Vodoroten

Gena arrived just in time. Varya was called to the police for questioning. – Where have you been?

– Gena spread his hands. Varya gave him a piece of paper.

– I cannot talk. Do not be afraid. Say you do not know anything.

– What have you done?

– Robbed a store. I need to sail away.

– Where to?

– I do not know yet. Perhaps to the Caspian Sea.

– «So far away?»

– The climate suits me. Varya’s lip was trembling. Her eyes glowed with tears. She could not stand it and clung to the transparent creature. The crystals of the Genes lit up with brighter colors. Not feeling the warmth of his body, Varya tapped the transparent statue with her fingers.

– You are zero. Gena raised his palms up, asking. – Your body temperature is zero. Gena shrugged his shoulders. Once again snuggling up to feel what she was used to, the girl felt an unpleasant sensation. – Solid water. How can this be? Where are you going now? My friend is not here today. Gena joined both palms into one fist. As a sign that this is good news. I will soon. Varya pressed her cheek against the once familiar warm body and left the apartment.

The police interrogated Varya as a dangerous criminal. – You know Gennady Stolyarov.

– Of course. We were going to get married, and he went missing.

– Not missing yet.

– He will be missing in a month.

– As far as I know, you have an active correspondence.

– It is not a fact that it is he. This needs to be proved.

– That is, you are covering him.

– What exactly can I cover?

– «Who is he?» What is he? Where is he?

– About what is he? An interesting question. I know as well as anyone that he is missing. If he had come back, we would have been together.

– The dialogue on the social network indicates that it is he.

– I thought so too. Then he disappeared. And did not appear again. Interesting facts indicate that your boyfriend is not completely healthy.

– What is wrong with him?

– I cannot say. Nothing is clear yet.

– Maybe. Varya was sitting with such a serious look; it was obvious that she was not mentally here. – After he was taken out of the water, he had a serious cut on his leg. It was going heavy bleeding; I had to bandage the wound.

– Unfortunately, I have nothing more to ask you. Varya politely left the office.

Varya flew home as fast as she could. Opening the door, she scattered her shoes and entered the kitchen dressed. Empty kitchen, empty bathroom. – Where are you? Varya came into the room. Gena was sitting on a chair at his laptop. Varya breathed a sigh of relief. – In short, the police know that you are you.

– I know. I wrote a Gene at Microsoft.

– What are you going to do?

– Hiding.

– Where? How?

– I came to say goodbye to you. I am sailing away forever. Water is my home. The lines were placed on a white sheet. To Varya’s eyes, they were blurry gray spots. It seemed to her that she was reading a death sentence.

– How? What about us?

– How do you imagine everything? I do not know who I am, and what will happen next.

– I will make you normal. We are going to the hospital. Varya’s words sounded like a conversation with herself. After the last words, Gena burst like a soap ball, splattering her and the room. Varya came to her senses.

– THIS IS THE END. She read it. Sitting on her knees, Varya looked like a novice who bowed her head in confession.

– I am sorry. It is my fault. I did not listen to you. I took a swim during a thunderstorm. The doorbell rings. Varya shuddered. Gena pointed to the door with his hand. Varya went to open it.

– Who?

– The police. Varya came in and looked into the room. Gene turned off the laptop, a second later many inconspicuous silicone snowflakes appeared on the window, shimmering with bright colors. Varya opened the door.

– Search. The police were scouring the rooms trying to find clues.

– What are you looking for?

– We do not know ourselves. The interrogator said with a laugh. Varya humbly watched the search.

– He is not here.

– And what is this? The interrogator pointed with his hand at the girl’s wet clothes.

– I was washing the tiles in the bathroom for the holiday. I have the right. Varya was confident. It is, as he does not understand what is going on.

– Is there a tile in the room? Where is the TV? The interrogator pointed with his hand at the wet TV.

– I spilled a basin of water when I was washing the top of the closet.

– It does not look like it. The interrogator raised his voice. —Where is he?» The interrogation turned into an ore. – Did you wet the keyboard too? The man pressed the button. The laptop was turned on just that.

– I was listening to music.

– And hastily turned off the laptop with wet hands. And you listened in the Word program.

– I will hire a lawyer. You are slandering me.

– And you are good. The man approached the girl in a tight. —You are too smart for your age. The tip of his finger lifted the girl’s chin. At that moment, one of the snowflakes fell off the glass.

– I do not live here alone. I have witnesses that Gena was not here. Is the wet floor proof?

– For your wet friend, this is direct proof. Alternatively, do you think I do not know who he is? I saw a video of him robbing a store.

– I do not know what you mean. And here is a wet friend and a store. And what I have to do with it. What are you even talking about? Are you out of your mind?

– We will meet again. Do we understand each other? Isn’t it? The interrogator looked intently at Varya and reluctantly left the apartment. As soon as he came out, Gena found himself next to Varya. The doorbell rings again. The gene has disappeared. Varya hastily wiped the wet floor.

– Who?

– The police. Having examined the apartment once again, the man silently left. The door slammed shut. This time, Gena was not around. The window in the room was open. The marks on the mirror said that he would come back. Varya was standing with a rag in her hand. Their dialogue remained unfinished. She did not want to clean up the traces of Gena and especially the police. She loved one too much, hated the other too much.

