Chapter 6 Chapter 4

As soon as I entered the door, the owl came out of the twilight world.It flew up—and suddenly I felt its claws prick me lightly, and it rushed towards the refrigerator. "Can I build a perch for you?" I asked while locking the door. I saw Olga speak for the first time.Its mouth twitched, apparently struggling to get a word out.To be honest, I don't understand how birds can talk.And speak with a human voice. "No need, otherwise I will lay eggs." Obviously this was meant as a joke. "I'm sorry if I upset you," I said in advance, just in case. "I also want to get rid of this embarrassment."

"I understand. It's all right." I poked my head into the fridge and found something to eat.Cheese, enemas, pickles... wonder how a forty-year-old brandy would go with a not-so-salty cucumber?Maybe they feel awkward with each other, just like Olga and I. I take out the cheese and sausage. "No lemons, sorry." I know the charcuterie isn't great, but that's it.. "The brandy's not bad, though." The owl said nothing. I took out a bottle of "Kutuzov" from an open desk drawer under the bar. "Do you want to try it?" "The one against 'Napoleon'?" The owl laughed. "No, not."

What happened before my eyes was absurd.I rinsed two brandy goblets a little and put them on the table.I looked suspiciously at the mass of white feathers, at the short curved beak. "You don't know how to drink from a cup. Perhaps I should bring you a saucer?" "Turn around." I did as it said.There was the rustling of wings behind him.Then came a soft, uncomfortably hissing sound, reminiscent of a snake awakened or a leaking gas bottle. "Olga, I'm sorry, but..." I turned away. Owl is gone. Yes, I was expecting a similar situation.I hope, even for a while, to let it appear in human form.I pictured in my imagination Olga - the image of a woman imprisoned in the body of a bird, a woman who remembers the Decembrist uprising: the daughter of Prince Lopkhin who somehow ran away from the ball The image is presented in front of my eyes, but it is older, more solemn, with a look of wisdom in the eyes, but the person is a bit thin...

However, sitting on the stool was a young, very young looking woman.She is about twenty-five years old.His hair was cut short like a man's, and his cheeks were dirty, as if he had escaped from a fire with difficulty.She was beautiful, and her face was as slender as an aristocrat's.But the burnt hair...the gross, grotesque hairstyle... The clothes she was wearing were really unflattering. Dirty military trousers, a 1940s-style, cotton-padded jacket that was opened, and a sweater that was blackened by dirt.One pair of feet was still bare. "Is it pretty?" the woman asked.

"Not bad," I replied. "Light and darkness...how did you make it like this?" "The last time I appeared in human form was fifty-five years ago." I nod. "I see. Were you used during the war?" "I was used throughout the war," Olga said with a smile, "during major wars. At other times I was forbidden to appear in human form." "There is no war now." "That is to say, there will be." This time she didn't smile.I refrained from a word of cursing, and just made a gesture of denying the disaster. "Do you want to shower?"

"Very happy to." "I don't have women's clothes...would jeans and a shirt fit?" She nodded.She got up--with an unnatural, ridiculous wave of her hands--and looked curiously at her bare feet.Then headed towards the bathroom like it wasn't her first time showering at my house. I run into the bedroom.She doesn't necessarily wash for a long time. Jeans are old.But the size is smaller than what I wear now.She'll still look big anyway... Where's the shirt?No, a turtleneck would be better.underwear?Forget it, no. "Anton!" I rolled up my clothes, hung up a clean towel, and ran back.The bathroom door was open.

"What kind of faucet is this?" "Imported, spherical...I'll be right there." I go in.Olga stood in the bathroom with her back to me, naked and thoughtfully turning the handle of the faucet left and right. "Up," I said. "Pull it up, this is the water pressure control switch. On the left is cold water, and on the right is hot water." "Thank you, I've now understood." She wasn't shy at all because of me.Of course, considering her age and level...even past levels. But I was quite ashamed, and it made me a scumbag. "Here are some clothes. Maybe you can choose some. Of course, if you want."

"Thank you, Anton..." Olga looked at me. "Don't worry about it. I lived in the body of a bird for eighty years. Although I hibernate most of the time, I've had enough." She has blue eyes and is very attractive.A pair of dangerous eyes. "I'll never again admit to being a human being, an Other, a woman. But also an owl. So... I'm a fierce, old, sexless fool who sometimes talks." The water flowed down from the nozzle, and Olga slowly raised her arms, turning her body under the rushing water. "Washing off the smell is a lot more important to me than making a lovely young man unembarrassed..."

