In one small, peculiar little town lived a family: mum, dad and their little daughter Arina. The town was peculiar because no one else lived there. There was no shop, no school, no nurseries. Arina studied at home with her mum: learning letters and numbers, dancing to songs on old records.
Mum took care of the house: cooking meals, creating a cosy home. Dad brought food into the house. Once a week he would leave the town and walk to the neighbouring village, where there was just one shop. That's how the family lived, without friends and without company.
One dark evening there was a knock at the door.
Who's there?
Mum asked in surprise.
Please open up! We're lost and can't find our way home!
A child's voice was heard.
Arina nearly fell off her chair with joy! She couldn't believe she would be able to chat with other children, learn something new and interesting, play an exciting game with them and share her dreams.
The door opened and on the other side stood two people — a little girl about six years old and a woman — her mum.
We're lost and can't find our way home. May we stay with you for the night? There's nothing but dense forest and wild animals around.
The guest asked.
Of course, of course, do stay! Come on, I'll show you my room, I did everything there and decorated it myself.
Arina said joyfully, addressing the girl.
The girls disappeared down the long corridor.
What's your name?
Arina asked the girl.
Mum calls me Annushka.
Ah, so Anna. May I call you Annushka too?
Of course.
And so the girls became friends.
The adults settled comfortably in the sitting room. The woman told them that in fact they had nowhere to go. Once they had lived in a big, beautiful city, the woman went to work, and her daughter — Annushka, went to school. But one terrible day a hurricane swept into the city and destroyed everything in its path. The houses were blown away by the terrible wind and now they had nowhere to live.
Arina's dad listened carefully to this dreadful story. He offered the woman and her daughter to stay the night, and in the morning announced that he wanted to help them. Opening his old shed, Dad began to take out tools: hammers, a saw, loads of nails and much more that was needed to build a new, beautiful house.
Several days passed, Annushka and her mum lived with Arina's family, whilst Dad gradually built new accommodation for the new residents of the tiny town.
A week passed and the new, beautiful house was ready. Annushka and her mum moved in and began living next door to Arisha. So the town grew bigger.
Cold autumn arrived. The new residents of the town often visited Arina and her family. The mums shared new recipes with each other, Dad told funny stories, and the girls shared dreams about how more children would come to the town, and they would all play and have fun together.
And suddenly, one fine sunny day there was a knock at the door.
Who's there?
Arina's father asked.
Please open up.
A frightened boy's voice was heard.
Dad hurried to open the door and saw before him a very small boy and a little girl.
Where are your parents?
We got lost. There was a terrible thunderstorm in our town, lightning struck our house and now we've nowhere to live. We ran away, and Mum and Dad were at work. We were so frightened that we ran headlong wherever our eyes led us and here we are — we've run to you.
Well then, come in, stay the night. And tomorrow I'll go and look for your mum and dad, they're probably worried and looking for you.
The next day they did just that. Dad set off to search for the unexpected guests' parents, whilst the children stayed behind to wait.
Arina's dad walked for a long time, left in the morning, and only reached the children's town by evening. There he quickly found the boy and girl's parents and brought them to his house.
Thank you so much! What would we have done without you? We'd already stopped believing we'd find our beloved children.
The children's mum cried out.
That evening everyone gathered round the table and had a real celebration. Both Annushka and her mum were grateful to Arina's family, and the mum and dad of the little children who had been frightened by the lightning and run away from the town.
And suddenly there was a terrible roar. Everything around became pitch black, and the frightening sound approached at the speed of light.
Everyone hide in the cellar! Open the hatch and get down quickly!
Arina's dad shouted.
Finding themselves all in the dark, cold earth cellar, everyone could hear the house collapsing, the house where just moments ago they had all been sitting drinking delicious tea with biscuits. Wardrobes were falling, chairs were flying about the rooms, crockery was falling to the floor and smashing.
Several hours passed, and the roar subsided. Arina's dad was the first to emerge from the cellar. Finding himself outside, he couldn't believe his eyes — their house was completely destroyed. Not a single wall remained intact. Such a terrible hurricane had swept through and destroyed everything around.
Where will we live now?
Arina's mum asked.
Don't you worry! You helped us when we had trouble, and we won't leave you without help in your situation.
Suddenly the father of the boy and girl who had got lost shouted out.
Annushka and her mum took up the idea too. And within a few days, through their own efforts and as a united team, a new, beautiful house was built for Arina, her mum and dad.
So the peculiar little town gradually transformed into a big, friendly settlement called Kind Light.
