Chapter 1 – Genesis 3:1-7
If it’s at all possible to drown while on dry land Iryna Solomiya certainly knows how. Not in water, no, but in sound. If there’s one thing this young girl can’t stand, it's loud noises, and right now loud noises are all that surround her as she lays painfully awake, clutching her blankets over her ears.
It’s another full-moon illuminated night in Irynas small rural farming village along the banks of the mighty Dnieper River. From outside blue beams of light shine and cast pools of nocturnal glow across the floor and walls, only interrupted by the odd cloud passing by. It would be, should be, so peaceful right now. Iryna should be in a deep sleep, snoring away alongside her four brothers and three sisters who also lay scattered around the cramped room. But once again sleep won’t come for her tonight.
From elsewhere in the old stone and timber family cottage the child’s parents rage against one another. She doesn’t understand the arguments, can hardly make out the words being thrown around like daggers. The building shakes as doors slam, chairs get knocked across rooms and feet stamp angrily as the ferocity rises to ear shattering levels.
Oh how she wishes her poor mother and father wouldn’t fight so. Iryna can’t help but wipe tears from her reddened eyes as she is forced to listen to this constant, terrible song. It’s been this way for several months now, almost every night when the husband and wife duo are home the street is awoken by thunderous bellowing. Even some of the neighbours have mentioned their annoyance, which has only added fuel to whatever stupid fire is consuming the family.
Eventually as the shouting subsides, Iryna huffs a deep breath of relief. It pains her greatly to hear her beloved parents fight in this way, and likewise her gaggle of siblings agree. In the rooms now still silence the only sound to be heard is that of sobbing and sniffling coming from one of her younger sisters; Nina, who lays face to the wall in miserable sorrow.
Irynas mind is thumping, her ears still ringing and she knows that sleep is unlikely to come for her, at least while she lays here that is. Slowly, carefully, she sits up, her bronzed hair reflecting the pale moonlight like a bright beacon. As she expected; no one else in the humid bedroom reacts to her movements, they’ve either managed to pass out or are too preoccupied with their own thoughts to care. In the far corner, hidden in dense shadow, Irynas grandmother sits snoring in a large padded seat. The old woman never has any trouble drifting off, and Iryna can’t help but be a little envious.
With a pained grunt the slender teen gets to her feet and tip-toes cautiously towards the wide open window, observant to not step on one of her brothers in the way. She is greeted by a great reward, a blast of pure fresh air as the wind rushes down the narrow street. From between two houses the sparkling waters of The Dnieper River shine with an intoxicating invitation, like a stream of white wine calling out to her. Iryna pulls her thin night dress tight, parts her hair from over her blue eyes and clambers slowly out of the creaking wooden opening.
The ground outside on the path to the river is cool and refreshing after lying in that stuffy bedroom for so long. Dirt and tufts of grass chill her bare feet as she strolls through the calm winter night air. She has somewhere in particular she is meandering towards, a place she ritualistically goes whenever she needs to escape the noises of this world. After a few minutes of hushed travel the lonely girl arrives at a spectacular scene.
Resting along the splashing banks of the river sit several gigantic stone blocks. They’re old, incredibly old, a part of some long forgotten ancient fortress. Who knows who built it, maybe the Rus’ or maybe the Tatars? Whatever its original purpose once was it has long been lost to history. Some of the massive brickwork has slowly sunken into the rushing waters, sending out rhythmic, soothing splashes as the river cascades against them. Fireflies chirp and hiss and buzz about through the reeds and tall grass as the wind whistles between the colossal boulders. Yes it truly is a serene environment, one Iryna adores more than any other.
Steadily she places her feet on a cold ledge and dutifully scrambles up the side of one well-worn stone to find a smooth flat plateau at the top. She’s come here many times; this is her rock, her peaceful dreaming spot. Here, far away from the booming thunder of her home she can finally rest, bathed in the blue glow of the midnight-moon, unaware that as she slips into a blissful sleep she is being observed by forces unseen.