I didn't argue, accepted the title of "young man" and walked out of the bathroom. I shook my head, picked up the brandy, and uncorked the bottle. At least one thing is clear, she is not a shapeshifter.A shapeshifter does not retain a single piece of clothing.Olga is a magician.A magician, a woman, about two hundred years old.Eighty years ago, she was punished and deprived of her human body.Hopes of her vindication still exist, she is an expert in the interplay of forces, last put to work some fifty-five years ago... There is enough material to search computer databases for a while.I don't have a license to access the dedicated webpage, I'm not high enough.But fortunately, a lot of information can be found with an indirect search that the above leaders did not suspect, if I just want to find out Olga's identity.

I filled a large shot glass of brandy and waited.About five minutes later, Olga came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel as she walked.She wore my jeans and sweater. It can't be said that she has changed completely...but she is still lovable. "Thank you, Anton. You can't imagine how happy this is..." "I got it." "Unbelievable. The smell, Anton... burnt. I've been used to this smell for half a century." Olga sat unnaturally on the bench.She sighed and said, "It's not good, but I'm happy with the change now. Even if I don't get forgiven, I have a chance to wash it off..."

"You can keep that look, Olga. I'll go and get you a suit." "No. I only have half an hour a day." Olga rolled up a towel, threw it on the windowsill, sighed and said: "I probably won't be able to wait for my next flush. Just as I won't be able to wait for a brandy... I wish you good health, Anton." "wish you health." The brandy tastes good.I took a sip triumphantly, and ignored my dizziness.And Olga drank it all in one breath, frowning, but she said politely: "good." "Why doesn't the boss allow you to have a normal face?" "It's not up to him." Clearly, that is, it was not the regional division that punished her, but high-level officials. "I wish you success, Olga. No matter what you have done... I believe, you have already redeemed yourself." The woman shrugged. "I want to believe it too. I know it's easy to get sympathy, but the punishment is just. But... let's get down to business." "Ok." Olga leaned over the table and approached me, whispering mysteriously: "Let's be honest: I'm sick of it. I've got a strong will, but I can't live like this. This is my chance—to complete such an important task, and the leadership will no longer have an excuse not to forgive me." "Where can I accept such a task?" "The mission has been accepted and consists of three stages: the little boy - we must protect him and draw him to the light; the female vampire - we must kill her." Her tone was full of confidence, and I suddenly believed Olga's words.We're going to protect the little boy, and kill the female vampire, no problem. "But these are small things, Anton. Similar actions can improve your level, but they can't save me. The main thing is the girl with the black cyclone." "Someone is already doing something about her, Olga, I... we are excluded from this mission." "Nothing, they can't handle it." "Really?" I asked back. "Can't handle it. Boris Ignatievich is a very capable magician. But in other fields," Olga narrowed her eyes slightly mockingly. "I've been studying outbursts of hostility all my life." "That's why the war broke out!" I surmised. "Of course. Such a wave of hatred would not have occurred in peacetime. Damn Hitler...he had many admirers, and it would have been nice if he and all of Germany had been burned in World War I. Stalin's situation was completely Two things—his rare narcissism, but also very good at disguising himself. Anton, I am an ordinary Russian woman..." Olga's fleeting smile when she said "ordinary" showed her love for the word. Opinion, "I've been shielding my country's enemies from damnation during the last war. For that alone I deserve a pardon. Believe it?" "Believe it." I think, she was drunk. "Abominable job... We all have to do it against human nature, but that seems to be a long way... Closer to home, Anton, they can't handle it. I can try, though