The local population existed here out of habit. Yes, and where he wanted to go with his unlucky homeland. Officers same, although very few of them spoke about this, and feel here on the position of the exiles, who do not know, for what пригрешения окзавшихся here.
The promise of Lieutenant Colonel of the personnel Department of the district was not empty words, although I had forgotten about him think. A month and a half came paper with the prescription arrive to me again in Chita. Two weeks I was taking the post, the ancient cuttlefish tractors with ancient tools, which are, as it seemed to me were only in the museums and military in книжкх on the history of the arms, and now, behold, sending baggage from her simple bachelor belongings and form, stood there and waited on the platform waiting for опазддывающего trains.
A day in the same icy day I came out of the carriage on train station in Chita. Breaths of the people clouds rose upwards, forming a haze of mist. Everyone was in a hurry to hide from the cold somewhere in the shop or in another place, and rare passers-by hurrying семенили on вымерзшим streets.
The stores were still empty, but already притеревшийся to the wild conditions of existence in Transbaikalia, I took a week's supply of canned food and bread, but it tried to растягивть, save.
The Chinese again shook his overseas junk. Many, though the frost, were without headgear, others put it upside-leather caps with earflaps on the short fur on the eyes, funny tying ribbons under her chin.
Around them, in spite of hard frost, still curled people offering to exchange it for sports suits and other foreign rags electric irons and samovars, watches, goods, has long disappeared from local trade. The exchange was неравноценный, but Chinese still торговлись irritably морщясь and trying to buy all the cheap. Something subtly suggested that they benefit from such auction, but how come they for so many hundreds of miles if it were not so.
Послонявшись aimlessly through the city, I went to the personnel Department, where he received a service passport, a new regulation number field post of the military unit and other necessary for the passage of the paper.
-So did I, abroad will serve? I inquired from a friend already Lieutenant Colonel.
-Something like that — somehow unclear he joked. — The main thing is that there's salary triple, and month of service goes for two.
Lieutenant Colonel pointedly raised his finger up.
-There, that fight? struck me, though I haven't heard about it.
-Lieutenant Colonel paused, coughed, but said nothing.
-So, now you go to the interview with the head of the personnel Department of the district, " he finally said. "Remember, I never told you, but if you want to interview, you can refuse.
However there with me not even have to talk.
-Everything settles it, go, get all you need and go. Not up to you now, comrade Lieutenant. Here such things! — waved his arms head, fat Colonel, not even risen from the chair. Yes, don't forget to come on training at district headquarters. The office of the chief of staff of the adjutant say, what you eat in the area of three zeros and call the number field mail. All goodbye.
District headquarters was in another area. Sleek captain, who was sitting in the reception room of the head of the staff of the district, where immediately, after many obstacles and constraints associated with crossing regime at the entrance to each corridor on each floor of the building I managed to finally get to, looked at my field form ironically-discreet glance, задевшим my soul for the most alive.
-You that, comrade Lieutenant, to the barracks for soldiers to come or to the General? — he grinned. — How you are dressed? You look at yourself! As you dressed like that?!
"What?!
-What is it?! — outraged officer even поднялс from his chair. — Are you stunned? QC you are talking to? That you think you're doing?!
-You see, comrade captain, I was there right from the troops of the parts. I train and right here...
With every word of my explanations captain increasingly багровел. He was ready to explode and that would release the steam, as suddenly on the table before him invitingly loudly затрезвонил telephone. Captain face changed, suddenly turned pale. His hand swift, trained движенем, she rushed to the tube.
"Yes, comrade General. Yes, comrade General. Now.
The captain hastily jumped out of the reception, wagging me on the move a finger:
"Well, Lieutenant, I'll be back and you sit at me on a week-the second ward.
I remained alone. The door to the office of General was ajar, and now hear what was loud ругатся. I went closer.
-You give me an apartment, comrade major, and then ask about service! — came to me in приокрытую door.
The gap was visible piece of a long polished table, tightly furnished chairs, a huge map on the wall. The floor was covered with bright, juicy carpet. However, speaking to be seen.
-How much you have accrued, товрищ Colonel?"