The following morning, hours after sunrise, Iryna lies still sleeping peacefully atop her tower. Suddenly however she stirs, flinching sharply, moaning in discomfort in the seconds before she awakes. Her eyes part, foggy and dry, unable to yet make out the presence she senses nearby. There’s a tickling sensation on her feet, something brushing against her soles playfully. As she tunes into the world around her she notices the grinning face of Angelina, one of her elder sisters peaking over the rim of the boulder, her face framed in her sheitel as she jokingly wiggles a furry reed between her sibling’s toes. Instantly the shock of this unexpected tickling causes Iryna to recoil in surprise, drawing a grand, hearty belly laugh from Angelina.
“Shabbat shalom sleepyhead.” Angelina giggles; a wide smile across her round face. Iryna, in little mood for jokes this early, simply pouts as she clears her eyes of leftover sleep and adjusts her sloppy night gown.
“Did you have to do that?” Iryna asks in a childlike huff.
“If you didn’t want me to wake you up then you shouldn’t have told me about your secret hiding spot. Anyway, if you don’t hurry back you’ll be late for Shabbat.” Angelina explains. Iryna sighs softly as she relaxes and sits back.
“I don’t want to go today.” She finally says after a moment of silence.
“Again? You can’t keep skipping it like this Iryna. It’ll become a serious problem, you know?”
Iryna says nothing to this, and simply waves her sister away as she draws in a wide, dismissive yawn. Without pursuing the issue any further Angelina leaves quietly, edging her way back down the rock face. The elder girl tosses a concerned glance back towards her lonely sister before she disappears into the dense tree line.
It’s not that Iryna is an irreligious girl; at least she doesn’t think so. She simply finds it difficult to concentrate at services. To her, the Rabbis words all blend together into a boring soup of information that she just can’t retain. Iryna likes to learn things for herself, and at her own pace. If she wants to know something she’ll read the Torah herself, when she feels like it that is.
There was a time when this bunking off would bring about a swift beating from her parents, however her rebellious actions have long passed the point of reform, and the adults in her life seem to have given up on changing her ways. Besides; Irynas family seems more focused on tearing itself apart at the moment rather than fixing their air-head of a daughter.
It’s no wonder then that retreating to this natural garden is Irynas only way of finding peace. She stretches; her back clicking loudly as it aches from lying on the hard stone for hours on end as she ponders the nature of her parent’s arguments. She’s certain her father might leave any day now, that her brothers, all four of them will go to join the military, or that her sisters might run away to the big city. The arguments were always pointless and inconsistent, argument for argument's sake her grandmother says. Still; it is a painful sight, and an even more painful cacophony to listen to.
From upstream a man slowly sails into view towards Irynas resting spot, fishing in the deep of the wide river. Getting to her feet she calls out, greeting the lone man with a joyous, happy good morning and a playful wave. The man smiles a toothless grin and waves back at the pretty youngling as he passes by. Iryna has always been told not to talk to strangers from outside her village; she’s been told saying the wrong things to the wrong people could be incredibly dangerous. She’s seen this danger in action before, officers showing up to her neighbour’s homes in the dead of night, strange disappearances, even one of the Rabbis vanished last year. Still; Iryna can’t bring herself to not greet a clearly friendly face.
Some days she’s imagined boarding one of those small fishing boats and sailing away from this tiny, boring village, away from her arguing parents and her monotonous life. She could never just abandon her family however; as much as their fighting upsets her, she still loves them all deeply. Her running away could push them all over the edge - and she can’t risk that.
As the boat vanishes, the scene is again returned to a still, calm landscape, with Iryna the only soul taking in the fantastic peace. She lies back down, hands behind her head for support as she gazes up at the vast blue sky. Closing her eyes she focuses on the nature surrounding her, the running water, the wind, and the diverse types of birdsong calling out. She wonders if her parents are already arguing this early in the morning. After all, it’s unusual for Angelina to leave for the village’s tiny synagogue so early; that is unless she wanted to get out of the house herself. There’s not much point in leaving this spot today, Iryna decides. When she gets hungry she’ll head back into town, but for now she’s content to day-dream and ignore her woes here in the soothing quiet.
Hours pass by, time flying unnoticed by a slothful, slovenly Iryna. Then, slowly, the girl begins to notice something unusual. For some reason she can’t help but suddenly feel as if she’s being watched. She listens intently, keeping her eyes closed and slowing her breathing to reduce her presence. She remains perfectly still, not out of fear but out of curiosity. Her mind races with possibilities. Is someone near? Can she hear footsteps? Perhaps another boat is passing by. While her eyes are closed it’s a mystery, and exciting, something new maybe.
