To my surprise, a drunk man opened the door. He stood on the threshold and looked at me appraisingly.
Who are you? he finally said, and I noticed how his palms began to clench and turn into fists.
I ignored him and pushed him away and entered the apartment.
Lena I called.
In response, I heard a small noise in the kitchen.
I went there and found her at the table, holding her head with her hands, it looks like she was drunk too.
«Lena,» I began, «Im sorry I left you. And Im sorry for everything.
She looked at me, but didnt say anything in response, and I continued:
Im sorry, Im in front of you. And this is from me.
And he put the bread on the table, looked at her red and swollen face, turned around, and went to the front door. I was genuinely sorry for her.
Oddly enough, Igor was not in the corridor, and the way to the entrance was open for me.
When I came out of the entrance, my way lay back to the store, and the hope of getting out of this strange world that I did not understand did not fade at all.
When I got to the door of the store I whispered:
Lord, please give me a chance, let me go home and I will change!
After that, I opened the door and entered the store. But before I could take a step, the saleswoman came up to me and said loudly.
Man, the store is closing for the exit!
How does it close like that? I said, startled.
Man, we have a short day. Today is a holiday. We also want to sit with our loved ones at the festive table. Dont you have a family too?
I lowered my head sadly and mumbled to myself.
Of course there is.
And began to leave the store.
Happy New Year, the girl said cheerfully with a smile.
Thank you and happy holidays to you! I replied.
With great difficulty, due to the strong wind, I opened the door and went outside.
The blizzard played out in earnest. But for me now the snow was the best gift of fate, because it means that I got back into my world.
Did it really work out! I exclaimed joyfully and ran home waving the bag containing the bread.
Happy, I just flew up the stairs to my floor. And my joy knew no bounds.
Soon I went up to my floor, and saw a completely unfamiliar door, after a little hesitation I rang the bell.
My wife Lena opened the door, she was wearing a dress I didnt recognize.
Anton, youve finally come, otherwise Ive been waiting for you. «I have an important conversation to have,» she said in a serious voice.
Whats right for the New Year? And I thought we were going to rest. «And where is the mother in-law?» I asked, passing into the apartment.
The most interesting thing is that not only was the door unfamiliar, but all the furniture in the apartment too.
Mom? I told you, she decided to stay with her neighbor to celebrate the New Year.
How interesting, I said with horror realizing that I was again not clear where, just not at home in my own world, Honey, remind me, what year is it now?
Are you kidding me? she looked at me without understanding.
Yes, what kind of jokes can there be, I objected, So what year is it?
The outgoing two thousand and twelfth.
Thats right, I said.
You surprised me, of course, that you dont know a year, but Im already used to your oddities. Lets go to the kitchen, Ive set the table, well talk at the same time,» Lena said and pulled me by the hand.
Lets go, I was very glad that food was waiting for me.
When I went into the kitchen, I was extremely surprised there were no festive salads on the table, there were no potatoes, traditional chicken baked in the oven. There were rolls, sushi and wasabi on my plate.
You know I dont like this kind of food.
Since when did you stop loving them? Lena asked irritably and sat down at the table.
And that there is definitely no other food? I asked, looking around.
No, you lets sit down and well see off the old year.
I sat down and pulled a plate towards me, there were seven rolls and two sushi pieces in it.
Economical,» I said, picked up a fork, stuck it on and dipped it in soy sauce.
Well, what is delicious after all? she asked with a smile.
«Tolerable,» I replied, «So what did you want to talk to me about?»
Yes, Anton, I wanted to. Its like pulling out a bad tooth.
Do you have a toothache?
No, Im speaking figuratively. Our relationship with you has reached an impasse. Do you understand?
Well, go on.
So heres Anton. I want to file for divorce after the holidays.
Have you thought about our son?
What kind of son? Lena said in surprise, «We have a daughter, Natasha. And she knows it, shes with Grandma now. Are you out of your mind at all? Whats the matter with you?
I decided not to continue the conversation anymore, left the table and went into the corridor.
Wait, Anton, where are you going? Lena shouted after me.
«Im sorry,» I said, «I have to leave now.
And without waiting for an answer, I abruptly opened the door and left the apartment.
A strong wind was blowing outside. I turned up my collar and went. There was nowhere to go, and I decided to go to the store to pull the door again, and to fully understand whether it was closed.
The door was locked. And that meant that the road to my world was closed to me. For a long time or not, I didnt have an answer to this question at the moment.
Happy New Year, a five year-old girl shouted and ran up to me, Uncle, happy New Year, Im telling you.
Happy New Year girl! I smiled for the first time in a long time.
And my name is Katyusha, here take a candy in honor of the holiday, and the girl handed him a candy in a golden wrapper.
Thank you, girl, you are so kind. Only here I have nothing to treat you with,» and I opened the package in front of her, in which the bread I had bought the day before lay alone.
«I dont need anything from you,» the girl laughed.
Her mother came up to us, took her daughter by the hand, and they disappeared behind the house.
And I was walking down the street not knowing how to live and where to go now. I was tormented by a lack of understanding of the situation and not knowing how to get out of it.
Suddenly, my feet began to slide on something unstable and smooth, and at the last minute before falling, I realized that there was ice under my feet, which was lying unnoticed under the snow. My head started to hurt because I broke it and began to lose consciousness lying on the ice.
I woke up on the train. The mans hand was on my shoulder, apparently he was waking me up.
«Ive finally woken up,» he said in a pleased voice.
Hello, I thought I was dreaming this whole nightmare, I replied.
At first I took the man for a neighbor in the compartment.
Will you wake up a cup of tea? He asked politely.
Yes, you can. And where is my wife Lena?
You wait with the questions, Ill bring tea first, and then well start the conversation.
And the man got out of the compartment.
The train suddenly rocked, and I decided to look out the window.
I opened the curtain a little, but to my great surprise, I saw nothing but white fog.
You dont have to look out the window, theres nothing there, said a fellow traveler who entered, he was holding two mugs of fragrant tea in his hands.
And I already realized that there is only fog in the circle, I replied.
Alas, but we dont have a beautiful landscape outside the window here, what can you do, dear friend, we are on the border of parallel worlds, the man replied.
So thats how, and everything that happened to me means its not a dream, and I even whistled from the information I received.
Did you Anton want you to dream all this? The man asked with a grin.
Well, yes. Yes, not one normal person would not want to be in my place!
Maybe so. We call such people losers. But, fortunately, there are very few such cases, one in a million.
«What am I supposed to do now?» I asked sadly.
To begin with, I will introduce myself to you, I am the border guard Kazimir. To get into your world, you will need to strain a little and remember everything down to the smallest detail. From A to Z, so to speak. Your fate will depend on your memories. You will have no more opportunity to return, you will stay in that world and you will live that life to the end. Remember about the presence of your double, too.