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 The first call came at seven on Saturday morning. “Alyosha, my boy! We’ve already left. We’ll be there in three hours. Fix something for us to eat, will you?” I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. Andrey mumbled sleepily into the phone, set it back on the nightstand, and pulled the blanket over … Read more

“Where’s the money we’ve been saving for the New Year’s table?” Olga asked, peering into the tin tea can that sat on the very top shelf of the kitchen cabinet. She rose onto her toes and stretched her arm as far as it would go, but her fingers met only the cold metal bottom. Her … Read more

  Anna sank back into her business-class seat and closed her eyes. The plane was descending, and in half an hour she’d be in her hometown—somewhere she hadn’t seen in six months. Six months of grinding work, negotiations, endless reports, and sleepless nights spent hunched over balance sheets. But it had been worth it: last … Read more

  Irina came home from the grocery store carrying two heavy bags. One was for her own household, the second was for her mother-in-law. The October evening had already swallowed the city in twilight, and the courtyard lamps were glowing earlier than usual. She climbed to the third floor, unlocked the apartment, and immediately took … Read more

Irina stood by the door with a key in her hand, listening to someone wheezing with laughter behind it. The music was pounding so hard the door was vibrating. For two years she’d been paying for this seaside apartment—skipping vacations, saving on everything—and now she was standing there like an idiot with a suitcase, unable … Read more

Irina sat at her desk in her room, reviewing a website mockup for a new client. Colorful blocks, fonts, and icons flickered across her laptop screen. She had been working remotely as a web designer for four years now, and it brought in a decent income. Orders came in steadily, she set her own schedule, … Read more

 Larisa was picking up the broken plate from the floor when the doorbell rang. Nine in the evening—she wasn’t expecting anyone. The shards clinked into the trash can—just like two years ago, when Igor used to hurl dishes and shout, “A beauty salon! You can’t even get yourself looking decent!” She looked through the peephole … Read more

  “Andrew, please bring me some water…” Marina’s voice sounded чужим—dry and brittle, like last year’s leaves. It barely pushed through the cottony blanket that had covered her completely. Her body had turned into one solid, aching clot of pain. Everything throbbed—from her fingertips to the roots of her hair. Her skin burned, but underneath … Read more

  — “Divorce, Vera. And we split everything down the middle.” He said it as calmly as if he were reading out the weather. — “What?” Vera let the spoon slip from her hand; tea splashed across the tablecloth. “Say that again.” — “Divorce. The house is shared. The car is shared. Everything’s fair.” She … Read more

  Part 1. A Stage Persona Oleg had the kind of face that belonged in a display window—symmetrical features, lively expressions, and a smile he could switch on and off like a dimmer. Marina watched him from the far end of the table, dissecting him the way she dissected malicious code: searching for weak spots … Read more