-Yeah, more than you, comrade major.
-Okay, sit down.
In the study else was said, but the tone of the conversation became less and nothing was heard.
Finally, I heard the steps to the door and two jumps bounced away.
At the door, vigorously flinging her, came out husky-Colonel, for him with a wry face следовл General. He stopped a moment, stunned she caught me from top to bottom, and in perplexity said, рявкнув exactly dog:
Is happening here?! he hastened the Colonel.
Two hours later I was boarding a train to Krasnokamensk.
Waking up in the morning, I could not understand where he was. Behind a window on how much they could see, stretched steppe. The trees had not, and only rare shrubs, Yes выбивающаяся of red-red sand, in some places covered with spots of snow, and stones brown grass were all poor vegetation of this area. I just never expected to see.
If some buildings were on the way, you could see them from afar. Small, rare settlements, the NPP construction marching outside the window only escalate the feeling пустынности these lands. Back when I was in Buryatia, I thought it was the end of the world, but only now it became clear what it means. There was a feeling that the rails are right in the middle of nowhere, and cars now begin to crumble one by one into the abyss. Feelings of abandonment, neglect овладевло me stronger. It seemed to me that the train ведзет me straight to Hell, and I tried to get away somehow from тяготивших my thoughts. However, this would close all Windows or eyes and not open them until the very end.
Close your eyes was easier, and I did so.
I remember that evening. The strange evening...
-You will enter, young man, or not? Do not worry, do not panic, I see that you are shunned. I have a little talk. Soulful, we can say the conversation. Подсаживайтесь closer to the table. I noticed that in the way you like to drink. I you buy. Yes, you do not be afraid, EO most ordinary vodka. Yes, I let you drink.
-No, I am нехочется — but I still came closer.
"As you wish, " Mr. hat poured himself and knocked over a stack. "Oh, good, a plague.
He looked out the window, where almost nothing could be seen.
-Yes, it did, in some backwoods you run! — he sympathized me. Is it right the injustice of some sort, don't you think?
-Yes, involuntarily I agreed. I really felt sorry for myself, sorry to tears because life went wheel, putting things upside down, turning over as the pelvis, my destiny, having emptied it and depriving me of all, what was tied up, got used to it, got accustomed to my soul. I wanted to talk about how I like my poor cadets life, I would again return to it and, perhaps, never become an adult. However, while keeping in mind who I'm dealing with, I did not open my mouth.
-No need as much effort. You can say, young man. All your thoughts are known to me that only you haven't thought of.
I was not myself. I felt субя turned inside out. Since August, my life is mixed with sleep so tight that it is impossible already was impossible to tell where reality, and where the dream.
-No, no, you're not dreaming, " confirmed Mr. hat, просврлив through his green eyes. — Be a man. At least now. I just read your innermost thoughts. So, you want to come back to the past, when they were курсанттом, isn't it? Don't be silent!
"Perhaps, timidly I agreed.
I can help you in this! — Mr. hat splashed me a glass of vodka.
-And what will it look like?
"Suppose you will survive to the very last day, when you have ceased to be a cadet, to the prom. And then again transferred at the beginning, from the moment you enter the school. And so will be repeated to infinity.
-And what all is that every time the same thing?
-Of course. And what do you want?
"Why can't we just in time to alter my destiny? Why not make things were different?
-Well it's too! Every time you would then другм man, and it is very hard to implement.
"But can I be bored endlessly spinning in circles! And what then?
Is the lice problem. However, we can agree, and when you are tired of such a rotation, then we stop. But I don't think. Anyway, I leave you the month that you have already lived after school, he threatened to you each time this whirlwind will подходть to the final.
"But, but, still, I get tired of it, and I want to get out of this vicious circle, what then?
-At this point? — Mr. hat shrugged. — I now too many let you. Here we must answer whether you agree or not.
He handed me the glass of vodka. And I, for some reason drank, thinking to myself, hold on and try my best not to get drunk.
