Keys to the dark world Oleg Roy. Keys to the Dark World
Keys to the Dark World
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Title: Keys to the Dark World
About the book Oleg Roy, Ekaterina Nevolina “Keys to the Dark World”
There are moments in the fate of the world when the proportion of good changes sharply towards evil. That's when wars, epidemics, and natural disasters happen. A group of students from the Academy of Initiates, which included Alisa and Oleg, going to practice in Valdai, thought: “Finally, we have real things to do!” But their fate was not just to perform a number of useful actions - they were destined for the mission of locking those doors through which the forces of evil could burst into our world. Where can I find the keys for these doors? Maybe they are kept by a little girl who fell into a comatose sleep, the horrors of which Alice is trying to overcome with her? Or Oleg’s father, a famous scientist, in whose search even initiate teachers join in?
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Quotes from the book “Keys to the Dark World” by Oleg Roy and Ekaterina Nevolina
There are doors that are better not to open...
- What do you mean, on your knees asking for forgiveness? – she responded no less sarcastically. – Or hit your forehead on the floor?
- Bye, see you later. – Oleg hung up, not listening to Alisa’s further words.
And such boorish behavior made the girl feel even more offended, and angry tears welled up in her eyes.
Sorry. – Oleg hugged Alisa. A sunny, sweet-smelling curl of disheveled hair buried itself in his nose. Volkov blew on it, the curl flew up funny and fell again.
Leave me alone, Marquise! – Alice pushed away the white and red cat, which was licking the girl’s hands with sandpaper. - Well, stop it! I woke up, everything is fine.
While you don’t need a person, he constantly catches your eye, but as soon as you feel the need for him, he disappears.
This man was found prostrated, practically in the state of a vegetable.
“I’m serious,” he assured. “I don’t know what came over me.” Aren't you angry?
Alice shook her head, but there was still a trace of sadness on her face, like the first autumn ice.
“You’re angry,” Oleg touched her cheek with his palm and pulled a naughty curl behind her ear. - But nothing: I know one remedy. No one can be angry when they kiss him.
It just happened that way...
“Yes, everything is clear with your addition and division too,” Volkov said sarcastically.
Alice suddenly became angry: she explained everything, but he seemed to deliberately not understand and was forcing her to apologize, as if she were really to blame.
There are moments in the fate of the world when the proportion of good changes sharply towards evil. That's when wars, epidemics, and natural disasters happen. A group of students from the Academy of Initiates, which included Alisa and Oleg, going to practice in Valdai, thought: “Finally, we have real things to do!” But their fate was not just to perform a number of useful actions - they were destined for the mission of locking those doors through which the forces of evil could burst into our world. Where can I find the keys for these doors? Maybe they are kept by a little girl who fell into a comatose sleep, the horrors of which Alice is trying to overcome with her? Or Oleg’s father, a famous scientist, in whose search even initiate teachers join in?
Oleg Roy, Ekaterina Nevolina
Keys to the Dark World
* * *
Dedicated to the memory of my son Zhenechka.
To everyone who dreams.
Ekaterina Nevolina
"There are doors that are better not to open..."
Alice could never forget this place. Black, viscous, like tar, earth. Poorly drawn buildings that become sketches and get lost in the inky heights... Dark spaces are where the worst nightmares come true. A place where there is never any sun or hope.
Even the human mind rebels against this hidden corner of the world of dreams, and thoughts bounce around like tiny ping-pong balls and cannot come together in any way.
The girl rubbed her temples, trying to concentrate. My head was spinning. Alice remembered that she had fallen into an already familiar funnel, chasing a strange man in the world of dreams, and now she found herself here again. She looked around - no one. The stranger she was running after left or hid. “Was he even there? Maybe I've already lost my mind? – a thought flashed through Alice’s mind. She needed to get out, she realized. But how?
Getting bogged down in the earth that was greedily clinging and pulling down, the girl took a few hesitant steps and suddenly heard something.
A groan... a human groan turned out to be the only living sound in this absolutely, Alice would even say, ideally dead place. The girl followed the sound. Very slowly, getting stuck at every step and feeling her strength melt away. She walked for what seemed like an eternity, getting bogged down and falling, and each time getting back to her feet with more and more difficulty. Alice herself did not understand what was pushing her forward, where else the audacity to move on came from. Finally, she made out a human silhouette.
A man, it seemed a man, was lying on the ground, half submerged in it. It seemed to Alice that the earth was gradually swallowing him, like a boa constrictor, and then digesting him in her insatiable gut. The girl shuddered at this thought.
The man groaned again. Very quiet, barely audible.
The last jerk - and the girl found herself next to him, sat down on her knees, and touched him on the shoulder.
- Get up! - Alice called. – You can’t stop here! Don't you know?
The man tried to rise, but the earth did not want to let go of its prey.
- Get up! Make an effort! Come on! – Panova pulled the man by the shoulders, feeling his limp heaviness. It feels like there is almost no life left in this body.
She should have left someone who didn’t want to fight for himself, but her eternal stubbornness prevented her from doing so. And the girl pulled and pulled with all her strength, literally winning the victim from the Dark Spaces, literally millimeter by millimeter. She pulled on like a robot, no longer thinking about anything and feeling nothing but boundless fatigue, having forgotten why she was here.
And she overreacted.
With a disappointed, completely animalistic slurp, the earth released its captive. The freed man groaned again, staggered, but somehow miraculously stayed on his feet.
Now Alice could almost see his face. Almost - because it seemed blurry and seemed to elude the eye. Everything seems to be normal - the forehead, the cheeks, the nose, and the eyes, but if you start to look closely - the face floats, it becomes like a gray spot.
- Who are you? – Alice shook the rescued man, trying to bring him to his senses.
The man's head jerked limply, he shuddered, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, as if trying to remember something.
“I... I don’t know...” the man muttered. “I... I think I was someone... I don’t remember.” I do not remember anything…
He looked at Alice with dark, hollow eyes.
- I died? – he asked after a pause.
Alice had no answer to this question. All she had heard about the Dark Spaces was that the human personality itself was erased here. Obviously, this is exactly what happened to her interlocutor.
- Have you been here for a long time? – the girl asked instead of answering.
- Yes... I've always been here... Or not... I don't know...
He rubbed his forehead again, and then made an absurd gesture, as if he was trying to correct something invisible somewhere in the area of the depressions of his eyes. "Glasses! He once had glasses! - Alice guessed. - Already something. He still has some shreds of at least reflex memory left.”
“Come on,” the girl pulled the man’s hand. -You need to resist. You must try to remember, otherwise I won't be able to help you.
“Help?..” he repeated. – What do you mean “help”?.. – The man frowned and again hesitantly reached for his invisible glasses; this gesture must have become a habit for him before. – Help... help... provide support. This is true? I think I helped someone. Or did they help me?.. I was confused.
1
Unexpected circumstances
- Can I help you?
Well, of course, I found myself in the most stupid position, having lost control of the doorknob and spilling a stack of papers right on the threshold. Stupid. Even at school I was not distinguished by much grace, and what’s more, I aroused ridicule for my clumsiness.
“Thank you, I’ll do it myself somehow,” I muttered and looked at her.
First I saw the legs. Well, this is logical, because at that time I was just sitting down, hastily collecting papers. And the legs definitely deserved attention. Thin ankles, like those of a thoroughbred horse, and two-tone shoes with a red toe and a black back, shoes with incredible stiletto heels... Then the gaze rose higher and took in the black pencil skirt, perfectly fitting the figure without a single wrinkle, a white blouse with modest buttons, buttoned business-like, narrow face with defined cheekbones, brown eyes covered with elegant glasses in transparent thin frames, and finally, a smooth hairstyle... The image is quite strict and businesslike... if not for these same shoes.
Keys to the Dark World
Other people's dreams – 7
* * *
Dedicated to the memory of my son Zhenechka.
To everyone who dreams.
Ekaterina Nevolina
"There are doors that are better not to open..."
Alice could never forget this place. Black, viscous, like tar, earth. Poorly drawn buildings that become sketches and get lost in the inky heights... Dark spaces are where the worst nightmares come true. A place where there is never any sun or hope.
Even the human mind rebels against this hidden corner of the world of dreams, and thoughts bounce around like tiny ping-pong balls and cannot come together in any way.
The girl rubbed her temples, trying to concentrate. My head was spinning. Alice remembered that she had fallen into an already familiar funnel, chasing a strange man in the world of dreams, and now she found herself here again. She looked around - no one. The stranger she was running after left or hid. “Was he even there? Maybe I've already lost my mind? – a thought flashed through Alice’s mind. She needed to get out, she realized. But how?
Getting bogged down in the greedily clinging and pulling down earth, the girl took a few hesitant steps and suddenly heard something...
A groan... a human groan turned out to be the only living sound in this absolutely, Alice would even say, ideally dead place. The girl followed the sound. Very slowly, getting stuck at every step and feeling her strength melt away. She walked for what seemed like an eternity, getting bogged down and falling, and each time getting back to her feet with more and more difficulty. Alice herself did not understand what was pushing her forward, where else the audacity to move on came from. Finally, she made out a human silhouette.
A man, it seemed a man, was lying on the ground, half submerged in it. It seemed to Alice that the earth was gradually swallowing him, like a boa constrictor, and then digesting him in her insatiable gut. The girl shuddered at this thought.
The man groaned again. Very quiet, barely audible.
The last jerk - and the girl found herself next to him, sat down on her knees, and touched him on the shoulder.
- Get up! - Alice called. – You can’t stop here! Don't you know?
The man tried to rise, but the earth did not want to let go of its prey.
- Get up! Make an effort! Come on! – Panova pulled the man by the shoulders, feeling his limp heaviness. It feels like there is almost no life left in this body.
She should have left someone who didn’t want to fight for himself, but her eternal stubbornness prevented her from doing so. And the girl pulled and pulled with all her strength, literally winning the victim from the Dark Spaces, literally millimeter by millimeter. She pulled on like a robot, no longer thinking about anything and feeling nothing but boundless fatigue, having forgotten why she was here.
And she overreacted.
With a disappointed, completely animalistic slurp, the earth released its captive. The freed man groaned again, staggered, but somehow miraculously stayed on his feet.
Now Alice could almost see his face. Almost - because it seemed blurry and seemed to elude the eye. Everything seems to be normal - the forehead, the cheeks, the nose, and the eyes, but if you start to look closely - the face floats, it becomes like a gray spot.
- Who are you? – Alice shook the rescued man, trying to bring him to his senses.
The man's head jerked limply, he shuddered, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, as if trying to remember something.
Oleg Roy, Ekaterina Nevolina
Keys to the Dark World
© Rezepkin O., Nevolina E., 2015
© Publishing House "E" LLC, 2015
* * *
Dedicated to the memory of my son Zhenechka.
Oleg Roy
To everyone who dreams.
Ekaterina Nevolina
"There are doors that are better not to open..."
Alice could never forget this place. Black, viscous, like tar, earth. Poorly drawn buildings that become sketches and get lost in the inky heights... Dark spaces are where the worst nightmares come true. A place where there is never any sun or hope.
Even the human mind rebels against this hidden corner of the world of dreams, and thoughts bounce around like tiny ping-pong balls and cannot come together in any way.
The girl rubbed her temples, trying to concentrate. My head was spinning. Alice remembered that she had fallen into an already familiar funnel, chasing a strange man in the world of dreams, and now she found herself here again. She looked around - no one. The stranger she was running after left or hid. “Was he even there? Maybe I've already lost my mind? – a thought flashed through Alice’s mind. She needed to get out, she realized. But how?
Getting bogged down in the earth that was greedily clinging and pulling down, the girl took a few hesitant steps and suddenly heard something.
