There was an old painting in my grandparents' attic. Neither beautiful nor ugly, it simply depicted an empty room with no figures, an old living room with an armchair, library, and fireplace ... [+]
Keep in mind there were three daughters, One graceful and pretty, one fierce and gallant, one sickly but clever (that was me). The eldest was away at school. The youngest one got sick. The middle one drew cats like the boy in the story—wait, let me tell it. I was four years old. The doctor said it was my kidneys, I should drink water. Get as much water down her as you can. My mother's stern expression and her voice, I thought she was angry then; I am a mother now and I understand. I woke up screaming, the goblin rats had come. I could see their heads bobbing as they ran, rats in bright deli