The sounds of rolling tires and revving engines filled the streets of eastern St. Petersburg. It was a fairly warm summer day in Russia, and for the first time in years, he could look up to the sky and find peace. …
She sipped her coffee as she glanced across the table,
“I guess I should thank you for coming here.” Anya said with a warm coffee covered expression,
“So thank me then.” Roma replied,
“You're an asshole...”
The two sat at a table outside a local coffee shop, the same place Anya would go each morning before work. A mist steamed out of the cup as she sat it back on the table.
“I know you don't care, but I'm getting a pay raise soon.” Anya mentioned,
“About fucking time.”
“Don't start..”
“Sorry, should I empty my wallet so you can listen to my problems too?” He asked,
“Go jump into traffic and I'll consider it. Tell me, what have you been doing lately when I'm gone? I know you're not the type to sit still.”
“Visiting my other girlfriends..” Roma uttered,
“Oh yeah, how'd you manage that, did you pay them off?”
“Women love me, it's you who doesn't understand!” He shielded himself as Anya splashed her cup at him,
“You know, I remember when you came up to me and groveled on your hands and knees for me to go on a date with you.” She mocked,
“But, you did go on that date.”
She couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes, “Honestly, you were such a loser, even now, you're always busy, always this, no time for that, you're always so damn selfish.”
“Why the hell do you care all of the sudden? I do what the hell I want. If I'm feeling prostitutes on Monday and meth on Tuesday, then I get what I want.” Roma argued, the two sat silently at the table as a gentle breeze washed over them.
“God you're lovely.” She smiled.
“Such a cute thing to say, beautiful.” Roma smiled back. After they finished, they began aimlessly roaming the streets, Anya ran her finger along the cracks against the side of a building.
Roma squinted against the bright sunlight ahead of them. My head is killing me today, but at the same time, it has been so peaceful around here that it's almost scary. That’s why I can't let something like this slow me down. As his thoughts began to wander, he knocked a passing lady to the ground.
“What the heck, dude? You could’ve at least said something!” The lady yelled,
Roma’s vision flashed, Wake up, Roma! A voice in his head told him, and the world became bleak and colorless. Buildings around him looked bare and neglected. The people held their wounds with tight clenched hands as the feeling of agony and grief loomed overhead.
“Anya? Lady? Where’d you go?!” He yelled as the world he stood on transformed in front of him. Anya and the girl were replaced with two women who covered themselves with cowls. They stared at him blankly, not muttering a sound. He heard a set of footsteps marching behind him, and before he realized, they had already brushed past him.
The military? It looks like standard issue vests and akm’s, they’re probably with the FSO, he said to himself.
One of the guards circled his finger in the air,
“Everyone, clear the streets! It’s not safe out here, get moving!” The guard yelled while everyone seemed to walk around him as if he was invisible. Roma scanned past the streets, the entire city was overwhelmed with curling black smoke, but it wasn't until he glanced up that made his heart skip. Fighter jets circled the sky like sharks, as the sound of jet engines pierced the air.
“F18’s? They must be nato.” He muttered under his breath,
“Firing!” A voice from one of the rooftops said. The man who stood with a partner carried a 9K38 Ilga over his shoulder. The missile he fired hunted down the jet that passed over the distant blocks. The jet's cannons roared through the streets, vibrating the ground beneath his feet. It was the that Roma heard a voice in his head call his name once again,
“Roma, wake up!” Anya called out as she helped the lady to her feet. He jolted awake as no time seemed to pass, and muttered the words, “Sorry, didn’t see you there,” almost to himself before walking off,
“Excuse him, he’s a bit out of it today.” Anya said apologetically before pacing along to catch up. She could hear the sound of water rushing down the aisle as they wandered over a bridge that ran above a canal. She tugged at his shoulder, “What's going on?”
“I didn’t see her.”
“I don't care about that, I'm asking about you.”
“What about me? What's there to feel bad about?”
“I'm a psychiatrist Roma, you can't lie to me. Other than our chat at the coffee shop you’ve been living on another planet all morning. It’s not like you.” Anya said, Roma scratched his head as he locked eyes with the fish that flowed downstream.
“This world feels fake, as if I'm going to wake up from a dream any minute.” He replied,
“Maybe real sleep is what you need, I know you’ve been staying up these past few nights. I’ll take you home and you can rest.”
“Rest when the day has just started? Don't think so. How about you pick a place that isn’t home?” Roma asked,
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
“You’re asking me!? I knew you wouldn’t listen! Why do I even care about you?” She spat out,
“Who else would I ask? I've only been here a handful of times, why don't you take me somewhere I've never been?” He asked, I can't believe it’s only been three months since we transferred here. We finally got away from that giant house and Anya is getting a promotion! We can finally relax! Roma said to himself,
“Let's go to the fortress, we can walk around there! It's not too far, so let's just walk.”
The two of them dodged and weaved around the crowds that slowly filled the city as they moved further down its many narrow streets.
“Man, my back is killing me, this city is way too big!” Anya said,
“You're the one who suggested we walk instead of bringing the car, so don't complain.”
“Yeah yeah, I need to start moving more. I'm getting old so I guess I need to start being healthier.” Anya commented.
“You may be old, but I'm still in my prime.” Roma proclaimed,
“Ugh! You’re older than me, I bet the new recruits are starting to gain an edge on you.”
“Bah, I'm not halfway finished yet!” Roma voiced with certainty,
“Haha, I hope so, but still, you should think of retiring soon. Don't needlessly waste your whole life at that place.” Anya said,
“I'm training someone who I plan on taking my place. He's still young, but he's a quick learner, his name is Nigel.”
“I'd love to meet him sometime.” She smiled. …
After a moment's walk, they eventually made their way to the giant, red walled fortress. When they finally managed to make it through the gates, they were met with a bright golden entrance. Everything from the path they walked to the tightly packed buildings within were beautifully detailed, and filled with art.
“Do you know about the history of this place? A place created beautiful on the outside but corrupted on the inside...” Anya commented,
“Corrupted?”
“Yep, it may put on a pretty face, with its hand crafted marble finishings and its golden walls, but I’ve heard if you go deep enough you can find the dungeons of this place that were used as a giant prison.” She said, a chill of cold air ran over him as he followed her inside the beautiful cathedral that stood in the center. It was as if he was standing inside a giant freezer compared to the sun radiant glow outside.
“The inmates here were beaten and tortured for decades. Back when the Soviets were still around, they tried attacking this fort quite a few times, can't believe it's still standing. All of that dark history inside this beautiful place.” She continued on,
“Heh, good fucking riddance.” Roma said out loud.
“I hope karma kicks your ass someday! Who knows what those guys went through!” Anya said,
“…I can imagine. I’ve definitely had my share of bad karma.”
“Ha! Like that compares.” She stared blankly at the chandeliers for an awkward amount of time. Huh? No comment.? I think he might be serious this time.. He’s worked as an agent for the military for ages now. He's probably seen things that no human should more times than I could ever count. Dammit, I said something I shouldn't have!
“Wanna know why I chose this place? You should know by now that I've talked to hundreds of people who wear two faces. You can try, but there is no way to fix someone like that. They do so much to hide themselves from the world that they forget who they used to be.” She explained, the echoes of conversations muttered around them became more pronounced as they stood beside a wall of paintings.
“I can see the one you’re trying to put on now, but I don't want you to become like that, Roma.” He listened to her words in silence until he felt a sudden flash of light after closing his eyes.
“Gah! What was that!?” He twisted around aimlessly,
“You ok? If you’re trying to make me worry, then it's working!” Anya asked.
“Wha? We’re outside the fortress?! No I—It’s just a migraine, nothing serious.” Roma said as he tried to regain his senses. When did we get outside? I swear we just walked in!?
“Just a migraine my ass! Let’s go home then. You're being way too hard on yourself for no reason, You Need To Wake Up.” Anya said.
“I— need to what?” He repeated. At that moment, they both heard a march from across the street. A group of locals held up signs as they yelled out their twisted beliefs while holding up burning Russian flags. She shot up like a rocket, “What the hell are they doing?”
“Rioters? But why?” He shook his head, “Now’s not the time, we need to leave.”
He unholstered a 443 grach and pulled the slide back under the table. The golden gleam of the cartridge shone back at him as it was shoved in place. He glanced over at Anya’s widening eyes as she tried not to stare.
“We’ve gotta get the hell out of this mess.” She uttered. Screeching tires echoed through the streets as mobs of rioters began roaming throughout the city, pummeling the cars that passed by with bats and clubs. Roma stood beside her and peered ahead,
“Wait, those people behind them aren’t even Russians!” He said. Almost all of them could be seen wearing masks, they began throwing painted bricks through windows as they opened duffle bags full of makeshift molotovs. As more people marched into the crowd, caravans surrounded the blocks in seconds,
“Here, let's move through the alley… oompf!” As soon as Roma turned his back he was struck in the side of the head with a bat. He was instantly surrounded..
“Roma!!” Anya screamed, He pulled out his pistol, but he heard a click. The slide stop was pulled, and there was no magazine. One of the men kicked the gun out of his hands,
“Anya!! RUN!!” He yelled, It was then he caught a glimpse of the man covering the alleyway.
He wore a monotone expression as he held a makarov out in front of him. The color left Roma's eyes as he felt the loudest gunshot he’d ever heard shake at his soul, and Anya fell to the ground with a bloodied whimper. The cries of the rioters raiding the streets bombarded their ears as Roma’s world spun in circles.
“It’s you! Why the fuck are you here again, Yuu Jin?!” In seconds, Roma lunged at him with a knife from his pocket, but there was nowhere to go..
“You’re out of luck.” The man turned the gun his way, and shot him in both knees, Roma’s cries of pain were muffled by rage as he toppled back down to earth.
“Roma? What’s going on? I.. Don't want to die.” She held out a hand as she sat in a pool of blood. He couldn't speak. As hard as he struggled, no words would come..
“Disappointed. I thought you would put up more of a fight, Roma. What am I supposed to do with these last 5 rounds?” He wavered, shaking the gun in Romas face,
“Fuck you! Dont you fucking dare!!” Roma wanted to say. He looked up at the world in silence, his body paralyzed.. Yuu Jin turned the gun in her direction, she who wore a snow white dress, the very dress that he hadn’t seen in decades,
“It's ok, Roma. We'll find each other again.. I promis—” A gunshot lit up the dark alley, then another, and again.. Time slowed to a crawl as he watched her lifeless body sink to the ground. His vision was red and distorted as his mind raced with adrenaline and hatred.
“And just like that, one bullet left. I made these bullets from scratch, you know. Made special for you with love from your best friend.” He cast down,
“And once again, you don't have the resolve to speak to me, do you? Don't tell me you’ve given up.” Yuu Jin stood above him with cold eyes, “You pathetic bastard, why do you keep doing this to yourself? As much as I enjoy our weekly chats Roma, it’s time to wake up.” Bang!