The information I had absorbed gave me a terrible headache, so much so that I couldn't even close my eyes. Every word I tried to remember caused a real storm in my head. I was lying on a hospital bed in a private room, trying to catch my breath, but nothing helped. The walls seemed too close, and the air was somehow viscous, almost tangible, like a thick liquid. I wanted to break out of this room, but I had no strength.
How long had I been lying there, motionless? The minutes dragged on like hours. But then, opening my eyes, I suddenly noticed something unusual in the corner - an old chest of drawers standing against the wall. I knew it had always been there, in the ward, but now it suddenly caught my attention, like something unexpected that should not have appeared in this sterile world.
It looked rather worn, with worn leather and dull locks, but it felt like it belonged there, like old furniture in a library. It wasn't new. It seemed to have grown in there, blended into the environment.
Without strength, having risen with difficulty, I dragged myself to the chest, not understanding why exactly to it. Everything in my hands was shaking, my head continued to split, but, nevertheless, I approached this mysterious object. Its heavy lid was slightly ajar. I didn't care what was inside. I simply opened it, feeling a strange, almost involuntary desire to look inside.
Inside were several books, covered in dust, and some old papers. It is not surprising that this find did not make much of an impression on me. I still do not understand what prompted me to take out one of the books that was lying on top of the others. Maybe it was just curiosity, or maybe some strange intuition. I pulled it out and took it in my hands.
The book was fairly light, but its cover was strange - white, cloth, as if somewhat worn by time. The gilded letters on it barely glimmered in the dim light of the hospital lamp. The title read: "Edward Coleman, Fables of My Father Swan".
I didn't know who Edward Coleman was, and I'd never heard of a book like "Fables of My Father Swan", but for some reason the book, or rather its strange title, caught my attention. Maybe it was because of the thoughtless state I was in, or maybe it was because the book itself seemed unusual - old-fashioned, with a slight hint of neglect, like something forgotten but important.
I glanced at the cover again, as if trying to figure out what was behind those words. With a bleary gaze, I returned to the bed with the book in my hands, somehow intuitively feeling that at this moment this was exactly what I needed. I lay down on my back, placing the book on my stomach, as if trying to absorb its weight, its strange presence. My hands clenched around it, but my head still ached, like hot metal driven into my temples.
I had a strange habit of opening books at random and starting to read from the place where the book itself opened. Writers probably wouldn't like it. I never knew why I did it.
Maybe I wanted to find myself in a fictional world not through a designated entrance, not from the first page, but to get straight to the very middle, to the very essence. Without preparation, without introductions. Just to get there, where the story lives, as if I myself were a part of it. That's what I did now.
"...and then ordered him to wait until nightfall to climb the crystalline staircase to heaven. Having finished his narrative, Clever Crow flapped his wings and soared into the air, leaving youthful Sagamore alone in the regal garden.
Machiel Nymou. "Mollie and the Pretty Parents"
Once upon a time there lived a little girl named Mollie. She had long black hair that fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and her favorite long-sleeved shirt was white with red stripes. Mollie lived with her dad, whose name was Mark Tempe. He was a piano teacher and sometimes worked long hours in the college lab. Mollie loved being around him, listening to him play, and watching him lose himself in his thoughts about science and music.
After Mollie's mother, Harey, left, the house felt empty. But her dad always found time to spend the evenings with his daughter: telling stories, playing the piano, or just sitting at the table with her, listening to her talk about her day.
One evening Mark did not come home alone. He was accompanied by doctor Arago, a scientist with whom he had worked at college. Doctor Arago was an unusual man, with silver hair, a bright scarf, and shining eyes. He often talked about things that seemed almost magical to Mollie.
After dinner, they sat in the living room, and Doctor Arago began to tell about his research. He spoke about the Quintans, tiny creatures that, according to him, lived among people. These creatures, invisible to the naked eye, loved light, music, and the warmth of the human heart. They could supposedly create a special atmosphere of happiness around themselves and even help people in the most unexpected moments.
Mollie listened with bated breath. Doctor Arago spoke so captivatingly about the Quintans that she forgot all about the time. Her father sat next to her, smiling and nodding occasionally, as if he agreed with every word.
When it was time to leave, Doctor Arago stood up, adjusted his bright scarf, and, looking at Mollie with a mysterious smile, said: "If you can handle it, you will see the Quintans."
The words sounded so strange that they gave Mollie goosebumps. She stood at the window for a long time, watching him until he was out of sight. The phrase "You will see the Quintans" echoed in her head, and did not leave her even when she went to bed. Mollie did not yet know that these words would change everything for her.
Meanwhile, Mark Tempe, engrossed in his work, met an Irish statistician named Parvis. This man was an extraordinary thinker, often talking about chance, probability, and how the world was governed by forces that could not be seen. Their conversations inspired Mark, making him think about the hidden logic of life. Gradually, Parvis began to visit Tempe's house more and more often, and Mollie got used to seeing his thoughtful look and the strange way he kept silent before answering.
One evening, while Mark was busy working, Mollie happened to see Parvis in the living room. He was kneeling by the window, quietly whispering something to himself, as if he were saying a prayer. This seemed strange to her, and later she asked him to whom he was praying. Parvis replied that he was addressing the "Blind Powers" that controlled everything in this world. Mollie, remembering the Quintans, who loved light and music, asked: was it them?
Parvis suddenly stood up abruptly. His eyes were troubled, and he looked as if he had heard something he had not expected. He picked up his bag without another word and hurried away, leaving Mollie puzzled. She felt that his strange behavior was connected with something very important, but she could not yet figure out what it was.
