It became a habit. Alena lied at school about taking part in extracurricular activities, even though she hadn’t done so in a long time. She had no money. She just wandered around. In the winter, she spent her time in the children’s library until she was kicked out, warming herself by the radiator and reading books at random, one after the other. In the summer, she disappeared into the empty parking lot behind the garages. The willows were blooming there, and she could build herself a shelter out of old planks.
One autumn day, she decided to ask if her mother had anything to ask her. Alena sat on a swing in the neighboring garden until it got dark. The swing was rusty and creaked with every movement. The girl swung and stared out the window. The lights came on in one, went out in the other. People were having dinner, watching TV, and minding their own business.
Her fingers, clutching the cold metal chains, went numb. She was panting, the cold seeping through her coat, which her mother had bought her two years ago and which was already too small for her. To keep her teeth from chattering, Alena bit her lip until it started to bleed. She waited for her mother to come out onto the dormitory steps and shout, “Where have you been?! I’m so exhausted!” But no one came.
When she returned, her mother was asleep on the couch, still dressed, her arms outstretched. Her lips were parted, and the same disgusting smell came from them, mixed with alcohol and cheap perfume. Alona took off her shoes, went to the corner of the room, separated by a closet, and stared at the ceiling for a long time. There were no tears. There was only emptiness and the disgusting creaking of the swing, which still echoed in her ears.
A month later, she was sent to boarding school. Two women from child welfare and a local police officer arrived. Her mother was crying uncontrollably, smearing mascara on her face, grabbing Alona’s hand and hugging her tightly.
“I’m going!” he shouted, turning to the women. “You’ll see, I’m going for treatment! I’ll pay and I’ll get treatment right away!”
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