After a few moments of silence Iryna can’t contain her curiosity any longer and she sits up quickly, darting her head around searching for whatever visitor is sparking her sharpened senses. There is no boat, no people, just nature, as it was. With a disappointed sigh the young girl shakes her head, clearing her mind of such fantasies as she decides it’s probably time to head home.
Despite being barefoot and dressed only in her night clothes; Iryna strolls without a care back into town, now bustling with late afternoon activity, groups of men clad all in black congregating around doorways and street corners. It’s only a small village, no more than a hundred people or so, made up of cobblestone cottages, thatch roofs and timber beams. It’s a strange dichotomy really, how old some parts of the town appear compared to others. The train station and police barracks are brand new while homes and shops almost look to be crumbling under their own weight. The most prominent feature for miles is surely the bulbous dome of the synagogue's tower.
Just inside an open barn along main street Iryna spots the tanner finishing up his day's work before afternoon mass. Every here and there chickens and geese roam in loud, honking flocks, scratching at the earthen ground and squeezing through loose fitting fences. From up the road a horse drawn cart captained by one of the local butchers trots along diligently, the laborious farm animal quite obviously growing too old for its purpose now. There’s a faint smell of wood-burning growing stronger every moment as the town lights up its fire-places and stoves for baking and warmth. It’s a wonderful smell Iryna thinks; she’s always liked that smoky aroma.
Almost everyone here is Jewish like Iryna and despite her ignorant, almost blasphemous nature; she does find some comforting sense of community being among her own people. There used to be many more living here in her childhood, but many of them either moved to the city or were taken by the famine which strangled this land several years ago. Iryna was only six back then but she still remembers the terrible hunger, and the incredible hardships her family had to endure. She tries to repress those memories now, it’s not worth remembering.
It’s a humble existence, surrounded by vast fields and pastures, far removed from the industrial might of the city only a half-hours train journey away. Everyone knows everyone here so it's no surprise that despite Irynas immodest appearance she only receives the odd glance and averted head-turn as she walks. The people here are used to her wandering around in such a slovenly, improper and un-lady-like way. Just like her friends and family it seems no one can convince the child to act the way they believe she should.
Before long, Iryna has made it back to her quaint little home. It looks so picturesque; a small cottage, bathed in the afternoon's subtle light with clothes hanging on the line outside blowing gently in the wind. Iryna can’t help but wonder why this world looks so very perfect as she moves towards the front door, already hearing the sound of arguments and shouting coming from beyond. Such a beautiful place shouldn’t be host to such anger and venom.
As soon as the squeaky door opens Iryna is hit by a shockwave of loud noises; the deep booming voice of her father, the high pitched shrieks of her mother and the quiet, raspy cry of her elderly grandmother all yelling from the kitchen at the rear of the home. It seems this argument is about her granny, something that’s been happening more and more recently. Irynas father used to love the old woman dearly and truly enjoy her wise company; however as his relationship with his wife has soured so to has his friendship with the small wobbly dame. Iryna can hardly be bothered to listen to the shouting now and she simply slinks into her shared bedroom to get changed and wash ready for dinner.
If Iryna was a rabbit she’s sure she’d love the clay bowl of oats and grains her mother throws haphazardly in front of her and her assembled family. It’s not really a meal, nothing prepared, with no care or love put into anything on the table. A sad looking loaf of hard kosher bread sits at the centre; looked over by everyone with quiet, wordless and tired eyes, shining with light from the lit Shabbat candles. Except for Grandmother that is, she waddled off to her chair in the children’s room to be alone.
After Iryna’s mother; a beautiful woman by the name of Diana takes her seat - as far away from her husband as she can get, she places her hands together ready to recite blessings over the family meal. Likewise every other member of the family, even her husband Yosyp does the same. If there is one thing that does bring the family together it’s their shared faith. Or at least mostly; Iryna hardly cares for such things.
“Baruch atah Adonai. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who creates varieties of nourishment. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, through Whose word everything comes into being.” Diana leads dutifully, a chorus of voices following along with the perfectly memorised words from all members of the gathered family.
