the imprecation of wizards

by Shahram Azad

  Though there was tumultuous, but her voice was heard very clear by Mikhail. After a few seconds, Key Holder aimed his cane to the woods and soon a red magic thrown from his cane to the woods and at once they ignited.

  The people who were watching this scene were shouting happily. They were watching happily them as Mikhail’s parents were shrieking in the fire. Gary looked at Key Holder and when he saw that nobody was attentive to him, he relinquished Mikhail for one moment and hit very fast to his neck as Mikhail became unconscious.

  **

  Mikhail awakened with a loud scream. He was breathing hardly as tears were downhill from his eyes and he could not withstand his pain. The sun had illuminated a little the air and he did not know that the old woman had called him or not so he went toward the edge of the roof and looked stealthy at the courtyard. No one was inside the courtyard.

  He wiped his tears with hand and got up as his heartbeat was still annoying. He went slowly down from the stairs. When he took out the cows from the barn the old woman and her blind husband had stood in the courtyard. Old woman looked angrily at him and said, “We have an important work today, be careful of the cows.”

  But her husband got her shoulder and said, “Leave this accursed alone. We should be ready for the festival of flower choice.”

  When Mikhail heard this name he wondered a little and went out of the home as his mind was busy to it, now. But it wasn't useful and the scene of his parents’ death was appearing in his mind as he started to cry again.

  After a while Mikhail approached to Anahita’s house. She was sweeping the front home as was very anxious. Mikhail’s head was down and he did not realize to her. Anahita threw her broom on the ground and she went toward him as solicitude was apparent in her face. She did not change her way till Mikhail collided to her. At once Mikhail raised his head and looked at her with his wet eyes. Anahita hugged him and said sadly, “What happened?!”

  But Mikhail separated frantic her and wiped his tears and said lowly, “Do you crazy?! Don't worry about me. I'm just sad, like always. Please, may be someone come out. Go. Please.”

  But Anahita did not move and said, “Do you know today, what is day?”

  Mikhail thought a little and said, “I heard something, but I don't remember.”

  Anahita said surprisedly, “Today Key Holder wants to choose a girl as his wife.”

  Mikhail startled and said, “You must not go. You must hide.”

  Anahita fondled his face and said sadly, “I can’t. You know that.”

  Mikhail became very sad as he could not say anything. Anahita put her hand on his chest and kissed him and said sadly, “Go.”

  Mikhail left her while had very bad feeling about that festival but he could not do anything. At the way, Mikhail did not attend to Gary and continued his way. When Gary saw him, he wanted to say something but repented and sent his dog toward him.

  Mikhail was so much sad that day as he could not stop his crying and he did not realize that when reached to the stone. He put quickly the ring in his finger and waited till the ring became blue. After it, his feel became better and he took several deep breaths. Mikhail did not want to think to anything now. He wanted some calmness until forget his sadness. When he arrived to the valley did his usual work and after making the wreath he lied down on the grass. Mikhail was scaring to think to the result of festival and he was just hopeful. Mikhail tried to think about another thing and he closed his eyes.

  **

  At the plaza seventeen-years-old Linda was beside five young girls as all of them had worn very beautiful dress and they had wreath on their heads. The people and the girls were happy, but Linda was sad and anxious while her parents and Mikhail were on a roof which was far from there and they were watching her sadly.

  After a while, Key Holder entered and everybody bowed while Key Holder was very happy with his black robe. The people raised their heads and looked at him. Key Holder went toward the girls and looked at them carefully while they were excited, except Linda. When Key Holder reached to her stood and aimed his hand toward her and everybody became happy and they applauded. But at once, Mary hugged Mikhail and put her hand on his eyes and got up.

  **

  At once, Mikhail heard a motorcycle’s sound and he hid quickly his ring under the grass and got up. He went up from the valley to see, who is come. He saw surprisedly a girl who was coming toward him with motorcycle. She was Mitra who had worn her yellow dress. When Mitra reached to him dismounted from her motorcycle as had a nice lovely smile. Mikhail was still off balance and had gazed to her. Mitra approached to him and elongated her hand and said, “Hello.”

