The late requiem. Story book. Mushfig Khan

girl! Nevertheless, you followed in father’s footsteps.

      – Mooooommm…

      – You had already grown up, became a hero, I can’t scold you.

      – Mom, what happened?

      – Oh, I behaved badly-she laughed from the heart, although she was in deep brooding few minutes ago.

      I didn’t understand anything:

      – Why?

      – I’d broken surprise…

      – Mom, darling, what do you talk about? Maybe you have decided to marry me off today?

      – Oh, my naughty girl. This will also happen, don’t hurry up, just get better.

      – As soon as, I get better, I’ll back to the front.

      – My sweetheart, the war is approaching to the end. Don’t think about front.

      – If only…

      – Ziba… – Mom interrupted her.

      – My darling…

      – My child, do you want to know about surprise?

      – Mom, tell me, finally-both of them laughed.

      – Daughter, you are awarded to the medal “For Bravery”.

      – Come on, mom, don’t joke around.

      – I am absolutely serious, my daughter, my hero! My brave girl!

      Commander asked me not to tell you about medal, but I couldn’t. I was very happy!

      – Hold on, I’ve get over it – I answered. – Is my commander in Baku? Why? Why was I awarded to a medal?

      – Jamal Gasimov arrived in Baku to visit you. According to him you killed very dangerous and famous German sniper. That’s why you’d been awarded.

      – My heart began beating very fast.

      – What was his name? – I wanted to know without concealing my emotion.

      – I didn’t know my dear daughter. He would tell everything himself, when he’d come. If I was not mistaken, he had strange nickname, something related to Berlin or fox.

      – Don’t worry. Stitches still hadn’t fused.

      I hold my mom tightly.

      A miracle happened. But I didn’t know how. The most important thing was that Berlin’s fox was dead. I couldn’t wait Jamal Gasimov’s visit and counted minutes. Until I was thinking about, what mom told me, the doctor asked her to let me alone for a while. I had to recover after serious wound. Doctors considered as a miracle, even fact that I survived.

      ****

      After mom’s story I couldn’t get a wink of sleep. I was totally exhausted, but questions in my head demanded answers. But Gasimov still hadn’t come…

      I remembered 5—6 years old, that happened, when I was 14—15. On the frontline I often thought about childhood. At that moment I could feel dad nearby. He thought me, how to choose target, shoot and fire rifle. “Fearless” was absolutely new and bullets flied in the blink of an eye. Then dad didn’t feel any pain. Hands were not shaking. It was interesting that father always supported my wish to grow as boy.

      I know exactly only one thing – he loved me as mad and gave everything. According to mom, few days before my birth he had been injured deadly. Like me – in a left shoulder.

      The gold points of a real sniper. For a long time, he had been in coma. The doctors didn’t believe, he would wake up again. When I was born, mom called the hospital and asked doctor to tell him good news. When father heard this, he immediately opened eyes and several days later he was transferred to regular room. He often called me his Angel.

      A quiet knock on the door returned me to reality. Doctor wouldn’t knock. So my commander came. Heart jumped out of my chest.

      – Come in – I said loudly.

      The door opened. This was my commander! He was in the civil clothes. O Heaven! I’ve noticed how handsome he was! Gently slicked black hair, gentle gaze just charmed me. I was slightly confused. Suddenly I stood up.

      – No, no, Ziba, you shouldn’t be up. Lie down and don’t worry, – my commander called me by name for the first time.

      I thanked him for the flowers, and the box in his hands caught my attention. It was my medal, of course. But I pretended that I have no idea about it. He moved his chair closer to me.

      – How do you feel? – asked commander with kind smile.

      – You are here, so everything will be ok – whispering these words, I looked at him.

      – I have excellent news for you. I don’t know how to begin my story.

      His words forced my heart to beat quickly. I tried to keep calm, I couldn’t extradite my mom. Expectation was fighting with time.

      – Say something. I started worrying.

      Open box attracted my sharp attention of sniper. Why was commander so embarrassed? He had faced all hardships of war. Couldn’t he just give medal and be happy with me?

      I believed that Jamal Gasimov would answer all my questions, arising after mom’s story. I felt how tension was growing.

      – Do you know, what is in this box? – He cut the silence.

      This time I couldn’t hide my emotions and cried out:

      – I know, comrade commander! My mom told about everything! There is medal for me.

      – No guessing! – He said, trying to get up the nerve.

      My cheeks blushed. I was confused. How could he say “No”? I’ve just tried to open my mouth, he opened the box and handed me. All my body was trembling. The thing in box said everything for Jamal. Nobody could say better. I didn’t know what to do. I had to say something, but I’ve decided to keep silent. He started. Finally, he looked in my eyes and popped the question.

      – Ziba, will you marry me?

      This was the best thing, I’ve ever heard. The words gave me warm and happy feeling. Instead of saying something I’ve squeezed his hand. It was enough to understand my answer. He got closer to me and stood up a little for giving him a hug. Something special happened between us in that moment. We were connected to each other through subtle threads.

      Then he pulled out medal from his left pocket.

      – Berlin’s fox could injure you, but you picked up his life. I am proud of you, Ziba!

      I felt like, all world was mine.

      Motherland brought me my hero Jamal.

      Bicycle

      Dreams and reality are so closely braided together, that sometimes there is no time for realizing…

      Appreciate every moment and no doubts, dream will turn to reality. I love people, but secretly. Except, when they crowd I even convinced myself that these two features make me special hiving with beliefs is better than without even trying. But it is not always possible.

      People consider me genius, but actually I’m crazy. You might even call me naughty.

      I guess I am no more use I’m quite young. But I’ve heard how waiter called me “guy” or salesman “uncle”. I used to counting my years. I usually miscalculate my age by adding couple of years when someone asks. I know that it is funny. How fast youth passed! I lost track in a web of rapidly changing years and events. Maybe I owed to these years? What’s the difference who owes? My years are just only