Chernobyl. Ilinda Markova
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the door opened and a tall dark-haired woman with a fierce expression on her face stormed in he knew it was time to leave if he didn’t want to be pressed and questioned by the local infamous journalist Nadya. But as expected Nadya quickly intercepted him: “Isn’t your coffee bitter today Officer Boyd?”
The confrontation was registered by the blonde tourist who stopped fussing with her phone and openly looked at Boyd and Nadya. Her big blue eyes were so mesmerizing that some people in the cafe said it was pity that the most beautiful woman in town Elena was not present so they could compare the looks of both women and come with a verdict.
Melita quick on making extra bucks suggested a betting but given Nicos’ demise few had the heart to go for a bet.
The flamboyant journalist looked around and didn’t like what she saw. “You people, you are not ready to demonstrate people’s power” She sneered. “Spineless creatures like your Mayor Damien who you happily elected to MISlead you!”
She finished her anger address facing the backs of the people in the crowd who preferred to order another coffee or an early beer.
Chapter 14
ON THE OTHER SIDE of the lake Rob caught up with a group of schoolboys. These boys were his arch enemies. They all had mothers, looked good in nice clean clothes, had a nice place to live and play music like Victor.
. Soon their schoolbags were dancing in the air, notebooks floating around, torn to pieces; the boys hoping they were not going to share the same fate.
Victor wearing heavy glasses dared to speak up.
“How could you do that? Be ashamed of yourself!”
“You, little blind shit, what did you say?” Rob didn’t hide his anger at hearing there was somebody to challenge him.
“Look what you’ve done!” Squatting, Victor was trying to collect his notes.
Rob eyed the shrimpy boy, so unaware of the punishment he was about to receive.
“I haven’t read a fucking book but I’m stronger than all your shit together!” Rob hissed through clenched teeth, looking menacingly. Collecting their bags, the boys cautiously tried to send secret signals to Victor to keep his mouth shut.
Victor either didn’t see them or didn’t care because he went on “And look at your legs all smeared in dirt. Perhaps you don’t brush your teeth either!”
“Shut up, you twit!” Rob hated to hear this.
The children who knew the savage taste of his fists froze as they watched Rob approach Victor in two strides ready to hit him only to find the latter staring mesmerised at something over Rob’s shoulder. Unwillingly Rob followed his glance to see that the adoration in Victor’s eyes was caused by a girl with long plaits decorated with red ribbons. She was sitting on a bench, stretching herself in the sun like a kitten. The girl became aware that they were looking at her and blushed. Her big blue eyes met Rob’s and he felt strangely unnerved.
Angered and ashamed of this moment of distraction he teased Victor: “Haven’t you seen a girl before? The world is full of them; all nuisances, weeping, sobbing, all tears and fucking shit!”
Unexpectedly, Victor threw himself against Rob, pounding him with his small fists. Rob laughed. Poor Victor acting a knight with his body on which fragile should be written. With a bulging fist itchy for a fight, Rob punched him away.
Victor had to be taught a lesson. Leaving him whirling in the dust Rob pretended he was going away as he noiselessly approached the bench behind the girl’s back.
By the time Marianne was aware of his presence it was too late. Her scream stabbed the sunny morning as Rob in one swift move cut off one of her plaits with his sharp folding knife. He waved the plait, the ribbon hanging like the flag of the defeated and bowed mockingly to Victor. “That’s for you, blindy. The scalp of your sweetheart!”
Rob threw the plait at Victor’s feet in disgust, as though it was a dead mouse.
Marianne went on screaming and sobbing.
“Didn’t I tell you? Girls! Nuisances, weeping, whooping, all fucking snots and tears.”
With these words he turned and headed for the lake.
Chapter 15
THE RAIN HAD RETURNED and the lake was deserted. Squatting with a stick in his hand Rob was drawing lines in the sand. The stick broke and he hurled it over his shoulder into the lake. He was looking for another stick when the broken one flew back and landed at his feet. He picked it up. It wasn’t a boomerang, was it? Looking suspiciously around him, Rob threw it over his shoulder once again. There was nobody in sight and he went on drawing his strange lines. He was closing a circle when a pebble landed and marked its centre.
“Victor, stop it!” Rob warned without turning his head. “I know you are hiding behind the bushes, you stupid bum! You need more bashing and I am going to do it!”
In reply a torrent of black pebbles landed at the circle. Some of them hitting Rob.
“Come on Victor!” Rob snarled. “Show yourself, you’re mother will beat you up if she catches you playing with me.... Vic-to-or!”
Rob spun round with the intention of surprising Victor and giving him the promised bashing, but what he saw made his mouth drop.
Before him stood a small, ugly creature with funny legs and fins for arms. Its eyes were sad and oh shit, mismatched. There was a swelling underneath them which could have been a nose or anything for that matter.
His jaw dropping Rob felt fear. It was a strange feeling because he was the one inducing it in other boys’ hearts. Now he knew what dread and fear were.
He took a step back, staring at this bonsai monster.
“Who are you and what do you want?”
As if to hear him better the creature wobbled toward him with a friendly smile.
“What do you want?” Rob fought the urge to flee.
There was no answer. The hideous creature approached the circle and bending slightly, began to add new drawings by destroying Rob’s with its fin.
“Don’t do this!” the initial moment of fright behind him, Rob was now furious, ready to fight. At second thought he tried again: “Who are you?”
Clumsily, the pathetic creature picked up a black pebble.
“Me.” The voice was surprisingly singsong and tender.
Rob laughed. Now he was feeling neither astonishment nor fear.
“Stop spoiling my drawings!” Recovering his courage, completely in command, Rob hurried over to the funny-looking creature and exclaimed: “You’re the ugliest thing I’ve ever met! You have a name?”
The small thing nodded shyly.
“Kissy.” The voice sounded even milder.
“A boy or a girl?”
“A girl.” Kissy blushed and added. “I can become more beautiful.”
She covered her face with her fins and began to swell up until she nearly burst. By doing this she became uglier if it was possible to be uglier.
“All right, all right there’s no more need of doing it! I’m Rob. I don’t like girls but you are a funny one, so don’t be afraid no matter what you hear people talking about me!”
Kissy returned to her initial shape looking at him in adoration with her big mismatched eyes.
“Let’s try this game with the stick again.” He bent to pick up the broken stick.
When he looked around there was no one.
Rob rubbed his eyes.
“Kissy,