she was making up everything, old fears are too deeply rooted! The child woke up and stared at her with Zandolie's alien eyes!
Julia in horror stretched the child over the abyss, away from herself!
Apparently, Ray liked the sudden wiggle, and he smiled broadly - Marley's sweet smile, with dimples in his cheeks! She pressed her son tight to her chest in fear and burst into tears again. The son stroked her hair and hummed something happily in his own baby language. Probably “I love you too, mom!”
… At the same time, distraught with despair, Scott arrived at the “Jolly Roger” complex. It was Friday night, when Russian friends usually gathered together, almost always… Scott needed help and advice. At least to talk, to Roger, to someone…
Scott had no idea where to start looking for Julia. He did not even know what he wanted at the moment; it became unbearably difficult to stay in the house. His wife behaved strangely with him, even stranger - with her own child. The long-awaited happiness turned into a nightmare.
Dushka the Shepherd was the first to meet Scott at Roger's. She was very happy to see the red-haired giant! Dushka jumped and ran in circles, trying to reach Scott's powerful chest with her front paws – she definitely couldn't reach his shoulders, no matter how much she jumped! Scott happily hugged and patted the dog and saw Roger wiping his hands on a white apron.
“Oy-oy! What mates moored to our board!” screamed Roger. “Scott! We saw each other just this morning! Or have you finally decided to have dinner as a family like the other comrades!? Look, Zina and Den came here tonight, and Alex dropped by, only alone, just like you! Will you dine with them at the same table? Dushka! Enough! Sit!”
“No! I didn't come for dinner! I need help! Julia and her son are gone!”
All the Russians at the table immediately turned around and joined the conversation. The first to respond was Zina, who hadn't changed at all over the past few years, she hadn't even changed her car (it seems, the T-shirt with denim shorts were the same as well).
“Gone!? When?”
“I don't know, Zina! I came back from fishing, and there is no one in the house! And her car is not there too! She never left without warning. And lately, nowhere without me at all! I thought that she had recovered enough after delivery, that I could be absent for longer than usual!… This was my first boat trip since…”
At this time, Dushka, who was listening very attentively, barked. Roger glared at her over the top of his round glasses. But Zina stopped him with a warning gesture.
“Dushka, you can help us, follow the trail or something else!” Zina proposed. “Roger, lend her to us, let Alex take the leash. And Den and I will go in different ways, look in different directions! The island is small and has just a few roads! It's almost dark! We must hurry…”
… At that very moment, Julia, hugging her son, turned to her car, intending to go home. Though, she did not quite understand where exactly on the Island she was at the moment. Interior narrow mountain roads could be deceiving.
How did she get to this observation deck? It was quite far from the sea… Julia and Ray were now somewhere in the center of the Island! And it was getting dark so quickly! It would be completely dark in the forest part of the road!
Suddenly someone else's car flashed its headlights and drove onto the road next to Julia. A black, muddy jeep with tinted windows stopped. A tall black Rasta man came out with a shock of heavy dreadlocks behind his back and a golden chain over his bare stomach. There were only trousers from clothes… The Star of David glittered on the chain!
It couldn't be!!! THEY still remain here, in the inner wilderness of the Island, really?!!! Nobody has seen black mutants for many years!!! No, no, not here, not now!!!!
Julia with a child in her arms backed away to the cliff… The mutant, without a flinch, looked directly at Ray. He took a step towards Julia, but then the ferocious barking of a dog was heard. The black giant jumped into his jeep with extraordinary agility and quickly disappeared into the darkness. As if no one was with Julia!
Sheepdog Dushka flew past Julia like a bullet and also disappeared into the darkness. Another SUV immediately appeared and stopped next to Julia's car. Joyful Scott jumped out and rushed to hug Julia and his son.
Alex also came out and began to call Dushka. She quickly ran back from the darkness with a guilty look - apparently, she had lost the trail…
Julia was just beside herself with happiness - how glad she was to see all beloved faces, including Dushka's muzzle!!! But she still could not calm down…
“Did you see?! Have you noticed!? Have you seen the jeep!?” Julia screamed.
“Someone kind of drove off quickly,” Alex remarked. “Something big and dark, but without headlights, quickly disappeared… Someone you know?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t see it well, it seemed to me…” Julia said hesitantly and shook her head. “No, I was just so scared, so many different thoughts lately, all sorts of shadows of the past are seen everywhere… I was on antidepressants for too long, I guess. How glad I am that you found me! I really don't remember how I got here…”
“This is right next to our house, Julia!” Scott said.
Scott and Alex exchanged worried looks. Alex and Dushka got into Julia's car, to drive brave dog home. Dushka saved everyone!!!
… Alex, with his blond dreadlocks and thick red beard, looked as a very different man. He gave up drinking long ago, married a local beauty Clarissa and became the father of two wonderful twins. Art and tourism, family idyll - everything has transformed him almost beyond recognition. He looked kind of enlightened, or something. For all the time he was looking for Scott's wife and son, he was calm and collected.
And now, driving the car along the night road with one hand, Alex called Zina and Denis to inform them about the happy find.
“Hello!! Yes, it's me! They are found, everything is in order! Who did find them? Of course, Dushka! It was not in vain that we took her, she jumped out of the car window with lightning speed and led us straight to Julia with the baby. There was another car, I didn't have time to make it out. The car disappeared suspiciously quickly, turning off the headlights. Maybe someone wanted to take advantage of the helplessness of a young woman and a child in a remote place at night. What's interesting is, that it's very close to Scott's house. Behind the house, there is the abandoned road, leads to nowhere, almost no one drives there. Julia looked completely lost, she must have been looping all day… Yes, she is not quite herself. We must keep an eye on the whole family. Scott alone will not be able to cope… Yes, now I will call my wife and go home, only I'll return Julia's car… And then I'll bring Dushka to Roger! Yes! Good dog Dushka! We're talking about you! You saved everyone!!!”
Alex patted the scruff of the shepherd's neck and dialed his wife. He smiled happily as he listened to the dial tone. Soon he would return home, tell Clarissa about the amazing adventures of this evening. His wife had some indescribable wisdom of a creative person, intuition or something.
Alex managed to notice how strange Julia's son looked – very large for his age, with an elongated skull.
Maybe this explained the latest problems in the family of Julia and Scott? Was the baby born sick? None of the Russians have seen the baby or visited the home of young parents after the birth of their son… How strange!
Everything needed to be discussed with his wife
