«Go to sleep,» Marina whispered, kissing the hostess. «Happy New Year!»
«Happy New Year!» Glancing at her daughter, Nina left the room.
Still smiling, Marina made her bed on the couch, and approached Larisa, checking her out.
The girl was sleeping, holding her teddy bear tight, but this peaceful sight washed out Marina’s grin, and deep wrinkles appeared on her forehead and around her mouth.
She quickly turned away, fell onto the couch, and burying her face into the pillow, she wept with her memories.
She hated New Year, because, fourteen years ago, celebrating this holiday, her parents got drunk as never before, and the awful events of the following night were engraved in her soul forever.
Nobody ever figured out how it had happened, because no one saw how the cord of the old, tattered Christmas lights dropped a spark, and the nearest piece of cotton, imitating snow, caught fire.
Twelve-year-old Marina woke up sensing unusual warmth. Drowsy, she sat up in bed.
Suddenly she smelled smoke and sprang up, looking around with horror; half of the room was enveloped in flames.
Her younger sister, Masha, was still sleeping in her crib and Marina darted to her parents’ chamber. «Daddy! Mom!» she screamed, tossing the door wide open. «Fire!»
Cursing, the drunken man threw a bottle at her and put down his head again. Marina heard her sister’s cry and she ran back.
Glancing at the little black-headed girl standing in the crib holding the bars, Marina knocked at the door of her brothers’ room. It was locked, and no one answered.
Vainly Marina pounded, kicked, thumped the door, trying to get in. She was only twelve. She could not break the lock, and feeling increasing heat, she realized she had not much time.
She screamed again dispiritedly calling her brothers, then rushed to Masha and hoisted her out of the crib. Squealing like a piglet, her sister wriggled in her arms. Marina could barely hold her.
Marina turned toward the exit door, but a big burning piece fell from the ceiling blocking the way. Hugging crying Masha, Marina slowly retreated from the advancing fire.
The smoke filled the room and irritated their eyes, asphyxiating the girls, and a panicking Marina could scarcely see the things around her. She grabbed a chair and threw it at the window, smashing the pane. Coughing, forcing herself to stay in control, Marina climbed up onto the windowsill.