– And I did not drink, – Vlad shrugged his shoulders.
– Then what did you do at the check-in? – Maria asked sarcastically, as if the guy was guilty of all mortal sins. Everyone in the class knew that Vlad was an athlete, leading a correct lifestyle and, in general, tried to remain “correct” in the eyes of those around him.
– I was called in honor of the opening of the project, – without reacting to the first beauty of the school, the guy answered, turning more to the others. Tall, strong build with pronounced, but not pumped muscles, only emphasizing excellent physical shape. Gray eyes, well-defined facial features added severity for the growing guy, giving the impression of a serious man. But sometimes those eyes reflected uncertainty and confusion when he noticed someone else’s gaze on him. Another sign that the boy has not yet fully become an adult. He knew from experience how painful it can be if that look suddenly catches on you.
– What did you forget about the project? Dimitri chuckled. Too right for games.
“I forgot to ask you,” a classmate answered, hiding his inner irritation.
– Antonov Vladislav, eighteen years old. We moved to this city with my family last year, because of missing two weeks, my parents decided to leave me “for the second year”, having agreed with the teachers.
– Why were you absent for two weeks?
– Competition.
– What sport?
– Chess.
– You can’t tell by your complexion, – the woman smiled.
– We adhere to the right way of life. Exercise, proper nutrition, sports, – his gray eyes seemed empty, as if the guy was not on fire.
– Why did you apply?
– I’m used to winning.
The flickering lights were getting annoying. The stale air made the heart beat faster, causing anxiety. The head was spinning. The dream pressed on the brain with such force that it seemed that someone invisible with malicious pleasure beats the gong and laughs mockingly at each blow. And then it started. What should IВ do now, how long can this last? There will come aВ moment when he loses his temper and turns his back on the danger.
I wasn’t at the party either. I was returning from the library.
– Oh-oh-oh, our nerd spoke, – Dmitry crossed his arms over his chest. – So what? Was it crushed by a book?
“Actually, in case you forgot, we were given an essay on history,” Evgeny adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, arrogantly looking at the repeater. “Unlike you, I don’t give a damn about studying.
– Let’s see where your red diploma is useful, – Maria laughed. “Money rules the world, boy.
– Good knowledge is expensive, – proudly answered a classmate, trying not to succumb to provocation.
– Evgeny Teplukhin, eighteen years old.
– Why did you decide to participate in the project?
– I want to prove that the intellect can open any door.
– Commendable. You indicated that you won the All-Russian Olympiad.
“It’s only this year,” the boy said smugly. – I constantly participate, and only twice took third place. Well, it’s always the first.
Alena wrinkled her nose. She had aВ bewildered smile. The girl diligently tried toВ pull herself together, but nothing worked. Once again she sniffed loudly and piercingly. And suddenly she looked like aВ child again. Even stronger than when she was five yearsВ old.
– I want to go home.
– Go, nobody keeps you here, – Dimka mockingly nodded at the locked door. – How did they even take such a project. Does everyone understand that we are already participating?!
– The rules were not announced, – Vlad drawled doubtfully.
– It was necessary to look at what you were signing, – Irina smoothed her already slicked hair, gathered in a tight bun. – In black and white it is indicated that we can be collected at any moment.
– I’m scared, I want to go home, – Alena cried. Fragile, close to anorexia
– Crybaby, – Masha turned away from the girl, who irritated her very much with her behavior.
– Alena Grishko, seventeen years old.
– Why did you send an application for participation in the project?
So my mother decided. He says IВ will grow up, IВ will gain experience, IВ will learn something.
– And what did our rat forget here? Fives are no longer so happy? Or are you thinking of setting someone up here? Dima turned to Irina. Thin, in a strict suit, she always gave the impression of a “good girl”, currying favor with teachers. Often an excellent student urged others on not very good deeds, and later “merged”, as if she was not in business. And even if someone tried to accuse her, the teachers would never have suspected such a right girl of a bad deed.
– So the girls have the right, there is nothing to infringe on us.
– Wow, you are our hurt, – repeater clicked his tongue. – Who hurt you so much?
– Irina Sibirtseva, sixteen years old, straight A student. I want to prove that women are no worse than men and have the right to participate wherever they want.