A groan... a human groan turned out to be the only living sound in this absolutely, Alice would even say, ideally dead place. The girl followed the sound. Very slowly, getting stuck at every step and feeling her strength melt away. She walked for what seemed like an eternity, getting bogged down and falling, and each time getting back to her feet with more and more difficulty. Alice herself did not understand what was pushing her forward, where else the audacity to move on came from. Finally, she made out a human silhouette.
A man, it seemed a man, was lying on the ground, half submerged in it. It seemed to Alice that the earth was gradually swallowing him, like a boa constrictor, and then digesting him in her insatiable gut. The girl shuddered at this thought.
The man groaned again. Very quiet, barely audible.
The last jerk - and the girl found herself next to him, sat down on her knees, and touched him on the shoulder.
- Get up! - Alice called. – You can’t stop here! Don't you know?
The man tried to rise, but the earth did not want to let go of its prey.
- Get up! Make an effort! Come on! – Panova pulled the man by the shoulders, feeling his limp heaviness. It feels like there is almost no life left in this body.
She should have left someone who didn’t want to fight for himself, but her eternal stubbornness prevented her from doing so. And the girl pulled and pulled with all her strength, literally winning the victim from the Dark Spaces, literally millimeter by millimeter. She pulled on like a robot, no longer thinking about anything and feeling nothing but boundless fatigue, having forgotten why she was here.
And she overreacted.
With a disappointed, completely animalistic slurp, the earth released its captive. The freed man groaned again, staggered, but somehow miraculously stayed on his feet.
Now Alice could almost see his face. Almost - because it seemed blurry and seemed to elude the eye. Everything seems to be normal - the forehead, the cheeks, the nose, and the eyes, but if you start to look closely - the face floats, it becomes like a gray spot.
- Who are you? – Alice shook the rescued man, trying to bring him to his senses.
The man's head jerked limply, he shuddered, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, as if trying to remember something.
“I... I don’t know...” the man muttered. “I... I think I was someone... I don’t remember.” I do not remember anything…
He looked at Alice with dark, hollow eyes.
- I died? – he asked after a pause.
Alice had no answer to this question. All she had heard about the Dark Spaces was that the human personality itself was erased here. Obviously, this is exactly what happened to her interlocutor.
- Have you been here for a long time? – the girl asked instead of answering.
- Yes... I've always been here... Or not... I don't know...
He rubbed his forehead again, and then made an absurd gesture, as if he was trying to correct something invisible somewhere in the area of the depressions of his eyes. "Glasses! He once had glasses! - Alice guessed. - Already something. He still has some shreds of at least reflex memory left.”
“Come on,” the girl pulled the man’s hand. -You need to resist. You must try to remember, otherwise I won't be able to help you.
“Help?..” he repeated. – What do you mean “help”?.. – The man frowned and again hesitantly reached for his invisible glasses; this gesture must have become a habit for him before. – Help... help... provide support. This is true? I think I helped someone. Or did they help me?.. I was confused.
Unexpected circumstances
- Can I help you?
Well, of course, I found myself in the most stupid position, having lost control of the doorknob and spilling a stack of papers right on the threshold. Stupid. Even at school I was not distinguished by much grace, and what’s more, I aroused ridicule for my clumsiness.
“Thank you, I’ll do it myself somehow,” I muttered and looked at her.
First I saw the legs. Well, this is logical, because at that time I was just sitting down, hastily collecting papers. And the legs definitely deserved attention. Thin ankles, like those of a thoroughbred horse, and two-tone shoes with a red toe and a black back, shoes with incredible stiletto heels... Then the gaze rose higher and took in the black pencil skirt, perfectly fitting the figure without a single wrinkle, a white blouse with modest buttons, buttoned business-like, narrow face with defined cheekbones, brown eyes covered with elegant glasses in transparent thin frames, and finally, a smooth hairstyle... The image is quite strict and businesslike... if not for these same shoes.
Red shoes in themselves are a provocative element, directly pointing to sex and sin. They contain vitality, libido and at the same time danger, war, blood. Black adds aggression, heightens the feeling of anxiety, sending us towards death. Now it's love and death. I remember a spider devouring its partner immediately after mating. And it’s better to remain silent about the significance of the shape of the shoe, so as not to be accused of excessive preoccupation... but, it seems, I got distracted.
- Still, allow me. “She bent over, letting me make sure that the blouse was buttoned and really wasn’t supporting the aggressive coquetry of the shoes, cooling me like a glass of ice water on the collar. - And you, excuse me, Andrei... Mikhailovich?
On the door where we were, in fact, it says “Head. Department of Psychiatry Andrey Mikhailovich Chernov,” so you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes.
- I forgive you. “I took the sheets of paper from her that she managed to pick up and stood up. - And you?..
- I am Irina. Irina Aleksandrovna Pryagova. “She stood up and looked at me almost pleadingly. - You do not remember? Your friend, Natalya Mikhailova, said that you need an assistant...
Well, of course. Now I remember everything. Natasha Mikhailova, the wife of my friend, recently persuaded me to hire some kind of relative or friend. I just needed an assistant, and I, being a gentle person, although realizing that I was being manipulated, agreed to watch this protégé.
– Of course, Irina, I’m very glad to see you. “I extended my hand to her. This is a kind of test, because a handshake says a lot about a person.
The girl shook my hand - firmly, not flirtatiously or embarrassed, quite businesslike, and I calmed down a little.
We entered the office. I offered the visitor a chair and, putting the papers on the table, sank into the chair, continuing to watch her, noting the meager gestures and how straight she placed her legs. I noted the details out of professional habit.
So far, the facial language hasn’t revealed too much about the guest. Quite reserved, but not one of the insecure people, she knows her worth, most likely a careerist, purposeful, suspicious. However, one should not rush to conclusions. This behavior sometimes only indicates a fear of change; Of course, the girl came into the scary big world to get a job. And the tension can be explained even more simply: by the same shoes that are ready to be cut off, simply extremely uncomfortable.
– Will you have some coffee?
She shook her head. She also refused water - decisively, which means she wasn’t embarrassed, but simply didn’t want to. Happens.
“Tell me a little about yourself, Irina,” I asked as softly as possible. It is necessary to strike up a conversation in order to relax the visitor, to show that there is no need to be afraid of me; after all, we are not at a bullfight.
- I sent my resume...
No, still unsure. And, of course, I forgot to read the resume...
- Please, in your own words. You have a very pleasant voice. – I smiled again - politely, without any hint, just in the “good boss” style.
- Well then. – Irina lowered her eyes for a moment, and then looked at me again (I wonder if she really has vision problems or is she hiding behind her glasses?..). “I’m twenty-three years old, I’m a medical student at the Faculty of Psychiatry. Already the third year. “In the evening, it won’t interfere with work,” she hastily added.
I nodded. Poor girls, it seems that they themselves often have no idea what they are signaling with their clothes or shoes. This one would be better suited with ballet flats. Although I understand: the first interview in my life, how not to wear the best shoes! Well, at least I didn’t think of a tight leopard print dress...
– I read your articles, Andrei Mikhailovich...
- Please, no middle name. Just Andrey,” I interrupted her, catching myself reaching out to adjust my glasses. A bad habit that reflects insecurity, but I can’t get rid of it.
“Yes, Andrey Mi... Andrey...” she repeated obediently. “And it would be a great honor for me to work with you.” I’m currently writing a coursework on the topic “Promising methods for treating twilight disorders of consciousness.”
– This is a serious topic, Irina. – I allowed myself to grin slightly. “I’ve been doing it for almost twenty years... it seems almost as long as you’ve been alive in the world, and you’re going to master it in one year.”
I deliberately hinted at the age difference - just in case she had any hopes for more. I won’t say that I’m a model of male beauty, but girls still like me, and forty-two is a wonderful age for a man.
“That’s why I would like to work with you.” – Irina was worried, and spots of blush appeared on her cheekbones. Apparently she has very thin, sensitive skin. – I speak and write English fluently; I lived in the outskirts of London for two summers. I know a little French, I read it with a dictionary. And most importantly, I am ready to learn. No, not like that, I really, really want to learn!
Brown eyes stared helplessly at me, creating an involuntary association with the famous cat from Shrek.
“And you won’t be put off by the fact that I won’t be able to pay you much?” - I clarified, although I understood the hint about London - obviously, the family has funds.
– But I still can’t go much further. “She smiled, and the smile formed cute dimples on her cheeks. And Irina herself suddenly became homely, very touching.
In my opinion, the girl is not at all hopeless, smart and with a sense of humor.
We must take it. Besides, I don’t exactly have a queue of applicants. Unfortunately, the scientific work that I mainly do does not bring profit, and I don’t want to accept patients for the sake of money. For now, I can still afford to work for pleasure and only with those I choose.
– Then we’ll work together!
Then I looked at her shoes again, and a strange feeling of anxiety pierced my heart. This is probably due to the association of a thin hairpin with a pin used to pin the corpses of bright butterflies... I saw such a collection in my childhood, and in those years it made a terrifying impression on me.
We discussed the details, and Pryagova left. And I, remaining at the table, closed my eyes for a moment to see again this obsessive, disturbing black and red spot. Love and death always go together. Really, a disgusting banality?..
* * *
- Leave me alone, Marquise! – Alice pushed away the white and red cat, which was licking the girl’s hands with sandpaper. - Well, stop it! I woke up, everything is fine.
The cat meowed displeasedly and moved its tail from side to side.
- No offense. “The girl scratched her furry pet under the chin, and she purred, immediately forgetting the insult. “I understand that you always pull me out.” You know, sometimes it even seems to me that you are some part of me.
The marquise meowed, but with a completely different intonation, in the affirmative.
They really looked alike - a girl and a cat. Alice's eyes are golden in color and have a vertical pupil, like Marquise's, a triangular face with a narrow chin, long reddish hair that perfectly harmonizes with the cat's fur.
Pulling the blanket up to her chin, Alice stared thoughtfully into space. This was not the first time she found herself in a distant region of the dream world called the Dark Spaces. And it was strange, because they said about this place that they did not return from there. Why could she herself go there and come back? Maybe thanks to the Marquise? And now the cat has clearly pulled the owner out of the nightmare. But it seemed to the girl that there was something else, something that she herself did not yet understand.
Wrapped in a blanket, Alice went to the window. It was already dawn, the night was receding, crowding in the morning. It was snowing heavily. Snowflakes fell to the ground like fluff from a torn pillow.
Looking at their monotonous flickering, the girl thought.
More than three months have passed since the disappearance of Oleg’s father, Alexei Mikhailovich Volkov, and there is still no news about him. Oleg and Alisa visited the laboratory where Volkov Sr. worked, working at the intersection of bioengineering, genetics and cyber technology, but it turned out that they were ahead of them - everything he worked on disappeared. Day by day Oleg became gloomier and gloomier.
Of course, they were not the only ones looking for a scientist. The initiates - members of the order, which has been active since the time of the Inquisition, for whom Volkov Sr. had, in fact, recently worked, were no less worried. One day, Alice accidentally heard a snippet of a conversation between two teachers in the academy corridor.
“Mark my words, we’ll hear more about that guy who started his activities right under our noses.” I'll bet my best tie that this case is very closely related to that missing scientist.
– Do you think this Volkov is a double agent? We checked him.
- We checked, but...
Then the speaker noticed Alice and abruptly fell silent, and she could only mutter an apology and hasten to hide. Of course, she did not tell Oleg about this conversation. There is nothing worse if relatives and closest people turn away from a person. Alas, the girl knew about this from her own experience.
She liked Alexey Mikhailovich, although he was too self-absorbed, as happens with scientists. The girl really hoped that he would be found and everything would be explained in the simplest way. In the meantime, oddly enough, studying has become an excellent outlet. They were loaded to the very top and even higher, leaving virtually no free time. The headmistress of the academy found it possible to control problem students personally. But it was even good. Alisa was afraid that Oleg would do something stupid and therefore rejoiced at the distraction of studying.
