“Finally,” I sighed, feeling the key turn in the lock. Viktor entered the apartment, dropped his travel bag on the floor, and wearily rubbed his face. It had been six months since he left for his work rotation. Six months we hadn’t seen each other. He smelled of expensive cologne, dust, and a foreign city. … Read more
It was a warm June night in 1990 when Lena disappeared. The house smelled of fresh baking, and outside, the stars glittered in the dark sky like tiny promises. Lena, her hair pinned up in delicate curls, twirled in front of the mirror, her blue dress shimmering with every turn. Her father, Nikolai, sat in … Read more
Semyon had spent most of his life in the small village, plowing the fields and watching the days stretch out one after another like an endless horizon. He was familiar with every stone, every tree, and every house on the dusty road. But that day, the road was different, and so was the house. It … Read more
I decided to visit my neighbor for her 90th birthday, but what I discovered when I went into her home deeply moved me. A week ago, she celebrated her 90th birthday. Although we were not particularly close, we shared moments of conviviality from time to time. We often chatted about various topics, and sometimes, she … Read more
It was a typical quiet night. My wife, Maria, and I were peacefully sleeping in our bedroom, wrapped in the warmth of our blanket. Our two children, Ethan and Lily, were long asleep in their own rooms. The house was silent, the kind of stillness that only nighttime could bring. It felt like any other … Read more
It was an ordinary morning flight from Munich to Barcelona. The plane was cruising smoothly, the hum of the engines a constant backdrop to the peaceful atmosphere inside. The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, casting a soft orange glow through the windows. Stewardess Anna moved down the aisle, her heels clicking … Read more
Anna was standing in the grocery store, checking the list she’d prepared for the evening’s meal. She was going to make baked salmon with lemon and rosemary, followed by a cake from her mother-in-law’s recipe. It was meant to be a pleasant evening, a way to soothe Boris, who had been irritable lately. He had … Read more
It all started like any other Tuesday morning. I was rushing through the supermarket, trying to get everything done before my lunch break ran out. As I was pushing my cart down the cereal aisle, I noticed a man struggling with a little girl. She was throwing an all-out tantrum, her face flushed with tears, … Read more
Marina sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cold cup of tea in front of her. The day had begun with a quiet, joyful triumph: the apartment she had worked tirelessly for was finally hers. The pride she felt in that achievement was like a breath of fresh air—freedom, independence, and escape from the … Read more
Sixteen years had passed since Timur left his father’s village, slamming the gate behind him. He had been young then—just twenty years old—with only a suitcase in hand and a heart heavy with pain. His decision to leave had been impulsive, driven by anger and youthful pride. He had left his mother, Rania, without a … Read more