Hello there :-)

This is the seventh chapter of this story.

Enjoy!


Andy lifted her fingers to rub her neck for the millionth time since she had put that heavy camera around her neck. In the other hand she was carrying a small notebook and a pen. Everything about her appearance indicated that she was a repoter. Yeah right, a "reporter", Andy thought to herself.

About an hour ago the reporter who offered her a job took her to the office and gave her the main instructions for her work and a few tips on how to get something you want out of people. She introduced herself as Grace and now she and Andy were walking down the street to the town's square. Grace seemed like a lovely person, she was talkative and friendly and she genuinely seemed to be intrested in Andy's life. As they got to the town's square she pulled Andy towards the group of young people between 20 and 30 years old who were all laughing at a joke or something. Andy looked at them closely and then recognized Matthew - from the place where she was staying.

"Hello there", greeted them Grace while she was searching for something in her notebook. Andy had no idea what to do so she just did the same. Then Matthew came closer and hugged Grace looking at her with the most perfect puppy eyes Andy had ever seen.

"Oh, hi Andy", he said when he spotted a figure standing unsurely behind Grace.

"Hi", Andy replied, "I didn't know you two were a couple". It was a rather stupid thing to say knowing that she had known Grace only for about two hours. Matthew just laughed at that and Andy blushed in embarrasment.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Grace snapped at Matthew and he waved her off with his hand,"We met this morning. Andy's staying at the Moonlight. So I suppose you've finally got a job Andy, looking all reporter-ish and that. I still owe you that tour of the town but I guess now that you work with Grace you don't need it."

"Yes, you're right but thank you for the offer anyway", Andy said looking uncomfortably at the group of people, all eager to spread rumors. "Well, why don't we get back to work Grace. You were telling me about the Hawkings family?"

"Oh yes, that's right. It's the most important family in the town. They own that big techno company and they're really important locally and internationally. They're also one of the oldest families here. They live in this town for centuries. Some people even call them vampires, because they were a bit strange when they first appeared in this town. You know they orginate from a region called Bukovina. I think it's in Ukraine or Romania. Anyways, it's been twenty years since...well, I'll explain it to you later. So, we're doing a story about them as a family. Maybe we can include some info about...well, never mind." Grace finished with an awakard smile and uncomfortable silence fell over the crowd.

What could possibly be that, what no one wants to mention out loud? Andy wondered in her head. Could it be connected to that weird scene at the playground? She knew it wasn't the place nor the time to ask that.

"What do you want to know, Grace?" suddenly asked a young man at the side of the group. He moved closer to Andy and he was watching her with a rather strange expression but Andy couldn't really point out why it was strange. The man was young, probably less than thirty but over twenty - five years old. His style was modest but elegant so it was obvious he was coming from a rich family.

"Well Malcolm, if you don't mind I'd like to do a quick interview with you", said Grace looking at that man whose name apeared to be Malcolm. Andy realized he was probably a son of the Hawkings family.

When he agreed to the interview he suggested it would be better if they had a talk in their house. So he led them there and when Andy spotted that house she went speechless. She has never seen a building as big and beautiful as that house. It was a bit distanced from other houses and it was really like a mansion. When Andy entered the house she felt so small in that beautiful elegantly decorated room. They sat down in a big reception room and Grace began her interview. First few questions were about the company development and family traditions. As Malcolm was answering of her questions an older man walked into the room.

"Hello father", said Malcolm. "I'm doing an interview about our family for the local paper. This is Grace and this is Andy."

"Nice to meet you sir", Andy and Grace responded in sync and offered their hands to shake his hand.

Malcolm's father looked at them for a while but then he smiled and shook their hands: "It's nice to meet you. I'm Martin Blake. Malcolm, when you finish the interview please come to the company because uncle James needs to talk to you."

Malcolm nodded. Andy was wondering why Malcolm and his dad's surname isn't Hawkings - Volkov but Blake. Before she could realize she had said it out loud Martin already answered. He told her that his brother was married to the hier of the Hawkings - Volkov family and that James had because of that changed his surname but he - Martin, was never really a part of this family on paper. He greeted them all and walked away.


