Spre sear\u0103, Ioana a luat o p\u0103tur\u0103 veche \u0219i l-a acoperit pe Andrei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Apoi s-a dus \u00een \u0219ur\u0103 \u0219i a \u00eenceput s\u0103 caute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Nu bani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Nu haine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Ci pu\u0219ca lui.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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M\u00e2inile \u00eei tremurau c\u00e2nd a g\u0103sit-o ascuns\u0103 sub ni\u0219te saci de porumb. L\u00e2ng\u0103 ea erau c\u00e2teva cartu\u0219e \u0219i un cu\u021bit ruginit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u00cen alt\u0103 vreme ar fi fugit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Ar fi c\u0103utat ajutor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar \u00een satul acela oamenii tr\u0103iau cu frica \u00een s\u00e2n. Nimeni nu vorbea \u00eempotriva lui Nicu \u201eChioru\u201d \u0219i a oamenilor lui. Poli\u021bia \u00eenchidea ochii, iar cei care \u00eendr\u0103zneau s\u0103 spun\u0103 ceva disp\u0103reau f\u0103r\u0103 urm\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana a \u00een\u021beles atunci c\u0103 era singur\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0218i c\u0103 dac\u0103 voia s\u0103 o mai vad\u0103 vreodat\u0103 pe Maria, trebuia s\u0103 lupte.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A doua zi diminea\u021b\u0103 \u0219i-a \u00eengropat b\u0103rbatul \u00een spatele casei, l\u00e2ng\u0103 nucul b\u0103tr\u00e2n pe care \u00eel plantaser\u0103 \u00eempreun\u0103 c\u00e2nd se c\u0103s\u0103toriser\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
N-a chemat pe nimeni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doar ea, o lopat\u0103 \u0219i o durere care \u00eei sf\u00e2\u0219ia pieptul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cenainte s\u0103 plece, a pus m\u00e2na pe crucea improvizat\u0103 \u0219i a \u0219optit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 \u00ce\u021bi jur, Andrei\u2026 c\u0103 nu-i las nepedepsi\u021bi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apoi a pornit la drum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Timp de c\u00e2teva zile a mers prin sate, \u00eentreb\u00e2nd \u00een \u0219oapt\u0103 de Sandu \u0219i Nicu. Unii se f\u0103ceau c\u0103 nu \u0219tiu nimic. Al\u021bii \u00eei \u00eenchideau u\u0219a \u00een nas de fric\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar \u00eentr-un t\u00e2rziu, un b\u0103tr\u00e2n cioban a oprit-o la marginea unui drum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Dac\u0103 \u021bii la via\u021ba ta, las\u0103-i \u00een pace, femeie, i-a spus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Mi-au luat familia, a r\u0103spuns ea. Ce via\u021b\u0103 s\u0103 mai ap\u0103r?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B\u0103tr\u00e2nul a t\u0103cut c\u00e2teva clipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apoi i-a spus unde \u00ee\u0219i ascundeau oamenii lui Nicu marfa furat\u0103 \u0219i unde beau nop\u021bile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen noaptea aceea, Ioana a stat ascuns\u0103 l\u00e2ng\u0103 un han p\u0103r\u0103sit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I-a v\u0103zut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandu r\u00e2dea la mas\u0103, cu sticla \u00een m\u00e2n\u0103, de parc\u0103 nimic nu s-ar fi \u00eent\u00e2mplat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana a sim\u021bit cum \u00eei fierbe s\u00e2ngele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar nu s-a gr\u0103bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A a\u0219teptat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
C\u00e2nd b\u0103rbatul a ie\u0219it singur \u00een spatele cl\u0103dirii, ea l-a urm\u0103rit f\u0103r\u0103 zgomot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandu s-a \u00eentors prea t\u00e2rziu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A apucat doar s\u0103 vad\u0103 \u021beava pu\u0219tii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Tu?! a b\u00e2iguit speriat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Unde e Maria? a \u00eentrebat Ioana cu voce rece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B\u0103rbatul a \u00eencercat s\u0103 mint\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar c\u00e2nd a v\u0103zut privirea femeii, s-a rupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I-a spus tot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria era \u021binut\u0103 \u00eentr-o caban\u0103 izolat\u0103, p\u0103zit\u0103 de oamenii lui Nicu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana l-a l\u0103sat legat de un copac \u0219i a plecat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu l-a ucis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nu \u00eenc\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dou\u0103 zile mai t\u00e2rziu a ajuns la caban\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Era noapte \u0219i ploua moc\u0103ne\u0219te.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A auzit vocea Mariei din\u0103untru \u0219i inima i s-a str\u00e2ns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fata pl\u00e2ngea \u00eencet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana a intrat pe furi\u0219 prin spate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unul dintre paznici dormea beat. Altul nici n-a avut timp s\u0103 \u00een\u021beleag\u0103 ce se \u00eent\u00e2mpl\u0103 \u00eenainte s\u0103 fie lovit cu patul pu\u0219tii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
C\u00e2nd Maria \u0219i-a v\u0103zut sora, a izbucnit \u00een pl\u00e2ns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Credeam c\u0103 ai murit\u2026 a \u0219optit fata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana a str\u00e2ns-o tare \u00een bra\u021be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Nu mai las pe nimeni s\u0103-\u021bi fac\u0103 r\u0103u.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar chiar atunci s-a auzit glasul lui Nicu \u201eChioru\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 \u0218tiam c\u0103 o s\u0103 vii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ie\u0219ise \u00een prag cu pistolul \u00een m\u00e2n\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ioana s-a ridicat \u00eencet \u0219i s-a pus \u00een fa\u021ba Mariei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 S-a terminat, Nicule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B\u0103rbatul a r\u00e2s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Tu? Singur\u0103?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dar n-a mai apucat s\u0103 spun\u0103 altceva.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pentru c\u0103 \u00een spatele lui a ap\u0103rut Sandu, \u00eenc\u0103 legat la m\u00e2ini, adus de oamenii satului.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B\u0103tr\u00e2nul cioban r\u0103sp\u00e2ndise vestea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iar oamenii, s\u0103tui de fric\u0103 \u0219i teroare, veniser\u0103 \u00een sf\u00e2r\u0219it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nicu a \u00eencercat s\u0103 fug\u0103.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cens\u0103 n-a mai avut unde.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00cen noaptea aceea, pentru prima dat\u0103 dup\u0103 mul\u021bi ani, satul nu s-a mai temut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iar Ioana, cu sora ei \u00een bra\u021be \u0219i cu lacrimile curg\u00e2nd \u00een t\u0103cere, a \u00een\u021beles c\u0103 uneori oamenii pot pierde tot\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
dar tot g\u0103sesc puterea s\u0103 se ridice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n