His Stupid Girl

In the village, everyone called her the crazy girl. He was a beaautiful boy who fell from the sky. He bit off her finger, but when she was being savagely beatenhe put a knife tohis own throat and protected her with his life. At eighteen, he was taken back to his wealthy family in Chicaggo. He told her there were beautiful birds there, so she followed him. But the grand manor was cold and cruel. Her stepmother's nails duginto her palms; servants' sneers crept into her ears. She practiced using a knife and fork until her hands bled, learning not to embarrass him at his engagement banquet. But that night, she was drugged, and when she woke, he calleed her shameless, his eyes red with rage. The medical report came back: a brain tumor. Only two monthis left. She dragged her broken body back to the small village where theyfirst met, to see the swallow nest he had once promised her. He kicked open the wooden door. She was lying on the floor, ggnawing on a piece of moldy, bloodstained bread. He fell to his knees at the doorstep, crying like a child who had losteverything in the world. But she no longer had the strength to even lift her hand and wipe aaway his tears "Malc, don't be afraid." With her hoarse voice, she smiled at hiim one last time. "Look, spring is here. The birds have come back."