Marusya Kizhakina. the heroine of the Second World War

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(shaking her head vertically)

Yeah.

COMMISSIONER

You will be paid a bonus, and you can go home.

MARIA KIZHAKINA takes a cracker out of her pocket, bites into it with a crunch, and chews.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(chewing)

I don't want to go home. I can evacuate a couple more times.

DOCTOR

You have an appetite, which is a good sign, so you are recovering.

The train arrives at the station and stops on the platform. MARIA KIZHAKINA gets off the train, takes a deep breath, and looks around.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Well, I'm home.

TATYA (FATHER) MARIA KIZHAKINA (off-screen)

(Shouts)

Morusya!

MARIA KIZHAKINA turns around and sees her father on a horse-drawn cart, standing near the platform. MARIA KIZHAKINA quickly walks towards him. They embrace, and MARIA KIZHAKINA puts down her suitcase and grabs her father's shoulder. Her father helps her get on the cart.

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA(continuing)

It hurts, let me help you. How did you get here, my dear?

(to the horse) But, my dear, let's go.

The cart трогается с места.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(joyful)

With a breeze, Tatyenka. How did you know that I was traveling in this train?

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

So you sent a telegram. It's not hard to guess. I've been staying at my brother's house for two nights. They're in mourning. They received a death notice, and my aunt, Aunt Klava, was taken to the hospital yesterday in serious condition. The doctors say there's little chance of recovery. Pneumonia on both sides. We'll go get your cousins. They'll stay with us until my mother recovers. Oh, how sorry I am for Anuphria.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

And you and Mother taperech have twelve of us and six of them?! Wow, eighteen souls! Plus, you and your mother. Dad, how are your mother, brothers, and sisters?

FATHER (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

But how?! They are still alive, Yashka and Alyosha have been sent to the front. Andreika is on the way, you're waiting for a summons.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Dad, you shouldn't call taba. Are you the only breadwinner?!

FATHER (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Does the fool know them? Vona, doschka, the Fascist is coming soon, so they'll call you.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

MON tabé sing.

FATHER (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Don't talk nonsense, daughter, it's not a woman's business to fight.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

So who are you going to feed the crowd WHEN I take you away?

FATHER (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

We'll figure it out. But I forbid Taba to even think about it.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Well, Dad?!

FATHER (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(strictly)

So, Veruska, come on, hush, who's the goat?! Look at you, tyadian-alyan, the front is bumping. A babysitter is better for me. This is the Babysitter.

***

The facade of the yard and the hut of Marusya Kizhakina's parents. A cart with Marusya Kizhakina's father, Marusya Kizhakina, and six of her cousins, as well as their belongings, выезжает from the alley and approaches the gate. Kolka(16) and Seryozhka(15) open the gate from the inside of the yard, and they enter the yard.

KOLKA

(joyfully)

Daddy, Daddy and Nanny are coming!

SEREGI

(in a loud voice)

Nanny has arrived, Nanny!

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Have you missed the coins?

Ninka(14), Frosya(13), Nyurka(12), Grishka(10), Sashka(8), Valka(6), Alyonka(5), Volodka(3), and Andreyka(17) run out of the house. They all run towards Marusya Kizhakina. MARIA KIZHAKINA jumps off the cart, and everyone surrounds her. The cousins also get off the cart and greet the family. MARUSYA KIZHAKINA'S MOTHER comes out onto the porch with tears of joy in her eyes. MARIA KIZHAKINA walks towards her. She approaches and hugs her tightly.

MARIA KIZHAKINA (continuing)

(joyfully)

Hello, mother!

MATER MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(gently)

Hello, daughter, how was your trip?

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(joyfully)

It was fine. I missed you a lot.

MARIA KIZHAKINA moves her sore shoulder.

MATER MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(surprised)

What's wrong with your hand?

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

I worked it with a shovel while throwing coal.

ANDREIKA

Did you kill many Nazis?

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

What Nazis, you fool, I evacuated the children from Leningrad on a damned caterpillar.

ANDREIKA

Do they shoot at you?

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

That's a scary word.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA'S MOTHER

All right, enough of standing on the porch, come inside. And you, Andreyka, take Kolka and Serozhka and go to the barn to help, it's time, the cattle aren't fed, and clean the stables.

ANDREYKA

Yes, Mother. Kolka, Serozhka, did you hear what your mother said?

KOLKA

Yes.

THE EARRING

Let's go, Mother.

Everyone else enters the house in droves. The last one comes in is Marusya Kizhakina's father. Andreika, Kolka and Serezha get on the cart and drive towards the barn.

October 1941

MARIA KIZHAKINA enters the house, undresses and sits down at the table.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

All, all of them went to school. The whole class went. My classmate Natasha Stepanova became a teacher. She says that if it weren't for the Kyazhakinskaya gang, the school would have been closed and all the students would have been sent to a district boarding school.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA'S MOTHER

Have some breakfast, dear, you must be hungry!

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Yes, I am, but what about you?

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

And we've already had a bite to eat.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

No, that won't do. Sit down, too, because it's not customary for me to eat alone. You probably haven't had breakfast either. You're all saving money. Sit down and have some tea. I'll pour you some tea.

Aunt Maria Kizhakina and her mother sit down at the table. MARIA KIZHAKINA gets up from the table and takes care of her parents.

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Look, mother, what a caretaker you've become in your old age.

MOTHER MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

When I was young, we didn't have a school at all. I still can't read. And I can't write, either, I sign my name with a cross, just like your father.

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Don't lie, mother, I'm putting a circle and a dot in it.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Didn't there used to be rural schools under the tsar?

MOTHER MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Nope. Koki schools, everyone worked for the master day after day. And he said that some people were meant to study, and some were meant to work in the barn. That's what God had commanded. Ento, when the Kommunyaki came, they immediately put a school and a teacher from the district brought, they say, they say, literacy is all nuzhna and even in the sheds.

TYATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Oh, thank you, daughter, what will we do when you get married?

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

It's too early, let the war end. All the men of the road were taken to the front anyway. And disabled people like the lame Theophanes are no good to me. Tell me, how did you learn your knowledge?

TATYA (FATHER) MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

You're a piece of wood, let the war end.

The front door opens and the lame village headman Feofan enters.

MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

Speak of the devil and he appears. What do you want?

FEOFAN

(impertinently)

Hello everyone! Oh?! and Morusenka is here.

FATHER-IN-LAW MARUSYA KIZHAKINA

(strictly)

Does Taba need a faq again?