавалося їй нічним кошмаром. Олена сподівалася, що все це сон і вона прокинеться, щоб усе стало на свої місця.
Раптово її вивів із заціпеніння крик ворони. Птах каркав так пронзливо і голосно, що хотілося заткнути вуха. Непомітно глянувши у вікно, вона побачила його… Ворон сидів на гілці і дивився прямо у її очі.
“Чортівня якась!” — прошепотіла Олена, вибігаючи з офісу. Того ж вечора до неї прийшов Мирослав. Вони зустрічалися вже кілька років і планували одружитися.
– Таке діло… Не буду ходити колами, я скоро одружуюсь. Вибач. Так вийшло.
І знову той крик пролунав у кімнаті. Олена здригнулася і поглянула у вікно. Ворон сидів навпроти і пильно дивився. “Ну чого тобі від мене треба?” — закричала вона в істериці.
– У тебе все добре? — налякано запитав Мирослав.
– Так! Забирайся звідси! — вказала жінка на двері колишньому нареченому.
За один момент вона втратила і роботу, і кохану людину. “Спати! Потрібно відпочити. Потім розберуся з усім іншим”. Але виспатися їй не вдалося. Її знову розбудив крик ворони. “Кар-кар” — лунало на всю округу.
Глянувши у вікно, вона знову побачила цю настирливу птицю. Складається враження, що ворон нікуди не відлітав і весь час провів на тій гілці. “Чого тобі надоїло?” — вигукнула вона. Ворон ігнорував її крики і продовжував тривожити всю округу. На годиннику було 6-та ранку. Виспатися так і не вийшло…
Через пару годин зателефонувала мама:
– Як ти, доню? Давно не дзвонила.
– Все дуже погано! — Олена заплакала і, як у дитинстві, усе розповіла матері. Про ворону теж не забула згадати.
– Це він тебе в дорогу кличе! Ти потрібна десь…
– Мам, що за нісенітниця? Яка дорога? Кому потрібна? Мене всі виключили зі свого життя!
– Милечко, приїжджай до нас. Завтра Різдво. Відсвяткуємо по-сімейному!
– Тільки вам зіпсую настрій. Мені потрібно побути самій.
Олена поклала слухавку і пішла на кухню, щоб приготувати собі каву. Тільки-но вона увійшла, як знову почувся каркання. “Він точно вирішив мене звести з розуму”, — подумала вона.
Ближче до обіду зателефонувала давня, шкільна подруга:
– Оленочко, нарешті застала тебе вдома. Мобілки твоєї в мене немає.
– Привіт, Надійко! Скільки років, скільки зим!
– Ось! Саме з цього приводу й дзвоню. Збирайся й дуй до мене на дачу! Ми вирішили зібратися в мене всією нашою компанією. Буде Юля, Віра, Юрко…
– В принципі, мені нічого кидати. Це мене всі покинули… Гаразд, давай адресу!
Олена їхала, дотримуючись навігатора. До місця залишилося ще 15 кілометрів. Спочатку автомобіль їхав добре, але на півдорозі двигун заглох, і машина зупинилася.
Олена схопилася за мобільний телефон, але зв’язку в лісі не було… “От халепа! Що мене потягнуло їхати машиною!” — розгублено вимовила жінка. “Кар-каррр!” — почувся крик над головою.
“О Боже! І ти тут? Чого від мене хочеш?” — звернулася вона до ворона. Той розкинув пір’я і мовчки спостерігав за нею. Тим часом починало темніти. У відчаї жінка почала сигналити, сподіваючись, що її хтось почує.
“Що робити? Іти пішки? Але я не знаю дороги!”
Раптом у вікно хтось постукав. Від несподіванки жінка підскочила. Вона побачила чоловіка бальзаківського віку в тулупі з рушницею.
– Хто ви? — злякано запитала вона.
– Семен. Місцевий лісник. Вам потрібна допомога? Я правильно зрозумів?
– Так! Я застрягла. Може, підштовхнете мене? — в надії запитала вона.
– Пані, ви серйозно? Тут потрібен трактор. Інакше вашу машину не витягти.
– Так викликайте! У чому проблема?
– Проблема в тому, що скоро ніч. У темряві сюди ніхто не приїде. Ходімо до мене. Вранці викличемо допомогу.
Їй нічого не залишалося, як піти за лісником. Вона звернула увагу на ворона. Той мовчки пішов за ними. “Хоч каркати перестав. Можливо, охрип?” — з усмішкою подумала вона.
Невдовзі вони прийшли до будинку лісника. У печі тихо потріскував вогонь, у кімнаті було дуже тепло й затишно. Семен приготував нехитру вечерю, заварив чай із травами.
– Давайте повечеряємо. Потім відпочинете, а завтра зранку подзвоню за допомогою. Спробуємо звільнити вашу “ластівку” зі снігового полону, — сказав чоловік.
– Що з погодою сталося, не зрозумію? Звідки взялася така хурделиця?
– Та звідки? Сьогодні ж ніч перед Різдвом! Ви знаєте нашу місцеву легенду про цей день?
– Ні звісно. Звідки мені знати? — здвигнула плечима жінка.
– Розповісти вам? Дуже цікаво!
– Розповідайте… усе одно робити нема чого.
Чоловік розпочав розповідати дуже гарну то чи легенду, то чи казку. Олена зачаровано слухала його, не перебиваючи. Головним героєм у цій казці став чорний ворон. Він займався доброю справою: шукав людей із самотніми серцями і сприяв їх зустрічі…
На найцікавішому місці жінка заснула прямо в кріслі. Семен дбайливо вкрив її м’яким пледом і вийшов на вулицю.
“Сидиш?” — звернувся він до ворона. “Дякую, саме про таку жінку я мріяв!”
“Каррр” — відповів ворон і зник із виду.
Вранці, поки Олена спала, Семен викликав підмогу і витягнув її автомобіль.
– Приймайте роботу! — посміхнувся чоловік. — Зараз поснідаємо, і я проведу вас до місця призначення. Їдьте за мною!
– Дякую! Семене, я вчора заснула, так і не дізналася закінчення легенди… — промовила жінка. Їй дуже не хотілося залишати цей затишний дім.
– Ви можете залишитися в мене, я обов’язково розповім вам кінець. Тим більше, сьогодні Різдвяна ніч!
– Уговорили! Не залишати ж вас одного! — усміхнулася Олена.
“Кар – карррр” — ворон закружляв над ними і відлетів. Він був задоволений своєю роботою. Сьогодні йому знову вдалося з’єднати два самотніх серця…
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