  But Mikhail without handshake said, “Hello!”

  Mitra showed herself sad and said, “Why don’t you handshake with me?!”

  Mikhail, who had realized now, got her hand and said, “I'm sorry, hello.”

  Mitra smiled and said, “Nice to meet you, I'm Mitra.”

  As Mikhail was glancing to her said, “I'm Mikhail.”

  Mitra looked at herself and smiled and said, “Why are you surprised?!”

  Mikhail, “Because this is first time that you come here.”

  Mitra, “That is right. I came here last night.” Mitra looked at Mikhail, who had gazed to her chest and said with smile, “What?! Don’t look at me like this! ”

  Mikhail, who had become ashamed, went toward the room and Mitra hit slowly to her head and ran toward him and got his hand and said sadly, “I'm sorry. But I don't like someone gaze at me.”

  Mikhail said ashamedly, “No. I'm sorry. I should not look at you.”

  Mitra raised his head and looked at his eyes and said, “No! Please don’t be sad.”

  But Mikhail was ashamed yet. Mitra looked at the room and said, “That is yours?”

  Mikhail looked at the room and said, “Yes.”

  Mitra smiled and said, “Can I see it?”

  Mikhail said surprisedly, “Yes!”

  Mitra went toward the room as Mikhail was just looking at her. Mitra stopped near the room and said surprisedly, “Why don't you come?!”

  Mikhail, who did not know that what he should do, went toward her while Mitra was looking at him with smile. When he reached to the room stopped. After a few moments, Mitra smiled and said, “You don't want to open the door?”

  Mikhail opened the door as his head was down and Mitra entered the room. She looked at around and said, “Can I ask you something?”

  Mikhail, who did not look her said, “Yes.”

  Mitra stared him and said sadly, “Can you come in, please?”

  Mikhail went slowly in the room as had a strange feeling. Mitra took a deep breath and raised his head and said, “Oh boy! Look at me. For you everything is free.”

  Mikhail looked at her surprisedly and Mitra smiled and said, “This is ok. I want to see your face. ”

  But Mikhail did not know what he should say. Mitra took a deep breath and said, “Do you have a family?”

  Mikhail said sadly, “I had.”

  Mitra became sad and put her hand on his shoulder and said, “I'm sorry. I hear about you something; please tell me, do you have any family?”

  Mikhail thought a little and said, “I guess, I have an aunt. But I never saw her.”

  Mitra, “Why?”

  Mikhail, “My father told me, when I became twenty years I will see her.”

  Mitra became happily and said, “Just one question, where is your ring?”

  When Mikhail heard this shocked and said, “How you know that?!!”

  Mitra smiled and hugged him and said, “Thank you the white witch. I know everything. I’m your family.”

  At this time, Anahita reached to there as was breathing hardly and she had worn a beautiful dress and a wreath was on her head. She was embellished her face but it was cleaned by her tears. Anahita had shocked with seeing them and Mitra separated from Mikhail and said, “Who is she?!”

  Mikhail rotated quickly and when he saw Anahita, went aghast t
oward her, but before he could say something Anahita slapped him and said, “Shut up! Impurity, humble, witless.”

  Mitra went out angrily to hit her but Mikhail stopped her and looked at Anahita and said, “You mistake!”

  But Anahita said as was crying, “Shut up! Witless. I mistake?! So, who is this dissolute girl?!”

  Suddenly Mitra slapped her as she was thrown backward on the ground and before Mitra could say something, Mikhail hit to her face very hard as she fell on the ground. Mikhail went angrily toward Mitra and said, “If you hit her another time, I will kill you.”

  Mitra who had shocked said, “What are you doing?! She affronted to me!”

  Mikhail, “I don't care.”

  Mikhail came back toward Anahita who was crying and he sat beside her and said sadly, “Please don't cry. I swear, I don't know her and I don't know why she hugged me!”

  Anahita looked at Mitra and said, “Because she is a dissolute.”

  Mitra said angrily, “shut up!”

  Anahita, “Your dress is like them.”

