– Yes, you are an optimist.
– I have to, – Romka smiled sadly and added encouragingly. – Lead, stalker.
He ran away from home again. Increasingly, my mother went from problems to alcohol and broke down, blaming everyone around her for her failures. Each new day did not inspire confidence, and hope for a better future faded away. There was a catastrophic lack of money, and it was annoying to walk around in tatters. Classmates always laughed at the appearance of Roman, considering him a rogue. He got a part-time job, but how many places do teenagers take?! Handing out flyers, mopping the supermarket floors, sometimes filling in for someone at the market stall…it all brought grains. Often they were driven out to all sorts of “subbotniks”, for which you can get mere pennies.
The last straw was that very evening – the mother who had drunk found the deferred money of her son and put it on alcohol, again accusing him of all mortal sins, they say, and stealing her son. Perhaps all due to the fact that the woman herself gave birth at sixteen, when she herself did not get on her feet, and dad, as usual, left for bread and did not return. Maybe said general immaturity. Children should not have children, and Romka was convinced of this. Out of resentment, he went outside and met with a friend who at that very moment was robbing a car for one radio. Someone called the police. The comrade managed to escape, but Roma did not. Friendship is a strange thing, and the student took the blame, not sparing being a “rat” and handing over the culprit with giblets. Sitting in the investigator’s office, he thought…could life even once give him a chance? He would not have missed him, would have clung to him with all his hands and feet, would have striven for his dream. And such a chance turned up. The Ouroboros project was discussed at every turn, and the student decided to fill out a questionnaire. And not just once. Every day he sent many messages, hoping to be noticed. The long wait for an answer was annoying and exhausting, but one fine day they called.
They turned off the road and went deeper into the woods. Walking became more difficult. Wet ground, as if it had rained not so long ago, which made the legs bogged down and slipped on the moss, and tall trees with half-naked crowns did not give aВ sufficient view. Nevertheless, they passed the forest and came toВ the bend ofВ the stream. Schoolchildren entered the water and began toВ hastily step over the rapids. The murmuring water led them toВ aВ hollow, which they covered with bushes and stopped briefly toВ rest. But delay is death, and soon they were on their way again. Each step was given with difficulty, fatigue made itself felt.
– Listen, what happened between you and Lizka? The tale goes around a lot, I would like the original source, – Romka suddenly asked, feeling how the silence was starting to get on his nerves.
“She cheated on me,” Nikita replied dryly.
– As? – the classmate was taken aback.
– She wrote, asked to meet her from some party. I come, and she sucks with some guy. After she apologized, said that it was an accident, she was insane. Ugh, alcohol is evil.
“Alcohol is evil,” Roma confirmed, knowing firsthand about the consequences. – Did you love her?
“Yes,” he replied after a long pause. But now I don’t feel anything. Betrayal always hurts. I didn’t think we’d be like this.
– Sorry. Why did you join the project? You seem to have everything in ointment with streaming, and you are a top player.
– I have a startup, I want to create several websites, and then develop my own game. Everything needs money.
– Oh, cool! I would also like to participate in this, – the guy smiled. – I have mastered the graphics and design programs well. A computer scientist taught me after school, showed me new technologies. I even studied C++ and C# a little, as well as Java and Assembler.
– Listen, well, as we get out, I would work with you. It’s easier to break through together, – Nikita suggested. – We can stream jointly.
– I’m for, – Romka nodded, feeling a joyful anticipation. Finally, his life was getting better.
They walked inВ silence for some time, but soon Nikita asked:
– You are… sorry if I somehow offended you at school. Honestly, not out of malice
– So you didn’t hurt, – Romka grinned. – I was not spread rot only you, Lilia and Deniska-taffy. I wonder how they are doing there.
– I think if this is a project, then we were thrown to different points, after which they will somehow bring us together somewhere. I saw this in the movies.
Communication switched to lighter topics, memories of school, teachers and lessons. So quietly they went to the mysterious, drowning in dense forests and high levels of radiation, a closed railway station. A small brick building that all fans of Chernobyl-themed games would definitely recognize. The rusty plaque was poorly preserved, but even so, one could make out a short “Yanov” on it.
– You’re a fucking genius! Roman exclaimed softly.
Small shrubs seeped through the broken platform. The old wagons, with their paint tarnished, were still on the rails and would never run again. Who would have thought that one day this place would gain freedom from human oppression. Before the accident, the Yanov station belonged toВ the South-Western Railway. Passenger and cargo work was carried out at the station, access roads ofВ the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, ORS warehouses, oil depots and other enterprises ofВ the city ofВ Pripyat adjoined. The radiation background at the Yanov station today exceeds the norm byВ several times. Although immediately after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the background at this place was very high. InВ this regard, the village ofВ Yanov was demolished and buried inВ the year 1987, exactly aВ year after the accident, inВ which about aВ hundred people lived. The station, byВ the way, was put into operation inВ 1925, marking the beginning ofВ the city ofВ Pripyat. The radiation background here is much higher than the norm, which is why the village ofВ Yanov was demolished and buried after the Chernobyl disaster.
