Sasha yanked the briefcase toward him; Katya wouldn't let go. At some point the clasp failed, and the contents of the briefcase scattered on the floor. Among the scattered papers Katya saw a glossy booklet with a Hebrew inscription and a picture of Tel Aviv.
There was a heavy silence. Katya stared at the booklet, unable to believe her eyes. Sasha, quickly coming to his senses, began to pick up the scattered papers.
– It's not what you think," he muttered, avoiding Katya's gaze.
– What should I think? – she asked quietly, feeling tears coming to her throat, that you don't think you should inform me about the impending move?
Sasha silently gathered his things, including the unfortunate booklet, and quickly left the apartment, leaving Katya alone among the scattered papers and shattered illusions.
She slowly sank down on the sofa, feeling her legs fill with lead. She was losing her balance. Around her, the silence of the empty apartment was frozen, broken only by the ticking of the second hand of the old clock. They were beating the rhythm of her drowning in hopelessness. Katya looked around the room, where every thing kept the memory of their life together. An old armchair, bought with Sasha's first paycheck. A fancy floor lamp given to her for her birthday. All these objects, once symbolizing their common future, now seemed like mute witnesses to the collapse of their family.
Katya went to the window. The headlights of cars passing at breakneck speed, trying to cross the intersection on the flashing green light, flickered behind the glass. Somewhere out there, far away, among those lights of the city, immersed in sleep, was Igor. There was another world, full of possibilities and hopes. For the first time in a long time, Katya felt not only fear of the unknown, but also a strange, pinching sense of anticipation. Perhaps this night was not the end, but the beginning of something new in her life.
Chapter 3: Flying over the Abyss
Just beyond the old factory building where she worked was a stunning view of the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Finland. The creative masterminds, the mass-entertainers of their organization this year, outfitted the area for inflatable kites, involving everyone they could in the sport. Those who couldn't be dragged into the water were invited to what they considered to be a child's entertainment – launching a practice kite on the roof.
Katya did not want to reveal her talents in water kiting, so she joined the majority of the female part of the group and quickly rushed up the outside stairs to the roof.
The wind fluttered her hair. A sea of colorful kites spread out before her, dancing in the sky above the old factory chimneys. The contrast between the modern kiting ground and the time-worn building made Katya think about her own life, stuck between the past and the future.
She looked around uncertainly at her colleagues who were happily preparing their kites. The sounds of laughter and lively conversations mingled with the sound of the wind, creating an atmosphere of freedom that was sorely lacking in her daily life.
– Katya, can I help you? – A familiar voice sounded behind her.
She turned around and met Igor's gaze. Her heart beat faster as he stepped closer. "You should know what happens to me when I see you," she suddenly thought. She realized that her face was more like that of a stone statue than a living person when he addressed her. It made her embarrassed and she sank into an even deeper stupor.
– Yes, thank you," Katya mumbled, trying to control the trembling in her hands.
Igor took her kite and began to explain how to fly it correctly. His fingers accidentally touched her shoulder, which sent a wave of warmth through Katya's body.
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