Хозяйка кивнула и улыбнулась, но чувство тревоги защемило сердце, и, прежде чем пропустить незнакомца в дом, она поинтересовалась:
– А кто Вы?
– Тот, кого вам здесь и не хватает! – резко ответил мужчина и, отшвырнув Хозяйку в сторону, направился в комнату.
Медсестра подошла к старушке, которую привезли в реанимацию ночью. Та лежала под капельницей и что-то шептала. Медсестра не могла расслышать, что именно, и наклонилась поближе.
– Я – психотерапевт… хотела их спасти, но Бог наказал меня… я посчитала себя Вершителем Судеб, воскресила их и обрекла на смерть… он – маньяк… найдите его… он убил всех, кроме меня… я должна умереть… это несправедливо, если…
– Всё будет хорошо, не волнуйтесь! Вам нельзя волноваться! – попросила медсестра, ничего не понимая из услышанного.
Женщина замолчала – её доброе сердце остановилось, а светлая душа покинула временную обитель, устремившись в Небеса, на встречу с погибшим сыном и теми, кого она так искренне пыталась спасти…
1. The Master of Fates
The world collapsed…
Elena decided to make coffee, but found the coffee jar empty. She helplessly sank into a chair and was automatically flipping through a fresh newspaper, when suddenly a strange announcement caught her eye, «Everyone who decides to commit suicide gets a cup of coffee / tea before death at the expense of our house!»
The door of the mansion, placed on the edge of the city, was opened by an old woman in black.
«I’m on the ad,» Elena said wearily.
«Yes, come in, please!» the Hostess invited the girl in.
In the center of the small hall, in the armchairs by the fireplace, Elena noticed two men. In the corner, curled up in a ball, a black cat was dozing. They must have been drinking tea really, since the cups hadn’t been taken away yet, and the box of chocolates was half empty.
Elena looked around. The furnishings were not rich, but not a speck of dust to be noticed anywhere, and everything was tasteful: embroideries on the walls, curtains on the windows, antique candlesticks and parquet…
«And for you… tea or coffee?» the man in blue jumper asked.
«Coffee… I ran out of coffee at home… Thank you…»
He was about fifty. «Handsome. Obviously not poor. Why is he looking for death?» thought Elena, and the Handsome retired to the kitchen.
The second man, in gray trousers and gray sweater, with a huge green scarf wrapped around his thin neck, looked pale and coughed frequently.
«Sit down at the table, honey!» the Hostess smiled, returning from the kitchen with pies. «Or take a seat on the sofa! It’s up to you. You see, we mean no harm to you. Despite your great desire to leave the world forever, stay for a while in our gloomy but kind company!»
Elena, however, had long been unafraid of anything, and it didn’t matter to her what to drink, tea or coffee. Trying to understand where she’d got to, the girl sat down at the table.
«We 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.