I don't have full confidence." "Olga, if all this is so serious, you should report..." The woman shook her head, straightened her wet hair and said: "I can't. I'm banned from associating with anyone but Boris Ignatievich and the mission partner. I told him everything. Now I just have to wait. I hope I can handle it — at the last decisive moment." "Don't the boss understand that?" "I think, on the contrary, he understands." "I see..." I whispered. "We used to be lovers, very old lovers. We were friends at the same time - that's rare... That's it, Anton. Today we're going to solve the problem of the little boy and the insane female vampire. Tomorrow we're going to Wait, wait until the anger erupts. Do you agree?" "I'm going to think about it, Olga." "Very well, think about it. Now my time is up. Turn around..." I didn't have time to turn around. This may be Olga's own fault. She didn't calculate the time to change back. It's very nauseating indeed.Olga began to tremble, her whole body arched, her body waved—the bones buckled like rubber.The skin was torn, and the bloodstained muscles were split open.After a while, the woman became a mass of flesh, an indistinct spherical object.The spherical object curled up more and more, and was covered with a layer of soft white feathers... The arctic owl made a sound that was half bird, half human—flying up from the stool and darting to the chosen spot on the refrigerator. "Damn it!" I yelled, forgetting all the rules and regulations, "Olga!" "Does it look good?" The woman's voice changed due to the pain, panting. "Why? Why is this?" "It's part of the punishment, Anton." I reached out and touched the stretched, fluttering wings. "Olga, I agree." "Then we'll get to work, Anton." I nodded and walked out into the hallway.I opened the chest of contents and turned into the twilight world - otherwise you can't see anything except clothes and useless things. A light body rests on my shoulders: "what would you like?" "The onyx rod used for protection is exhausted. Can you recharge it?" "No, I almost lost all my strength. All I have left is the kind of energy necessary to suppress the hostility, and the memory, Anton, the memory is still there. How do you plan to kill the female vampire?" "She's not registered," I said. "Only by folk methods." The owl hooted. "Is small mountain poplar still popular?" "I don't use it." "Understood. Because of your friend?" "Yes, I don't want them trembling over the threshold." "Then what are you looking for?" I took the pistol out of a hole I had dug in the brick wall.I glanced at the owl—Olga examined the weapon carefully. "Silver? It hurts a vampire, but it's not fatal." "Inside are explosive silver bullets." I removed the bullet from the Desert Eagle. "Explosive silver bullet. Caliber .44. Three hits for a vampire and he's rendered impotent." "What about after that?" "Folk method." "I don't believe in weapons," Olga replied skeptically. "I've seen how shapeshifters who were shattered by bullets recovered." "Will he recover soon?" "Three days and nights." "What did I say?" "Okay, Anton. If you don't believe in your abilities..." She is dissatisfied, and I understand that.But I am not a combat member, I am an internal staff sent to work on the scene. "Everything will be fine," I reassured. "Trust me. Let's focus on finding the bait." "Let's go." "Those things happen here," I told Olga.We stand in the gate, of course, in the twilight world. Occasionally someone walks by and makes a ridiculous way around me, even though they can't see me. "You killed the vampire right here." Olga said in a very serious tone. "That's right... I understand, my friend. The garbage was not cleaned up... But that's not important..." I don't see any traces of dead vampires, but I don't argue. "The female vampire was here... What did you use to beat her here... No, you poured wine on her..." Olga smiled softly. "She escaped... Our combat team members have completely lost their ability to capture. There are still clear traces!" "She's out of shape," I replied sullenly. "Turned into a bat?" "Yes, Garico said, she changed just before we caught her." "No, the female vampire is more powerful than I expected." "She was feral. She