— What’s wrong with your face? Roman tossed his keys onto the hallway table and walked into the kitchen. Sveta was sitting at the table, resting her head on her hand, staring at a single spot. An untouched cup of cold tea stood before her. She wasn’t crying, no. Her face looked like a mask … Read more
Vasily, already pressing the gas pedal to the floor, was rushing along the highway to his dacha. He had just turned onto a secondary road, and then onto a country lane. Vasya remembered this road — every pothole, every turn, even that crooked birch tree along the roadside. His father always thought about his own … Read more
Once again, Rudolf came home from work and literally did not recognize his wife: he hadn’t seen anything like this since he was a child. Svetka, his neighbor in the village where little Rudik used to visit in summer, had bees. And one bee had stung Svetka on her lower lip, causing it to swell … Read more
— How much do you need? Don’t be shy. I’m ready to offer a decent sum if you leave my son alone. You don’t need much, right? You’re happy with any money from the trash — enough to feed all your friends a tasty dinner, rent yourself something cheap for a couple of months, and … Read more
A snowstorm covered the quiet provincial village of Yasnaya Polyana, as if throwing over it a spotless white blanket that muffled all sounds. Ice patterns spread over the window glass like embroidered lace, and the wind moaned along the deserted streets, carrying with it whispers of long-forgotten memories. The temperature had dropped to minus twenty-eight … Read more
“Are you absolutely sure you don’t need anything else from the store?” Anna asked once more. “No, really, just go already,” Boris waved her off impatiently. It was clear he was eager for her to leave. Anna let out a quiet sigh. Lately, Boris’s mood had grown sharp and restless. She chose to keep her … Read more
Svetlana Petrovna lingered quietly at the doorway, opening it just enough to not disturb but still catch every detail. Her eyes rested on her son, a mixture of motherly pride, tenderness, and something almost sacred shining in her gaze. Sashka stood before the mirror, dressed in a light suit with a bow tie his friends … Read more
The ringing phone pulled Elliott Row away from the stove. An omelet sizzled gently, filling the kitchen with the rich scent of garlic and melted butter. He wiped his hands on a towel and glanced irritably at the caller ID — an unknown number. “Hello?” he answered curtly, eyes still on the pan. “This is … Read more
An 80-year-old woman was asked to leave a bus because she couldn’t pay the fare. What she said next stunned the driver and every passenger into silence. Rain had been pouring relentlessly, drenching the city streets and filling gutters with rushing water. At the corner of Maple and Third, a bright yellow city bus screeched … Read more
The first phone call from Sveta caught Irina off guard. Her sister-in-law never called just like that — usually, their communication was limited to holiday greetings and rare meetings at family gatherings. But that June evening, when Irina was washing dishes after dinner and Andrey was watching the news, the phone rang insistently. “Hey Andryusha,” … Read more