⏱ ~4 min reading
Artem was in the fourth grade. His younger brother Lesyk was in the senior group of kindergarten. There was a four-year gap between them.
Lesik was a fighter - he ran around the yard, rode a scooter, and was not afraid of hills or big dogs. But when the sun went down and the room got dark - he became a completely different Lesik.
Lesik couldn't fall asleep in the dark.
At first he cried. Then he asked to leave the lamp on. Then he asked for mom or dad to sit next to him. Mom sat as long as she could, but she had a lot to do in the evening. Dad came home late from work, sat down too, but then he fell asleep in the high chair.
Lesik didn't cry loudly. He sobbed softly into his pillow. It was worse than screaming.
One evening, Artem was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. He heard his mother behind the wall coaxing Lesyk:
"Lesyk, it's okay. I'll turn off the light now and you'll fall asleep.".
— And you don't go.
"I'll be in the kitchen. Right next door.".
— No. It's dark here.
Artem spat out the toothpaste. He thought.
When I came out of the bathroom, I saw Lesyk sitting on the bed in his pajamas with rockets on them. His hands were folded on his knees. The pillow was already wet.
Mom looked tired. She came to her brother again.
Artem entered the room.
"Mom, go. I'll read Lesika.".
Mom looked surprised.
— You?
— Me.
Lesik raised his tearful face:
— What are you reading?
"What do you want?"
— About the fox. The one with the blue ribbon.
Artem nodded. They both knew the book "The Fox with the Blue Ribbon." They had bought it last year, for Lesyk's birthday.
Mom kissed them both and left. She quietly closed the door.
Artem sat down on a chair by the bed. He took a book. Lesik lay down, pulled the blanket up to his chin. His eyes were large, with shiny tears on his eyelashes.
“Don’t turn off the light,” he asked.
"I won't turn it off. Listen.".
Artem read slowly. He tried to use intonation. He made a squeak in the fox's voice, a low, low growl in the bear's voice. Lesik smiled for the first time that evening.
I read, I read. I finished reading a page. Then a second. A third.
When he looked up, Lesik was already blinking more slowly. But he wasn't asleep yet.
"Don't stop," the younger one muttered.
Artem continued reading. Until Lesyk's eyelids closed. His head moved to the side on the pillow. His breathing became even.
Artem finished reading the paragraph, stood up carefully. He turned off the big light — leaving only the nightlight on (Lesyk couldn't stand being in complete darkness). He stood there a little longer, looking at his brother.
Lesik slept. For the first time in a week, without tears.
From that evening on, Artem read to his brother every day, before bed.
Mom was surprised at first - she suggested changing it, because Artem had lessons. But Artem said:
"I do everything quickly. I have time anyway.".
That wasn't entirely true. Sometimes Artem did his homework until late in the evening. But first of all, he would sit down next to Lesyk. He would read. Sometimes for an hour, sometimes for half an hour. Until the little one fell asleep.
A month later, Lesyk could fall asleep without reading — only with a nightgown. Because he knew: if something happened, Artem would be there. In the next room. And darkness is when there is no light. And when someone is there, darkness seems to not exist.
One day, my mother came to see Artem when he was already going to bed.
She sat on the edge of the bed. She was silent.
"You know, son," she said quietly, "I used to worry that you would be jealous of Lesyk. Because we pay a lot of attention to him. And you are the eldest.".
"I'm not jealous. He's small.".
"I know. But sometimes the elders get jealous. And you're the opposite. You take him under your wing.".
Artem shrugged.
"I just... I can't listen to him cry. He's my brother.".
Mom leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. Then she stood up.
"Sleep, son. School tomorrow.".
"Mom," Artem said from under the blanket. "Will Lesyk ever grow up? So that he won't be afraid of the dark?"
— It will grow.
"Then what will I read to him?"
Mom smiled.
"Then he'll read to you. Because that's what brothers do - take turns.".
Artem fell asleep happy.
And across the wall, little Lesyk was sleeping. On the bedside table next to him was an open book. "The Fox with the Blue Ribbon," page three. The one on which Artem had stopped today.
They will continue tomorrow.
💡 The elder is the one who protects.