The Tale of Beloved Bishkek. Ainagul Akmatova

Bishkek

      The winter of 2019 in Bishkek was very difficult. Darkness formed over the city. Residents of the city dreamed of fresh, clean air. Adults and children wore masks for breathing the dirty air was a risk to their health. No one wanted to get lung cancer. Wearing a mask caused Bishkek residents discomfort, the windows in houses always had to be closed tightly. People were suffocating.

      Residents did not understand what was happening in the city. Where did the darkness come from? People remembered the warm, bright and clean air. Some residents of the city began to buy houses on the outskirts to live in clean air. Among the citizens, a panic slowly began…

      The people gathered kurultai from the elders. It was necessary to get out of the darkness. People needed clean air. They offered different solutions. Having listened to everyone, the eldest aksakal, with a long white beard wearing a Bakai kalpak and a worn chapan with wise, sad eyes said,

      “We need the help of the wise mother Kanykey, who lives in the Tien Shan Mountains. She left us long ago, without explaining the reason. When she lived with us, the city was bright and happy. We need to send good fellows to find her and ask for help.”

      The aksakals, having listened, approved his decision. After conferring, they decided to send Adilet. He was smart, kind and fair. Adilet knew that he had a great responsibility. He was a little scared and, he wanted to refuse. But he realized that there was no choice, that something should be done.  He needed to save the inhabitants of the city. He got in his old car and drove to the mountains of the Tien Shan.

      Having approached the foot of the mountain, he began his climb. The path was not easy; it was very cold, Adilet feared that he could freeze at any moment and not return home. But he was warmed by the hope that he would be able to help the residents of Bishkek breathe clean air again. He walked and he walked. For two whole days, his journey stretched on. The higher he climbed, the colder he felt. He could not feel his body. The frost began to overcome Adilet, and finally he succumbed and slowly fell asleep.