The alarm went off, signaling that it was time to focus on business. Alice sighed and went to the bathroom to take a shower to unwind a little. After a strange meeting in the world of dreams and sad reflections, my soul was restless.
The morning bustle, as always, had a healing effect. The four of them had breakfast - Alisa Panova, Oleg Volkov, Yulia Krasitskaya and Vlad Astov... Vlad, a somewhat reserved guy with long dark hair, had recently appeared in their company. It was he who first spoke about the dream navigator - a strange device with the help of which an unknown manipulator drew different people into his game, skillfully using the weaknesses of each of the “clients”. Together with Vlad, they looked for a manipulator and entered the office of a company engaged in digitization. After that, fearing that the initiates would become interested in Vlad, they hid him in the academy dormitory for three whole days, thinking that they were acting skillfully and subtly.
But disappointment came literally on the fourth day, when Professor Melnikov, teaching a subject with a strange and meaningless name “Theory of Knowledge,” suddenly asked, casually:
– Why is your friend skipping lectures?
Alisa, Oleg and Yulia looked at each other.
-What friend? – Volkov asked in a tense voice. He didn't know how to lie at all, and this really touched Alice.
- Vladislav. Astov, it seems. – Melnikov rubbed his temple with a perfectly manicured finger. - What's happened? Did I get the last name wrong? Sorry, it happens. Absent-minded.
No one would call him absent-minded, but Vadim Petrovich obviously enjoyed trying on different masks, sometimes completely opposite to his personal qualities.
The guys were silent. Vlad's stay in the hostel was a huge secret. In addition, they were already punished for arbitrariness and the fact that they were involved in a matter related to the dream navigator without informing any of the teachers. And now there is a new offense.
- Don't worry. – Melnikov spread his hands. – Personally, I think the guy is promising. He has already encountered some unusual things, gone through the first stages of a very peculiar training... In my opinion, it’s time, as they say, to come out of hiding. We won't eat it, after all. Let him take the documents from his economic one, especially since the economist from your Astov is about like a blacksmith from me. – Vadim Petrovich allowed himself an ironic grin. - So let him now make up for the bread he ate by successfully studying.
-Are you kidding? – Julia looked pleadingly at Melnikov.
Alisa noticed that a relationship was emerging between her and Vlad, which was still too fragile to talk about, but Krasitskaya was worried about him.
“In every joke...” Melnikov suddenly winked at Yulia. – Bring your Astov, he will find a place and his own room. Otherwise they will say that we are oppressing our students. Volkov is given a separate room, without a neighbor.
Oleg, who had actually sheltered Vlad and was now forced to adapt to living together as a safe house, noticeably cheered up.
And now Vlad has already received completely legal student status, his own room and all the delights of studying at the academy.
- Well, you have order here! Just like in a game,” Vlad said on the second day of training, and the more experienced students looked at each other knowingly and did not even bother telling him that all the delights were yet to come.
After two lectures, which passed calmly and without surprises, the students were gathered in Melnikov’s office.
“Well, you’ve grown to practice,” Vadim Petrovich announced, walking between the rows. In general, he very rarely took his place at the pulpit, and usually such officialdom did not promise anything good. – I am pleased that you have already begun to form working groups. In the future, each of these groups can become a task force, so it is very important that you learn how to act together now. And the mistakes that always happen when adjusting to each other will turn out to be less painful during study and will not lead to catastrophic consequences... Ideally,” he added, glancing sideways at Alice and her friends. – Although, as we well know, the ideal is unattainable... But what am I? Let's move on to distribution.
In any other educational institution, such words would cause a surge of emotions and whispers, but not in the academy. The students were silent, waiting for the continuation - the doors had slammed behind the most impatient ones a long time ago.
As Panova had hoped, this time they decided not to experiment with the composition of the groups, and their group included all of their own - Alisa, Oleg, Yulia, Vlad. The only surprise is Nika, the niece of the headmistress of the academy, who specializes in suggestion. Indeed, the group turned out to be good, and with the appearance of Vlad, you can be calm about the strength side.
They were assigned to do their internship in some run-of-the-mill department in Valdai. Alice had never been to this city, and Oleg, having downloaded the map, demonstrated it. Valdai was not so far from Moscow, but not so close that it was easy to drive back and forth. Moreover, the road ran through the ever-busy Leningradka and Khimki, famous for its traffic jams.
“We also came up with the idea of ‘practice’...” muttered Volkov, frowning at the map.
Alice understood perfectly why he did not want to leave Moscow. Oleg is not one of those who give up, and all this time, despite the failures, he continued to look for his father and hoped to stumble upon at least some trace.
“They don’t ask us whether we want to go or not,” Nika grinned. “And don’t even worry, they’ll figure it out just fine without you.”
Alice glanced sideways at the former head girl - it seemed that it was becoming dangerous to think in front of her. In general, it is somewhat strange that after one major joint adventure, Nika was included in their group. But what about her own retinue? Nikina's retinue huddled uncertainly in the corner, feeling boundless sadness from the break with their leader.
Apparently, the initiates finally decided on a small experiment in shuffling. Why?..
Irina turned out to be a very sweet girl - exactly the way I wanted my assistant to be. Always smart, impeccably dressed, not needing a deep neckline or exposed knees, she was punctual, efficient, polite and invariably friendly. Finally, complete order reigned in my documents.
Before she appeared, my table resembled the mines of King Solomon, in which only I could find gold. Irina put things in perfect order and taught me to use specially labeled folders. And, most importantly, she acted quietly and unobtrusively. I was somewhat afraid that she would try to build me up and begin to show the general’s syndrome on the parade ground, and I was ready for the inevitable separation that should have followed in this case, but no, it didn’t happen. She turned out to be just what was needed.
In the mornings she brought me coffee in a paper cup, and when I absentmindedly thanked her, she smiled.
– Don’t get distracted, Andrey! You have so much to do!
She also read my new book - every new chapter that I wrote, and even made sensible changes to it.
“You have described a very interesting case, but, in my opinion, it needs to be revealed more widely,” she said, having read the next piece. – Of course, a specialist of your level will understand everything, but there are only a few of them. Readers need details so they can follow your thought process.
And I even somehow got involved. I have never discussed the materials I was working on so often with anyone. Frankly, it turned out to be damn nice. I even began to worry that I was creating too strong a connection. Irina is a very attractive girl, it won’t take long to get carried away. Probably, you shouldn’t have taken such an assistant... But, on the other hand, there is nothing personal between us, I monitor the situation and keep it under control. Perhaps if she crosses some boundaries, we will have to break up, but there is still time. Irina does not demonstrate in any way that she is interested in me other than the scientist and her boss, so there is no reason to worry, but I am still worried.
Strange dreams began to torment me. Today I dreamed that someone’s hand was reaching out to me, reaching from somewhere below, as if from a black quagmire. As if the person needed help; I wanted to give him my hand and pull him out, but suddenly I got scared. It became very creepy. I look, his fingers are stained with black fuel oil, it seems that there are membranes between them, and I cannot touch his hand out of horror and disgust.
I woke up with my heart pounding—this hasn’t happened in a long time—and I wrote down this dream. He hints at the troubles that I have gotten myself into or am about to get into, obviously myself. In dreams you often see yourself in different images. In any case, this fuel oil is not good.
But so far everything is going smoothly, without surprises...
But no, a surprise still happened. Just an hour ago, Irina said that a person from the authorities was looking for me, who, you see, urgently needs to talk to me.
We talked.
Major Vitaly Streltsov came to me with an unexpected request. I am stating everything as I heard it from him, so as not to lose important details that will be required later.
There is a man who had access to state and commercial secrets and managed to steal seven million dollars from state accounts and some particularly important documents, the contents of which “shouldn’t bother me,” escaped, but was soon discovered and caught. It would seem that there is nothing unusual - everyone who can get their hands on something steals from us. I suppose the authorities were going to take him seriously and shake out everything that he knows and doesn’t even know, but they didn’t succeed.
This man was found prostrated, practically in the state of a vegetable.
Doctors took charge of him, conducted tests, but found no traces of substances or poisonous gases that could lead him to such a state.
No bodily injuries were also recorded.
“You must bring him to his senses or at any cost extract information from him about money and especially about papers,” Streltsov told me.
- Do you think I'm a wizard? – I asked. Sometimes these apparatchiks have very inadequate ideas about reality. – And why, by the way, me?
“You are the best,” he said gloomily. “And you will try very, very hard to do everything to resolve this matter.”
- This is a threat? – I always didn’t like it when people tried to put pressure on me.
- No. – Streltsov rose from the chair on which he was sitting exactly as is typical for military personnel - with a straight back and knees bent exactly at an angle of 90 degrees. – This is an interesting case just for your book.
Yes, it’s an interesting case, but how unpleasant it is to be under the hood. So don’t say that the state apparatus is not interested in work on psychiatry. They are watching. It would be good if they didn’t bug my office... However, these were already paranoid symptoms, and I immediately pulled myself together. I thought about this case all day, and in the evening I suddenly realized that I had not taken any coordinates of this Streltsov.
“Irina,” I called my assistant, “today a person from the authorities came to see me...
- Yes, an unpleasant guy. “She chuckled and handed me a cardboard rectangle. - He left a business card for you.
Well, it looks like it's worth looking into this case. I sat in my office...
I called Streltsov, and we quickly agreed on everything. The subject of interest to us was not kept in the capital, but simply in the middle of nowhere, in the provinces. But it’s okay, my car is decent, so that’s not the point.
The fact is that the smell of fuel oil from my dream became simply unbearable, but I was not going to refuse. If the major is not lying, and there seems to be no reason for him to lie, the case is indeed quite interesting.
Having made a decision, I called Irina and granted her a short-term leave for good work, but she refused to let me go alone, showing unexpected determination.
“I won’t let you go, Andrey,” she said firmly. – You will need help. And, if anything, it will be more difficult for them to cope with two than with one.
“But this could be dangerous...” I took off my glasses and turned them over in my hands.
“That’s why I’ll go with you,” the girl snapped.
That's when those aggressive shoes showed up - she seems to need some adrenaline. Even now, at the mere thought of dangers and what seems to her like adventures, Irina has subtly changed. The eyes sparkled, the nostrils fluttered, like those of a restive mare. It seems like it’s about to rush off and into the quarry. I know this type.
And I agreed. Both because you can’t argue with her, and because I will probably need help.
In the evening I was already packing my suitcase. Only the essentials - underwear, a couple of spare shirts, ties, one suit just in case, an electric razor and other little things.
As I lay down in bed, I thought about the upcoming task. Streltsov refused to provide me with materials in advance, emphasizing their special top-secret nature. This is bad - better to be prepared. But there are already enough strange things in this case, why not add one more... I sighed. It seems that I also have a penchant for adventurism and a need for adrenaline. I didn't notice it before. I'm a bad psychologist and specialist. Although you can’t put stamps right away. I'm not bad at all, that's a fact. The major is right, I'm the best, and I can handle anything. All medical reports must be prepared before my arrival. I'll start with them. Then I will observe the patient using cameras. There are simply amazingly talented malingerers, and this version cannot be ruled out... And then... we’ll figure it out on the spot...
Because of these thoughts, I had another nightmare.
A black man, as if completely smeared with fuel oil, stood behind me - I saw him in the mirror - and there was something very wrong, unnatural about him.
I woke up again with my heart pounding and covered in sweat. This time the ability to analyze seemed to evaporate. I was scared. In a way that hasn’t happened since childhood.
Vlad drove the car masterfully, Oleg was able to appreciate this and ironically thought that the dangerous game had brought benefits after all, and the method of training in dreams obviously has its undeniable advantages.
