The Well by Clare Harris Исполнитель

It is summer. The air is hot. It is hot inside Lia’s house.

Lia lives with her mother, her father and her brother, Jay. Her grandmother lives with them too.

Lia’s grandmother is old and sick. She lies in her bed all day. The old woman is sad. Her husband is dead. She often talks to his photograph.

Yes, husband? Oh, it’s in the well. It’s in a bucket of water. Thank you.

Lia and her mother are in Grandmother’s room. Lia’s mother brings some food and water.

‘Please, go to the well,’ says Grandmother. ‘Bring me some water in the bucket.’

‘There is no well here, Ma,’ says Lia’s mother. ‘You live in the town now. We have good water.

It comes from the tap.’

Lia’s mother speaks quietly to her daughter. ‘Grandmother is sick,’ she says. ‘She is not thinking clearly.’

Lia’s mother gives the old woman some water.

‘No, no,’ says Grandmother. ‘Go to the farm’s well.’

‘We must not visit the old farm now, Ma,’ Lia’s mother says. ‘The farm is near the volcano. The volcano is dangerous. There is fire and smoke.

Soldiers are guarding the roads.

Grandmother doesn’t hear her. ‘Go to the well,’ Grandmother says again. ‘Bring me the bucket of water. Please hurry.’ ‘I’ll go,’ says Lia. ‘I’ll walk to the farm. I know the way.’

Lia tells her father and brother about the well.

Lia, you mustn’t visit the farm. The volcano is near the farm. The volcano is dangerous.

I’ll go with Lia. We’ll get the water for Grandmother.

The next morning, Lia and Jay get up early. Lia puts some bread and a sausage in her bag. She puts a bottle of water in the bag too.