“Interesting targets,” the casting director nodded, making some notes in her notebook.
Denis looked around inВ surprise.
– And what, only our class participates? It can’t be that no one else has been chosen, can it?
– Fat man, you don’t think. Better look for grub, – Dimka spat contemptuously.
– Well, what? Isn’t it strange? Why closed? Why only … – Denis hesitated. He has long been accustomed to bullying. Due to his excess weight, he was often not taken seriously, bullying, not even suspecting how painfully every word resonated in his soul. And when he came home, he unconsciously ate stress and got fatter and fatter, hating himself. Clothes were always taken several sizes larger, trying to hide figure flaws, but this did not save in any way, only emphasizing overweight. And all around. Harassment, food, tears, food… Once a short haircut has now grown a lot, hiding plump reddish cheeks with many small pimples, and blue eyes continued to look at the world with hope for the best.
– You will be clever in another place, fat, – Maria supported the attacks.
– Yakovlev Denis, sixteen years old.
– Why did you decide to participate?
– I… just… I like a classmate, and she decided to participate. And I… here… with her.
– Do you understand that the tests will be difficult?
– Understand. I want to try.
After sitting aВ little longer at the table and languidly quarreling with each other, the teenagers still calmed down, each thinking about his own. There were no answers, but young blood seethed, looking for aВ way out. Without coming toВ any conclusion, they decided toВ explore the strange room, but did not have time.
Something quietly hissed in the wall and soon the room was filled with fetid smoke, so thick that it was difficult to see the person sitting next to him. The students coughed as they lay down on the floor, hoping that this would save them. Only Denis rushed to the door, hoping that it would open. But the steel didn’t budge. Smoke filled the entire room, and the smell made his eyes water. Lilia put her hand to her mouth and pinched her nose before taking a breath. The whole world focused on the right hand, which held the bent index finger. Lily concentrated all her will on that finger, repeating to herself “It’s all over now, it’s all over!” until she felt dizzy. Classmates coughed, losing their will, until they finally lost consciousness. In their remnants, a new idea was born. In the dream, they ran in circles and fought each other, losing, but not losing hope. And so, gradually squeezing the heart, the thought left them and finally merged with the evaporating mind. And when a few heavy white feathers flew up over the river, I must admit that I had a little hope… It would be better if all this never ended.
– Chapter 2-
The firstВ day
Consciousness returned slowly, reluctantly and painfully. Lilia closed her eyes even more, feeling aВ drop ofВ sweat trickle down between her shoulder blades, and tried toВ imagine everything that happened yesterday, and feeling as if her hands, body and thoughts were being pulled into something wet and sticky. It was like some kind ofВ power had spilled out ofВ her and scattered inВ different directions, and now she is surrounded byВ aВ cloud ofВ fog, which slowly moves inВ space.
“The indicators are normal,” a muffled male voice was heard from somewhere on the side.
Lily reluctantly opened her eyes and almost immediately closed her eyes against the bright white light, as if she were inВ an operating room. Insolent hands clung toВ some kind ofВ sensors on her body, treating her as if with aВ piece ofВ meat, insensitive and completely cynical.
She was ashamed not from the humiliation she had endured, but from grief, which at that moment was much stronger than the humiliation itself. Her soul was torn from the cage, and now the cage was in front of her eyes, and Lily could no longer believe that she could regain freedom. She tried to ask, but her lips would not obey, and her throat burned with fire. My head was buzzing with pain. Hearing a terrible wheezing, the girl turned her head to the side and noticed Vlad lying on the hospital couch, followed by Zhenya and Maria on the beds. They were conscious, but their eyes froze with animal horror. She tried to wave her hand – and could not, something firmly held her shoulders, and only after looking closely did she dismantle the leather belts. With the last of her strength, Lilia turned her face to the other side and saw the guard, whom she had not even seen a minute ago, and screamed hoarsely. And then the light fell on her. The guard got up too.