After Parvis left their home unexpectedly, Mollie couldn't get the incident out of her head. She thought long and hard about his words and how he had been frightened by her question. One evening, after her father had finished playing the piano, she told him everything she had seen: Parvis's strange prayer, his mention of "Blind Powers," and how he had run away when she thought of the Quintans.
Mark listened attentively, but as the story unfolded, his face grew increasingly frowning. Not only was he concerned about Parvis's behavior, but he also felt betrayed. Mark felt that Parvis had violated his trust, especially since his daughter had been drawn into this strange situation. His concern soon turned to anger.
The next day, Mark went to the college and demanded an explanation. He accused Parvis outright of trying to exert a negative influence on Mollie and of bringing something into their home that Mark found alien and frightening. But Parvis, despite his outward detachment, was a man of principle. He found the accusations offensive and unfair. It soon emerged that Mark had mentioned the story to other colleagues, which led to the spread of rumors that painted Parvis in an unfavorable light.
Unwilling to accept this attitude, Parvis sued Mark for slander. He claimed that Mark had deliberately misrepresented the situation, making his actions seem strange and threatening. The trial was gathering momentum, and everyone was waiting for the final testimony of the parties. As the next day of the trial began, Harey, Mark's ex-wife and Mollie's mother, unexpectedly appeared in the courtroom. She came not as a bystander, but as a witness, ready to testify in defense of her ex-husband.
All eyes in the courtroom immediately turned to her. Harey was calm and confident. She walked up to the stand and began to speak, explaining her position. She explained that despite the divorce, she had always maintained a close relationship with Mollie. Harey explained that when she and Mark were raising Mollie, they always tried to answer their daughter's questions openly, without holding anything back. Especially when it came to religion and anything that was outside the realm of common understanding.
In her opinion, Mollie's questions about the Quintans and the "Blind Powers" were not something strange or dangerous. Harey told how she and Mollie often talked about mysticism, about what was hidden beyond the visible world. She assured that open communication with her daughter and a commitment to truth had always been the basis of their upbringing. Harey even noted that she always considered every question Mollie asked to be a step towards her own understanding of the world, and not an attempt to succumb to alien influence.
The trial continued, and despite Harey's support, the pressure on Mark mounted. The judge heard from all sides, including Harey's testimony, which claimed that she and Mark had always raised Mollie with the utmost honesty, never hiding questions about religion or mysticism from her. But there was tension in the courtroom, because no one really knew what might be going on in the mind of a six-year-old girl when she began asking questions about Quintans and "Blind Powers".
The trial was not without an important statement from the prosecutor. He spoke in Mollie's defense, arguing that her actions were not intentional or aggressive. She was not, he said, trying to offend anyone or cause panic. Mollie was simply an inquisitive girl who was looking for answers to the questions she faced. The prosecutor noted that Mollie was a very well-adjusted and happy child, especially when surrounded by her loving parents, Mark and Harey. He emphasized that it was her parents' love and attention that made her confident and happy.
The prosecutor also noted that despite the divorce, Mark and Harey continued to maintain a close relationship for the sake of Mollie's well-being. This created a stable and harmonious atmosphere for the girl, in which she could develop and grow. He added that all the talk about Quintans and other mystical phenomena could simply be a manifestation of a child's imagination, which does not deserve such close attention.
The judge, after hearing all sides, came to a decision. He noted that Mark Tempe should have understood better how important his approach to parenting was in such an unstable situation, especially after the divorce. However, the court took into account that Mollie was raised in an atmosphere of openness and trust, and her questions could not be a reason for accusations. Nevertheless, Mark was warned that his approach to parenting and his interactions with others should be more careful and reasonable.
After a long trial, when everyone had spoken and all the evidence had been shown, the moment came when the judge delivered his verdict. It was a decision that devastated Mark Tempe. Despite all his efforts, he had lost custody of Mollie. The judge, given their shared upbringing and stability, decided that Harey, Mark's ex-wife, would be the best person to care for their daughter and give her the best environment to grow and thrive.
Mark felt his chest tighten. He had always considered himself a good father, despite the divorce and the difficult times in his life. But now he realized that his mistakes, his relationship with Parvis, had caused him to fail to earn the court's trust. He felt guilty, and everything that was happening felt like a blow that had turned his world upside down.
Parvis, who had once been his friend, now seemed part of the very chain of events that had brought him here. They had talked about theoretical things before, about miracles and probabilities, but in that moment Mark realized that there were things in life that could not be explained by numbers or calculations. True understanding came through love and care, not through theories that could be misleading. That was why Mark Tempe, sitting in that courtroom, decided that he no longer wanted Parvis in his life.
At this time, Mollie and her mother were already leaving the courtroom. The evening air was cool, and the sun was slowly disappearing behind the horizon, filling everything around with a soft, golden light. They walked in silence, and their steps echoed in the silence, only the breeze playing with the leaves of the trees. Mollie felt a calm that suddenly enveloped her, despite what had happened. Everything that happened in the courtroom gradually faded into the background, leaving only a light, pleasant silence in the soul of the little girl.
She looked around, noticing how the world around her was filled with light and shadow. Light clouds floated across the sky, and the rays of the sun, refracted in the water of the pond, seemed magical. Everything was so familiar and at the same time new. Every movement, every sound, even the smallest details - suddenly they became so important and beautiful that the girl could not take her eyes off them.
And then, at that moment, when Mollie was walking down the street with her mother, she realized that she saw the Quintans."