With Faith

With Faith

June 14, 1998

“Ahhhh”

It was a Monday morning. Chilly as always, on my porch step, while drinking a cup of my favorite strawberry smoothie. Minutes before however, I was sleeping, with the same dream, that I had been having for the past few days: At school. Alone. While everything was on fire.  With nothing else than myself. Just me and faith. Which made sense, since my name, Vera Vlasova, means faith. Faith in myself. An odd dream some might say, but that dream was the only thing bringing me close to my family.

July 05, 1998

The same dream, for almost a month straight. I wanted the dream to go away, but I couldn’t let go of it that fast, I needed that dream. It was trying to tell me something. I had to investigate further. I had hoped I hadn’t remembered that moment, but I did, vividly. The name of the school was Vlasova Enrichment Academy. Obviously it was owned by my father, so I was entitled to go to the same school. That one school was the place where my whole life changed. 

July 12, 1998, 9:45 am

I had decided to go today, the same day 19 years ago, where my whole life fell apart. I got into my car, a blue Volkswagen, beat down. That was my dad’s old car, the one he would use to drop me off everyday at school. Vlasova Enrichment Academy was not that far away from my house, (and not that far away from the truth)  in the small town called Kargopol in Russia. As I approached the school, my heart dropped in sudden realization, I was going back. Back to my favorite place to go when I was 11. Where I would meet my parents every single day. I took a deep breath and started my way up the stairs, into the place that viciously devoured all of my family’s hopes, wishes, and dreams.

July 12, 1998, 10:15 am

I walked into the reception room, hoping, but at the same time not, that the photo of my father was still on the “Hall of Fame” wall at school. My breathing steadied when I realized it was. This was the same place where I watched all of my father’s prized possessions and all of his hard work burn to ashes, because of a gas leakage. I hadn’t realized that I had been standing in front of the receptionist table, mouth agape, until the receptionist said, “как я могу помочь вам” or, how can I help you in Russian. I said that I just wanted to take a stroll in the school, which was now not even close to what it had been a few years ago. 

July 12, 1998, 11:00 am

I had just finished walking through the 4th grade hall, when I saw something out of place. Something hidden in the crack of the corner hall turning to the 5th grade isle. It certainly did not match with the hideous wallpaper on the once beautiful blue stained wall. It looked like an envelope. I was curious because I knew that the maintenance part of the well-known academy was top notch. I figured that the envelope was placed after the daily clean-up which was around 10:00 am. I picked up the envelope, oblivious to the fact that it might change the way I’ve seen things for 19 years.

July 21, 1998, 4:00 am

For the past week, I couldn’t sleep thinking about what I had seen that day. The day where I put my bravery to the test and went to the school. The school. My hands were still trembling as I picked up the envelope that displayed a simple sentence: “Vyatskoye, General Metro Station. May 2 1998.” I didn’t know what to do, tell my parents, who were across the world, in America, or tell the new principal of the school. I knew something for sure. That this note was meant for me.

May 1, 1998, 6:00 am

I took a show of bravery, going to this unknown destination, from an unknown note. Since Vyatskoye was much farther than the Vlasova Enrichment Academy, I decided to leave much earlier. I set everything, packed a few clothes and I was off, creaking on the 21 year old Volkswagen. On the way there, I was not thinking about the note and what it meant, I was thinking about what it meant for my family and for my beloved school. 

May 1, 1998, 9:00 pm

I decided to sleep a bit earlier than usual, at my hotel room. I arrived at around noon, but I knew I needed a good rest if I wanted to wake up early tomorrow. When I go to the metro station. Where I find out the truth about what happened. I was getting tired after that long drive anyways, so I got my bed ready, and I laid down. Already,  I could tell that it would be hard to sleep today, the back of my mind had extremely stressful thoughts, and my lumpy bed didn’t help. I tried to recall everything that happened in that moment but it was too long ago. Maybe I could stay up for a little longe…

May 2, 1998, 6:53 am. 

I woke up with a start. I definitely didn’t have the same repetuos dream, but it was odd. I was at the General Metro Station, where the note said I should go, but I was alone. No one, no one at all. Nothing but the underground subway, and someone in it, familiar, but not identifiable. I was debating on whether to go or just ditch the whole plan and go back home to a cosy bed and warm milk. What if the note wasn’t even meant for me? Maybe it was for the teacher. I didn’t know, but I didn't want to ruin any chances I had of actually finding out the truth of the horrific incident. 

May 2, 1998, 2:00 pm

Cold. Dark. Wet. Alone. With faith. This was what I was feeling the whole time while I was walking to the General Metro Station. I was scared I was bringing myself into the unknown. As I approached the Station, my heart stopped. It was exactly the scene I saw in my mysterious dream! Everything was the same. No one was there. Not a single soul. Just me and the subway. That was what I thought however, until I saw the man. The same man in my dream. I was ready to run away. Run to my car. Run back home. Run to my family. I couldn’t though. My body wouldn’t move. It was like I was cemented in the ground. Although my body was still, I was still shivering in the cold and trembling at the sight of the man. To my dismay, the man walked towards me, his cold eyes staring into mine. “Come here, girl, come closer.” His words slurring together with a lisp. His voice was like dry and stale bread. His breath wasn’t any better. I thought he had stuffed his face with onions just to meet me here. He finally sighed and said, “I will explain, please forgive me.” My face suddenly lit up in surprise. I knew this man. This was the owner of our rival school!

May 2, 1998, 2:45 pm

“I was angry. Angry for a lot of things. Your father, your father’s school took over all of our business. Valsova Enrichment Academy was the school all of the parents wanted to put their children in. Not mine. I was broke. I still had to pay all of the bills for the school. But for what use. No one came. Soon I had no other choice. If my school wasn’t doing well I had to bring your father’s down. It wasn’t a gas leakage dear…  It was me.” I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even know what to think. I was empty minded. I was crying. Crying hard. “I am sorry my dear” Although I felt angry enough to break a thousand cars, I stayed calm. I couldn’t help but feel pity for the man. The man that lost everything. Took down our school. But lost everything regardless. Both of the schools lost something. Something valuable. 

December 25, 1998, 4:49 pm

I had finally felt useful the past month. I did something to benefit myself and my family. Although I hadn’t told my father about the incident yet, I had started a school with him. A better school. Soon, lots of people would come. The children would love it, and our family already did too. I was doing the final inspection for the release of the school, and I saw something at the back of my eye. I was curious because I knew that no one in our family had put it there. 

It was an envelope.