– Hush girl, hush. Almost finished. There was one last injection left,” the man assured. His face is covered with a medical mask. He was dressed in a green robe and had gloves on his hands. A second man in the same suit approached, carrying a syringe with a huge needle, fifteen centimeters long. The girl was roughly turned over on her side, without freeing her hands, which made her back uncomfortable, and the next second, Lily felt the needle penetrate her neck, along her spine, giving off terrifying pain. A wild cry of despair filled the small room. Classmates who could be seen looked up at the ceiling. Against its background, a reflection was clearly visible. It was smeared, and it was impossible to determine what it was. For a few seconds they stared at him without stopping, then again turned their gaze to Lilia, who now fell silent, looking ahead with glassy eyes.
– What are you doing to us? Leave us alone! – Feeling how his voice cut through, Nikita yelled with horror, looking at his classmate in the hands of sadistic doctors. – Let us go!
As if nothing had happened, the masked man removed the syringe, placing it on the operating table, and the guard turned Lilia roughly enough on her back while she was inВ shock from the pain.
– Let go! Nikita pulled the straps with force. They creaked, but did not give in, firmly holding the young man in place. Continuing to break free, the guy screamed, not particularly hoping that they would be released. Awareness of what was happening was not felt in him at all, but, being spat upon and torn, it suddenly dawned on him that the worst thing could really happen. Shouting and ringing rose from below. The guard silently approached Nikita and roughly put on a gag, plugging the guy’s mouth.
The doctors stepped aside talking quietly, and soon announced louder:
– The immunization procedure is completed. To their landfill.
The three employees left, closing the door behind them. Steel locks clicked and the hissing sound of gas being let in through hidden ventilation was heard again. Acrid smoke filled and clogged the airways, the air barely went into the lungs, but it was in this form that this smoke looked – what it was. He was stinky and poisonous.
– Hilsha! Hilsia!! Stop, don’t panic. Give me a label. Tag!!! Yes all. He took it off, – Nikita deftly pressed the buttons on the keyboard, using various combinations. Having changed the sniper rifle to an assault one, he went to help with his teammates. They played well, prepared for the tournament, wanting to take first place. This is their chance. There is not much. Another team they’ve already tracked down.
– Get out, get out of there! Ah-ah-ah! I’m healing, – the guy said, retreating, inserting armor plates and reloading the weapon.
– They want to give us a nuclear strike! yelled the teammate.
– I’m not a rat, I’m a tactical mouse! – the guy shouted at the camera, playing to the audience, knowing that people love “bread and circuses.”
– It’s a cheater! – the voice of a teammate was heard, who was firing with the enemy. The boys were tensely silent. Nikita was also silent. He also knew what he was getting into. Nothing special. But each time, fear crept into the soul when the hand entered the numbers into the settings window. Nikita no longer noticed how he did it.
– Eat up! Finish it!! Finish it!!!
By joining forces, they diligently destroyed the enemy team and soon the coveted sign “Victory!” appeared.
– A Hachiko simulator, not a game, – a friend in headphones rejoiced. – Sweaty skating rink, tired of sitting out at home. Go find them.
Exhaling tiredly, Nikita chuckled.
– So guys, I’ll have a smoke and coffee, – and by pressing the button, I changed the splash screen on the stream with the news that the streamer will be back soon.
The smartphone vibrated quietly, reminding us of the time that had come – seven in the evening. Smiling, he grabbed the phone and went to the kitchen, dialed a message on the go: “Hello! How was your day?” and sent, along the way clicking the kettle button. After washing with cool water, the guy patiently looked at the screen of the smartphone, but at the same time nervously tapping his fingers on the tabletop. A painful half-minute passed, which seemed like an eternity, and soon a quiet sound of a message was heard. Breaking into a stupid smile, Nikita read:
– Tired a bit. Are you still playing?
He quickly typed: “Yes, we are getting ready for the tour. Will you cheer for my team? and sent. The answer came almost immediately: “Of course. I’ll be on the stream. By the way, I did my homework in physics, give me a copy? Smiling at all thirty-two norm, Nikita replied that he would be grateful for such an opportunity. She seemed wonderful to him, the most-most. Kind, beautiful, interesting. Hormones seethed, I wanted to spend all the time with her. But the intended goals did not allow them to behave imprudently, because only by reaching a certain height it was possible to secure a decent future for themselves and support a beloved girl who would sooner or later become a wife.