drank the blood of the living, and then killed them. She had no experience, but she had strength." "We want to destroy her." Olga said firmly. I didn't speak. "This is the trace of the little boy." I could hear the agreement in Olga's voice. "Really...he has great potential...let's go and see where he lives." We walked out of the gate and along the sidewalk.The yard is large and surrounded by houses.I also felt the little boy's bioelectric field. Although it was very weak and indistinct, he came and went here very regularly. "Forward," Olga ordered. "Turn left, continue, turn right, stop..." I stopped in front of the street where two trams were moving slowly.I still haven't come out of Twilight. "In this house," said Olga. "Forward, he's here." The house is surprisingly large.It is very tall and flat, and it still stands on some pillars.At first glance, it appears to be a giant matchbox monument.At a second glance - the embodiment of a morbid giant. "Kill in a house like this," I said, "or go mad." "Let's do both," Olga agreed. "You know I'm very experienced in this." Yegor did not want to go out.When the door was slammed shut while his parents were leaving for work, he was instantly terrified.That's when he understood: fear can become fear in an empty room. There is no hope of rescue, nowhere to hide, and no escape.But the house can finally give people a false sense of security. The world is broken, the world fell apart last night.Yegor has always honestly admitted that he is not a brave person, um, not in front of everyone, but to himself.But he probably wasn't a coward either.There are people and things that can and must be feared: hooligans, madmen, terrorists, catastrophes, fires, wars, and deadly diseases, all in the same category—all equally remote.All of this exists physically and at the same time outside the level of everyday life.Just follow the general rules, don't wander around at night, don't crawl into raw places, wash your hands before eating, don't jump on tracks... It's okay to be afraid of unpleasant things, but also understand that the chances of getting into unpleasant things are very good small. Everything has changed now. There is a phenomenon that cannot be avoided.A phenomenon that does not exist in the world and cannot exist. With vampires. He remembered everything well enough that he hadn't been terrified to lose his memory--that's what he had vaguely expected last night when he ran home across the street, uncharacteristically, without looking back; ideas cannot be proven. All this is a fact, an impossible fact.but…… This happened yesterday.This is what happened to him. He came home late, but occasionally came home even later.Yegor's confident parents still don't understand that he is almost thirteen, but they are not disturbed by such things. When he and the kids got out of the pool...it was ten o'clock.They flocked to "McDonald's" together - sat there for twenty minutes or so.It's not uncommon for kids with money to go to "McDonald's" after working out.Later... Later they came to the subway station together, not far away, walked along the bright street, eight of them together. Everything was normal back then. At the subway station he felt uneasy for some reason.He checked his watch and looked around, but there was nothing suspicious. Perhaps Yegor heard the music. The impossible has begun. For some reason he turned into the dark, foul-smelling doorway.He walked towards the girl and boy who were waiting for him.It was they who called him.He took the initiative to put his neck under the girl's thin and sharp teeth that were not like human teeth. Today Yegor was alone at home, and he felt a chill—a sweet, seductive, itchy sensation spread all over his skin.You know, he wants it!Although I am afraid, I want to—— I want to touch the shining fangs, there will be a short pain when I touch it... I touch it... something will happen after I touch it... probably... No one in the whole world can help him.Yegor remembered the look of the woman walking the dog.The glances that passed over him were defensive, but not at all indifferent.She didn't feel scared, she just didn't see what happened... But the appearance of the third vampire saved