The sun had almost set below the horizon. Its copper-red rays illuminated the ethereal clouds, reflected and shimmered in the unhurried waters of the Nile, and further away they touched a stretched-out black shadow lying on the sands—the silhouette of an unfinished pyramid. A cool breeze blew. The Great Pharaoh deeply inhaled the evening air […]

I recently caught myself thinking… Ever since he came back, I’ve been trying to remember what he used to be like. I’m trying to grasp the subtle difference. The color of his hair, his eyes, his scent, the stubble on his cheeks, the dry skin on his fingers — all this has not gone away. […]

My father died two years ago. It’s hard to say exactly, although the moment of his death was definitely there. However, the definition of this moment has always raised questions. At first, death was associated with a simple respiratory arrest. Then with a cardiac arrest, it was noticed that for a few more days the […]

The doctor’s office is very bright and sunny. Spring breaks through the closed window frames and the fine mesh of tulle curtains. A gray-haired woman in a white coat carefully looks at a yellowish sheet with a bulky chart. Little Sasha sits opposite her, dangling his legs off the chair, barely reaching the worn linoleum […]

Mikhail admired the landscape with a clear pleasure on his face. From the spacious platform in the backyard, paved with hexagonal tiles, there was truly a picturesque view. A long, gentle slope descended downward, covered with even, low grass as if recently mown. Beyond it rose similar green hills framed by sparse coniferous groves, between […]