A moment later, Andrei rushed towards me at full speed.

- Kate! Kitten, say something! There was undisguised panic in his voice. - Katya, can you hear me?! - with these words, he was already firmly squeezing my childish shoulders in his large hands.

A small crowd immediately formed around. I heard shouts, someone sobbed. A frightened voice was heard nearby:

- It's not my fault. This crazy woman herself jumped out onto the road at a red light. I barely had time to slow down - apparently it was the driver of the car that hit me.

I was incredibly lucky that he still braked in time. I escaped with only bruises and scratches.

- Kitten, I'll call an ambulance now, you should be examined by a doctor! - worried brother.

- No, Andryusha, please don't! I screamed. Trying to get up, I grabbed his wrists, but he held me tightly, not letting me get up. I have always been terrified of doctors and cried at the mere sight of a white coat. - Everything is fine with me, honestly! It doesn't even hurt me. Please, let's just go home!

My brother looked at me uncertainly for some time, weighing all the pros and cons, then, taking pity, he answered:

- Okay! But you won't go on your own! - he carefully took me in his arms, and silently, leaving the frightened driver and other onlookers to stand on the road, carried me towards the house.

When my father opened the door, I immediately cringed at his fierce gaze.

What did you do to her, you bastard! yelled my father, seeing the abrasions and scratches on my body. His eyes turned red, and a vein in his neck bulged and throbbed.

Andrei carefully put me on the floor and lowered his head guiltily.

- Go to the room, Katya - he whispered barely audible.

- Daddy, don't! I cried. - It's my own fault. I was playing with a dog, she ran across the road, and I ran after her... I...

But I did not have time to finish when my father grabbed Andrei by the hair and threw him against the wall. Andrei fell, and dad rushed to him and punched him in the ribs.

Then everything was like a fog. Mom is screaming and crying. Her father pushes her away. He beat and beat Andrei, but he did not make a sound.

When the father was finally emaciated, it was impossible to look at the brother. His whole face was covered in bruises, his lips were broken, and there was a purple bruise under his eye. His clothes were torn in several places, and his ribs were bruised.

In hysterics, I rushed to Andrei, but he held out his hand in front of him, not allowing me to approach. A few minutes later, he rose from the floor, limped into his room, and locked the door. I immediately rushed after him, banging on the door with my fists and begging Andrei to let me in, but he did not open it.

Mom dragged the furious father into the bedroom, fearing that he would attack his brother again, and she ordered me to go to her room right away.

I cried into my pillow for several hours, and then, exhausted, fell asleep.

Kate

The next morning I was awakened by my mother's loud crying. I immediately jumped up and ran into the corridor, afraid that dad was beating Andrei again.

I found my parents in my brother's room. It was practically empty, as if no one had lived in it. All Andrei's belongings disappeared somewhere, and he himself was not there either. Mom sat on his bed in tears, and held a piece of paper in shaking hands. I pulled out the paper to read what was written on it. There were only four words: "I hate you all."

Andrew left. He dumped me. Despite the pleas of my mother, my father did not allow us to look for him, saying that he was already an adult and should be able to be responsible for his actions. Since then, I have never seen or heard from my brother again. My life ended the very day I read those ill-fated four words. I didn't eat anything and didn't talk to anyone.

I still could not understand how he could do this to me, how he could leave me. My brother hated me. He probably thought it was my fault that my father had beaten him like that. Now, having read his message, I knew it for sure. And in a way, he was actually right. It was I who didn't listen to him when he told me not to run, I chased that dog, I followed him across the road. It was all me...

***

Two years later, our parents passed away. They crashed in a car when they were driving away from guests. From conversations at their funeral, I realized that dad was drunk and lost control. Their car crashed into a pole. My father died on the spot, and my mother died on the way to the hospital without regaining consciousness.

I was sitting quietly in the corner of my room when I heard voices. It was our neighbor and close friend of my mother, Aunt Lida. She was talking to some woman from her mother's job.

- What will happen to Katya now? - the woman wailed - Does she have relatives who can pick her up?

"No," Aunt Lida replied dejectedly. - No relatives.

- They still seem to have had an older son? - Mom's colleague did not give up - As far as I remember, he is already an adult and could well have taken custody of his sister. Her voice turned into a whisper. - Still better than sending the poor girl to an orphanage.

I shuddered at those words. Until that moment, I did not even think about what fate awaits me now. No wonder, because I was only eight years old, and I did not understand all the problems that appear with the death of my parents. I felt only pain from the loss of the last native people left with me after the departure of the dearest person in my life - my brother.

Andrew left home two years ago. - Aunt Lida said doomedly. I don't even know what happened to him or where he is now. I would take the girl to me, but the mother herself is a single mother with two children, I can barely make ends meet, they won’t give her to me ... I tried to find her brother to ask to take care of Katyusha, but I couldn’t find out anything. He just disappeared...

After these words, I could no longer restrain myself. The lump that had been standing in my throat all this time fell with bitter tears on my hot cheeks. I sat on the floor and swayed like a pendulum, wrapping my arms around myself. Aunt Lida came running to my sobs. She calmed me, stroked my head, assuring me that everything would be fine, that everything would be fine. But I knew it was a lie...