Sullivan was at home and was checking Gealach on the internet. There wasn't anything concerning about it but he could swear he had already heard of this village before but he couldn't remember where. He only remembered it was related with some incident. He decided that he was going to call his friend from his days as a marine and ask him about Gealach.

It took some time for his friend, Craig, to pick up and when he did, both guys immediately started talking. They hadn't spoken for a while and after a friendly chat Sullivan switched to the matter. He explained a few things to Craig first, he told him why Andy had moved to Gealach and that he is concerned about her. Craig chuckled:

"You must really like this girl, don't you? I mean we haven't spoken for years and now that you've finally called me, it's about her, ha?"

Sullivan didn't really know what to say, so he just nodded knowing that the person on the other side of the line couldn't hear him. He kindly asked Craig if he remembered what was that incident about.

Craig cleared his throat and slowly started narrating.

"There is a very important family in that village, Hawkings - Volkov. They originate from Bukovina but they have been living in Gealach for centuries. Ever since they and a few other families moved to Scotland they became an important part of the community. A few generations back, they created a company where they develope technological stuff, like computer chips, PCs, cables and other things like that. They've become really successful and got known internationally. Well, it will soon be twenty years of the incident. I'll tell you. The hier of the family - Ivanna has married a man named James. He actually brought a lot new metods and the company became even more successful. After a few years of marriage, Ivanna gave birth to their only child - I can't remember her name at the moment, sorry. However, the child often played with the kids of other families, such as Clyde, Makarov, Moore, Zakharov and Kalchik. They are all important families that work in the company along side Hawkings - Volkov family and they're all ancient and they originate from Bukovina too, at least I think so. It was a long time ago but it still shocks the people of Scotland very much to this day. One evening when the kids were playing in the big old shed, someone set it one fire. The kids were trapped inside but then someone rescued them. But the rescue didn't last long. That person took the kids with them before the parents could reach them. They tried to escape but some of them drowned in the lake nearby while trying to do so. The rest of the kids were kidnaped successfuly and no one ever heard or saw them again. It was almost as they've disapeared in the thin air. The families, among which was also Hawkings - Volkov family never proclaimed them dead. They still have hope that their children will eventually return. But it's been twenty years and I believe only a miracle could bring them back. It was very hard for family Hawkings - Volkov, Ivanna and James who lost their daugther. That means that after Ivanna's death for the first time the company will be taken over by someone who's not blood related to Hawkings - Volkov family. It took four years for company to return to its best after the incident happened. But Ivanna and James never really recovered from their lost. Well that's pretty much everything I can tell you about the incident."


Andy kept thinking about what Grace had told her when they returned to the office. The tragedy of the Hawkings - Volkov family. It was a lot, too much for her. Grace saw it and said that they should call it a day. Now Andy was walking around the fields of Gealach. It was so calm so peaceful and she couldn't believe that here could've happened something like this. She came to the forest and because it was getting late she didn't walk deep in the forest. When she thought that it was better to turn around and leave something cought her eye. It was a symbol carved in the tree. There was a picture of a wolf howling to the moon and there were sparkles of some kind around the moon. Beneath the picture a note was carved. ~ Голодний вовк сильніший за ситу собаку ~A hungry wolf is better than a satisfied dog. Andy automatically translated the note. It freaked her out that she understood what it said. Even more, she knew it was a proverb and she knew approximately what it ment. It ment that making mistakes and failing it should not stop you from the passion for becoming better at what you do. Andy took a photo of the symbol. She couldn't exactly tell how she felt. It seemed like she was in a haze and then something cought her attention again. She looked around but she didn't see anything. But she could swear she saw a person. Suddenly she realized how late it was getting and she quickly walked away and passed the fields back to the place where she was staying. She got to her room and suddenly a wave of nostalgia and saddness went through her. She broke down crying. She understood how James and Ivanna must have felt when the company was failing. Like they tried everything but they couldn't keep it from falling apart. She knew that feeling very well. She was feeling the same for a while now. Like every single thing to come has turned into ashes. But underneath all that saddness, she felt something else too. For the first time in the entire year she felt hope.