  Mitra, “Silly girl! This is normal in the city! Your mind is yokel.”

  Anahita looked at Mikhail and said sadly, “So you like this dress?!”

  Mikhail said angrily, “I said I don't know her! Why don’t you understand?!”

  Anahita slapped him and said, “Because I am a fool. Because Key Holder was intending to choose me, but when the betrothed of Jill protested, he chose Jill. You know that if he was doing it, I would kill myself, like your sister.”

  Mikhail hugged her as was pouring tears and said, “You don't have right do it, never.”

  Anahita hugged him and smiled sadly while Mitra was looking them aghast and got up quickly and went toward them and separated them from each other and said, “What are you doing?! You don't have right who fall in love with her!”

  Anahita got up angrily and said, “So he should be in love with you?! Naked girl!”

  Mitra wanted to hit her but controlled herself and said, “Shut up! Yoke girl!”

  Mikhail, who did not like to see their fight, went between them and said loudly, “Enough!”

  Suddenly they became silent and Mikhail looked at Mitra and said, “Who are you really?!”

  Mitra looked at Anahita and said, “First she must go.”

  Anahita said angrily, “I don't go anywhere.”

  Mitra wanted to say something that they heard a motorcycle's voice and they looked at the top of valley. At there had stopped Gary as was looking to them surprisedly. Gary dismounted quickly from his motorcycle and ran toward them and he stopped near Anahita and said angrily, “What are you doing here?!”

  Anahita went behind Mikhail from fear and did not say anything as had hugged him. Mitra who had become panicky, wanted to say something but Gary said sooner, “I know you. I’m Gary.”

  Then he looked at Anahita while Mitra had become calm now and said, “Come with me, this time I don't say anything to Key Holder for your father, but another time you will punish.”

  Mikhail looked at Gary and said angrily, “Nobody have right to punish her.”

  Gary took a deep breath and said, “If the hybrids had seen her, they would have punished her. She must come with me, now.”

  Gary got her hand as Anahita was looking sadly at Mikhail and Mitra. Anahita put her hand on Mikhail’s chest and went with Gary. When they went, Mitra went opposite Mikhail and slapped him and said, “Never hit me for nobody.”

  Mikhail took a deep breath and said, “I'm sorry. But if you hit her again I hit you again”

  Mitra said aghast, “Do you want to say, you love her?!”

  But Mikhail did not say anything and Mitra said sadly, “But you can't to love her! You don't know who you are actually.”

  Mikhail who had become angry said loudly, “Who are you at all?! Why you think you know everything about me?! Where you were, when I needed to you?!”

  Mikhail went quickly toward his ring and removed it and put it in his finger until became calm. Mitra went sadly toward him as was staring agog at the ring. When the ring became blue and Mikhail became a little calm, Mitra said, “I'm sorry. But know this; if we had known about you, we would have come immediately.”

  Mikhail, who wasn’t angry anymore, said, “I know. But I don' know why my father had given such promise!”

  Mitra fondled dubiously his hair and said, “It was your mother's request. Your mother did not want to know nobody about you.”

  Mikhail, “Why?!”

  Mitra, “Because you are a very very very important boy.”

  Mikhail stared surprisedly at her and Mitra continued, “You should know very thing about yourself, but not now. First, we must rescue you.”

  Mikhail, “But how?!”

  Mitra smiled and said, “I just came for this work. You don't know me yet, but I'm ready to do anything only for you.”

  Mikhail, “why?!”

  Mitra smiled and fondled his face and said, “Because you are my family, and you are very valuable. Many of girls will want to get your heart, but you should not forget your family and you must not think about ordinary girls!”

  Mikhail, “What?!! Ordinary?!!”

  Mitra smiled and said, “Never mind. I will tell you everything later.”

  Mikhail took a deep breath and said, “later again?! When I could see my aunt?”

  Mitra fondled his face and said, “First we must rescue you.”

  Mikhail said uncertainly, “Do you can?!”

  Mitra hugged him and said, “Of course my darling. But you must endure several another days.”

  Mikhail separated her and said as had become ashamed, “Several days are nothing against several years.”