Yegor.It was the pale young man with the radio hanging from him who had followed him in the subway.They quarreled with each other because of him, like full-grown wolves quarreling over a deer weary from the chase but still alive. What happened next was chaotic and happened too quickly.About a patrol, about a twilight call.There was a flash of blue light—and right there, a vampire fell apart, like in a movie.The female vampire howled, and something splashed on her face. Then Yegor ran in a panic... And then, it came to light—terrible, a terrible, very terrible thing happened: nothing could be said to anyone, no one would believe it, would not understand it. No vampires! There is no such thing as looking through people's bodies and not being able to see them! No one can burn in a whirlwind of blue flames, mummies, bones, ashes! "A lie," Yegor said to himself. "Yes, it is possible, and it happens often!" Can't even believe myself... He didn't go to school, but he kept his room tidy.Want to do something.Yegor repeatedly went to the window and looked carefully at the yard. Nothing suspicious. And can he see "them"? "They" will come.Yegor did not doubt for a moment. "They" know, he remembers "them".Now he will be killed as a witness. And not just beat him to death!To drink his blood and turn him into a vampire too. The little boy walked to the bookcase, where a shelf was full of videotapes.Presumably, a way to deal with "them" can be found. "Dracula's Dead, But Well Died"...no, it's a comedy. "Once Bitten by a Snake" is completely nonsense... "Night of Terror"... Yegor shuddered.He remembered the movie, and now he would never risk watching it again.It seems to say... "If you believe in the cross, it will help you." How did the cross help him?He wasn't even baptized and didn't believe in God, didn't in the past. Now, you should probably believe it, right? If there are vampires, then there are devils, and if there are devils, then there is God, right? If there is evil, then there is also good, right? "Nothing," said Egor.He shoved his hands into his jeans, stepped into the vestibule, and looked in the mirror.The mirror reflected him.Maybe, too bluesy, but totally a normal little boy.That said, everything works fine for now.He hadn't had time to be bitten yet. Just in case, he still turned to look in the mirror, trying to see the back of his head.No, nothing was seen.There is no trace.Only a thin, not so clean neck... Yegor suddenly had an idea.He walks into the kitchen and scares away a tomcat in the washing machine along the way.He rummaged through packets of potatoes, onions, and carrots. Look, it's garlic. Egor hastily peeled a head of garlic and began to chew.The garlic is so spicy that it burns your mouth.Yegor poured out a cup of tea and began to swallow a clove of garlic with it.It doesn't work much, the tongue is still burning, and the gums are itchy.But it should still work, right? The tomcat looks towards the kitchen.It stared at the little boy in bewilderment, meowed in disappointment, and walked away.It doesn't understand how it can eat such dirty things. Egor chewed up the last two cloves of garlic, spat it on his palm, and began to rub his neck.What he did made himself feel funny, but he couldn't stop. The neck was rubbed extremely uncomfortable.Nice head of garlic.Any vampire would die from the smell. The tomcat howled in the aisle in displeasure.Yegor became vigilant and looked out from the kitchen.No, nothing.The door was locked with three locks and a chain was added. "Don't bark, Gresk!" he ordered sternly. "Or I'll let you eat garlic too." The tom understood the threat and ran to the parents' bedroom.What else can be done?Silverware seems to help.Yegor frightened the tomcat again, then went into the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and took out from under the sheets and towels a small box in which mother kept her jewelry.Yegor took out a silver chain and put it on.There will be a smell of garlic, but the silver necklace will have to be taken off before evening.Maybe empty the piggy bank and buy yourself a chain?With a cross.Wear it, don't take it off.Just say, trust God.It often happens that a person doesn't believe it, he just