4. The Painful Journey to Kuskovo

In the wet and cold night, the sound of heavy rain hitting the car windows rang loudly, as if trying to drown out the heavy breaths and soft sobs of Liliya. Igor drove with his gaze fixed on the road ahead, both hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. Even so, the stern-faced man occasionally glanced at the girl sitting next to him, noticing her expression filled with sadness. The glittering lights of Moscow faded further in the rearview mirror, indicating that they had left the city center far behind.

Liliya looked out the car window, watching drop after drop of rain incessantly wetting the glass. The city of Moscow, usually full of life and bustle, now felt so distant, as if in another world. The city lights began to give way to the sight of quiet and dark streets as they headed towards the eastern district, Kuskovo. The feeling of anxiety that Liliya had been suppressing began to surge in her chest.

"Where are we going? This place seems to be getting further and further from the city." Liliya's voice trembled, almost drowned out by the rain.

The girl turned with a look full of confusion, although in her heart she already understood that this journey was not an ordinary one.

Igor sighed deeply before answering.

"We're going to Kuskovo. It's a safe place for you now," the man said. His voice was deep and calm, but there was a slight, undeniable firmness.

"There, you will be calmer, away from the danger that is lurking for you at the moment," the stern-faced man said again.

Liliya fell silent upon hearing that answer. Her heart was filled with various questions, but she didn't know where to start. Everything felt so sudden to her. Her parents had just died mysteriously in Kazan, a tragedy that she still didn't fully understand. And now, her apartment in Moscow, the only place she considered home, had been shattered into pieces. It all felt like a never-ending nightmare.

Her tears fell again, flowing down her cold cheeks. With trembling hands, she reached for the heart-shaped bracelet on her wrist, a last memory from her parents. Inside the bracelet, there was a photo of her with them, a happy smile that was now just a memory. Liliya tightened her grip on the bracelet, as if trying to find strength from the memories of the past.

"Because of all this, I can't go to college anymore," Liliya's voice broke in a soft sob.

"My dream of becoming a journalist ... it's all been shattered. My parents ... my apartment ... everything is gone. What's left of me now?"

Igor was silent for a moment, letting Liliya's words sink into the sound of the increasingly heavy rain. He knew very well the pain that the girl was experiencing, even though the adult man might not fully understand it. However, Igor knew one thing, that Liliya must not give up.

"You still have your life, Liliya," Igor said finally, his voice deep but full of meaning.

"You can still rebuild what has been lost. As long as you live, there is always hope. While studying diligently and in due time, you can avenge all the deaths of your parents!" Igor said firmly, trying to ignite Liliya's spirit.

Liliya sobbed harder.

"But how? How can I continue my life when everything I love is gone? What should I do now? How do I avenge them?"

Igor didn't answer immediately. He looked straight ahead, piercing the rain with a serious gaze. After a few seconds that felt like silence, the man spoke, his voice softer than before.

"I don't have all the answers for you, Liliya. But I know, for now, all we can do is make sure you stay safe. Kuskovo may not be a perfect place, but at least you'll be protected there. While we start to find out what's really going on, and when that time comes, you'll know what to do."

Liliya couldn't hold back her tears. Igor's words might be true, but the feeling of loss she felt was so deep, so painful. Before she had finished mourning the departure of her parents, she now had to face the bitter reality that her future, which she had planned so carefully, was also on the verge of collapse.

The car continued to drive, leaving the main roads and starting to enter the outskirts of Moscow. Streetlights became scarcer, leaving only the black shadows of trees stretching along the road. The heavy rain seemed to worsen the atmosphere, as if depicting the grief that Liliya felt.

Occasionally, Igor glanced at Liliya, who looked so fragile beside him. The girl he had secretly seen since long ago had grown up and now looked like a shadow of herself, dragged into a whirlwind of unexpected tragedy. Igor knew how important Liliya was to her father, his close friend, and now the task of protecting the girl fell into his hands.

"Don't worry, Liliya," Igor said in a more firm tone.

"I promised your father to take care of you. I will do anything to make sure you stay safe," Igor exclaimed again.

Liliya only nodded weakly, her tears still flowing. She knew that Igor was someone she could trust, someone close to her family, especially to her parents. However, the emptiness that filled her heart made it increasingly difficult to feel comfort in those promises.

Their car continued to drive in a long silence. Only the sound of rain accompanied their journey, and Liliya was immersed in her own thoughts. She looked at the bracelet on her wrist again, trying to find strength from the memories of the past. But all she felt was emptiness.

Finally, after hours of driving, small lights began to appear in the distance. Igor slowed down the car and began to enter a quieter residential area. Kuskovo, a place that Liliya had only heard about through stories, was now her final destination. A place that Igor said was safe, but for Liliya, it was a place where she had to face the bitter reality of her life that had changed drastically.

After a few minutes, the car stopped in front of an old house with a large yard. Igor turned off the car engine and turned to Liliya.

"We're here," Igor said in a soft tone.

"This is your father's family's old house. You'll be safe here."

Liliya looked at the house with a blank stare. She knew that her life would never be the same again, and from this moment on, she had to accept the reality that everything she loved was gone. With heavy steps, the beautiful girl opened the car door and got out, still clutching the heart-shaped bracelet tightly in her hand.