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The Venusian wind had blown again in this backward village of Transylvania.

A forgotten place, full of myths and legends. Yet some people still lived there, they had gone nowhere else to go, for they knew nothing but the land.

The venusian wind blew icy and Anataalie put her fingers in her mouth to warm them, they were hurting, She was no weakling, she had to come to the forest to cut some woods, and hunt a hare or two to bring to the old house where she lived alone with her grandfather.

Her grandfather had broken his hips and was no longer able to provide for her .She was as strong as beautiful, and she was well known in the village

Anataalie had taken over the household chores without a word of complaint; she respected her grandfather too much for that. He was a proud man, he spoke little, but she knew he loved her dearly as he had loved her mother who died of pneumonia some 10 years ago. She had ruined her health working in the big city in a factory. He never forgave himself for having let his only daughter go and work in the city like a slave, a commoner for some coins.

Anataalie, he would never let go he was resisting death to watch over her for as long as he could

Anataalie came back with the wood, and a rabbit. Her face was flushed whipped by the cold wind, but as she entered she laughed and went over to her grandfather and told him:
: See, grandpa, I will surely win over you, I can cut wood faster than you ever did…

Grandpa smiled.

Anataalie quickly removed her cape and boots and went to feed the fireplace, she added some salt to the stew that had been cooking in large copper pot over the flames, and she stirred it with a large spoon.

As she watched the flames dance, her heart started to ache. She thought of him, her only love. They met in the village, he had been sent by his company in the big city to map the village. He was an engineer, and he feel deeply in love with Anataalie.

Anataalie felt a new feeling in her heart that she had never experienced, but she said nothing. He told her over and over that he would wait for her, that he would become the Venusian Wind for her.

She felt the longing, and became weak and unsettled. Her heart was whispering to her: run, run to him, run run run to him…. It was a maddening song… She left the fireplace for a while took the rabbit and skinned it, draining the blood carefully. That will be their meal of tomorrow.

She looked at her grandfather and she knew that she would never leave this place as long as her grandpa was alive and she never wanted him to die, ever. She would take care of him now as she took care of her when she was an orphan

And so, she went back to the fire place, she took her bluish hand and put it over the flame, making herself to feel the pain of the flame bite to vanquish the pain of the venusian wind, and she knew she won for this time, the pain had tamed the longing.

She took the stew from the fire place, turned and smiled to her grandpa and said:
Grandpa, what do you say, the stew smells so good, you will eat well grandpa, let us eat together.

The venusian wind had gone away for this time. She was strong.

 

Excerpts from VENUSIAN WINDS

By Rahman,brigitte arlette- all rights reserved.