Sharply opening his eyes, Dimka looked around. An old abandoned house and suspiciously lively silence. That feeling when nature whispers something in your ear, frightening, more and more inflaming your imagination. Looking around, the guy jumped up from the cold floor. The boards creaked plaintively and buckled. Looking around the room, the student was convinced that he was alone. At first it seemed to him that the room turned over and he was hanging in the void. Ignoring the strange dizziness, the guy threw his former rookery on the floor, climbed onto the table and pulled the broken lamp towards him. A wave of trembling went through the wall. Puffs of dust rose to the ceiling. Laughing gloomily, Dmitry waited for his vision to recover, the dizziness to recede and the room to find its true face, after which he quickly jumped off the table and took a few steps, sat down behind the heavy door and looked through the keyhole. Behind the door was a strange room, a wall with long incomprehensible wires rippled anxiously and crawled to the side. Closing the door behind him, he instantly cleaned himself up and ran downstairs. Now he looked back very rarely, only when necessary. The obsession vanished, and the latch turned easily in the slots. The old photographs on the walls shook. Someone chuckled nearby. Dimitri cautiously walked down the dark corridor, cautiously peeking around the corners. The corridor led him to a large room, in the center of which stood a circle of television screens and bedside tables with spare parts for them. Nearby lay a dirty and rather large cockroach, and another one, fleeing away from the place where an unknown drama had just unfolded. And who gave the beast freedom? Out of the corner of his eye, Dimka noticed a suspicious object on the floor and looked up. There was a small duffel bag against the wall, obviously new, with a small emblem of a snake devouring its own tail – Ouroboros. He knew this logo – it was the one he saw on the website of the strange online project.
Blinking once more, he was completely rid of the hallucinations. He was in an abandoned house, dirty and uncomfortable. Not the worst place Dimka has been to. Having contacted a bad company for a couple of years, the guy often visited unfinished and abandoned buildings, tasting alcohol. But once again returning home and finding his parents drunk, he quit once and for all, not wanting to repeat the fate of the family. He had no friends, since Dmitry preferred that people listen to him and accept only his a priori correct point of view. Seeing an attractive advertisement, he applied without hesitation, wanting to get out of the house in the first place. Everything got him. Eternal quarrels, tears and fights. Relatives were coded several times, but again and again returned to their usual way of life, not wanting to change their lives. There was no money to study at the institute, and Dmitry did not even count on entering the budget. For a while, despair flooded him so much that he began to skip classes and, as a result, stayed for the second year. The company in which he hung out was sometimes engaged in petty theft, and Dimka quickly became addicted to easy money and things. Why work when you can take what lies badly? He understood that this path would sooner or later lead him to a tragic ending, but he could not stop. He delayed the moment of the inevitable denouement, hoping sooner, later or sooner… He was sure that he would never be caught, he would still be in one of his invincible holes, and no one would find him there. The lack of goals and motivation made him vulnerable to society, so Dmitry tried to look self-confident and arrogant in the eyes of others – he really was like that. But after all, this kind of his “impudence” gave him a chance that society lacked so much. Dima was not a slave to any idea. He had no illusions about the social order and the purpose of human existence. This was his half, and it was a pity that he did not have the other.
Now examining an ordinary non-residential house, Dimka wondered where he was and what he was doing here, but there was no one to give answers, as always. Opening the bag, he found a small flask of water, a dry ration, and a vial of dark purple, almost black, crystallized powder, slightly gleaming in the dark light. Opening the bottle, Dima gently sniffed, remembering chemistry lessons for the first time, as if directing the aroma with his palm in his direction, but did not detect any smell. Assuming that it was potassium permanganate, he put everything back into his pockets and, zipping it, threw the bag over his shoulder and left the house. Walking along a country road, Dmitry realized that he was in a small abandoned village. On the house in which he was found a small painted sign of the same Ouroboros. The neck hurt suspiciously. Touching it with his fingers, Dmitry discovered a strange contraption – round, more than a centimeter in diameter and smooth to the touch. But now there is no time for this, there are more serious problems. Going forward, the guy found another house with exactly the same sign.
“Whoever didn’t hide, it’s not my fault,” he concluded, and knocking out the flimsy door from his foot, he stepped forward.