doesn't believe it, but then he suddenly believes it! He walked into the living room, sat cross-legged on the sofa, and looked around the room with contemplative eyes.Do they have aspen in their house?Maybe not.Aspen, what does it look like?Go to the botanical garden and snip off a twig to make yourself a dagger? That's certainly not bad.Does this even work?What if there was music again... soft, charming music... would he suddenly throw off the chain himself, break the aspen dagger, and wash his garlic-stained neck? Soft, soft music... an invisible enemy.Maybe they're already around.He just can't see them, he won't look.And the vampire was sitting beside him, grinning and looking at the naive young man who was about to defend himself.The vampire is not afraid of aspens, and the garlic does not frighten him.How can one fight against the invisible? "Gresk!" Yegor shouted.Male cats will not answer "keith-keith" calls.Its temperament is complex. "Come here, Gresk!" The tomcat stood by the bedroom door.Its fur stood on end and its eyes shone brightly.It looked past Yegor into the corner, at the chair by the desk.The chairs are empty... The little boy felt the coolness he was used to passing over his body.With a jerk, he fell off the couch and onto the floor.The chairs are empty.The room was empty and locked.The surroundings are getting darker and darker, as if the sunlight outside the window has dimmed... There are people nearby. "No!" Yegor shouted, getting up. "I know! I know! You are here!" The male cat "meow meow meow" got under the bed. "I see!" Yegor shouted. "Don't touch me!" The corridors were already dark and dirty.Peeking out from the Twilight Realm - a real tunnel.The concrete walls are dirty in the normal world, but covered with dark blue moss in the dusk.dirt.No one who likes to clean the house will live here... I put my hand on a particularly dense clump of moss and touched it-the moss trembled, trying to crawl away from the warm place. "Burn it!" I ordered. I don't like parasites, even though they don't do much harm - they just feed on other people's emotions.It has been speculated that the mass of moss can cause human psyche to fluctuate, now causing depression and now irrepressible joy.But this has never been confirmed by anyone.But I have always decided to take insurance measures to leave a way out for myself. "Burn!" I said again, pushing a little harder into my palm. The flames were transparent and scorching, enveloping the tangle of blue felt.After a while, a raging flame burned the entire gate.I retreated to the elevator, pressed the button, and walked into the elevator room.The elevator room is relatively clean. "The ninth floor," Olga quietly reminded. "Why bother?" "It's just a little effort..." "You will use everything you have. Let it grow." I was silent for a while.The elevator climbed slowly up—the Twilight elevator, the twin brother of the ordinary elevator still parked on the ground floor. "As you like," said Olga. "Young... full of vigor..." The elevator door opened, and the fire had already burned through the ninth floor. The moss was burning like dynamite. It was very mild, much warmer than the average twilight world.There was a slight burnt smell in the air. "This is the door..." said Olga. "I saw." I did feel the little boy's aura by the door.He dared not venture out of the house today.great.The kid was tied tightly to the rope, waiting for the tiger to come. "Go in." I thought, and pushed the door open. The door did not open. Impossible! Doors might be locked in real life, but Twilight has its own rules.However, vampires need to be invited into other people's houses, which is the price paid for their redundant powers and cannibalism. To lock the door in the Twilight Realm, one should at least have the ability to enter the Twilight Realm. "Terrible," said Olga. "Yesterday the little boy was terrified. But just now he stayed in the Twilight Realm. When he closed the door behind him... he didn't realize that he had done this in two worlds at once." "then what should we do?" "Go deeper into the twilight world. Come with me." I look over my shoulder - nothing.Summoning the Twilight Realm to be in it, this is not an ordinary game.Several