The Karelian village of Kumsa is considered endangered. Local residents, finding no use for their forces, leave or drink too much. Many homes are abandoned. Those lucky were able to sell housing citizens, lovers of relaxation in ecologically clean places. And places there are beautiful, protected. It must have been precisely about these that the poet wrote: “There are miracles, there the wobbler wanders. Miracles really happen. 
Photo from open sources Evil Eye Vera Ivanovna Mansurova moved to Karelia from Dushanbe in the mid-1990s. Settled in the Medvezhyegorsk district, in the village of Kumsa (village council gave her and her husband half an empty house), began to work a physical education teacher at a local school. The village is not like in city: everyone knows about each other. Strangers are wary take a closer look. And if the “stranger” lives in abundance, it is unlikely to become “his”. So Vera Ivanovna was not at court at first. Shamil, her husband, could not find a job by profession, got a job as a shepherd. A handy man, he himself equipped the house, made shelves, lockers. IN In general, he turned a pimped into an attractive house. Neighbors looked, shook their heads, clanged their tongues and grumbled: bourgeois showed up, did not have time to come, but already where there! But Vera Ivanovna with everyone was friendly, made friends with teachers, and her children loved her. Gradually, the neighbors began to greet. But one of them, Anna, the woman in years seems to have held a grudge. How to look in the eyes – Vera Ivanovna didn’t do it herself. Bad eye, evil. And everyone once after such a look with Vera Ivanovna something is necessary it happened. Before, Vera Ivanovna did not believe in corruption, but such coincidences of anyone you want will make you think. She told another neighbor, old lady Lukinichna, about her suspicions. That not at all surprised. “She’s a witch, Anna something.” Since young years I was engaged in witchcraft, I took away a spell from a family man. Yes did not give The Lord blessed her with happiness … Lukinichna told how they prematurely left Anna’s children. The eldest son, the driver, fell with the car into the river, drowned; daughter went to the ice-hole to rinse the linen, failed, also drowned; at the youngest son had an ulcer; they hadn’t taken him to the hospital — he died. – Her to repent, take away sin from the soul, ”the old woman continued,“ but no, embittered all over the world. And she also told Lukinichna how to take care from the evil eye. – Wear a pin on the left side, but so as not to it is seen. When meeting, do not look into her eyes. You can still have cookies in your pocket to hold is a sure means. Vera Ivanovna tried it – it helped! FROM at that time the neighbor’s evil eye ceased to act on her. how Lukinichna more than once later helped to find her way home. I went Vera Ivanovna in the forest. I tried not to go far from the trail, by which came to the forest from the village. Attacked a mushroom place happy, let’s pick mushrooms. Then she looked: there are no paths! She back and forth – this is the path, but it’s not clear whether it is. I went along her – no not that one! Now there should be a bridge, but it is not. Vera Ivanovna I was scared in earnest: well, how does it go further into the forest ?! Night soon. Cried, began to remember prayers. Read “Our Father” thrice. I went in the opposite direction, sees – the bridge is familiar, and soon and I saw an open place, and houses nearby. Vera told Ivanovna about this Lukinichna, and she taught her: “If she got lost, take off all your clothes, turn inside out and put it back on – the road will be found. “And her husband, Shamil, was helped by an old woman: he the cows left several times, it took half a day to run, collect them. Lukinichna gave the thread spellbound: “Choose a birch near pastures, but tie around the trunk – the cattle will not be far leave. “Poltergeist At the school where Vera taught Ivanovna, an elderly teacher of history Tatyana Sergeevna worked. Lonely. She lived in a house where she occupied half, and on the other half, with a separate entrance, lived a local peasant, bitter drunkard. And strange things began to happen in that house: someone the invisible began to naughty at night. Historian told Vera Ivanovna: – I woke up in the middle of the night from a roar in the kitchen. I thought maybe the cat stray naughty. Rose, went into the kitchen, the light turned on … my mommy! A log from the stove flies right into the wall – bang! I’m looking, and the logs that were near the stove were stacked all over the floor scattered. – Or maybe Tatyana Sergeevna, this is your neighbor, drunk, threw firewood? – suggested Vera Ivanovna. – What are you! Everybody there it was closed. He couldn’t get in there. Neither he nor anyone else. At me brains on one side. I begin to believe in spirits. Former landlord as they told me, he died strangely … Vera Ivanovna knew: Tatyana Sergeevna atheist of the old school, at one time in the party consisted of an inventor-idler doesn’t look like. Incomprehensible phenomena continued on. Almost every night in the house by themselves objects fell, cabinet doors slammed, floorboards creaked, as if someone invisible walked. The poor woman became afraid to spend the night there, went to friends, and then completely left for the city. Some time the house was empty. Then there again settled the teacher – teacher Russian language and literature Elena Sergeevna. She liked the house: strong, beautiful view from the window. The neighbor, really, is a drunk, yes here, They say they can’t find others. This at least is not a rowdy, like the others. FROM For six months, everything was quiet in the house of the new teacher. Elena Sergeevna was quite pleased with the housing. But here it is again. Teacher in the morning she came to school not her own, pale, with dark circles around eye. She said: she woke up at night, he hears a rustle, like someone is walking. And the room is not completely dark – the moon shines through the window. Take a closer look – no one. And then I felt someone touch her face. Jumped in lit the light – empty. I put out the light, lay down – again strange sounds, the creak of floorboards and utensils in the cupboard tinkles. And in the kitchen rumbles – something has fallen. Elena Sergeevna got scared before death, turned on the lamp and so sat the rest of the night. Barely in the morning waited. A strange incident was discussed, guesses were built. They suggested calling a priest from the city to read prayers sprinkled the house with holy water. But they did not gather. Elena Sergeevna asked the local authorities to give her other housing, but for now moved to a neighbor – was afraid to spend the night in a damned place. History home ended in tragedy – burned to the ground. It blazed so that the whole the village got agitated. They tried to stew – where there, and when firefighters arrived from the city, already only firebrands remained. On fire that quiet drunkard, the teacher’s neighbor, also died. Maybe he and started a fire – fell asleep with an unquenched cigarette. Or maybe not him at all … It remained a mystery to all the villagers. …Vera Ivanovna and her husband lived in Kums for thirteen years. Shamil last worked in the city, came for the weekend, she’s still there, in school. Then the village completely went dead, the school was closed. And they finally moved to the city. Now, probably, few remembers that Kums was once called the village of sorcerers. Sergei SCHIPANOV “Steps” №25 2013
Time