  Mitra smiled and said, “I should go to speak with Gary”

  Mikhail, “How you know Gary?!”

  Mitra, “I said, I know everything.”

  Mikhail, “Everyone knows everything except me!”

  Mitra smiled and fondled his face and said, “I should go, but I will see you soon, so be careful.”

  Mikhail said as was very inquisitive to know more, “When you will come back?”

  Mitra, “Tomorrow.”

  Mitra kissed his cheek and went as Mikhail was looking at her with myriad of question which he wanted to know them. When he became alone, looked at the sky and at once he realized that is his sleep time. That day had become very special, strange and complicated for him and he did not know that he should think to which of them. Anahita, his aunt or Mitra. His aunt after thirteen years had appeared but not utterly. Mitre was a very beautiful girl who was strange. Mikhail’s eyelids became heavy and he slept like someone who had become insensible.

  **

  Seventeen-years-old Mikhail was in the way back to the village as had not reached to the stone yet. His eyes were red. When he arrived to the stone, at once he heard a scream sound from afar. Mikhail ran quickly toward the voice as was so twitchy who had forgotten to take out his ring. He removed a few stone from the ground and continued his way as was seeing a girl at his front, now.

  She was Anahita who was escaping frightened from two wolves that had not much distance with her. Mikhail hit one of them and it caused that the wolf changed his path and came toward him. Mikhail wanted to aim for him that Anahita fell on the ground. The second wolf at once jumped toward Anahita and Mikhail instead of his wolf hit immediately second wolf at the air as he was thrown backward. Mikhail sat quickly beside Anahita as he had not stone anymore and he did shield himself for her.

  The first wolf approached to them as Anahita was screaming loudly. But the wolf suddenly stopped at one step of Mikhail. Anahita closed her eyes as she had hugged Mikhail. The wolves were moving around them without doing anything as the ring had become a little luminous, but Mikhail wasn't attentive to it and he had gazed to them with fear.

  After a few seconds, the wolves left them and they became far from there and the ring became normal. Mikhail who was off balance yet took a deep breath and he got
slowly Anahita's hand and separated her and looked at her and said, “Be calm. They went.”

  Suddenly Anahita threw herself on his chest while was crying like a child and they fell on the ground and then she said, “You are very brave. You saved my life.”

  Mikhail who had become ashamed, said, “Don’t cry. Go your home. Maybe someone saw you with me and then punish you.”

  Anahita separated from him and looked at his eyes and said, “You are so nice. You are worry about me! Why did you that?!”

  Mikhail thought a little and said, “Well, everybody was doing it.”

  Anahita said sadly, “No! All of boys are lowbred and unashamed. Of course, except you.”

  Mikhail, “Why?!”

  Anahita got her head down of shame and said, “He just wants to use me and he never loves me.”

  Mikhail, “Why you came here?! You should was going to your home.”

  Anahita wanted to say something but she saw the ring and said surprisedly, “What is this?!”

  Suddenly Mikhail realized to his ring and hid it behind himself and said, “Nothing!”

  But Anahita got his hand and stared at it and said, “Wow! It is so beautiful. Whose is this?!”

  Mikhail said with fear, “Please don't tell to nobody.”

  Anahita became sad and said, “Do you mean I'm an informer?!”

  Mikhail, “No! It belongs to my mother.”

  Anahita looked at his face and fondled him and said, “I'm sorry. I never speak about it with nobody. I promise to you.”

  Mikhail smiled and said, “Thanks.”

  Anahita smiled and kissed quickly his cheek and got up and said, “Thank you my shield.”

  Anahita ran as Mikhail was looking at her.

  **

  Mikhail woke up with the dog sound and looked to the sky and said, “I know, good boy.”

  He went toward the village as usual, but that day wasn't like the other days at all. He put his ring and glove inside the hole and continued his way. When he threw the wreath into the water went toward the home. The village was painful like always. When he reached to Anahita's house he did not see her and this was very queer and he became sad. He after ending his work went to his parents’ home as this time he sat at the courtyard and was hopeful that Anahita will not come.