Philip had loved Elizabeth since school, and they planned to get married in the future. Philip’s mother, Angelina Semyonovna, who managed a maternity ward at the hospital, disapproved of her son’s choice. She had long favored a nurse named Christina and hoped her son would marry this girl, who was liked not only by the […]
Продолжение...
Andrey, a young chef with great talent and even greater ambitions, always dreamed of freedom. He wanted to create, to experiment, to break the rules. But working in a prestigious restaurant, where at first glance everything was in place—a good salary, a well-known name, and customers willing to pay any amount for dinner—turned out to […]
Продолжение...
It was an oppressively hot day, and the bus Olga rode was like a furnace on wheels. The open hatches and windows did little to alleviate the suffocating heat, much to the dismay of the weary passengers caught in a relentless traffic jam. Olga, returning from her job as a veterinarian, distracted herself with thoughts […]
Продолжение...
Irina stared blankly, seeing through the window the blurred edges of snowflakes descending in St. Petersburg. On the other end of the phone, her husband’s voice, a tone she knew too well, filled her with a routine emptiness. Yura was in Moscow, on another «business trip.» Their conversation, like their last dozen calls, was about […]
Продолжение...
«Anya, I’m home,» called Vera as she entered the apartment. A thirteen-year-old girl emerged from the room. «Mom, you’re home early today.» «Yes, I came home a bit early. Next week I’ll need to work a couple of hours more. How are you? How’s school?» «Fine, nothing new.» «You look a bit pale. You should […]
Продолжение...
Kirill was long accustomed to nighttime drives. He loved the silence of empty roads, the lulling rhythm of the tires, and the time alone with his thoughts. During such hours, even the most chaotic thoughts seemed to order themselves, as if the road helped align them. But that night, something was off. The forest he […]
Продолжение...