However, the further they went from Moscow, the more restless their hearts became. Looking at the flowing road, Volkov thought about his father, and the thoughts were very sad. The father disappeared again, as if he had never existed. Mom said that lately he had not been himself, drank liters of coffee and actually did not sleep. The question arose: what was he doing? Unfortunately, the laboratory did not provide an answer. Meanwhile, somewhere in the depths of consciousness, not yet released to the surface, like an ancient monster, a thought was tossing and turning: was it not the father himself who was behind those events? Was he the puppeteer they were looking for? Too many coincidences. Oleg did not allow these thoughts to come out, but they tormented him, robbing him of sleep. He did not share this with others, not even with Alice, but something like visual hallucinations, apparently caused by anxiety and fatigue, began to appear even in reality. This morning he again saw a dark silhouette in the mirror behind him. It's probably time to look for a good psychiatrist.
Oleg was also saddened by his separation from the Miracle. The headmistress was adamant, saying: “And no animals in practice. Don’t think you’ll have time to bother with them there.”
Both the faithful dog and Alisina’s beloved cat had to be left in Moscow in the care of their parents. Mom, receiving Miracle, even cried, as if she was afraid that her son, having left, would not return, would disappear, like his father. And Chud looked understandingly and very sadly, as if he was really saying goodbye. Meanwhile, they had already turned off the highway and entered a town that seemed provincial to Oleg because of the low houses, many of which were wooden or had a wooden floor built on them. The road became significantly worse, and snowdrifts were piled on the sides, some of which were quite suitable for sledding.
- There is a monastery nearby. – Oleg tried to drive away unnecessary thoughtfulness, and therefore spoke deliberately cheerfully. - Over there, beyond the lake. We'll definitely go there later. In general, there is a lot of interesting things in the surrounding area - several abandoned estates, although I don’t know if it’s possible to get there in winter.
The other passengers remained silent. Judging by the previous load, they may not be left with time - at least, as the headmistress said, so that they do not get into new troubles.
There was no sign of trouble yet. There was a smell of gasoline and freshly fallen snow, and the sky was unusually clear.
“Ecology,” Nika nodded. “None of you would like to give up everything and settle in such a quiet and magnificent place?”
“It’s too quiet,” said Alice.
They settled into a hotel that seemed completely empty - and not surprisingly, it was not a tourist season at all. If they come here, it is either in the summer or for the winter holidays.
Vlad and Oleg stayed in one room, Alisa and Yulia in another, and Nika got a separate one. Having thrown their bags, everyone went down to the cafe, where a bored red-haired cook prepared decent coffee and delicious pancakes with jam.
Now it was necessary to go to the local branch of initiates, located on the outskirts of the city. Oleg and Vlad studied the map again and, just in case, called the number given to them, but no one answered.
“What if this department no longer works,” Yulia suggested, looking at the boarded-up shutters of the building next to the hotel. They went outside and stopped on the porch.
- And it’s okay - then consider it a legitimate vacation. – Vlad yawned and stretched. – We won’t go to Moscow right away in any case. Our numbers have been paid for, and the driver, that is, me, needs a rest. And anyway, why are you so sour?! – Vlad bent down, scooping up snow with his hand, and shot a snowball at Oleg.
– Do you think he’s the most accurate? – The reciprocal snowball flew towards Vlad from Yulia’s direction and flattened on the guy’s back.
- Ah well! So you're hitting me in the back?! – He brought down a silver fountain of snow on Yulia.
The girl screamed.
- They're beating our people! Let's show these security forces where the crayfish spend the winter! – Nika shouted defiantly and rushed to Vlad, shoveling snow along the way.
Both Alisa and Oleg somehow unnoticed joined this snowy battle. Snow was flying in all directions, the cheeks of the players were flushed, their hats were lost. The guys shook themselves off and snorted from the snow, but continued to attack.
Finally, Vlad was surrounded, they attacked him from all sides, meaningfully shaking snowballs.
- Surrender or be destroyed! – Oleg announced, rolling the snowball from hand to hand. The cane with the silver griffin's head had been left lying on the ground a long time ago, he didn't even remember about it.
- Never! – Vlad shook his long dark hair, on which snow glistened.
- Well, then it’s worse for you!
Oleg threw a snowball, but Vlad, spinning easily, escaped the blow, and the snowball instead flew at the man standing right behind the guy. Volkov barely had time to realize this when the stranger suddenly put out his hand in a black leather glove and caught a flying snow projectile.
Everyone instantly fell silent, staring at him.
He was a young man, perhaps around thirty, as they say, give or take. Tall, dark-haired, bare-headed, wearing a short black jacket with a checkered scarf wrapped over it and black jeans. It looks alien against the backdrop of provincial wooden houses. He looked too confident and stylish for Valdai, at least that’s what Oleg thought. Judging by the fact that Alice hastily reached out to straighten the strands that had gotten out of her hair, he also made a similar impression on her.
- Well done, we just arrived and have already started practice. – The stranger smiled friendly.
– What kind of practice? – Julia asked, looking around at her friends.
- Exactly! “The young man laughed and slapped his forehead with a gloved hand. - I didn’t introduce myself. Igor, head of the Valdai branch. Welcome, gentlemen, trainees!
Oleg glanced sideways at Alice. She looked at Igor as if spellbound.
* * *
- Beautiful. - Alice touched the wall of blood-red brick, and through her glove it seemed to her that the wall was warm, as if alive.
“It’s just a palace,” Nika said sarcastically. – I thought ours preferred high-tech.
The building on the outskirts of Valdai was truly impressive. Not too large, it nevertheless managed to resemble a fortification, with narrow, heavily barred windows and four turrets along the edges. If you compare it with the academy building where the guys studied in Moscow, made entirely of glass and concrete, the difference was, as they say, obvious.
- Come on in. – Igor, without commenting on the ridicule, opened the door and stepped aside to let the guests through.
Alice liked that he didn’t make excuses. And, to be honest, she liked the building too. Despite everything, it did not look kitsch, but looked quite organic. Maybe this is because there were no houses crowding around, crowding on top of each other, and beyond there was a snow-covered lake. It feels like I was transported centuries ago or into some other, perhaps parallel universe, and everything is exactly as it should be: gloomy black trees, white snow, a lonely red tower. And all this is piercingly sharp, beautiful, like a razor on the skin, like a finger pricked by a naughty spindle. “Like in a fairy tale,” the girl found the correct definition.
Her friends had already gone inside, but she still stood on the porch.
- Alice, is something wrong? – Igor asked, taking a step towards her.
“No, everything is fine,” the girl hastily answered, feeling with annoyance that she was blushing, as always. It was annoying to immediately appear sentimental.
It was out of embarrassment that she looked back, looking at the cast-iron fence, gracefully, like foam lace, decorated with soft snow, and froze. A woman stood at the fence. A very strange woman, dressed in some kind of torn sheepskin coat or long padded jacket. Several colored shawls were tied on the shoulders, one on top of the other, completely out of harmony with each other. And on top of all this lay long, tangled hair below the waist. At first it seemed to Alice that this was an old woman, but looking closer, the girl did not notice any wrinkles, only white strands glittered in her black hair, as if frost-covered.
Ding-ding-ding... something jingled.
Only now Alice noticed in the stranger’s hands a huge bunch of old keys on a huge rusty iron ring.
The woman quickly sorted through them, as if she was looking for the right one.
Ding-ding-ding-ding...
- Crazy.
- What? – Alisa shuddered and looked back at Igor. He stood very close, almost close.
“The local madwoman,” he repeated. – He wanders around the neighborhood, muttering something under his breath and fumbling with his keys. I don’t know where I got such an antique value from... But it is quiet, harmless.
- She is one? Is there no one to take care of her? – the girl asked with sympathy.
The woman at the fence shook her head, as if she had not found the right key, sighed and wandered on.
“One,” Igor confirmed, kneading an unlit cigarette in his hands. “When I came here, I even thought about placing her in a hospital, but I didn’t. There they will stuff her with drugs, reduce her to the state of a vegetable - so what? Let her live in her own world, it’s better not to touch her. We took something like patronage over her - we bring food. She even eats it sometimes...
Alice nodded, feeling strangely grateful. Not many would have acted like Igor. Most would simply not pay attention to the crazy woman, and even if they wanted to do a good deed, they would actually end up in a hospital, and it would only get worse.
- Well, let's go, shall we? Your friends are probably already intrigued by our long absence,” said Igor, putting the unlit cigarette into his pack.
- Certainly. “Alice realized with surprise that in this strange, almost fairy-tale place, she had forgotten about her friends, even about Oleg.
She stepped through the door and found herself in the hall, quite dark and leaving a feeling of emptiness and homelessness.
At the same moment, the large chandelier under the ceiling lit up with a warm yellowish light, and it immediately became more comfortable.
The hallway consisted of a small dressing room, where the outerwear of Alice's friends was already hanging on elegant wrought-iron hangers; next to the wardrobe there was a wooden stand for umbrellas; the room opened into a hall with a real fireplace.
The guys were not visible, as if they had disappeared after entering an enchanted castle.
“Natasha dragged everyone away to drink tea,” Igor said, smiling.
Alice did not understand whether he had read her thoughts or simply guessed the reason for her concern, which, in general, was also not difficult.
– Natasha is my assistant. The department here, as you’ve probably been told, is quite small,” Igor continued to tell, taking her down jacket from Alice, “only three people.” Me, Natasha and Sashka, he is on vacation now. There are only a few of us, but there is no need for more here. Nothing much happens, there is barely enough work for us. And you will quickly clear away the accumulated documentation for us. What else are trainees needed for?
He was clearly joking - a smile lurked at the corners of his lips and outlined barely noticeable dimples on his cheeks.
- We will try. – Alice smiled to show that she understood the jokes.
- That's good! Follow me then! The first and very important task: get to know Natasha and drink tea with her buns. Hers are extraordinary, you won’t regret it!
Igor also took off his jacket, and underneath he found himself in an informal black and red sweater with a high neck and an abstract pattern on the chest.
They went into the kitchen, where Oleg, Yulia, Vlad and Nika were already sitting at a large wooden table. In front of each of them stood a substantial clay mug, and in the middle of the table there was a whole display of baked goods: pies, cinnamon-scented buns, and cookies.
A plump red-haired girl, to Alice's surprise, absolutely ugly, but somehow sweet and endearing, poured tea for the guests from a large funny teapot - white, with red peas. Alice, when she first heard about Natasha, for some reason imagined a tall, thin, beautiful bitch, and never before had failure to meet expectations turned out to be so pleasant.
“Alice, this is Natasha, I’m sure you’ll get along,” Igor announced and looked around the crowd. - Why are you so sour? Consider the official part of the acquaintance over. Now we will drink tea, eat buns and get to know each other. If you don’t like us, that’s okay too: just three weeks of practice and you’re free. But personally, to be honest, I think it would be more interesting and useful to spend this time without waging a guerrilla war against each other.
The contrast with the academy grew ever stronger. I even wonder if Igor really studied there at one time!
Yes, the Valdai branch was really different from the Moscow one, and so far Alice liked it much more, but for some reason Oleg did not look at her, bending over his mug.
Dangerous approach
I reviewed and re-read all available materials several times. He enlarged the image on the camera, analyzed every fold of the face, body position, and eye expression. Either this is a most brilliant actor in front of me, or the soul of this person really hovers in other spheres. Without going into details, here's what I managed to find out about him.
Vladimir, my patient, is still quite young; he will turn thirty-seven this year. At the same time, he managed to work in the authorities and take part in several sensational operations, which, in order to avoid further problems for myself, I will not even mention. He was always characterized as a promising, thinking, reliable person. Judging by old photographs and notes, he was very handsome and charming.