All except Iryna, who didn’t recite her mother’s prayer. The young teen is probably the least religious in the whole family. She finds the constant prayers, rituals and customs of her people to be a dull bore. She’s happy her family has an identity and unity when engaging in their faith, however to her it feels so stale and old that she can’t find any enjoyment in it at all. She remembers the first time she disobeyed her Jewish traditions during Yom Kippur a few years ago. Her mother flew into a fit of rage so intense Iryna was sure she’d receive a brutal beating. Luckily Diana couldn’t bring herself to do it; she was so very weak back then. Iryna did enjoy lighting the family menorah for Hanukkah however, that was always fun; although for some reason they’ve had to hide it recently.
By now her mother didn’t care that Iryna ignored her prayers. It’s been so long, and caused so many arguments that she’s simply given up trying to bring her daughter back into the fold. With empty ringed eyes Diana glares at Iryna from across the wide table. The whole room sits in a painful silence for several agonising seconds before Yosyp begins shovelling the dry, flavourless oats into his mouth robotically. It’s obvious he wants to get this whole affair over with and get away from here before another argument sparks up. Likewise the rest of the family follows suit and before long the sound of rustling grains, chewing and clinking pottery is the only audible sound coming from the Solomiya household.
Night falls once again, and as per usual Irynas parents break out into their normal routine shortly after sunset, shouting, screaming, doors slamming loudly and the children sobbing quietly under their sheets. Again Iryna fears that she will get no sleep if she stays here tonight, so as she had done the night before, and the one before that she gets to her feet and clambers out the open window.
Before long the young girl is laying back atop her perch outside of town, the cool, cold stone feeling fantastic against her skin. Yet, despite the serenity, a tear rolls down her cheek like a silver crystal shining in the moonlight. Iryna can’t help but feel that the situation with her family is completely hopeless. It’s probably for the best that she just ignores it all. There is however something she can’t ignore; that mysterious feeling that she’s being watched has returned. Unlike before its now the middle of the night and anybody could be lurking in the dense woods around the river.
Iryna sits up slowly, peering into the darkness which surrounds her trying to make out anything in the trees or the grass. She’s certain she isn’t alone.
“Hello? Who's there?” she calls out cautiously, unsure if she wants an answer. What would she do if someone is indeed out here with her, and what if they are less than friendly? There are plenty of desperate people out there nowadays. Despite her call however she receives no response.
“Hmm. Strange…” Iryna says to herself quietly under her breath. As she turns to lie back down however, she suddenly notices something bizarre sitting where her head had been resting just seconds before. She jumps back in shocked surprise at seeing a small white cat perched before her. She hadn’t expected that. Where on earth did this animal appear from so suddenly?
Interestingly, despite Irynas frantic movements just now, the cat hadn’t run away. Instead it sits, waving its large tail behind it slowly. As Iryna observes the creature before her; several absurdities begin to catch her attention: the large, rabbit-like ears, flanked by bizarre golden rings, the markings, the piercing pink eyes. This isn’t any normal cat she concludes, she’s never seen such an animal before. No, what’s more likely is she’s fallen back asleep and simply not realised it yet. Before she can begin to wake herself however the strange arrival speaks up, its words piercing into Irynas very thoughts.
“Greetings Iryna Solomiya. I’ve been watching you.” It says in a high-pitched, distinctly human voice. Its mouth remains motionless even as it speaks, it’s pink eyes locked onto the teen intently. This certainly is a vivid dream.
“You’re not dreaming Iryna.” It says. Did it just read her mind? “I’ve been waiting for a good time to approach you and I think now you might be ready at last.” It continues, ignoring her obvious confusion.
“Ready? Ready for what? What do you want with me? What are you!?” Iryna asks, leaning in to get a better look at the creature before her.
“I’m Kyubey! And I think you're finally ready to become a Magical Girl!” the cat says in an excited sounding tone, blinking its round eyes several times. Iryna has no idea what that means. In absolute bewilderment she sits still for several moments, just staring at the being calmly. Neither one speaks another word as they watch one another in silence. Then, as the cat’s tail sways gently from side to side Iryna raises a pointed finger and lightly pokes the squishy, soft fur of the animal, confirming its physical existence as an excited smile beams across her young face.
Beneath the shadows of the towering boulders Iryna sits with her new strange animal friend on a lower level of a moss coated rock at the river’s edge, bathing her feet in the cooling waters below.
