are all a step away from death. However, nobody forbids us to allow ourselves something pleasant before losing everything at once. What way did you decide to go to the Other World?» the Hostess asked.
«And what’s your name?» the Handsome added.
«Elena,» the girl answered, gripping a warm cup with her fingers.
«Ernest,» the Handsome introduced himself.
The man with the scarf wanted to say his name, but coughed.
«And Robert is our painter!» the Hostess introduced him. «He is pondering about his scarf. And Ernest planned to…»
«I haven’t decided yet… the way…» Elena said in confusion, without listening to the end.
«Well, that’s not a problem!» the Hostess encouraged her smiling. «Where are you in a hurry now? An hour earlier or later…»
The Hostess gently asked the guests to share their stories about the sudden collapse of the world. Everything, in fact, came down to a few reasons: feeling of uselessness, loss of loved ones, incurable disease and lack of money. Each story they had told really touched a nerve, however, each of them believed that their own reason was much more significant, and what had happened to the others was possible to survive.
«Listen, Elena,» Ernest said calmly. «I have a bag of money. I’ll give it to you. Free of charge. I don’t need it anymore. And you will solve all your problems! You are too young to jump off a bridge into the water!»
«Give her the money, that’s right,» Robert agreed. «But why should you die? You are the only one who’s been saved – out of how many there? – obviously to live! Is that a coincidence? I’m really dying, and I don’t have much time left anyway. I just don’t want to torture anyone.»
«You still have time to paint us!» Elena exclaimed. «And not only us! Create a lot of beautiful pictures! Why are you in a hurry?»
«Elena is right, Robert,» the Hostess agreed. «There is no need to hurry. You can live here. I will take care of you like of a son. It doesn’t bother me at all. My son is dead, and I would give a lot to have someone to relieve my loneliness.»
Word by word, and by the evening they became friends and stopped rushing into Eternity, although it was not voiced out loud.
Suddenly the doorbell rang again. A tall man of strong build in black robes with a huge backpack appeared on the threshold.
«Is it here the suicidal are gathering?» the stranger chuckled darkly.
The Hostess nodded and smiled, but a feeling of anxiety pinched her heart.
«And who are you?» she asked before letting the stranger into the house.
«The one you’re missing here!» the man answered sharply and, throwing the Hostess aside, headed for the room.
A nurse approached the old lady brought at night to the intensive care unit. She lay under a drip, whispering something. The nurse couldn’t hear the words and leaned closer.
«I am a psychotherapist… I wanted to save them, but God punished me! I considered myself to be the Master of Fates! I resurrected them and doomed them to death… He is a maniac… find him! He killed everyone… but me… I must die! It’s unfair if…»
«Everything will be fine, don’t worry! You just don’t have to worry!» the nurse said, understanding nothing of what she had heard.
The woman got silent. Her kind heart stopped, and her light soul left the temporary abode, rushing towards Heaven, to meet her dead son and those whom she so sincerely had tried to save…
2. Грешница
Позавтракав яичницей и прихватив с собой пару бутербродов с сыром и колбасой, чуть не позабыв Евангелие и крест, приходской священник Алексий Прошкин не спеша отправился исповедать некую прихожанку Пелагею, умирающую от тяжёлой болезни. Батюшка не знал её, поскольку в той церкви служил всего с неделю.
Войдя в убогую комнатку, он увидел женщину около сорока. Казалось, та уже не реагировала на окружающие звуки, а взгляд её был прикован к окну, выходящему в сад, где радостно пели птицы и шумел весёлый ветер. Батюшка подошёл к Пелагее поближе. Черты её лица показались Алексию слишком знакомыми, но тщетно пытался он вспомнить, где мог пересекаться с умирающей, поэтому, присев на стул у её кровати, как и обычно в таких случаях спросил:
– Мне передали, что ты хочешь исповедаться, Пелагеюшка?
– Да, – слабым голосом произнесла умирающая.
– Тогда поведай мне грехи и прегрешения свои, – батюшка перекрестил женщину и приготовился внимательно слушать.
Пелагея стала рассказывать о своей жизни с самого начала: как в детстве разбила любимую мамину вазу, как часто ссорилась с сестрой и подругами, как не верила в Бога. Однако, оставшись без средств к существованию в пятнадцать лет, Пелагея пошла играть на флейте по улицам города, чтобы раздобыть денег на еду, но волею Всевышнего впервые оказалась в церкви, где для неё открылся совершенно иной мир.
Рассказанное умирающей до этого момента не особо интересовало батюшку,