Nikita shook his head. It’s all bad. Children must walk, wagons must run, and power plants must work. But what happened, happened, it is impossible to turn back time. The villages where people once lived were now abandoned. In the year 2000, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant finally stopped working. So much effort and all to no avail. Some of the cars were turned over, some of them were dismantled, and God only knows where the radioactive metal went.
– Look, – Romka pointed his finger at one of the wagons with a spray-painted ouroboros. The drawing was fresh, clearly recently stencilled.
– We need to search him. Maybe there is a hint or a type of transition to the next level, – Nikita suggested. – The main thing is not to linger, here the background is high, and the save function is not provided.
They carefully approached the rusty train. Climbing the stairs inside the car, the guys entered the compartment. There, on aВ pile ofВ old newspapers, lay aВ half-decomposed corpse. He seemed dried up, as if from under plaster, and his eyes turned from glassy toВ yellow and looked tenaciously at uninvited guests. There was no one else inВ the car. The body was not even covered. Next toВ it, the round sign ofВ the project was again revealed. After examining the compartment on the top shelf, there was aВ map with strange marks, two more dry rations, aВ flask ofВ water, aВ pistol with two clips and two cans ofВ stew.
– Khabar, – Nikita chuckled, still cautiously looking sideways at the corpse.
– Grab this and let’s go. We need somewhere to stay for the night. It’s already getting dark, – Romka said tensely.
– I support.
Quickly leaving their prey in backpacks, the guys briefly examined the rest of the compartments and hurriedly went to the station. Strongly strained the inscriptions “It’s infected here.” Having entered the station building, the guys thought for a while, and after choosing one of the service rooms, they barricaded themselves there, stopping for the night.
Having opened a can of stew and biscuits, the guys examined the map with curiosity. Roman tried to remember the general arrangement, trusting more to a friend who understood the situation better – the game experience affected, which turned out to be most welcome.
– Do you know the places marked with a cross? Roma asked, seeing the marks with a red felt-tip pen.
“Uh-huh,” he picked up the stringy meat from the can with his finger and chewed it. – I think, right here, – Nikita pointed to the blue circles with his finger. – There are some caches. And red, maybe tests or clues. It only annoys me … – he fell silent, chewing on the stew.
– Why did they leave us like that without explaining anything? Romka guessed, and after waiting for an affirmative nod, he added. – They put their lives in danger. It doesn’t really look like a game.
– Maybe I’m wrong, but… apparently the project is just a cover. Remember, we were given painful injections? It doesn’t really look like the game we signed up for. Paranoid, – Nikita chuckled.
– Could you take us out?
– From the Chernobyl exclusion zone? Easy. But I’m afraid we won’t be allowed to leave the area so easily. We also need to find out what kind of chips they implanted in us and try to take them out of action.
– Maybe then we should find ours and try to get out?
– It will be the most reasonable. It is unlikely that anyone else knows the way, and it will be easier for a company to cover each other.
Having finished the stew and washed it all down with water, the guys once again checked the locked door and, having made aВ kind ofВ bed for themselves, fell asleep, insanely tired from aВ busyВ day.
– Chapter 7-
Compassion is with you forever
Denis peered tensely, trying to find the source of the noise. Ira and Masha stood immediately behind the shoulder of a classmate, trembling with fear. Their faces were frozen in the expression that people have when they are waiting for the verdict of a doctor or the verdict of fate. But there was no verdict. To the left of Denis, a slight creaking and a quiet rustle were heard. The classmates turned around. Not noticing anything dangerous, Denis shifted his gaze further and was suddenly dumbfounded: a meter away from them in a deep green ravine filled with water, a huge fat centipede was sitting. In the background, in fact, something crunched – like a stone in a children’s sandbox, only in a multi-ton metal bag. The sound was like giant footsteps. It got louder, then quieter – and from time to time it subsided.
– I’ll shoot! – Denis repeated a little more confidently, feeling how the weapon was being hardened.
– You will miss, – a mocking voice was heard from the darkness, which belonged to Vlad. – Danchik, lower the barrel just in case.
Everyone exhaled. Joyfully racing each other classmates hurried toВ Vlad. Soon aВ silhouette became visible inВ the darkness, and soon the guy himself. Lily walked aВ little behind, holding aВ backpack byВ the strap.
– How are you here? Denis asked, not hiding his joy.
– Woke up in a well. And you? Vlad replied calmly.
– An accident because of one fool, – Irina responded angrily, looking contemptuously at Masha.
– And what’s next? Does anyone have a mobile? – I ignore the excellent student, asked Maria.
– No, everything was taken away. Someone was taking you. Have you checked if they had walkie-talkies or… well, at least something, – Vlad looked at the schoolchildren in turn.
“No,” Denis said guiltily. – Only took the machine gun when they heard footsteps.
– It is necessary to examine, maybe we will find, – suggested Lily, who had been silent until that moment.
– So smart? Here you go, – Masha snapped. – I don’t go there anymore.
Vlad and Lilia looked at each other and seemed toВ agree on something. Turning toВ Denis, Vladislav clarified:
– Can you show me the way?