And suddenly, during the next operation, which, as I understand it, is of great importance, something unexpectedly does not go according to plan. As a result of certain emergency circumstances, it is Vladimir who must obtain the secret password and send the data to higher authorities. No one doubts the employee, but neither the data nor the money comes. It turns out that Vladimir himself has disappeared. An examination of his apartment does not provide an explanation for this mystery: it does not appear that the owner was preparing to escape or had hiding places, and his apartment, there is no doubt, was searched to the last speck.
All forces were already involved here. The search was conducted at the federal level and... did not yield any results. At the same time, they checked and double-checked all the details related to Vladimir - again completely fruitlessly. Mystic! Only our state machine does not like and does not recognize mysticism, the order was: even if it’s from underground, get it out.
And - a new incredible twist. A simple policeman pays attention to a strange guy wandering around the city with a blank look. He pulls the poor guy out almost from under the wheels, considering him stoned, tries to bring him to his senses, then makes inquiries...
Well, then the matter returns to the hands of the office of my new friend Streltsov. As if in reality I see them arriving at the scene in their black cars, interrogating the unfortunate policeman, extracting from him everything that he knows and doesn’t know, shaking their former employee, dragging him to doctors, and so on. And, as is already usual in this matter, it is absolutely in vain.
I, of course, reviewed all the doctor's reports and tests. No pathologies. One can only envy Vladimir’s health, all indicators are normal, only the pulse is slow, with a strange amplitude, which is more typical of deep sleep. But he is not sleeping - the body can move, is capable of performing the simplest biological functions, if directed in the right direction. For example, if you put a spoon in his hands, he will fill it with soup, bring it to his mouth and chew. True, when the soup in the plate runs out, the movements will not stop. I once watched him with a camera for an hour and a half. All this time, Vladimir monotonously scooped air from an empty plate, brought the spoon to his mouth, chewed and swallowed.
It seems that in front of you is a perfect biorobot.
Outwardly, he also changed. I compare the patient with his old photograph and am once again convinced how much depends on the expression of the eyes. There they are lively and attentive, giving their faces a courageous and attractive expression. Here they are dead, empty, like black holes, and the face immediately begins to resemble a mask cut out of paper, it even becomes frightening.
His eyes really look like they are dead. The pupils contract in response to light, but there is obviously no contact with the brain. The pain threshold is greatly reduced. Only at a very high level does the body twitch; a pin can be driven into his hand almost to the very head.
Sounds do not cause a reaction, even the most irritating ones, at special frequencies that are unpleasant to the human ear.
All day long, Vladimir sits in the position in which the guard puts him, even if this position is uncomfortable.
In general, everything looks completely unoptimistic. I had never had to deal with anything like this before. Only Irochka inspires enthusiasm in me. I can’t even imagine what I would do without her. Over these days, she, imperceptible as air, became necessary to me, like the same air. She makes sure that I eat on time, brings me coffee, pulls me away from the monitor and even takes me out into the fresh air.
– You killed one, now you want to kill another?! – she reprimanded the duty sergeant.
I caught this scene completely by accident and stopped, watching them.
Irochka seemed like a little angry and therefore disheveled sparrow. She fearlessly pounced on the huge sergeant in relation to her, who seemed to be entirely and not very carefully hollowed out of a gray granite block. And, most brilliantly, the sergeant retreated, looking at her with obvious apprehension.
“We didn’t kill anyone, Irina Alexandrovna...” he muttered.
- So kill it! Andrey works for days! Do you think this is normal?
- But he is... himself.
- Oh myself! Yes, you are all soulless machines here! - Irochka raged and, suddenly noticing me, became terribly embarrassed.
She's just as cute when she's embarrassed as she is when she's angry. She has a very expressive face, moreover, a thoroughbred, narrow, with sharply defined cheekbones. You can watch him almost endlessly.
That day she literally took me out for a walk.
Oh yes, I got carried away and didn’t even describe where we ended up.
I don’t know what this institution is called in official papers, but personally I would call it a prison. It is located in some kind of bearish corner, far from human habitation, in the middle of the forest. Closer to the building there is a large right-of-way, carefully cleared of all vegetation, visible and, I believe, shot through from all the turrets along the perimeter. Two concrete fences with wire and electricity, and between them there is also a strip where dogs run. The gate looks like it was taken from a book about medieval fortifications - massive, ready to withstand an assault. I'm far from an expert in military matters, but it's impressive. Several guard booths, a barracks and the three-story building itself are of that depressing gray color that will drive anyone into the deepest melancholy. The windows are small and barred. There are video cameras everywhere and also security guards patrolling the area.
The right wing is for prisoners. I don’t know and I don’t want to know how many there are and who exactly is sitting there. But Vladimir - for sure.
The left one is administrative, there are so-called guest rooms in which Irochka and I were accommodated. The windows there, by the way, are also barred, and the furniture smells of officialdom. For a long time I could not get rid of the feeling that I myself had been put in prison. I didn't sleep here the first night. It seemed that at any moment heavy steps would be heard outside the door, iron bolts would clang, and I would be dragged away for interrogation or execution. Such sensations are alive, very reliable, and no methods of psychological relief work against them. I never tire of repeating that the basic human feeling is fear. It sits at the very core of our being, controlling us. It forces us to create the appearance of comfort around ourselves, to build our own material world, to start a family, to continue the family line. All this is based on that same animalistic, primordial fear. Fear is not only a signal of danger, “a negatively colored emotional process,” as my colleagues would say, it is part of our being, our ancestral and childhood memory. Don't think that it's easy for us psychiatrists. On the contrary, most of the deceptions that easily work on our patients do not work on us. You can be aware of the origins of your fear, but this does not give you a shield against it... You can overcome the local manifestation of your fear, but this is a hydra that grows new and new heads.
However, I got lost in thought again and went somewhere in the wrong steppe.
In general, I more or less dealt with this fear and slept almost normally the following nights, but the building itself still caused a constant feeling of anxiety.
The only more or less suitable area for staying there is the same pine park that I already mentioned. Of course, it is also completely visible, but there it is easier to abstract from the situation and feel at least relatively free. And the air there is good. The building smells terribly unpleasant - something musty, alarming. Here is the smell of sun and pine. I just want to inhale it quickly, quickly, as if I could pick it up and keep it in reserve.
It was already evening. The coarse sand crunched under my feet, the branches of the pine trees creaked... Irochka walked very close, and I could inhale the smell of her perfume - something light, like clouds floating across the sky, pleasant, almost out of place in this gloomy and seemingly god-forsaken place.
We were silent until we were far away from the gloomy gray bulk. The pine trees obligingly hid her coffin-like outline.
“Andrey, I’m sorry,” Irochka finally spoke, looking at me pleadingly. - It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have allowed myself...
A slight blush appeared on her cheeks, and I thought how young she was. There was no need to drag Ira here, such a place is not for her...
“There’s no need to apologize,” I hastily stopped her. – Especially when you don’t feel guilty.
“Did you guess?..” She blushed even more and pressed her hands to her chest. By the way, shirts on women can look very sexy if you choose them correctly. In my opinion, Irochka is a master at selecting shirts.
“Well, it’s not in vain that I eat my bread,” I grinned. “You are as remorseful as that bird over there.”
On a branch, a bird invisible from the ground was actually chirping cheerfully.
- But I’m right! – Ira turned to me and went on the offensive. – You don’t think about yourself at all! You may not eat even once all day! And there’s water in the decanter, and napkins, and handkerchiefs, and pens, where do you think they come from in your office?! I can’t even imagine how you lived without me!
– I can’t imagine it either.
“What?...” She froze and looked at me with suddenly widened eyes. The glare of light from the sun falling through the carved pine paws trembled in the pupil.
“I can’t imagine how I lived without you, and I don’t even want to imagine it in the future,” I answered clearly.
This was nothing new for me. Of course, having looked closely at Irina for a long time, I appreciated her and, after analyzing, I realized that I was truly drawn to her. Not like for any pretty young lady - no, the feeling for Irochka was, although precocious, but serious. I didn’t so much want to be in the same bed with her as I wanted to keep this incredible girl near me, to build a relationship with her on a solid foundation.
I have long been aware of this desire. Of course, if we were ordinary people, we should have wooed the girl before dumbfounding her with such a statement. Invite to a restaurant, ask about relatives up to and including the tenth generation... but... but we were both unusual people. We are not ordinary people, and I believed that Irochka would understand everything. Who else if not her?!
And she understood, taking the last step separating us, and we finally kissed.
Oleg simply categorically did not like the branch. Neither the branch nor its workers. It's all too deliberate. The building is too gloomy, the friendliness is too intrusive, the cookies are too rich and sweet. “Although the cookies, of course, have nothing to do with it,” Volkov thought, washing it down with tea.
Everyone else seemed to like it.
Igor led table conversations. I had to admit, he knew how to speak: he almost told stories in person, made fun of himself and his native organization, but did not ignore the guests - he asked questions, expressed sincere interest. Alisa listened to him with lively participation, although a couple of times Oleg caught her worried glances.
In the middle of the conversation, Igor received a call, he went out into the hall, and the table immediately became boring.
“You have an interesting building,” Vlad remarked when the silence was clearly beginning to drag on.
“Yes, it was built thanks to Igor,” Natasha perked up.
The beginning was intriguing, and the assistant was immediately bombarded with a hail of questions, and with obvious pleasure she began to tell what terrible conditions the Valdai branch was in before Igor appeared, how he courageously rushed to raise it literally from the dust, spending his own money and involving his connections in capital.
According to Natasha’s story, the local boss was a kind of cross between an angel and a superman.
Only one question remained: why was such a brilliant specialist entrusted with only a provincial department?..
Meanwhile, Igor returned. Oleg thought that it was as if he had been absent on purpose just long enough to let his assistant tell all the most flattering things about her boss.
Everyone unanimously agreed with this postulate.
“So, here we have the opportunity to do small, but good deeds,” Igor continued with enthusiasm. – I will not insist, this is done solely at the behest of one’s own heart, but if any of you wants, you will be able to participate in the activities of my corporation “Happiness” during practice.
- What? – asked Oleg.
– “Happiness” - that’s what I called my branch, in a simple provincial way. – The boss smiled disarmingly and spread his hands. – I don’t promise big things. But is it really bad to console a frightened child, help a sick old woman, suggest a solution to a disappointed teenager?..
He said the right and understandable things, and at the same time it seemed to Oleg that it was all too chocolatey and candy-like, or something. The sweetness even made my jaw ache.
“I think that’s right,” said Alice. – I myself, especially earlier, when I had more time, often walked through dreams - I looked for sick and frightened children, tried to calm them down...
“Good idea,” Julia supported. - For once, at least be of use to someone.
And even Nika and Vlad nodded in agreement.
Oleg gloomily took the pie, put it in his mouth and chewed it without feeling the taste. To be completely honest, his suspicions about Igor are similar to ordinary jealousy. And, unfortunately, it has some basis. From the moment of the spectacular appearance of the head of the Valdai branch, Alice seemed to have been replaced.
After a protracted introduction procedure, Igor began handing out work to the trainees. The entire paper and computer part, which the boss jokingly mentioned, fell on Oleg.
“This is according to your specialization,” Igor announced, smiling, as if nothing had happened.
There really was a lot of paperwork. It was necessary to sort them out and systematize them, organize the archive, check the availability of electronic versions... In general, as Oleg assessed, he was provided with the most boring work until the very end of the internship.
– What, no one was involved in the archives before me? - Volkov asked his assistant Natasha, who, at the end of the feast, sat down at the table and began to paint her lips with bright cherry lipstick with a businesslike look.
“You see, there are very few of us and we are busy,” Natasha announced, pouting her lips and once again running lipstick over them.
