Содержание

faded, and nothing but a distant cricket broke the silence for a few moments. Finally, Edwin raised his head, shaking it a little, and said:
"A terrible story... I'd say I'm willing to help you with all I can... but I guess, that would just sound silly in your case. Still... aren't you bored by just hanging here for thirty years?"
The skeleton shrugged her shoulder-bones:
"Bored? Maybe... but what else is possible for me now? Must be my destiny. You can't struggle against destiny, can you? Besides, what else can I hope for, when I am nothing more than a few bones of a long-dead woman? Yes, these bones are still intact... they still feel something... But that's just the result of that cursed necromancer's cruel joke."
"Well, there's much more things in our world, than one could see. I guess, even a skeleton could find something to "live" for, if he... or she wished to. Maybe it would be better for you to get off that tree and go for a walk at last?"
Charline remained silent for some time, than replied softly:
"Okay, maybe I'd give it a try. I don't think that anything can help me now. But why not? I don't have any things to do here... I                                                   

don't have any living (or at least undead) relatives or friends. I don't have anything at all in the whole world! So, maybe, it would be good, at least, to have some freedom..."

It wasn't too hard to tear away the rotten remnants of an old rope, which was holding the skeleton on the tree. When she was finally down, she carefully stretched her legs, made a few steps around the tree and stopped.
"What a surprise. I still remember how to walk. Still, I doubt that it would be too helpful in my current state. Well... I guess I should thank you, sir..."
"Edwin, - he said, - And you are welcome. Really..."
"Welcome... sounds somewhat strange, when addressed to a skeleton... Oh, whatever. So, now I am free to go... but where? I don't know any places I want to visit now. Maybe... may I please just follow you, kind Edwin?"
"Err, - he hesitated a little, - I don't mind, really... but what if someone sees us together? I mean..."
"Yes, I understand, - Charline interrupted, stretching her jaws, in a weird resemblance to a sour smile, - you mean, what people would say when seeing you walking on a