Madam, you don’t have a ticket. Please get off the bus,” the driver snapped, looking at the frail woman in the old coat who was barely clinging to the handrail to keep from falling. The bus was nearly empty. Outside, wet snow was falling slowly, and gray twilight had enveloped the city. She said … Read more
When Sofia announced that she was going to marry a man with a disability, her loved ones seemed to lose the power of speech. Her family was in shock, her friends were stunned, and distant relatives gathered for an informal family council as if deciding a matter of national importance. Everyone felt it was their … Read more
Zhanna didn’t utter a word when saying goodbye to her husband. The doctors said he was leaving — slowly but inexorably. She left the hospital overwhelmed with grief, still feeling the warmth of his fingers in her hands. While she was near Denis, Zhanna remained strong. She tried not to show fear, not to reveal … Read more
And when she entered the restaurant, her mother couldn’t believe her eyes…” “Have you completely lost it?” she almost shouted, recoiling as if caught red-handed. “Me? In this? Playing your fiancée? Yesterday, I was digging food out of the trash!” He calmly clicked the lock, closing the door, and, tiredly leaning against the wall, … Read more
A seven-year-old orphan boy lay in the hospital room, as if already cut off from life. He was a lonely child — without parents, without love, without a chance, or so it seemed to everyone around. Only the doctors, the ticking clock, cold walls, and the hum of medical machines. They were about to disconnect … Read more
My name is Marina. I’m 29 years old. I’m Anya’s older sister — the one who was always held up as an example to her in childhood. Until one day, I simply stopped being noticed as soon as the younger sister was born: bright, loud, irresistible. Anya always knew how to be the center of … Read more