“I thought so,” Oleg agreed, returning to the papers.
The rest got a more fun, but also more dubious, according to Volkov, job: to participate in Igor’s good deeds.
“It’s still unknown who is worse off,” Oleg muttered, systematizing employee leave requests for the last four years, “apparently, right from the moment the representative office was organized.” – Does this nonsense also need to be scanned? Yes, I feel like I won’t forget this practice soon!..
* * *
– Oleg Volkov is a very capable young man. I read his description and understand that sending him to tinker with papers is a crime. – Igor looked sadly at the four trainees gathered around him. “But I can’t imagine what else to do with him.” I just don’t have anything to do with him, nothing to do with him...
“You are a democratic boss, you even explain,” Vlad drawled.
- It's good to mock. – Igor grinned. “You think I don’t understand that the scale here is generally too small for you - after your previous adventures, and suddenly a boring, sleepy province. But it’s okay, I found something just for you. Let's go to the rehabilitation center today. I will really need the help of Nika and Alisa, and there is something to do there in the Yulina part.
It took them a long time to get to the place along steep and rutted roads, which even Igor’s cool Land Rover, driven by Vlad, happy with the honor, had difficulty coping with.
Igor himself sat next to the driver and managed not only to show the way, but also to entertain the three girls sitting in the back seat. This time he told stories about the academy.
“Well, that means we’re sitting on the top floor of a high-rise building,” he said. – Task: get out within ten minutes. It’s completely unclear what to do. And then one girl comes to the window, stands on the windowsill, says: “Wingardium Leviosa,” and in all seriousness is going to jump down. We her barely dragged away.
“I re-read Harry Potter,” Nika nodded.
“That’s for sure,” the head of the Valdai branch grinned. “She was actually a Potter fanatic.” Otherwise, she’s a sweet girl, so pretty, but somewhat ummm... a dreamer. Want some gossip? “He winked and immediately continued: “She had a crush on Professor Melnikov.” She insisted that he looked like Professor Snape. Comedian, honestly! Where is Melnikov, and where is Snape!
“Well, Vadim Petrovich is also charming,” Yulia stood up for the professor.
– Vadim Petrovich is a complete charm, if he needs it. – Igor suddenly became serious. “And to be honest, he is one of the most dangerous people I know.” If he wants something, he will achieve it.
A tense silence hung in the salon.
– What about that student? - Alice asked, mostly to break the awkward silence.
- With Christina? It seems she was kicked out of her third year. It was then that our teams began to form. She held out for a long time... I’m telling you, she was not of this world... There’s a turn soon, this is a difficult road,” Igor said and, turning away, began to command Vlad.
Alice would have forgotten this conversation, but when they got out of the car, Nika whispered to her:
“There’s something personal with this student.” It closed, but I managed to feel it.
“Personal things are something that people don’t interfere with,” Alice reminded, she suddenly felt unpleasant.
- Come on. – Nika shrugged, and both girls followed the others.
The rehabilitation center turned out to be in an old, Soviet-era, shabby building. They knew Igor here and were happy to see him.
- My trainees! – he announced proudly, introducing the guys to the elderly manager.
They were given white coats, slippers and masks, told what they should and shouldn't do, and finally were taken to the children's department. Tears welled up in Alice's eyes when she saw very small children lying on their beds.
– I’ll leave you with Igor Anatolyevich. – The manager looked at the head of the Valdai department. - Under your responsibility.
“Don’t worry, I’ll see to it,” Igor promised and, when she left, he looked at the guys seriously. “There are children here who are not even able to say what’s wrong with them, so we are the ones who can help them.” You, Nika, Alisa, Yulia... You are really needed here. You can look around. If you have any questions, ask.
The children were excited by the appearance of unfamiliar adults, but very quickly found a common language with them. Alice was amazed that even the sickest of them easily responded to attempts to amuse and interest them. Children remained children even in the grip of the most severe illness. They wanted to play, forgot about the bad and strived for the good with all their hearts. Perhaps that is why the gloomy atmosphere that exists where seriously ill adults are not reigned in the children's department. But this courage of the children and the awareness of some kind of global injustice made me want to cry.
- Don't worry. – Igor’s hand covered Alisa’s fingers, and the girl shuddered. “We don’t perform miracles, but we will try to do everything we can.” It's very opportune for you to arrive.
Alice didn’t understand what to do, but Igor, as if nothing had happened, removed his hand and continued:
- Come on, I’ll show you someone...
While Nika, Yulia and Vlad, who was helping them, were working with the children, Igor led Alisa through the corridor to another room.
It was a very tiny room, full of sunlight. On the bed, entwined in a network of devices, like a small silver fish caught by a fisherman, lay a girl of about seven years old. She was monstrously thin. Her eyes were closed, her face was pale, thin, with sunken cheeks. Her skin looked like thin wax paper, and there was a huge purple scar on one cheek.
- What with her?! - Alice whispered so quietly, as if she was afraid to wake the girl.
- Accident, fire. This happened more than three years ago. Her relatives died. They managed to save the girl, but she’s been in this condition ever since,” Igor answered just as quietly. – Lethargy, but at least she’s breathing on her own.
Alice froze, looking at the thin child's hand, tightly covered with dry skin. The hand was like a twig. Panova bit her lip until it bled. How unfair is the world in which children suffer! And Alice suddenly felt ashamed of her own experiences: how often she complained about her hardships, so insignificant in the face of real grief.
“The body has fully recovered, the heart is working, and other important organs are working too,” Igor continued in the meantime. “Everything seems to be fine, but she still doesn’t regain consciousness.”
- Why is she here? – Alice was surprised. - Why not in the hospital?
“They couldn’t help her in the hospital, but she can be kept on devices here.” There's a problem with places. – Igor came up and stood over the sleeping woman. “It’s somewhere very deep.”
– In the Dark Spaces? – Alice asked, intensely peering into the child’s face.
– Do you know about this place? – Igor turned sharply to Alice. – In our time, they didn’t talk about this at the academy.
- It happened. – The girl looked away. - I'll try to find her.
- Just don't take risks. Remember that if you fall into a trap, you will not be of any use to anyone. You must come back. For yourself, for the sake of your friends, for the sake of all those people whom you can help, who need you. Understood?
He looked into her eyes, and this look gave strength. It seemed that he and Igor had known each other for many years... it was even strange that they had actually met only recently.
“I’ll be careful,” Alice promised.
- Well done. “He smiled and lightly touched her hand again, as if conveying a piece of his warmth and his strength.
Pushing up a chair, Alice sat down next to the bed, closed her eyes and, concentrating, reached out to the girl.
Fire. He was everywhere. It seemed to be buzzing even in her head. It became impossible to breathe even through a wet rag.
"Mother! Mother!" - she wants to scream, but the scream gets stuck in her throat, and a hard cough turns her inside out, tearing her insides.
The yellow-scarlet world is a world of fire, a world of pain. Now she knows what pain looks like, what it smells like—sweet, fire and burnt flesh.
This is a world beyond. Beyond good and evil. Beyond life and death.
- Nastya! Nastya, are you there? I’ll save you now, I’ll succeed... now, wait... - a voice is heard from somewhere in the distance, it seems, from another galaxy, from another world...
And then a flaming beam collapsed from above, and the world turned from yellow-scarlet to black.
...The sound of a falling chair was like a thunderclap.
Alice seemed to be screaming, still feeling pain and fear, still seeing yellow-scarlet flashes before her eyes.
“Everything is fine, you’re safe, everything is fine,” said someone vaguely familiar voice.
Someone held her to his chest, cradling her like a little one, and stroked her head, and constantly repeated: “Everything is fine, you’re safe.” So that Alice herself began to believe in it. Her lungs were still sore from the smoke, the girl coughed, gradually coming to her senses, and suddenly realized that she was in Igor’s arms and sharply pulled back.
- Sorry. – Igor defiantly raised his hands up. “I shouldn’t have agreed.” You shouldn't have done this.
Alice took a deep breath. The air seemed unusually sweet to her, almost intoxicating. It turns out that breathing is so wonderful!
“It’s okay,” she said, realizing that she could barely speak. The throat was dry and the tongue was unruly.
Igor immediately realized this, because he went out and immediately returned with a plastic cup filled with beautiful cool water. Alice swallowed it in one gulp and asked for more.
Igor brought it. He did not rush the girl, patiently waiting for her to calm down. Alice, slowly, sip by sip, drained the second glass and looked at Igor.
“You saw the fire,” he said without a questioning intonation.
The girl nodded. It was still difficult to speak.
“She lived in the suburbs of Valdai, and no one had spoken to her since the fire. The whole family died,” Igor repeated.
- The whole family? - Alice frowned. “It seemed to me that there was someone behind the door.” Someone wanted to save the girl... Nastya... Her name is Nastya, right?
“Nastya Koltsova, everything is correct,” Igor nodded. “It was probably someone close to her.” Alas, everyone died in the fire. The mother tried to save the girl and was very burned herself. She was taken to the hospital while still alive, but she died on the third day without regaining consciousness. My sister was completely burned. And Nastya is stuck somewhere. The body is closer to life than to death, but the soul is lost and cannot seem to find its way to its shell.
“I’ll try again...” Alice clenched her teeth - the mere thought of returning to where the eternal fire was burning made it painful as hell.
- No. – Igor shook his head. “I can’t let you take risks.” I think that only a miracle can bring her back.
– People perform miracles. – The girl looked into his eyes. “You yourself said that we should help.”
- If possible…
“We need to do something,” Panova repeated stubbornly. “I won’t forgive myself if I don’t even try.”
Igor sighed.
“Okay,” he agreed. - Not now. You need to gain strength and act gradually. I'll try to help, but don't expect too much. This kind of work takes time. You may feel like everything is going too slowly.
- I'll be patient.
“Then we have a chance,” Igor nodded. - Now let's go to the others. Besides Nastya, there are others who could use help.
On the threshold, Alice looked back. And again the girl seemed to her like a fish caught in a net. A poor fish, pulled ashore by cruel fishermen. The reflection of the sun lay on the parchment-white forehead, like a terrible mark, like a reflection of the very fire that had taken both her family and her life from the girl.
Entering the Twilight
I checked all the patient’s indicators again. “Twilight stupefaction” - this is how his condition can be called, based on the preservation of outwardly ordered behavior. However, this was a much deeper and longer-lasting condition than usual. I would say the reason was very strong stress. This area is almost unexplored and can present many surprises. And the case seemed specially tailored for my work... If only I could somehow get through to the patient! If only we could...
It's been almost two weeks since I've been dealing with this case, and there's been no significant progress.
- Andrey, you need to rest! “Irochka put a mug of tea on the table and, sitting opposite, looked into my eyes. “You don’t look like yourself anymore.”
– Nothing, no results. “I dropped my head into my hands; I didn’t even want to look at the tea.”
I wandered in the labyrinth, feeling that the exit was somewhere close, but I could not find the right direction.
– You need to take more care of yourself. Just think, even if it doesn’t work out...” Ira said and then fell silent in fear. - Well, relax, you're so tense! Vladimir is really relaxed. He doesn't care that you're stressing out so much.
Hearing this, I literally jumped up and, grabbing Irina around the waist, spun her around the room.
- You clever! You are my smart girl! - I whispered in her ear and kissed her pink earlobes, cheeks, lips...
- Crazy! “She jokingly fought back and laughed. - Andrey, you are completely crazy!
- Yes! And this should have been done a long time ago! – I answered, without interrupting my crazy whirling.
- You are crazy! “She looked into my eyes. “But that’s why I love you.” – And she herself pressed herself to my lips with a dizzying kiss.
Feeling her supple body, smelling unobtrusively sweet and intoxicating, I again felt like a winner.
