the coast, thick trees that was brightly shined by the sun lights were gently swaying on the wind as if they were saying goodbye with their branches.
On the other side of the Dnepr voices of children were heard, they greeted the next vessel and immediately said him goodbye.
The night was coming: the fantastic sunset, the singing of birds, that was heard from the coasts of the Dnepr, quiet lullaby for a little girl, the smooth surface of water and shadows of trees that were reflecting in it – this all made Sara so calm, appeased her…
Day by day, night by night, the vessel was slowly going to the final destination.
It was seven and the last day of the way, it was dark and suddenly the thunder and lightning appeared in the sky and a heavy rain poured.
The vessel was so poor that it became clear immediately as water with high speed appeared in the hold, people worried, the ship was swaying from side to side because of strong wind, it was impossible to stay, and to sit on the floor was more impossible, as water appeared very fast and all things: wallets, suitcases, bags almost everything was under the water.
Everybody panicked.
People ran by the ship and nobody knew what to do.
Boris shouted to Mum and Sara:
– Go upstairs quickly.
Sara just made a step and she felt that someone seized her leg, she turned and she saw the frightened eyes of pregnant Maria, she murmured something pleading about the help.
Sara called her Mum:
– Mother, quickly, here… – Sara showed on Maria, she couldn’t speak because of fear, she was shivering and her leg was in tenacious hand of Maria.
– Maria, stand up quickly, let’s go upstairs, – the mother leaned forward to help but at that moment Maria screamed and she writhed in pain. It was clear for everybody – the contractions began.
– Boris, mother turned, she was looking for the son.
– I’m here. What’s going on? – Boris helped an elderly people to climb on the board.
– Maria is giving birth.
Boris immediately appeared beside, with very fast and resolute movement he caught Maria and went upstairs.
All passengers were frightened because of heartbreaking scream of Maria.
Sara was shocked and she couldn’t move faster, it seemed that her legs clung to stairs, people lined up behind her, pushed each other, hurried the girl, pushed her in the side and back with accusations and shouting.
The wind got stronger, the rain lashed people with a violent force, sometimes it knocked them down, sobs and wailing, the scream of children, women’s crying mixed in with the thunder, and shrill, the unbearable scream of pregnant Maria.
Boris carried Maria upstairs, covered her with a sailcloth that he discovered in the fore ship, the mother settled beside, she was stroking Maria and saying to her:
– Be patient girl, everything will be good, you need to be patient.
Maria was keeping silence for some time and then she began moaning, and again it was a terrible cry.
The pain didn’t give her relax for a long time.
And the rain got stronger and stronger.
The hold was almost flooded.
There is inexpressible fear in people’s eyes.
Sailors are going back and forth down the vessel trying to patch holes in some way.
The frightened voices are heard:
– I can’t swim!
– God, help me!
– Semyon, where in my Semyon?
– Alyosha, go here quickly, leave your bale.
– Somebody help, here is a granddad!
– Mum, Mum, I am afraid… – children are crying.
The lightning flashed menacingly across the sky, it was impetuous thunder, it seemed that the sky was burst, nobody could remember such rain in his lifetime. Old people were praying and begging for mercy.
The vessel became more and more unstable, the wind threw it from side to side, people were clinging ropes, cuts on palms from coarse rope immediately revealed themselves, many people couldn’t endure the pain and let off the rope, they were immediately cast on the opposite side and they saved themselves only with the help of some miracle by clinging for everything, as the main aim was not to fall out of the side of the ship because they understood that otherwise a certain death would expect for them.
The strengths were all at the end.
Soaked to the skin, plagued to the point of exhaustion, people were ready to drop elements continued throughout the night, there was no power no beg for help, not even moan.
In an ominous buzzing mess of thunder, lightning and rain noise, people felt themselves like hostage to a raging storm, and already people were almost resigned because there was no more neither the strength nor even the idea of how to resist such attacks.
Under the morning, as a challenge to this power, the crying of a newborn child sounded loud and shrill as if claiming the human strength and endurance.
Maria lay almost breathless Boris was holding her by the shoulders during all contractions while Emma was helping delivering the baby.
Sara huddled in a corner far away, she was trembling and sobbing, her lips were bitten to the blood because of fear.
At the dawn the downpour began to recede, the thunder grew quieter and quieter.
The wind gradually died down, and people became alive, they began to move.
All people were wet and tired but extremely happy that all of this was already behind.
Emma decisively took off her jacket, staying in one combination she squeezed the water from it, and wrapped the baby, putting him on Mary’s chest.
Maria hugged her little miracle, and cried with happiness.
Emma stroked her head and comforted:
– All right, I was telling you that everything would be good.
We have almost arrived and Kiev could be seen.;
– Thank you, – Maria was slowly speaking, – in a weak voice, still sobbing.
When came to round the passengers realized that all their belongings were drowned in the water.
And it was also a shock, many of them didn’t have anything.
So it was Emma and her children.
Some woman took off her gas handkerchief and handed to Emma, with the words:
– Take… cover up somehow!
Emma nodded and thanked, threw a shawl over her shoulders, barely tied to a small nodule on the chest.
The vessel was like it has visited the mouth of the sinister monster, it was torn and worn out, slowly and heavily docked at the port.
The meddle with the strained faces followed every movement of the ship, realizing what have survived all people who were on the board.
The exhausted passengers eagerly lined up, they were ready to leave the ship.
Boris and Sara kept Mary under their arms.
Emma was helping the old lady to stand up.
Finally, the ship docked and filed the ladder.
The noise, noise, tears, cheers, greeting.
Parents met Mary and they thanked her rescuers infinitely.
Immediately