Chapter Seventh

I cannot quite understand whether it was my indecisiveness or slow reaction that led to those events. As soon as i fully understood what was happening, it was already too late to break the kiss and i let Sasha enjoy it. I didn’t feel much myself: perhaps i wasn’t really interested in her that way, or maybe i just wasn’t in the mood, or maybe i was just too busy being careful and alert to even start considering romantic perspectives.

Finally, i got tired and broke away. For a few moments we were staring into each other’s eyes. For some reason all i could notice was the hue of her iris. It wasn’t regular “blue” which should really be called “bluish grey”. Her eyes were of genuine blue color, with a hint of green around the pupils, so big in the darkness.

Then the winter wind blew hard into my face, messing up my hair and blocking the view. Having broken our gaze, i turned away, trying to think about situation at hand. But i was much too shocked to actually process everything that happened and in the end all my thoughts concentrated on Sasha, our kiss and my feelings.

— Sorry, — she whispered after a while, her voice giving away doubt, — you didn’t like it?

I had no idea what to say and only let out a sigh.

— Well, i suppose i’m not good enough. That’s only to be expected.. — she wanted to continue, but suddenly a melody started to play, which was soon revealed to be her ring tone.

Sasha hung up furiously, almost ready to throw smartphone onto the ground. She put it into her pocket instead, but apparently the mood was already spoiled and she didn’t continue whatever she wanted to say.

After a few moments of silence, a new sound caught our attention, now coming from inside the building: someone’s footsteps were approaching the door. Then it opened with a cliche squeaking sound and a bearded guy from the party appeared.

At first i thought he would say we should go back inside or something, but he offered me his phone instead.

— Isabella? — he asked as if to confirm my identity, — there’s a man who wants to talk to you urgently.

His voice sounded surprised and even more so disturbed. Reluctantly, i took the phone from his hand.

***

Something crashed into the ground.

***

— Be careful, mind the weather, for you request is fulfilled, — said the familiar voice in the same familiarly tired tone.

— Blue? — i asked mechanically, too surprised to react properly on the meaning of his words.

— So i am indeed. Meet me at the station at the dawn, — he said that and hung up. For a few seconds i listened for the short beeps and then returned phone to its owner. He was visibly displeased by the fact that he had to walk through the whole house just for me to say one word, but then walked off silently.

I stood still, looking at the night scenery for a while. Decaying wooden houses, empty streets engulfed in darkness — darkness so thick it could not be unraveled by a few dim and flickering street lights. Lights, reflected in a few dirty puddles and broken glass. That was about all civilization had to offer.

Then, there was a black massive of forest against cloudy sky. It stayed still there, perhaps for centuries or even millennia. Dying little town meant nothing to it. As far as i could tell, it wasn’t even “waiting to conquer and devour remnants of civilization” as somebody put it. The forest just lived, as nonchalantly as it would die if fate decided so.

No matter how hard i tried, i couldn’t notice anything that would feel familiar. The whole landscape was unreal and distant from me; almost as if the train took me to another dimension or, perhaps, someone’s dream.

— Change of plans? — Sasha asked, snapping me to reality of the moment.

— Change of plans, indeed, — slowly, almost absent-mindedly, i repeated after her, trying hard to stay in reality.

Then, suddenly, reality struck back with another gust of wind. Noticing i was getting cold, i added:

— Lets discuss that inside though, shall we?

After being so long out in the cold, house felt pleasantly warm, but also somewhat stuffy inside. We quickly walked through the corridor, which i haven’t really noticed before and then up the steep wooden stairs.

— So you’re leaving? — only after we walked through the main room, still full of partying people, into the small room where i woke up, did Sasha ask.

— Apparently, i am. It’s a pity i couldn’t stay longer at the party, but i suppose i have to start moving now, — as a matter of fact, i didn’t have a slightest idea about how long would it take me to get to the station. Or what hour it was. Or, above all, at what hour would the dawn emerge.

— And did you even consider how are you going to “start moving”? — she asked with a hint of sarcasm, hitting me right in my weak spot. Perhaps it was for that reason that i couldn’t leave her line unanswered.

— Are you about to suggest something or just laughing at me? — i said, having finished collecting the few things i left in the room.

— Mmm, how can i be just laughing at you? Imagining you all alone walking in this dark winter night in this town is no laughing matter. Of course i have a suggestion.

— And?..

— Oh, it’s pretty simple: i go with you. And, we take a car.

As she mentioned that, i remembered our path from the station here and the stolen car we drove on. At that time i wasn’t in an appropriate state of mind to seriously think about this action, but now it seemed pretty crazy to me.

Then i realized how nice was Sasha’s suggestion, even if it also implied a stolen car. In fact, it felt weird that she would suggest driving an almost stranger in the night. I started on my paranoid thoughts again, but then decided it won’t help me in this situation.

— It is really nice of you. But, i’ve got one question in that regard, if you don’t mind. Why did you guys have to steal that car yesterday? And are you going to do it again?

— Hey, that’s two questions! — Sasha replied, meanwhile gesturing me, suggesting we should leave, — But anyway, you shouldn’t be that worried about it. It would take much longer for anybody to find out than we’re going to stay here.

It’s not like that would answer my question, but i let the matter slip and headed for the door out.

***

“Of all minor demons everyone should have their favourite”, a distorted voice said through the radio noise in a brightly sunlit room, filled with old furniture, “for someone who doesn’t will have to deal with greater demons. And i can say from experience that it is painful”.

Voice paused and only static could be heard for a while. Then something clicked and the voice started again: “Of all minor demons everyone…”

***

As we walked back through the party room, i remained silent. The atmosphere was mostly the same as before, except for increased number of people who started to doze off. I looked at the gamers’ corner and sure enough there was another match in progress. As if feeling my glance, Orpheus turned around and, noticing me, waived and stood up. He almost tripped over things and people scattered all over the floor several times, before finally catching up with us near the stairs.

— Эй, Саша! Вы что, уже валите? — Orpheus patted Sasha’s shoulder.

— Да, похоже мои планы изменились. Передавай мои извинения, — Sasha glanced back at the room.

— Ну что же, успехов тебе и твоей подруге.

— Спасибо.

I started to go downstairs to avoid listening conversation i couldn’t (and, perhaps, wasn’t supposed to) understand, but then they switched to english.

— So, since you leaving before competition over, — Orpheus said in a louder voice, — i can’t say how high you rank. But since i enjoyed your performance, want to give you at least some prize.

— How nice of you, — Sasha replied, — but you don’t have to go that far.

I remained silent for i had little idea of what would be considered polite in this situation.

— No worry. Just wait a second, — with this Orpheus moved through another door, which happened to lead into a tiny unlit storeroom. Apparently he didn’t need light to find whatever he wanted to find, though, for he emerged out of it quite quickly.

— Here, take this, — for some reason he approached me and started talking in a dramatic low voice, — i don’t know what your quest is, or whether you even do have a quest, but i hope this could be of assistance.

Having finished his line, he gave me a small package, wrapped in brown paper. As usual in such situations, my paranoia got activated and almost made me refuse offer. But i supposed the risk was worth taking and reluctantly took the package.

— Thank you very much, — i said after a short pause.

— Yeah, thanks, — Sasha added, her voice giggling.

— Ha-ha, you welcome. I won’t put me in your way any longer, — replied Orpheus in a normal voice and moved back to the party room, — Good bye.

— Yeah, see ya later, — Sasha turned to me indicating we should go.

— Bye, Orpheus, — i concluded and finally continued descending.