The prologue.
January 15, 2026 at 7:24 PM
Phew, it's a little hot this morning...
But, by the way, it rained heavily last night, but there's no freshness and it doesn't seem to be expected. Is it going to rain again? Maybe, maybe... It's not healthy, it's not healthy at all...
Although it seems to me that there are only two extreme weather conditions in this city - either too hot or too cold. Well, at least for me personally. And there's nothing you can do about it - a local manifestation of the continental climate. Although I don't really care about the weather, I'm not afraid to get wet, but it's still kind of unpleasant... I glanced at the dial of the worn commander's watch. It's almost nine thirty-where's the fucking minibus already? You can also be late for university...
I peer into the traffic, trying in vain to spot my bus.
Wearily, I wipe the sweat from my forehead. No, it's time to stop dressing up with your fashion - the month of June is in the yard, and you, Vitek, are still wearing a leather jacket... No, where are you already, you bastard?! Faster, faster... Oh, have my prayers been answered? The Sixteenth is coming! I don't care if he stops a little further than I need to and I have to stomp an extra stop - I'll get over it somehow. All the seats in the Gazelle cabin were occupied, so I had to climb onto the unloved front seat. I handed the driver the required fourteen rubles, who accepted the money, looked me up and down, and with a skeptical grunt, drove off.
Well, yes, I admit, I look quite colorful... In places.
Perpetually unkempt dark hair, a black leather jacket at any time of the year, and army berets peeking out from under black trousers are just such places. No, I'm not some kind of informal guy or something, I just like to dress like that and that's it. Convenient, practical, weatherproof. And if I had my way, I would have completely wrapped myself in camouflage... The minibus was traveling fast along World Avenue, which was not too busy at this time of day. I had to spend another fifteen minutes on the road, so I took out my phone, plugged an earphone into my left ear and started choosing the right song.
I was in a slightly depressed mood this morning, so my choice fell on one of my favorite dreary themes - "Flyme to the Moon", a hand-cut from the anime "Evangelion". Not to say that I was an animeshnik, but I watched and reviewed this series, because I really liked it, although it really tore my brain...
I was even beginning to sing along softly to myself when events began to spin in a way that no kaleidoscope could even dream of.
The sound of a burst wheel, a jerk. The minibus skids sharply to the left. The driver, swearing desperately, tries to straighten the car. A blow, a screech of metal, a sudden stop - someone definitely drove into our ass. And I drove in very efficiently, judging by the way the back of my head hit the headrest. As long as we can talk, buckle up, people...
The Gazelle pulls into the oncoming lane. I grip the handle above the door with all my strength. And somehow distantly, as if in slow motion, I look directly at the jeep rushing towards us. I didn't even have time to be scared - it was just that at some point my body was shackled by an incomprehensible weakness, and a nasty sour taste appeared in my mouth. And don't move, don't run away... Anticipating the next heartbeat, the realization came that this was the end.
"Fuck," the last thought turned out to be quite mundane.
This is not how I thought I would meet the end of my mortal life...
Hit. Flash. Darkness
The feeling of flying.
The body doesn't seem to be there.
There's darkness and infinity around, but for some reason I'm not afraid... Although that's probably how it should be, because I'm probably dead...
Is he dead?
Hmm, but dying doesn't hurt that much... I had not been afraid of death as such for a long time, I was more worried that my departure would cause pain to people who love me. But I've never been in a hurry to die either-life is too much of a drug to just get rid of it like that...
And now I'm dead? Just like that? Hurtful... I didn't have time for so many things... There's so much I haven't done...
Okay, Victor, don't worry - you're not the first, you're not the last. This has been said an infinite number of times before you, since the very creation of the world... But, damn... Most of all, it hurts HOW I died.
Moronism, of course, but for a very long time I dreamed of dying in battle, defending something, fighting for something, but it's not fate.
Oh, I wish I had one more chance... Only one chance... Victor swears that he would not waste time on trifles, but would try to do something good, change something, help someone... To help...
It's like someone is calling for help from somewhere far away... To help... To help... ...The feeling of flying through darkness, somewhere into infinity. What awaits me ahead? The unknown is scary... Hey, what's this? The light? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel, damn it? Don't scare me like that!.. Wait a minute... Hey! I'm what... Am I going back?..