“I’m still really confused. I’m sorry.” Iryna sighs softly.
“I know it must be a lot to take in all of a sudden. Normally I’d ask another Magical Girl to explain the details to you, however right now there aren’t many available.” The cat explains.
“You’re saying you can grant wishes, that you can cast magic?” Iryna asks with trepidation. This concept is wondrous and frightening for Iryna. She wonders what kind of magic exactly this being is offering her. The Talmud decries the magic of the Amorites for example, and despite her lack of overall religious faith and conviction this incredible situation is making her reconsider. Perhaps this cat is a vessel of God, an Angel come to restore her belief in the Almighty. She considers that Moses was able to perform magic that even the Egyptians couldn’t match, so not all sorcery must be evil. There must be some magic even Jews are allowed to practise, she tells herself.
“I can see you’re struggling to understand this concept. I’ll explain it in a more simple fashion. Any wish you have, no matter how big or small, I can grant it.” Kyubey says bluntly.
For a moment Iryna begins to worry. What if this creature is not an Angel but a serpent; come to tempt her as Eve had been tempted with the allure of power and knowledge. If this is some kind of test she definitely doesn’t want to fail. Yet something deep within her is still immensely curious and she can’t help but find this offer alluring, exciting, a break in her daily boredom. This being has confirmed to the young girl that the world has far more to experience and learn about than she ever thought possible.
“I could ask you for anything, anything at all?” Iryna asks, seeking confirmation, prompting a friendly nod from the mystical feline.
“In return; that wish will form a contract between us. I will form you a soul gem and you will become a Magical Girl!”
“But why me?” Iryna asks quietly. “Surely there are others out there who deserve their wishes granted more than I do.” She continues, looking away to feign modesty.
“While true the situation at the moment is quite irregular. There have been a lot more Witches appearing recently and consequently a lot more Magical Girls are needed to fight them.” How strange Iryna thinks, yet another question arises.
“What do you mean Witches?” she asks cautiously.
“Witches are beings of incredible evil. They spread misery and despair wherever they go. As a Magical Girl; Witches are your sworn enemy and it will be up to you to hunt them down.”
“I’d be fighting against evil? So this magic you speak of is good and holy yes? But wait… so I’d have to fight?” Iryna asks with concern. She’s never so much as thrown a punch before.
“Don’t worry! If you make a contract with me you’ll become stronger, faster and far more agile than any normal person. Depending on your wish you’ll also gain powerful magic yourself. I can already sense that you would make a wonderful Magical Girl. That’s why I chose you, Iryna Solomiya!”
Iryna has to think about all of this for a moment. She’s still not completely sure she isn’t dreaming; that she isn’t still asleep on her stone tower. This appears far too real to be a dream; she could never imagine such a crazy concept as this on her own. But if it is real, if she entertains the idea for a moment, just for fun, what’s the harm. She ponders, and purses her lips as she thinks. Kyubey meanwhile simply stares at her, emotionless, unmoving and silent.
What would Iryna wish for if given the chance? As her mind races she doesn’t seem to even acknowledge the part about fighting Witches, or potentially breaking her Jewish traditions and laws against the use of magic, only what she could attain. She’s never been drawn to power, never craved fame or riches.
Of course she’s been reading the news and listening to the radio like everyone else. The world is in a terrible state. Every day she hears murmurs and whispers of tragedy and war. She could wish it all away, wish to end the suffering all the adults seem obsessed with. After several silent minutes of quiet contemplation she dismisses even this idea. The war is far away from her peaceful little village and surely it will sort itself out soon enough. No, there’s only one thing Iryna truly wants above all others; that her family stop its incessant arguing. Making her mind up, Iryna finally breaks the silence.
“Let’s say I believe you Kyubey, and that I’m not going completely insane. Could you maybe… stop my family from fighting?” The creature perks up as if in excitement but without showing any signs of real emotion.
“Of course! Is that the wish that will form your soul gem?” Kyubey asks almost impatiently. Iryna takes a deep breath, readying herself for disappointment, expecting to wake up any moment now. Straightening her back she turns to face Kyubey and places out an extended palm to accept his offer.
“Very well Kyubey. I want you to stop my family from fighting!”