– Yes, let’s go, – the plump man readily responded and led to the skeletons of a minibus, next to which lay two employees of Ouroboros.
Maria and Irina stood for some time, but as soon as the main group moved some distance away, they suddenly felt fear and rushed toВ catch up with their classmates with all their might. Vlad and Lilia were checking their pockets toВ the fullest, putting aside all the finds. Stepping aside toВ aВ fallen tree, the company settled comfortably.
– Map, – Lily unfolded the found sheet. – The bad news.
– Were they good before? – Ira sarcastically clarified.
– We are in Chernobyl, – ignoring her, the girl continued. – I don’t know where exactly, but… there are some marks.
– Let me see, – Vlad held out his hand and accepted the card, began to study with interest.
– Did you find anything else? – Masha pushed Lily, as if she wanted to vent her anger on her.
“Open your eyes,” she dismissed, continuing to examine the many marks.
Denis quietly sat next to him, holding his stomach, which constantly made rumbling sounds. I really wanted to eat. As soon as the fear receded, uncontrollable hunger returned. I wanted to eat something. Better than fried potatoes. Or dumplings? And chips. With cheese sauce. Nervously swallowing the saliva that had come up, Denis froze in anticipation. He did not like everything that was happening, and the only thing he considered right was to entrust more wise and experienced comrades. And were they his comrades? He looked at Masha. Selfish, arrogant and beautiful. If it wasn’t for the nasty feeling of superiority, she might not be such a bad person after all. Ira… Irochka… Irina… first love. Grandmother always said that the first love is almost never successful, ending almost tragically. As an example, for some reason she always cited the story of Romeo and Juliet – because of the love of young people, six people died. This has been talked about since kindergarten, so, probably, Denis immediately resigned himself to the fact that Ira would never pay attention to someone like him. It was unpleasant for him to admit that he had gathered for the project only in order to prove to an excellent student that he had a chance that he was not useless.
– So, we have two machine guns and four magazines of cartridges, a map and we are in the ass of the world, – Vlad summed up and looked at Denis, clarified. – Can you shoot?
“No,” he blushed.
– I can, – Lilia gave her voice and Denis obediently handed over the weapon to her. Vlad took the second machine gun.
– We got out of this well, if I understood the symbols on the map correctly, – said the athlete, turning to Lilia. “So there must be an abandoned village there. There are signs here, perhaps there is one of ours.
– So what? Are we going to be in the dark? Masha yelled indignantly. – I’m not going anywhere. Let them send a car and pick me up from here.
Vlad turned toВ Lilia, and she nodded inВ agreement, supporting the plan ofВ action. After checking the weapon again and jerking the bolt, the couple, as if on command, rose from theВ log.
– We will try to find ours and if anything, we will return with help. Is someone coming with us? Vlad asked for the last time.
– I stay! Maria defiantly crossed her legs and tilted her head. “I’m not going to knead the dirt with my shoes. Do you even know how much they cost?
– I’m staying too. Walking through the forest at night is suicide, “an excellent student supported her.
– I … – Denis sighed. – I’ll stay.
– What, fatty, decided to play a hero, like you will protect us? – Masha threw venomously.
– Well, so be it. The three of us are not so scary, – the classmate agreed without embarrassment. – You… it… just come back for us.
– Can you leave one machine gun? Lily asked.
“Anyway, none of the three of us knows how to shoot,” Irina remarked reasonably.
Rummaging inВ his backpack, Vlad took out aВ flare and handed it toВ Denis.
“It will help scare away wild animals,” he explained. There are instructions, be sure to read.
“Thank you,” the student smiled.
– Let’s run, otherwise it’s already sick of you, – Masha grimaced.
Lilia winked at Denis, saying hold on, and together with Vlad disappeared into the darkness ofВ the forest. They walked hand inВ hand, listening and peering into the darkness with all their eyes, inВ which demonic shadows danced every now and then. Moving aВ good distance away, the girl quietly asked:
– What kind of village?
– Lelev.
– I’ve never heard of such a thing.
“Me too,” the boy sighed. “Do you think we’ll find anyone there?”
She shrugged her shoulders, afraid to voice her worst thoughts. The fact that everything that was happening was conceived by unknown organizers was no longer even disputed. And it is so clear that if all this happened, then someone needs it. It remains only to decide whether to complete some obscure quests or look for a way home. Home… is a mockery for a person who does not have a home as such. Places where you are welcome, where you are expected. Lily frowned, trying to drive away her sad thoughts. Now is not the time for self-flagellation. Shivering in the cold, the girl shuddered at the sudden warmth from the chip.
Vlad jumped over the log and, exhaling tiredly, stopped. Rummaging inВ his backpack, he took out aВ flask and unscrewed the lid, took aВ small sip and handed it toВ the girl. Lily took aВ sip and returned the flask, only now noticing how tired sheВ was.
“We should find Nikitos,” Vlad remarked, continuing the difficult path.
– Why?
– He knows exactly all the locations. This nerd played all the games, for sure, there was something about Chernobyl.