times I tried to raise my own shadow from the floor, but it hadn't gathered up or swayed across from me. "Go on, go on, you can do it." Olga whispered. I stepped into the shadows, and the twilight thickened.The space is filled with thick fog.The tint is completely gone.The sound also disappeared, and I could only hear the beating of my heart, a heavy, slow, loud beating sound, as if someone was drumming in the bottom of a canyon.The wind howls - this is the air entering the lungs and slowly stretching the bronchi.A white owl appeared on my shoulder. "I can't last long here," I whisper as I open the door.In this layer of twilight, the door cannot be locked, of course. The black and gray tomcat jumped at my feet.The normal world and the twilight world do not exist for cats, they live in all worlds at the same time.How nice that they have no real reason. "Kees-kees-kees," I whispered. "Don't be afraid, cat..." Mostly to test my strength, I locked the door casually.In this way, child, you are now more securely protected.But will it work when you hear the calling? "Come out," said Olga. "Your strength is depleted quickly. In this layer of the twilight world, even experienced magicians are not easy. Come out, and I will come out to a higher layer." I walk out easily.Yeah, I'm not the kind of combat player who walks on all three levels of the Twilight.Anyway, I didn't have this need before. The world is a little brighter.I looked around—the house was comfortable, unstained by the products of the Twilight.There are a few strips of moss at the door...not terrible, since the basic flora has been wiped out, these will die by themselves.There seemed to be a sound in the kitchen, and I looked inside. Little boy stands at the table and eats garlic with hot tea. "Light and dark..." I whispered. Now the little boy seemed smaller and more defenseless than yesterday.Thin, uneven, but not weak, he appears to be exercising.He was wearing light blue jeans and a blue football shirt. "Poor guy," I said. "It's sympathetic," said Olga. "There's magic in spreading garlic—a good move on the part of the vampires. Bram Stoker, I'm told, imagined it himself..." The little boy spat out the mush he chewed repeatedly on his hands, and began to rub his neck with garlic paste. "Garlic is a good thing," I said. "Yes, it is possible to prevent the attack of influenza virus," Olga added. "Aha! Truth is so easy to die, lies are so alive . "Is he one of us?" "He doesn't belong to anyone at the moment. You understand that it's an unsettled fate." "Which way is closer?" "Not sure, not sure yet. He's too frightened. He's willing to do anything now to get rid of the vampires—he's willing to be a member of the dark forces, and he's willing to be a member of the light forces." "I can't fault him for that." "Of course. Let's go." The owl fluttered its wings and flew down the corridor.I follow behind.We now move twice as fast as humans, and one of the main features of the twilight world is to alter the course of time. "We'll wait here," Olga ordered, and it flew into the living room unknowingly. "It's warm, bright and cozy here." I sat in a soft chair by the table and squinted at the newspapers that were littered on the table. There is no greater joy than reading a newspaper through the twilight world. "Loan rates are falling." - states the headline. In real life, sentences look different. "Tensions are rising in the Caucasus." Pick up a newspaper now and you will read between the lines the truth, the real facts, the things that the reporters who wrote the propositional articles thought, it was the sporadic information that the reporters got from unofficial sources, it was about life and death events the truth. just for what? Long, long ago, I learned to ignore the human world.It is our foundation, our cradle.But we are other.We walk through closed gates, guarding the balance of good and evil.We are very few, and we do not breed... It is by no means certain that a magician's daughter will become a witch, nor will a shapeshifter's son necessarily learn to change in the moonlit night. We are under no obligation to love this ordinary world. We protect it only because we live there. I hate parasites! "What do you think?" Olga asked.The little boy came into the living room.Then flashed into the bedroom again, very fast, because he was in the human world.He rummaged through the closet. "Nothing. Just not in a good mood." "It happens all the time. It happens to everyone in the first few years." Olga's voice became human. "You'll get used to it later." "That's why I'm not happy." "You should be glad we're still alive. Their numbers dropped to their lowest point at the turn of the century. Do you know the talk about the union of the dark and light forces, the eugenics program?" "Yes, I know." “科学几乎把我们打败了。