She was right. Vladimir is relaxed, I am tense. We can say that we are in antiphases. No wonder they can't get through. All scientific methods have been tested, it’s time to move on to those that have not yet fully entered into official science, and therefore enjoy dubious fame.
For example, sensory deprivation. Why not try it out? This is still a young industry, developed only since the middle of the last century. True, usually such experiments are aimed at oneself, or rather, inside oneself.
The essence of this method is to more or less completely deprive a person of sensory sensations. The subjects were locked in a supine position in a special chamber, isolating them from all external stimuli. The arms and legs were inserted into special couplings, sounds were cut off, and the eyes were closed. In this position, the consciousness, without being distracted by stimuli, turned inward, and the most bizarre images and sensations began to emerge from the subconscious. Scientist John Lilly successfully tested the sensory deprivation method on himself, without receiving negative sensations and focusing on the internal state. Of course, an unprepared person cannot cope with this, but meditation practices and the habit of focusing have already prepared me for such an experience.
The only difference is that I won’t have to focus on myself.
Rave! That's what any of my colleagues would probably say. But I'm not just anyone, and I'm willing to take risks. I have a reliable rear provided by Irochka. She'll make sure everything goes well, and if the experiment goes wrong, she'll get me out of it.
“We’ll try the sensory deprivation method,” I said, kissing her temple, where small beads of sweat glistened. “I’ll try to find his consciousness.”
- You are sure? – Irochka raised herself on her elbow and gently ran her palm through my hair. - Andrey, is this not dangerous?
“In the worst case scenario, I won’t succeed.” “I shrugged and began to methodically button up my shirt—also, by the way, an excellent way to concentrate and calm down: a shirt with a whole series of small, small buttons and narrow tight loops, an excellent way. - And if it works...
- This will be a discovery! You are a real genius! “She laughed and kissed me loudly on the lips. – And I, Irina Pryagova, will be present at this opening in person! Write that in your book!
– I will write that without you nothing would have happened. And it is true. “I pressed my forehead against her shoulder for a moment to once again inhale her so familiar scent. I couldn't have done it alone.
* * *
Alice flew into the room like a whirlwind. The red jacket is unbuttoned, the reddish hair is disheveled, the cheeks are burning from the cold and excitement, and the eyes could light candles.
- Well, finally we can do something! - the girl spoke, shaking herself off the snow like a cat - splashes flew to the sides, and some of the droplets fell on Oleg. - Everyone just talks, talks, talks - and to no avail! And here's the real deal!
“You might think we haven’t done anything before.” – Oleg took the sheet out of the scanner and carefully put another one in there.
“Well...” Alice thought. - Not this way. At the academy we either had theoretical classes or these stupid tests. In any case, it’s not like it’s real.
– And now for real?.. – Volkov pressed the scan button, without noticing it, for the third time.
- Well, Oleg! – Alice grabbed his hands and looked pleadingly into his eyes. – Don’t be such a jerk! That is, I understand that you were put on paper... This is not fair. If we need to deal with them, we will change and sort them out one by one!
- It won’t work. – Oleg shook his head. “They made it clear to me that this was a job... in my specialization.” You save children and drowning kittens, I do scans. - And he, taking his hand out of Alice’s cold fingers after the frost, pressed the button again.
The joyful sparkle of Alice’s eyes went out, and her upper lip trembled offendedly.
And then Volkov realized that he was behaving like a complete cretin, taking out his own bad mood on the girl.
- Sorry. – Oleg hugged Alisa. A sunny, sweet-smelling curl of disheveled hair buried itself in his nose. Volkov blew on it, the curl flew up funny and fell again.
The girl glanced at Volkov incredulously.
“I’m serious,” he assured. “I don’t know what came over me.” Aren't you angry?
Alice shook her head, but there was still a trace of sadness on her face, like the first autumn ice.
“You’re angry,” Oleg touched her cheek with his palm and pulled a naughty curl behind her ear. - But nothing: I know one remedy. No one can be angry when they kiss him.
He leaned down to her lips, which smelled like some kind of fruity gum, and began to kiss her. Gradually Alice softened, even her lips seemed to have thawed from a deep freeze.
And at that moment, of course, a delicate cough was heard.
Alice, as if she had been hit with a whip, recoiled from Volkov.
- Sorry, I interrupted. – The assistant to the head of the Valdai branch examined both of them, slightly tilting her head to the shoulder, without the slightest shadow of embarrassment. – Igor asked to invite you to the evening debriefing.
- We will come. – Oleg tried to pull Alisa towards him, but the girl looked at him and barely noticeably shook her head.
- Well, come. – Natasha looked at Oleg with irony, as if she found it very funny that girls could still like this kind of guy.
As if on purpose, when Volkov walked into the hall, his leg didn’t particularly obey, and instead of a confident and graceful gait, like the same Igor, there was an awkward hobble.
“So what,” Oleg decided angrily, “as if I need to compete with him. He is on his own, we are on our own. Let's leave and forget."
Oleg listened to the debriefing with half an ear. When the meeting was already coming to an end, Alice raised her hand, as if in school.
– It seems to me that Oleg Volkov should also travel with us. “He’s not interested in messing around with papers,” the girl said, again out of school habit, getting up from her seat.
“That’s not quite according to his profile...” Igor also stood up and looked at Oleg point-blank. - But if you're not interested...
“I’m fine,” Volkov muttered, regretting that Alice even started this conversation.
“Well,” Igor shrugged, “the question is settled.” Oleg is currently busy with work in his own field, but I, of course, will try to find something more interesting for him.
That's where we parted ways. While the girls were still chatting with Igor, Oleg threw on his jacket and went out onto the porch. It smelled like snow - it doesn’t smell like that in a big city, where this subtle smell is completely drowned out by the gasoline stench. It was already dark, and a large white moon was visible between the trees, looking like an indifferent eye.
Volkov came down from the porch, sweeping snow from the heavy metal railing. In the morning, it seemed like an eternity had passed.
He walked to the gate and suddenly noticed a crouching figure behind the fence.
It was a woman. At first she seemed to Oleg like an old woman, but as he came closer, he was surprised to see in the light of the lantern that she was apparently still young - there were no wrinkles on her face, and her hair, although tangled, was not at all gray.
The woman was muttering something, and there was also a metallic ringing coming from her, as if copper bells were talking to each other.
Volkov listened closely.
“Not that one, not that one, not that one,” she said quickly.
- Everything is fine? Can I help you? – he asked, opening the gate.
The stranger recoiled in fear.
- Do not be afraid! I won't do anything bad to you! Do you need help? - he repeated.
“Not that one, not that one, not that one...” the woman muttered again.
Oleg saw that she was fingering the keys hanging on a large rusty ring.
- Do you need a key? - he asked.
Volkov did not wait for an answer, realizing that this was an abnormal person, but she suddenly looked at him and answered:
- Everyone needs the key. I can handle it, I can do it.
And again she began feverishly sorting through her bundle.
- What is the key for? What's the key? Maybe I should walk you home?..
She either didn’t hear him anymore, or didn’t want to hear him, and suddenly, shuddering, she stepped back and, slipping and almost falling, ran along the path.
– What kind of key is she looking for? – asked Oleg.
- Who knows? Apparently, the key that opens all doors,” Igor grinned.
– I wouldn’t refuse that either! – Nika intervened in the conversation, and together with the others she approached the gate.
* * *
Alice fell again into the black abyss.
It seemed to her that the unfortunate woman was somewhere nearby, but no one responded. My throat tightened with a feeling of hopelessness. Here, beyond the borders of the familiar world of sleep, even the throat tasted bitter, and the saliva in the mouth became disgustingly sticky and resinous.
- Nastya! – Alice shouted again. Something squished disgustingly behind me. Looking around, the girl noticed bubbles on the black surface of the earth - the kind that swell in a swamp, and the soil under her feet seemed unsteady - you were about to fall through.
Trying not to think about it, Alice took a closer look and noticed a human silhouette a little further away. Nastya? But as she ran up, the girl felt a pang of disappointment: no, a man. Perhaps the one they had already met in this place, or perhaps another - the face seemed like a blurry mask, and you couldn’t see it.
- You remember me? – The girl squatted down in front of the man.
“I remember,” he answered unexpectedly. -You're like a flashlight. I don’t remember what it is, but for some reason it seems to me that you look like him...
-Have you seen the girl here? Her name is Nastya.
– Who here remembers their name? – He grinned. - Although…
The man fell silent. He did not seem to look at Alice and seemed to have forgotten her presence.
“We were talking about Nastya...” the girl tried to remind.
“Names matter,” the man muttered, turning somewhere into space. – Nastya, Nastenka is a good name. It disposes. And short, harsh names, for example Ada, are alarming... Nastenka is blue or, rather, cornflower blue... What is cornflower blue?
Alice sighed. It's obvious he hasn't met the girl. And even if I did, I immediately forgot about it. It's no use asking.
In a good way, he himself needs to be saved, that’s just how. Or rather, where. We need to find the body, and then the lost soul will have somewhere to return. Now she is homeless.
After the last meeting, Alisa was already trying to find out at least something about this man, but would you really find him among the thousands of sick and dying people lying unconscious?.. Even Oleg, for the first time in Alisa’s memory, could not cope. When asked in a search engine, he found only articles by a psychiatrist signed with the name of Andrei Mikhailovich Chernov, who worked on twilight disorders of consciousness. Perhaps this particular person is capable of providing a clue, but he was away and responded to the letter that he does not provide consultations and does not see the need to meet.
The thread broke.
If only he could remember his name!
– What is your name: calm or anxious? What color is it? – the girl asked leading questions.
The man was silent again for a long time.
- I think it's red. “Alarming red,” he finally said...
Just like last time, Alice was thrown out of her sleep abruptly, as if she had been pushed. Rising up on the bed, the girl did not immediately understand why the surroundings were unfamiliar. The government hotel room did not at all resemble a comfortable, comfortable room in a hostel. And I really missed the Marquise. The girl quietly, so as not to wake up Yulia, who was sleeping on the next bed, got up, went to the window and peered into the darkness, as if hoping to find answers in it. But, of course, there were no answers.
Freezing, Alice returned to bed and fell asleep again, this time more peacefully.
And in the morning the bustle began. They barely looked into the office and went to the rehabilitation center. It was a pleasure to do business. Finally, Alice felt needed and useful. Julia, Nika and Vlad thought the same thing. The children already recognized them and rejoiced at their arrival. By the way, Vlad discovered his acting talent, and the guy began performing small puppet shows for children, which attracted the entire department. Soon not only children, but also adults came to watch the performances.
The little patients took up all her attention, so while taking care of them, Alice forgot about her problems. The only thing that worried her was Nastya. No changes were noticed in the girl’s condition, Alice could not get into her nightmare, and therefore she spent hours looking at the sharpened child’s face with the skin on her right cheek pulled together into scars. If only I could help the unfortunate woman!.. But how?..
After a day spent in the rehabilitation center, everyone was tired, but joyfully excited.
- Alice, you’re great! – said Yulia, leaning on Vlad’s hand – it seems that their relationship was developing rapidly. “It’s so good that you were able to penetrate the sick baby’s dream and help her.”
– Alice is generally very capable. – Igor smiled not at all bossily, but as if he was one of them. “I don’t even doubt that she has a great future.” And in general, you are all great guys and a great team. This is the first time I have seen such coordinated work.
“We had to get used to each other,” Vlad chuckled.
– It’s lucky that you became friends right away. – Igor gallantly opened the car door for the girls.
- Straightaway? – Here Nika couldn’t stand it and laughed out loud. “You should have looked at us when we first met.” It was such a war - mother, don’t worry!
-Are you kidding? – Igor didn’t believe it.
“If only,” Julia shook her head. – We only recently started working together... under the influence of circumstances...
