6. Starting a New Life in Kuskovo

After Dinner.

After dinner, Liliya followed Aunt Belka's steps, who was leading her down a long, deserted hallway. The walls of the house felt cold, as if absorbing all the warmth that had ever been there. Liliya walked slowly, feeling the heavy burden not only on her shoulders but also in her heart.

The shadow of her parents' death, still a mystery to her, lingered. Sadness still permeated her soul and heart, but in order to survive, Liliya had to go through it all with sincerity and an open mind.

The girl's reverie was suddenly broken when she heard Aunt Belka speak.

"Liliya, from tonight, this room is your home," Aunt Belka said softly, stopping their steps in front of a large wooden door.

Aunt Belka then pushed the door open slowly, revealing a neat room with warm lighting. There was a large bed in the middle, with clean white sheets folded perfectly. In the corner of the room, a large wardrobe stood upright. However, Liliya's attention was immediately drawn to something that shook her emotions.

On one of the walls of the room, a photo of her parents hung.

Liliya's eyes immediately welled up, and her tears began to flow uncontrollably. She couldn't hold back her sobs. The girl then approached the photo with faltering steps. Her heart felt as if it were breaking, seeing the smiles of her parents that she missed so much.

Those faces, which seemed to be looking at her with affection, were now just memories.

"Auntie ..." Liliya began to cry, her voice breaking amidst her sobs.

"Why did all this happen? Who was the person who was so cruel to Papa and Mama?" she sobbed uncontrollably.

Aunt Belka, who had suspected this moment would come, immediately hugged Liliya tightly. The hug was full of warmth, but still unable to dispel the pain that was now lurking in Liliya's heart.

"Liliya Dear, Auntie knows this is hard for you." Aunt Belka whispered, her voice calm but sounding trembling as if she also felt the sadness in the young girl's heart.

"Auntie knows how much you miss them. But life must go on. You must be strong, Liliya. You must be able to continue living, even without your parents," she said, gently stroking the girl's hair.

Liliya could only cry harder in Aunt Belka's arms. The two of them stood in the middle of the room, only enveloped by silence and the sound of sobs that were occasionally heard.

"Be patient and steadfast, Liliya. Auntie is sure that what is happening to you at this time over the death of your parents. Will definitely bring goodness for you in the future," Aunt Belka exclaimed while advising the girl.

After a while, when Liliya's tears began to subside, Aunt Belka released her hug and looked at the girl with love.

"Liliya, from now on you will not be alone. Auntie and Igor will always be here for you. You must be enthusiastic and focus on avenging everything!" she said again.

Liliya finally nodded weakly, even though her heart still felt empty. She had to be strong from this moment on.

"Now, try to rest. You must be very tired after everything that has happened," Aunt Belka said with a faint smile.

"Tomorrow is a new day for you. Sleep first tonight."

After saying that, Aunt Belka then walked towards the door, then turned again before leaving.

"Liliya, if you need anything. Don't hesitate to call Auntie, okay?"

Liliya only answered with a small nod. After Aunt Belka closed the door, the girl looked back at the photo of her parents. Her heart felt sore again, but now only soft sobs remained.

"Mama, Papa. I miss you so much. Why did all this have to happen? What should I do now?" she said in her heart.

Liliya wiped her tears with the back of her hand and decided to look around the room. She wanted to distract her mind from the sadness that continued to gnaw at her. Her eyes swept the room, trying to recognize the place that would become her new home, even though it felt foreign and cold.

The girl then approached the large wardrobe in the corner of the room. With curiosity, Liliya opened the door of the wardrobe. Inside, various clothes had been neatly arranged, all of them looking new. Liliya frowned when she saw the clothes. Strangely, the sizes seemed to fit her body perfectly.

"How can these clothes fit my body size?" Liliya murmured softly, and felt increasingly confused.

Liliya then reached for one of the dresses from the hanger and examined it more closely. The material of the dress felt soft on her fingers, and the cut looked very suitable for her body. Curiosity grew in her mind. Liliya finally decided to try one of the clothes.

After changing clothes, Liliya stood in front of the large mirror in the room. She was silent, looking at her own reflection. The clothes did fit, as if they were made specifically for her. However, this only made her more suspicious.

"How could they know my body size?" Liliya whispered to herself.

"What is this really? Why does everything seem like it was planned beforehand?" Liliya became increasingly suspicious of the situation that was happening to her at the moment.

A strange feeling began to creep into Liliya's mind.

"Is all this a coincidence, or is there something bigger behind all this?" She didn't know the answer, but one thing was certain. Liliya would ask about this tomorrow morning.

With a mind full of question marks, Liliya changed back into her pajamas. Fatigue began to attack her body, perhaps because of all the emotions she had released that day. Although her mind was still filled with sadness and questions, her body could no longer bear it. Liliya then walked slowly towards the bed, then lay down on the cold white sheets.

Her eyes stared at the ceiling of the room, while her mind drifted back to memories with her parents. A sweet memory appeared in her mind, when the three of them were sitting at the dining table, laughing together. The memory was so clear, she could almost hear the sound of her parents' laughter. However, all of that was now just a shadow.

"Papa, Mama ... Why did you have to leave so quickly?" Liliya whispered, her tears flowing again. But this time, she was too tired to cry any longer.

In the silence of the night, drowsiness finally overcame her sadness. Liliya's eyes slowly closed, and soon after, she fell asleep peacefully, even though her heart was still haunted by a deep sense of loss.

The room was now silent, only the soft sigh of Liliya's breath could be heard. Outside, the night wind blew softly, bringing a peace that Liliya didn't feel. That night, she fell asleep with a heavy feeling, trapped in a dream that was no longer cheerful, and leaving one big question in her heart, how Liliya would continue her life without her parents.