大家不相信我们，不愿相信我们。现在大家只认为，科学能够更好地改造世界。” 小男孩回到客厅。坐在圈椅里，开始整理脖子上的银项链。 “还有更好的吗？”我问，“我们从人群里脱离出来。我们学会进入黄昏界，学会改变物体和人类的本性。有什么变化吗，奥莉加？” “吸血鬼未经许可就不能寻觅猎物也算是点变化吧。” “把这件事告诉那些正被吸血的人……” 公猫出现在门口，盯着我们看。它愤怒地望着猫头鹰，并尖叫起来。 “它对你有反应，”我说。“奥莉加，进入黄昏界的深处。” “已经晚了。”奥莉加回答。“对不起……我丧失了警惕性。” 小男孩从沙发里跳起来。速度在人类世界里算是极快的。他很不自在，自己还不知道发生了什么事，他走进自己的影子，扑倒在地板上，望着我，已经是身在黄昏界里。 “我走了……”猫头鹰说完，就消失了。爪子扎在我的肩上很疼。 “不！”小男孩叫起来。“我知道！我知道！您在这儿！” 我摊开双手站起来。 “我看到了！别动我！” 他到了黄昏界。完了，出事了。没有任何外援，没有培训班和推动力，没有监护的魔法师的指导，小男孩穿越了寻常世界和黄昏界之间的界限。 你将成为一个什么样的人，在很多方面取决于下面这一点：你第一次是怎么进入黄昏界的，你能看到些什么，你有什么感觉？ 黑暗力量和光明力量。 “我们无权把他放到黑暗的一边去，莫斯科的平衡会彻底崩溃的。” 小男孩，你处在抉择的边缘。 这比没有经验的吸血鬼更危险。 鲍利斯·伊格纳季耶维奇有权作出消灭吸血鬼的决定，却无法要求小男孩选择哪一方。 “别怕，”我在原地一动不动地说。“别怕。我是朋友，不会害你的。” 小男孩爬到角落里，一动不动。他没有把视线从我身上移开，显然不知道他已转入黄昏界之中。对他来说，一切看起来是那样的怪，仿佛房间突然变暗了，变得鸦雀无声了，而我不知道是从什么地方冒出来的…… “别怕，”我重复道，“我叫安东，你叫什么名字？” 他没吭声，不停地吞咽着。后来他把手紧贴在脸颊上，摸到项链，于是好像有点安下心来。 “我不是吸血鬼。”我说。 “您是谁？”小男孩喊道。好在，这声刺耳的尖叫在人类世界里是不可能被听到的。 “我叫安东，是守夜人巡查队队员。” 他猛地睁大眼睛，好像很疼似的。 “我的工作是保护人类免遭吸血鬼和其他魔鬼的伤害。” "wrong……" "why?" 他耸耸肩膀。good.他试图评价自己的行为，论证自己的想法。就是说，他没有因为害怕失去理智。 “你叫什么名字？”我再次问道。也许该给小男孩一点压力，消除他的恐惧。不过这就算是干涉，按规定是被禁止的。 “我叫叶戈尔……” “好名字。我叫安东。明白吗？我叫安东·谢尔盖耶维奇·戈罗杰茨基。守夜人巡查队队员。昨天我打死了一个企图伤害你的吸血鬼。” “打死一个吗？” 好极了，开始和我对话了。 “是的。女吸血鬼跑了。现在大家正在找她。别怕，我在这里是为了保护你……为了消灭女吸血鬼。” “为什么周围这么灰暗？”小男孩突然问道。 好样的。不，简直是太棒了！ “我会解释。不过我们说好了，我不是你的敌人。好吗？” “看看再说。” 他抓住自己荒唐的项链，仿佛它能把他从哪里救出来似的。孩子呀，孩子，要是在这个世界上一切都这么简单就好了。无论是银子、山杨木，还是神圣的十字架都不会救你。生命对抗死亡，爱对抗恨……还有力量对抗力量，因为力量是没有道德范畴的。一切都很简单。我花了约两三年时间才明白了这一点。 “叶戈尔，”我慢慢地走到他跟前，“听我说……” "stop!" 他那么生硬地命令，好像他的手里有武器。我叹了口气，停下脚步。 “好。那么听着：除了目力所及的普通的人类世界，还有一个在阴影里的黄昏界。” 他在思索，尽管害怕，而且他非常害怕——自他而来的令人窒息的恐惧感正在向我袭来，男孩还是想要弄明白。对有些人恐惧会使他们目瞪口呆，对另一些人恐惧能使他们增添力量。 我很期望我会是第二种人。 “这个世界与我们的世界平行吗？” see.联系上了奇幻作品。就让他这么说吧，名称没什么实际意义，只是发音不同而已。 “是的。只有具有超自然能力的人才能进入这个世界。” “吸血鬼吗？” “不光是，还有变形人、女巫、黑暗魔法师……光明魔法师、巫医、预言家。” “真有这些人吗？” 他浑身湿漉漉的，像只老鼠。头发粘在一起，足球衫贴在身上，两颊流淌着汗珠子。但是小男孩的视线仍然没有离开我，他还做好了回击的准备，好像这是他力所能及的。 “是的，叶戈尔。有时在人们中间会出现那些善于走进黄昏界的人。他们站在善或者恶一边，光明或者黑暗一边。他们是他者。我们就是这样互相称呼的——他者。” “您是他者吗？” “是的。你也是。” "why?" “你已经待在黄昏界里了，孩子。看看周围，仔细听听。色彩消失了，声音沉寂了。钟的秒针慢慢地移动。你进入了黄昏界……你想看到危险，并越过了两个世界的界限。在这里时间走得比较慢，这里一切都是另一个样子的。这是他者的世界。” “我不相信。”叶戈尔迅速地转过来，又想看看我。“那为什么格雷斯克也在这里？” “公猫？”我笑了一下，“动物有自己的规律，叶戈尔。猫同时生活在所有的空间，对它们来说没有任何区别。” “我不信。”他的声音发抖，“我知道，这全是梦！当灯光熄灭时……我就要睡觉了。我过去就是这样的。” “你做梦时开灯，灯泡不亮吧？”我知道他会怎么回答，从小男孩的眼睛里看得出他已经猜到了。“也许亮了，但是光线非常弱，就像蜡烛一样吧？你走着，周围的黑暗晃动着，接着你伸出手，你无法看清手指吧？” 他不做声。 “这是我们大家经常遇到的事，叶戈尔。每个他者都做这种梦。这是黄昏界正在涌上我们的心头，正在召唤，要让人想到它。你是他者。尽管还小，但是他者。不过取决于你的是……” 我没有一下子明白，他为什么闭着眼睛，歪着头。 “白痴，”奥莉加在我肩上小声说。“他第一次独自进入黄昏界！他没有这个力量！快，他会永远留在这里的！” 黄昏界中的昏迷——一个新人的病症。我已经忘记了这种病症，我还没有与年轻的他者一起工作过。 “叶戈尔！”我跑到他跟前，抓住他的腋下摇晃了一下。他很轻，非常轻，在黄昏界里，起变化的不光是时间的进程。“醒醒吧！” He didn't respond.小男孩做了别人需要经过几个月训练才能做到的事——自己进入黄昏界，而黄昏界特别能吸取力量。 “拖住！”奥莉加发布起命令。“拖住他，快！他自己不会醒的！” 这是最困难的事。我上过急救培训班，但我没有真正地把任何人从黄昏界中拖出来过。 “叶戈尔，醒醒吧！”我拍打他的脸颊，刚开始是轻轻拍打，后来变成了重重的耳光，“到底怎么啦，小子？你在进入黄昏界！醒醒吧！” 他变得越来越轻，越来越轻，在我手上逐渐消瘦。黄昏界吞噬了他的生命，抽掉了他最后的精力。黄昏界改变了他的躯体，使他变成自己的居民。我这是干了些什么呀！ “封闭起来！”奥莉加发出冷漠的、能使人清醒的声音。“和他一起封闭起来……巡查队员。” 我通常要花一分多钟才能营造出一个封闭的球体。现在五秒钟就完成了。疼痛发作——像是脑袋里有一颗很小的弹药爆炸了似的。当自我体内派生出的这个负空间出现时，我朝后仰了一下头。这是个像彩虹般的肥皂泡沫似的球体，它裹住我的时候，肥皂泡扩大了，鼓起来了，不情愿地吸收了我和小男孩。 “就这样，现在坚持住。我无法帮助你，安东，保持这个空间！” 奥莉加说得不对，她已经用一些想法帮了我。大概，我自己也能想出建造一个与外界隔绝的空间这个主意，但是可能还要再损失珍贵的几秒钟。 周围开始发亮了。黄昏界仍然在吞噬着我们的力量，吞噬我的力量比较困难，而吞噬小男孩的力量却是肆无忌惮，但现在在黄昏界里还有几立方米的自由空间。这里没有普通的物理学定理，但是却有与它们相似的现象。现在球体里正在营造我们的活躯体与黄昏界之间的平衡。 或许黄昏界能开一个口子，放走猎物；或许小男孩会变成黄昏界里的居民，永久的居民——因不小心或出于必要而把全部力量都彻底耗尽的魔法师常常会遇到这种情况，不会好好地保护自己免遭黄昏界之害、并会向黄昏界交出比该交的更多的东西的新手也常常会遇到这种情况。 我看了看叶戈尔：他的脸一下子变成了灰色。他走进了无止境的阴暗辽阔的世界。 我把小男孩放在右手上，然后用左手从口袋里掏出一把折叠刀，用牙齿咬着打开了刀刃。 “这很危险。”奥莉加提醒说。 我没有答理，只是在自己的手腕上砍出一条伤口。 血喷了出来，黄昏界就像炽热的煎锅一样“咝咝”地发出响声。我的眼睛模糊了。问题不仅在于失血，同时生命也在和血一起消逝着。我破坏了自己在黄昏界的个人防御系统。 然而，黄昏界得到了一种吞不下去的能量。 世界亮了，我的影子跳到地板上，我跨过它。在负空间彩虹般的薄膜破灭的那一刻，我们被放入了人类世界。

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Notes: