The mystery of the dark forest. Cycle «The fog». The first book

Cover designer Anna Andreevna Volkova

Illustrator Roman Alexeevich Gorodnichev

Translator Polina Sergeevna Krasnova

© Roman Grudiev, 2026

© Anna Andreevna Volkova, cover design, 2026

© Roman Alexeevich Gorodnichev, illustrations, 2026

© Polina Sergeevna Krasnova, translation, 2026

ISBN 978-5-0069-5761-9 (т. 1)

ISBN 978-5-0069-5762-6

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Grudiev R.

PROLOGUE

It was deep night in the year two thousand eight — quiet, calm, unlike anything before. The end of August foretold the coming of autumn. Some people dislike this season because of the constant rain and the approaching school year; others, on the contrary, adore it — for its vivid colors, cool air, and special mood. Everyone perceives it differently, with their own pros and cons.

For me, autumn is that very time when the warmth and carefree ease of summer give way to the harsh, cold, gray winter.

Everyone has their own associations. And, of course, no one should judge others for their opinions or try to convince them otherwise.

In a God-forgotten mountain town in Canada, a special atmosphere reigned — like a world unto itself. Winters here are always brutally cold, and neither autumn nor spring offers any real warmth. The cold begins as early as August, and truly warm spring weather arrives only in May. Mountain weather is changeable: rain can start suddenly, and ten minutes later the sun may come out again.

The town was called Mitalura. Population — about fifty thousand people. This was where our characters had moved to live.

Alex lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts. It felt as though the entire world had collapsed on him, even though, in theory, he should have been happy about moving into a new house.

What worried him most was his younger sister, Jessica. In their old city, she had many friends. It was probably especially hard for her: it’s not easy to part forever with those who have become part of your soul, a piece of who you are. And now — a foreign city, not a single familiar face, no friends, no support.

Alex loved his sister very much. She was closer to him than anyone else in the world. Yes, Jessie could be spoiled at times, overly open, talkative — but she was real. And that was exactly why he loved her.

To calm himself a little, Alex often sat by the window and watched the city. He liked observing how this world changed, how other people lived, how time passed unnoticed. For example, that man with a briefcase — where was he rushing so late at night? Maybe he had stolen some important documents and was now trying to escape? Or perhaps he had simply stayed late at work and was hurrying home to his family? Or what if… he just urgently needed to use the bathroom, but hadn’t had the right moment before?

And what about that poor soul lying on the street? A homeless man? Or…

Suddenly, sirens from an ambulance wailed from the left. The vehicle stopped right beside the body. A few minutes later, the man was placed into a black bag.

He was dead. Right there on the street. Alone. Unwanted by anyone.

Thoughts tore at Alex’s mind: maybe he had health problems? Or was it that very man with the briefcase who had done something?.. Alex wasn’t a detective — but he liked building theories like that.

Now he was sitting on the windowsill of his new room. All around — deathly silence. Nothing like the capital. Here, in the mountains, the starry sky was especially clear. Every star seemed unique, shining in its own way. Above it all, the Milky Way stretched out majestically. Looking at it, Alex felt just how insignificant he was — nothing more than a speck of dust. Or even less.

The mountains surrounding the town were extraordinarily beautiful. Their outlines were sharp, like blades. It was as if the city lay in the jaws of a sleeping stone dragon.

Pulling his gaze away from the stars, Alex looked at his sister. She was asleep — peacefully, deeply, with a faint smile. She looked like an angel. He gently ran his palm along her cheek, and it felt as though a mountain had fallen from his shoulders. The most important thing was that she was nearby.

Alex and Jessica were mixed-race. Their mother was Chinese, their father a pure-blooded Canadian. They had lived their entire lives in Ottawa. That was where their parents had met. Having gone through many trials, they still managed to build a family — until one moment.

Why do men, after many years of marriage, suddenly start cheating? I can imagine several reasons: they get tired of one person, the feeling of love fades, there isn’t enough intimacy, or they’re simply womanizers.

Or maybe their father was a different type — the kind who seeks comfort from hopelessness. Who wants to be “supported”… though what kind of support that is, only God knows.

The arguments began. Big, painful ones. And all of it happened in front of the children. Alex and Jessie more than once saw their father raise his hand against their mother. Sometimes — against Alex himself, when he tried to defend her.

But every time, she forgave him. She didn’t want the children to grow up without a father. After all, she herself knew what it was like to be alone.

Of course, it was a mistake. Better to grow up without a father than with one like that. But at that moment, they had no other choice. Without him — no money, no roof over their heads. Maybe they really would have ended up on the street. On cold asphalt, huddled together, dying of hunger. And then they, too, would have been taken away in black bags.

That was how their mother thought.

Alex had always been his sister’s shield. When Jessie had hysterical breakdowns, he held her hand, distracted her, calmed her down — even when he himself was on the edge. He felt the world cracking at the seams, but he held on — for her sake.

He always knew when to change the subject, to divert her attention, to come up with something — anything — so she wouldn’t remember. So those scenes wouldn’t resurface.

Alex wanted to forget too. Forever.

Over time, their father lost both his family and his job. They had no choice — they had to sell the house and buy something modest, but at least decent.

That was how they ended up here. In Mitalura. A new home, a new city. And inside Alex, a small hope glimmered: maybe now everything would be different. Maybe his father would understand. Maybe he would become a good father…

Alex was often teased for being mixed-race. Despite all the talk about tolerance, there will always be those who despise you for how you look. Gradually, he began to hate his own appearance. Every time he looked in the mirror, he asked himself, Why do I have to endure this? Is it my fault I was born this way?

And what about those who are born with disabilities?.. It was frightening even to think about.

But looking at Jessica, he understood: he was not a freak. The freaks were the ones who mocked him. His sister was beautiful, bright, confident. She accepted herself. She loved herself — for who she was.

By two in the morning, Alex finally calmed down a little. Tomorrow was his first day at a new school. Deep down, he hoped that maybe here he would meet friends — people he could call his own.

He hadn’t called anyone a friend in a very long time.…⠀

CHAPTER ONE. THE BEGINNING OF A NEW STORY

Early morning arrived, promising nothing good. Jessica woke up before Alex and didn’t wake her brother — she knew he had once again stayed up late by the window.

The first thing she did was go down to the kitchen and put the coffee on — Alex loved it. After preparing breakfast for herself and her brother, she went upstairs to wake him. While he lazily got out of bed, Jessica picked out clothes for him and sat down to eat. The omelet turned out soft, fluffy, melting in her mouth. And with cool orange juice — it was simply wonderful.

Sometimes Jessica reminded him of their mother. She was always there, caring, watching over him — because who else would, if not her? Their mom seemed to have gone dim… as if she had forgotten she had a family. Maybe that was why Jessie had grown up so fast. Though perhaps there was a curse in that too — her youth would no longer be like that of her peers.

Alex finally came downstairs and, sitting at the table, said warmly:

“Thank you.”

They finished breakfast in silence. Jessica didn’t dare ask her brother why he hadn’t slept again. She understood: the move and the thought of his first day at a new school were tormenting him.

Instead of unnecessary words, she simply hugged him goodbye. She knew he would handle it. After all, this was already tenth grade.

Shouting to their parents that they were leaving, they stepped outside and got on the school bus. Alex tensely awaited the looks, the whispers, the mockery… but — nothing. Everyone kept chatting and minding their own business.

With relief, he exhaled and moved farther down, taking an empty seat. However, his neighbor was clearly displeased. He had already opened his mouth to bark something, but when he noticed Jessica, he sharply turned away with obvious irritation. Not the best start to the day.

The ride to school took about fifteen minutes. Mitalura was a small town — more narrow than crowded. Dense forest lined the sides, and beyond it rose the mountains. A mountain river ran through the middle of the town, dividing it into eastern and western parts.

At the entrance to the school stood a solid, short man. It was Michael Dorini — the principal. He always gladly welcomed newcomers; transfer students were a rarity in this town. Michael liked to give them a short tour, secretly hoping the students would come to love this place the way he did.

But today there was a ceremonial assembly.

“Good morning, dear students!” he exclaimed enthusiastically. “The new school year has arrived. For some — the first. For others — the last…”

Most of the students weren’t listening — whispering, smiling. Some were happy to be back; others, on the contrary.

After the long and boring speech, everyone began to disperse to their classrooms. At that moment, Michael’s gaze fell on Alex Williams and Jessica Williams. He approached them.

“Alex and Jessica Williams?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m Alex, and this is my sister Jessie,” the boy confirmed, as if the principal couldn’t tell them apart himself.

“I’m glad to see you at our school. I hope you like it. May this year be an easy one for you.”

“We hope so,” Alex replied. “Will you take us to our classrooms?”

“Of course. This way, please,” the principal said with a smile.

Along the way, he talked about the school and its achievements. To be honest, some of them sounded exaggerated, but there was no point in arguing. Jessica felt the looks on her — if the principal himself was escorting them, that meant they were the new kids. The attention made her a little uncomfortable, but she stayed silent.

Michael showed them the cafeteria, the gym, the locker rooms, and the restrooms. Then they went up to the second floor. The first classroom was Jessica’s. The principal went in with her and introduced her to the teacher and the classmates. Jessie was going into sixth grade.

Alex stayed behind, waiting outside. He felt everything inside him tightening. His heart was pounding, his palms were damp. He felt lonely again. The students passing by seemed hostile. He let out a breath of relief when Michael appeared.

“Don’t worry, your sister ended up in the best class. No one will hurt her,” the principal said gently.

“I don’t doubt it,” Alex smirked. “I think she’ll make friends with everyone in a single day.”

“I believe that,” Michael nodded and led him farther down the hall.

The closer they got to the classroom, the stronger the urge to turn around and run. Sixteen years old, tenth grade — and he was afraid… afraid of people.

Memories of his old school surfaced in his mind. Back then, he had been more open. There were friends, jokes, laughter. But there were also… them. Those same guys who kept the entire class in fear. For any act of defiance, they could beat you — and no one would stop them.

Once, Alex and his friends had been playing tag during recess. He was slow, but clever — he often won. It was fun. Until those very ones — the assholes — walked into the classroom. One of them grabbed his friend and started mocking him.

“Leave him alone! Why are you picking on us?! Jealous that we’re having fun?” Alex shouted.

In response, the guy grabbed him by the hair and began jerking his head from side to side.

“Who gave you permission to speak, slant-eye?! Lost all your fear, have you?!”

Alex’s friends stood off to the side. Silent. Not intervening. His heart was tearing apart — not so much from the pain as from the betrayal.

“Ha-ha-ha! Crying already! Your eyes squinted shut — can you even see anything, little slit?” the guy sneered.

“Get lost so I never have to see your face again! If you can even find your way! Ha-ha!”

Alex ran out. He ran without stopping. Collapsed onto someone’s lawn. He hated everything: the day, the people, the school, his appearance.

Why do people hate others just for being different?..

Now he stood in front of the door to his new classroom. What if it all happened again? His heart beat faster. But he stayed. The principal opened the door.

“Good morning. Let me introduce a new student — Alex Williams,” Michael said and, nodding to the teacher, stepped out.

“Come in, don’t be shy. Sit wherever there’s a free seat,” the teacher said.

Alex noticed a boy not far from the entrance — green eyes, dark curly hair, neat appearance. There was something about him that drew attention. Maybe they’d become friends?

Alex began laying out his things, trying not to intrude on his neighbor’s “personal space.” But the other boy beat him to it.

“Hey,” he said with a smile.

“Hey. I’m Alex. From Ottawa.”

“Nice to meet you, Alex from Ottawa! I’m Mark. Born and raised here,” he said proudly.

“Likewise,” Alex replied and shook the hand extended to him.

They listened to the lesson, occasionally exchanging glances with faint smiles. The teacher asked about summer vacation, talked about her own. Some had gone to the mountains, some to islands, others had simply stayed home with family.

Alex periodically got distracted by a girl sitting in front of them. She often turned around and looked in his direction, which threw him off a little. He couldn’t tell who exactly she was looking at — him or Mark. But when he noticed that Mark was glancing her way too, everything became clear.

When lunchtime came, Alex asked,

“Mark, do you want to have lunch with me?”

“Sure, why not. Come with us,” he replied with a smile.

With us? Alex repeated to himself in surprise. And then that very girl approached them.

“Hi, I’m Amy. Nice to meet you,” she said warmly.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” Alex replied shyly.

It turned out he already had a group. And no one had said a single word about his appearance. It felt like a miracle.

They went into the cafeteria. It was crowded. Amy reacted quickly — she tossed her backpack onto a free table and waved the guys over.

“So, what do you have for lunch today?” she asked, unpacking her containers.

“I’ve got pasta, vegetables, and juice,” Mark answered.

Alex silently opened his container and started eating.

“Mmm, omelet…” Amy drawled, glancing at his plate, then turned back to her own.

A warm, cozy silence settled in — delicious, even. But it didn’t last long. Amy spoke again.

“Alex, tell us about yourself. Let’s get to know you better!”

He hesitated. He’d known them for only a couple of hours. Sharing anything personal felt strange. But staying silent wasn’t really an option either.

“I’m sixteen. I moved here from Ottawa with my family. I have a younger sister — Jessie,” he replied evasively, deliberately shifting the focus to her.

“So how do you like our town, bro?” Mark asked.

“Hard to say. I’ve only been here a few days. I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” Alex said. The word bro made him tense a little, but he didn’t show it.

“A-greeeeed,” Amy drawled. “And where do you live?”

Alex tensed even more. Why do they need to know that? flashed through his mind. Still, he answered.

“On Green Street.”

“What?!” Amy exclaimed. “You’re lying! No, that can’t be! I live on Green Street too!”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Which house?” she added quickly.

“Thirty-two,” he said uncertainly.

“No way! I’m in the one next door! Wheee! I’ve got a neighbor from my class now! Can you imagine?!”

“Yeah, I’m about to explode with happiness,” Alex smirked. A light chuckle slipped between them.

“Mark, why are you so quiet? Like you swallowed your tongue!” Amy teased him.

“You two are so businesslike that I decided to watch this show from the sidelines,” he shot back. “You’re grilling the guy with questions, and then you’re surprised he goes quiet.”

“Oh, look at that, a philosopher,” she snorted. “Sorry for trying to keep the conversation alive — for once! Unlike some people!”

“I love you too, dear friend,” Mark said with a smile.

Alex smirked. They clearly went way back. Maybe even more than just friends?

“Well then,” Mark sighed. “I’m sixteen too. I love computer science, robots, technology. Basically, a nerd. That’s what my brother Simon says. But he’s a good guy — I’ll introduce you sometime. He actually went to school with this madam’s sister,” he added, pointing at Amy.

“This madam has a name, nerd!” she muttered, though she was smiling.

“They even had a thing at our age. Not for long, but they stayed friends.”

“That’s good they did,” Alex chimed in. “Means not everything’s lost.”

Amy lowered her gaze slightly.

“My sister and I knit together. It’s our hobby,” she said.

“And then their masterpieces end up in thrift stores,” Mark teased.

“Oh, shut up already!” she shouted — without any real anger.

“Alright, no scandals, lovebirds. We’ve got class,” Alex cut in.

“We’re not lovebirds!” they blurted out at the same time.

As they packed up, Alex noticed his sister — she was sitting with a group, laughing. She waved at him. He waved back, smiling. His heart thawed. Things weren’t so bad after all.

After classes, Alex stayed with his new friends all the way to the bus. They laughed, shared school stories, talked about classmates. Alex felt like he belonged here. Even… calm.

Jessica was already waiting for him by the bus. She was glowing.

“So, how was your day?” she asked when he came up to her.

He hugged her. There was a smile on his face — so rare that Jessie froze for a second, not believing her eyes.

“I’ll tell you in a minute,” Alex said, sitting down beside her.

Jessie chatted nonstop — about new friends, about how the teachers praised her, about how she no longer missed Ottawa. Alex listened with a smile. Her happiness was his happiness.

Then he told her about Mark and Amy. About how he’d been afraid of ending up alone — and instead found himself in good company. Jessie perked up immediately.

“Amy is your neighbor?! I want to meet her!”

Alex smirked.

“You always make friends fast.”

Soon the bus pulled up to their house. Their mom was already waiting on the porch. When she saw the children smiling, the tension melted away at once. She hugged them and invited them in for dinner.

After dinner, Jessica told everything again — this time to their mom, just as emotionally, eyes shining. Their mom listened, then complained about being tired — she’d been unpacking, found an old garden behind the house, and cleaned it up a little. The kids ran out to see it, intrigued.

In the backyard, they were blinded by a warm sunset. The sky burned with color, sunlight filtering through the half-bare branches of fruit trees. Birds sang their last songs before autumn. In the middle of the garden stood an old pile of stones — a former fountain. Now it was a dirty bowl filled with stagnant water, reflecting the dying light. Still — beautiful. And quiet.

And then — a scream.

The kids flinched. From behind the fence came a voice:

“I’m okay!”

“Who was that?” Jessica asked.

“Unfortunately, someone we know…” Alex sighed. “That was Amy.”

There was another crash from behind the fence. Then Amy appeared, climbing over the wall.

“Hey, guys!” she shouted when she saw Jessie.

“Hey, Amy,” Alex said heavily.

“Hi!” Jessie said cheerfully. “You’re so pretty!”

“Oh my God, that’s so sweet! Thank you, cutie! I think we’re going to be friends,” Amy winked.

“O-kay, I’m heading inside. Jessie, don’t stay out too late, alright?” Alex muttered, walking toward the house.

“I promise!”

A thought flashed through his mind: That’s it. They’re definitely going to be friends now. And I’ll be seeing Amy every day… He sighed. Yeah, she seemed a little pushy — but he didn’t mind. As long as his sister was happy.

Now everything would be completely different..

CHAPTER TWO. NEW ACQUAINTANCES

Barely an hour after Alex returned home, a happy Jessie headed into the kitchen. Their parents and brother were already sitting at the table, waiting for her. They invited her to sit beside them and continued discussing the day that had passed. The kids retold their impressions of school — this time for their father. And even though the expression on his face sometimes clearly said I don’t care, he still listened — or at least pretended to.

When the story came to an end, Alex finally asked the question that had been tormenting him for a long time.

“Maybe you’ll finally explain why we changed our lives so abruptly? Couldn’t we have moved earlier — not the day before the school year starts, on Labor Day?” he asked irritably.

“Does it really bother you?” his father replied calmly, without lifting his eyes.

“Imagine that, it does. Why do we all have to run around like squirrels on a wheel because of you? And even then you couldn’t be bothered to help Mom unpack — ”

He didn’t finish. A fist slammed down on the table, and a shout tore through the kitchen.

“Don’t you dare speak to me in that tone! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even exist! You’d be living with your mother in some alley, at best!”