Alice was afraid that Igor would demand details and would have to explain something long and complicated, but he didn’t ask a single question. It’s still nice to communicate with a truly intelligent person.
- Let's go to the restaurant! – the head of the Valdai branch unexpectedly suggested. - I know one decent place. We all need to restore our energy. Consider this an order!
Without listening to any objections, Igor took the guys to a restaurant located outside the city. It probably took an hour to get there, but the restaurant was worth it. Alice also liked the hall itself, decorated in strict colors, with comfortable leather sofas, cozy niches and an abundance of fresh flowers, and the menu, which included many delicacies. It was noticeable that this was not Igor’s first time here. They greeted him, fawned over him and tried to serve him. He himself made an order for each of the guests and did not make a mistake with a single dish. The beautifully presented food literally melted in your mouth. Alisa appreciated the light, almost airy sturgeon cutlets, complemented by a slice of lemon, a fluffy sprig of dill and green pea puree, Yulia feasted on salmon in cream sauce, and Nika and Vlad ate meat steaks, fried just right and, obviously, also incredibly tasty .
Igor was on a roll. He told funny stories, causing the whole company to burst into fits of sincere laughter, poured red wine into glasses - as he himself said, “to restore nerves and blood,” and generally united those gathered in an amazing way. It soon seemed as if they had known each other for a thousand years. Having laughed, they started talking about serious topics - about the rehabilitation center and its patients, about the isolation of initiates from everyday life. About halfway through the conversation, Igor received a call. Looking at the screen, he sighed and apologized: “Governor... I’ll be there for a couple of minutes,” and, picking up the phone, walked away.
Alice watched Igor's expression as he spoke. He was serious and, as it became quite clear, did not ingratiate himself, speaking with the governor as equals. On the contrary, it seemed that the governor was asking Igor for help.
“I see that our Igor, if not the first person here, is far from the last,” noted Yulia.
- You like him? – Vlad jumped up jealously and even pushed the plate with the half-eaten steak away from him.
- Maybe you don’t like him? – Julia raised her eyebrows in demonstrative surprise. – Young, charming, wealthy, popular. In my opinion, just ideal for any girl.
Vlad turned slightly pale and turned away, and Yulia laughed:
– And, let’s be honest, Julia is a beauty, but Igor is interested in someone else. It’s more likely that Oleg needs to worry,” Nika inserted.
Alice shuddered. They were so carried away that they completely forgot about Volkov, who was poring over papers in the office and did not go with others to the rehabilitation center. The girl pulled her mobile phone out of her bag and saw five missed calls from Oleg. It was already the beginning of nine, and Volkov was obviously looking for them.
Embarrassed, Alice went out into the corridor so as not to talk in the presence of her friends, and dialed Volkov’s number.
- Hi Oleg! – she spoke into the phone in a deliberately cheerful voice.
- Something happened? “He seemed worried.
“No,” Alice assured quickly. – We were tired, very hungry, and Igor took us to dinner...
- We... didn’t go into the city. – Alice was embarrassed and, telling the truth, for some reason she felt as if she was desperately lying. -Are you not offended? Will you have dinner somewhere?
“No, I’ll die of hunger and frustration that your Igor doesn’t favor me,” Oleg said dryly.
- It just happened that way...
“Yes, everything is clear with your addition and division too,” Volkov said sarcastically.
Alice suddenly became angry: she explained everything, but he seemed to deliberately not understand and was forcing her to apologize, as if she were really to blame.
- What do you mean, on your knees asking for forgiveness? – she responded no less sarcastically. – Or hit your forehead on the floor?
- Bye, see you later. – Oleg hung up, not listening to Alisa’s further words.
And such boorish behavior made the girl feel even more offended, and angry tears welled up in her eyes.
- Something happened? – Igor approached silently, almost like a cat.
Alice tried to turn away, but he had already noticed the tears glistening in the light of the lamp, turned the girl towards him and carefully wiped the salty drops from her cheeks with his finger.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered. “Girls like you don’t cry.”
- Which? – Alice asked through tears, but already calming down.
- Strong. Tender and strong. Which look like steel covered with silk. Looking at them, you don’t even think what they are capable of,” Igor answered seriously, but then frowned: “Sorry, I was babbling for some reason.” Let's go to the others, they're waiting for us. By the way, don’t worry about Oleg Volkov, I asked Natasha to take care of him,” Igor added and, without waiting for an answer, returned to the hall.
Alice followed him, feeling vaguely disappointed at the understatement. It feels like Igor really likes her, and it’s very exciting and pleasant, it excites and tickles the palate, like bubbles in champagne... But why doesn’t he actually single her out and go beyond the usual, in general, compliments.
Thinking about this, the girl immediately felt like a traitor. It was as if these thoughts alone had burned a brand on her forehead, poisoning her relationship with Oleg Volkov. “And this Natasha is a fool and is clearly in love with her boss,” thought Alice with irritation.
In the darkness of the night
I fell into a deep well. And fell, fell, fell. Slowly, as it happens in a dream, but at the same time it seemed to me that this was not a dream, that I had gone beyond it.
There was absolute darkness all around, something that doesn’t usually happen. In a dark room, if you look closely, you can see your hands and the outlines of objects. This darkness turned out to be impenetrable and suggested thoughts of primordiality, primordial chaos. I imagined how our world emerges from such a clot of darkness, living, breathing, flowing... Gradually, as a skillful jug is created from a lump of clay under the hand of a potter, from this darkness what has now become familiar to us was formed.
And also, strangely, for some reason it seemed to me that the darkness was thick, oily, or, more accurately, reminiscent of fuel oil. It stains your clothes, sticks to your hair, and clogs your lungs with a viscous mass, making it difficult to breathe.
I fell and fell into this darkness, making these observations and at the same time realizing that all this was a fruit of my consciousness, and I myself was lying in an anatomical bath, similar to a spacesuit, immersed in water, the temperature matching the temperature of my body.
Actually, there is not much chance of success, but this is an opportunity to get into the same rhythm with the consciousness of my patient and thus try to reach him.
Pushing away the vague anxiety, I began to breathe deeply and measuredly, taking longer and longer pauses between each breath. One two Three……. four……….
And at that moment the fall ended. I landed on my feet and took the first step.
The soil was slightly springy under my feet, something like resin stuck to my boots, pulling me down, as if I was in a swamp. Noting in passing that it would be better not to stop here for long, just in case, I slowly moved forward.
The scenery around was strange. It would have resembled an ordinary city landscape - stunted trees, tall buildings, if not for the feeling of some kind of unfinished picture. It’s as if they started painting it and then abandoned it. The trees, squat and gnarled, were also bleeding with this black resin, as if they had been doused with it.
There were no smells or sounds and only two colors: black and white. It’s probably easier for the subconscious. We generally tend to divide the whole world around us into black and white, yes and no, truth and lies. We easily put stamps and select stable definitions. We live by associations and past experiences, we build barriers ourselves and avoid crossing them, and the slightest deviation from the usual zone, which has become a comfort zone, leads to breakdown and stress. By the way, if I had to draw a human life, I would draw it as a black and white chessboard.
Thinking about this, I managed to walk half the distance to the nearest tree. And suddenly, only now, I saw a man underneath him. It was a man, he stood with his back to me, and, strangely, there was no tension in his pose; he seemed to me more like a shadow than a person. Although in this world, of course, it is not people who should roam, but flat shadows.
- Volodya?! – I called out to him.
The man looked back. His face seemed roughly sculpted from a black plasticine mass - only outlined, as if blurred features, sightless eyes...
-Are you Volodya? – I repeated the question.
“Yes, I think,” he said finally. - I can’t remember...
- How long have you been here?
– What is “long ago”? – he asked again. - I don't understand.
- Do you remember anything?
He was silent for an eternity. And then he nodded.
I was afraid to even move, so as not to scare him away, and meanwhile my legs sank into the sticky soil up to my ankles.
– I remember... documents... important documents... regarding weapons. I needed to deliver them... it's a secret... a state secret...
- I'm listening to. – I nodded, adapting to him. In such cases, patience and slowness are important. The person himself is ready to open up, the main thing is to push him a little.
- I... don’t remember... I don’t know...
- Do you remember. – I abstracted myself from all irritating factors and felt as if I was in my office. - Let's go back a little. You can take a step back and remember where you just stood?..
He nodded and actually stepped back. By the way, the use of motor skills is an important stage in memory recovery. One of the ways to find a thing is to reconstruct your actions and movements step by step, using fine motor skills.
“Great,” I was delighted. - Now…
And at that moment something strange happened. It was as if a spring uncoiled under my feet and I was thrown upward.
I jerked, hit my forehead on the lid of the bathtub... The appliances beeped...
- Andrey?! “The lid flew to the side, an alarmed Irina leaned over me, even her hair, usually impeccably styled, was disheveled. - What's happened?
My forehead hurt. After feeling it, I realized that a bump was most likely unavoidable. I felt slightly nauseous and dizzy.
Irina, as if with a sixth sense, realized that I was now unable to talk, so she helped me get out, wrapped me in a robe and walked me to the couch, where I walked, stumbling at every step. Sitting down on the hard mattress, I felt that it became easier, and looked at my legs to see if there was any resin left on them. While walking, there was a feeling that there was something left, but no, my legs, of course, turned out to be clean, albeit pale. “Like a dead man,” I thought inappropriately.
Irina brought water and glucose, then hugged me and stood next to me, warming me with her warmth. This, frankly speaking, is much more effective than any glucose. Gradually I was released.
“Andrey,” the girl carefully stroked my wet hair, “you scared me.” Do not do it anymore! You shouldn't risk yourself! Well, promise me you won't do this again!
“I can’t,” I melted in her arms, but still showed firmness, “the experiment was successful.” I think I've found it.
- Is it true? – Irina jumped up and sat down on the couch, looking at me excitedly and admiringly. - You could! You know, I didn’t doubt it for a minute! You are a genius! I knew you could do it! Who else if not you!
Those who say that they are indifferent to good words and compliments are lying shamelessly. We all need approval and stroking. I, of course, am no exception, especially since - and I felt this absolutely for sure - Irina spoke sincerely. Joy, admiration, impatient anticipation were in her every gesture, in her pose, in the turn of her head, in the sounds of her voice.
- You are a genius! Well, tell me quickly! I'll die now! - she said.
I smiled and began to tell the story...
- Oleg! Oleg! Can you hear me?
Volkov looked around and saw his father. He looked gaunt - even worse: his eyes were sunken, his cheeks were sunken, and his skin was an unhealthy white color. Volkov Sr. was dressed in his usual shirt, which hung like a bag on him, and the shirt was buttoned crookedly, which his father, an imposing man, never allowed himself to do.
Read the beginning of this story in the novel “Navigator of Happiness.”
There are moments in the fate of the world when the proportion of good changes sharply towards evil. That's when wars, epidemics, and natural disasters happen. A group of students from the Academy of Initiates, which included Alisa and Oleg, going to practice in Valdai, thought: “Finally, we have real things to do!” But their fate was not just to perform a number of useful actions - they were destined for the mission of locking those doors through which the forces of evil could burst into our world. Where can I find the keys for these doors? Maybe they are kept by a little girl who fell into a comatose sleep, the horrors of which Alice is trying to overcome with her? Or Oleg’s father, a famous scientist, in whose search even initiate teachers join in?
The work belongs to the genre of Contemporary Russian literature. It was published in 2015 by the publishing house AUTHOR. The book is part of the "Other People's Dreams" series. On our website you can download the book "Keys to the Dark World" in fb2, rtf, epub, pdf, txt format or read online. Here, before reading, you can also turn to reviews from readers who are already familiar with the book and find out their opinion. In our partner's online store you can buy and read the book in paper form.