"Look, look yourself. Your past you know, as my five finger. Every time you проходдить you the same way, and, moreover, will not even remember that already seen it millions of times, and know that after another pass the same and once again the same. Well, may be, someday you feel that something happened to you or recently had a dream, but it will be only a fleeting guess without any consequences. You know, a slight deja vu. So live thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions. Isn't this example can not relieve you отстраха and give opportunity to agree.
I was deep in thought, and could barely get out of the second stack, feeling that I'm starting to become tipsy.
The most frightening thing now would be the wrong decision.
I think I already heard the one about such a deal. One very keen on music people. You have helped him, — "If you could call it," I thought to myself. — Told me about this Veronika.
-Yes, I remember something like that. But it's not the biggest deal. There have been stronger. And Veronica... Oh, Veronica. Sweet girl. You enjoyed it, isn't it? Imagine you meet her each time and fall in love with her. However, I know that you had a lot of women, but it seems that Veronica is not indifferent to you. Yes, and those women, all of them will be millions of times.
But all the trouble and misery that followed me will be repeated millions of times, Yes?
"Ah, Mr. hat in his hands. — They are not well organised. But, if I understand, they are nothing compared with what is different, and, may be, are some decoration life as pepper or mustard sharpen the taste of food, and they do more acute feeling of happiness. In the end, is it a misfortune, if anything serious has not. And серьещное, is that it? This is, for example, if you have lost some important convenient physical condition and died or lost a leg, or simply if in prison. But nothing happened, so we can safely agree. My proposed product has, so to say, a guarantee. Agree, and you will automatically gain your purchase.
-And in return?
"Well, how is that?! If you know the history, you should know that I ask in return. As I said at the outset that I have a good talk. Sensual, see?
His words made съежится my heart. Something bad, evil permeated them.
-No, I cannot, I squeezed through the power of his throat.
-Listen, think. You have tasted this life. Do not hope, that it'll be something more bright! I'll take care of it! I'll be back, but by then my contract will be much worse for you. Think! Agree before it is too late.
-No.
-Settle.
-No!
-Agree!
-No! No!
Mr. hat stood up from the shelf and went to the door
"I thought so. But nothing. Remember, I won't let go, since I was already on your way. If you'd agree I would have been upset. Indeed. I find it hard to believe, but can not doubt it, — he opened the door and already in the hall said. — By the way, the vodka was poisoned. I thought that we will find a common language with you and agree, but because prearranged. But, apparently, not fate. Well, good-bye. Before the meeting.
He shut the door and I suddenly felt hands and feet become numb. My throat was dry, his eyes darkened. Own hoarse blow came from another world, and I'm fading consciousness only had time to think that I fall into the passage between the shelves...
The train stopped at a station. I looked out. On the facade of the building large letters mean, "Borzya".
People climbed out of the cars. Several officers in dirty jacket, with suitcases and with them a dozen soldiers uneven formation stood on the platform, and then hurried to the station.
Grandmother, men and women were dragged some bags, bales, heavy suitcases.
-How much will stand? I inquired of conductors.
-Fifteen minutes, " she said.
-And what is the Scarecrow such, Borzya?
Is not frightened face of a woman become judgmental-serious — and the city.
I went out of the car, walked to the station, then on првокзальную area. To the right there were two five-story building behind them loomed even some houses. Right outside the Park itself, a quarter of wooden houses, surrounded by fences, left, with a few neighbors buildings was clean, the boundless steppe.
"Well, and the city! — unpleasantly surprised, I thought. — As here people live there?"
Moroz made Hisself to know, and I hurried back to the car.
-What's not to like?! "smiled the conductor.
-No, — honestly I.
-In the first, probably here?
-In the first.
-Serve or a business trip?
"I didn't know. Kind of like to serve, and documents, as for a business trip decorated.
"You're where you're going? — conductor закопошилась in its folder, found my ticket. — — UY, Yes there where you're going, and there is no such thing, " she nodded towards the exit of the car. — There Borzya — civilization, the capital.
-Yes I even further, ' I said woman.
Still farther? Where do further? Further. Further there was border. China and Mongolia.
"And I to the side. You know, the competition is there jump to the side.
-A-a-a — pointedly nodded головй conductor.