– When it is all over. Gena promised to spend the night with her. But for some reason, he suddenly disappeared.

The roof of the police car was covered with a viscous substance. They did not know about it. It was not difficult for Gena to stretch out like a pancake on a plate. Gena was not interested in the case brought against him as a mutant. He firmly knew that it was impossible to catch him. This so-to-speak whirlpool was driven by hatred caused by jealousy. Gena firmly decided to take revenge for such an unacceptable treatment of his beloved freckled young lady. On the way to the police station, Gennady managed to partially eavesdrop on the conversation. From what he overheard, he realized that the danger was more threatening to Varya than to him. The investigator leading the case decided to mock Varya and use her to get on his trail.

The Tambov police themselves could not advertise that they were looking for a mutant. Gennady Stolyarov was wanted. Since January, this person could be officially considered missing. There was not much time left. Accordingly, the police were confused, a video posted on YouTube where an unknown person drank beer in one of the night bars of Ryazan and burst blew up the Internet. There was only one thing that could unite this monster and Gena – it was a correspondence in contact, the direct text indicated that something supernatural had happened to Gennady. And breaking into a woman’s apartment without breaking in. The traces left behind indicated not a one-day stay in the house of an incomprehensible creature.

2. I am the best

Dark evening of December was somewhat similar to the polar night. It’s also cold, it’s also dark. Of course, there was not much snow, but the cold and darkness came on time and forced the townspeople to hurry home even not so late in the evening. After the end of the working day, a hated enemy appeared on the threshold of the police station. Sitting behind the wheel and turning on the engine to warm up the car, the man lazily watched as the wipers wiped the frozen windows. Meanwhile, the viscous liquid spread over the roof of his car. On the way home, the side and front windows were covered with film. Ruslan braked sharply. A sharp blow from behind forced me to step on the gas. From that moment on, Ruslan drove at random. He failed to open the side window; the tight film tightly tightened the glass. Ruslan opened the door on the move. The viscous liquid completely covered the front window. The side and rear cars honked, making it clear that the driver’s strange action interferes with movement. Despite the crowded traffic, Ruslan had to stop the car. Outside, he rushed to the front windshield. Touching the layer stuck to the glass with his hands, he tried to peel it off. Anger seized the already aggressive man. Ruslan no longer knew what he wanted more to catch or destroy the water mutant. Of course, first catch, and then destroy. Not having the right to stand in the middle of the highway, Ruslan picked up a non-freezing liquid and splashed it on the glass. The colored tortilla bounced like a live fish in a frying pan. This picture caused many cars to slow down. Artisans filmed videos on the phone. Always hurrying somewhere nervously honked. There was a traffic jam on the Astrakhan Bridge. The colored cake took the form of a man. Purple crystals displayed a bright red color, indicating the resulting burn.

– Who is this? Gena jumped down from the bridge without thinking twice. Unfortunately, for him, the water in the river was covered with a crust of ice. This did not prevent him from escaping and hiding from human eyes.

The eyewitnesses who saw the fantastic picture did not take long to wait for Word of Mouth ran through Tambov. A short video was walking on the Internet. Gena was beginning to realize that he had no place among people. In the summer, it was much easier for him. Walking along the night beach in his village of Goreloe, he felt at home, and thought that this would always be the case. Summer ended, taking with it the body and the comfort of home. There came a merciless cold and cruel persecution. Every day Gennady became unsociable. Only an incomplete love for Varya kept him in Tambov. The cold did not bother him much. Gradually, his body lost sensitivity to subzero temperatures. Only occasionally, it did not need heating for a long time. Having lost track of the investigator, Gennady did not know where to spend the night, at Varya’s? Alternatively, say goodbye to your native places? Weighing all the pros and cons, the cup of love outweighed the native places.

Thanks to its viscous consistency, the Gene got from Astrakhan Street to Internationalnaya Street quickly. Having made his way through the hole in the bathroom, this was his main entrance to Varya’s apartment, Gena knocked on the door of the room. – Come in. Varya said with a laugh, knowing who was knocking. The transparent man walked around the apartment as a permanent resident. Opening the refrigerator, he stuffed meat products into his mouth. Varya looked at him with the same loving eyes, as if nothing had happened. From the outside, they actually looked like husband and wife. A hungry husband and a loving wife at the refrigerator. The meal was over without heating and serving food on the table. – How great! And you don’t need to cook. You can be fed semi-finished products. Gena stroked his stomach with his hands. The incoming food instantly dispersed through the body, turning into small dots. The crystals shone with a bright purple color, as a sign that everything was fine with the body. Varya, putting her fist to her chin, looked mysteriously at the small particles. – What else can you turn into besides snowflakes? A huge cake appeared in front of Varya, shining with bright lights. – Great! Varya clapped her hands. Gene wanted to talk, but he could not. Taking a pen in his hands and now he and Varya were already trying to write a synopsis of the Gene, wet fingers hindered him in this matter.

– I need to leave. I cannot stay here.

– But why?

– I do not belong in this city. The world. I need to sail far away.

– I need you. I will become like you. Gena put his finger to her lips.

– It is impossible. You need to arrange your life. I will be in your way. It is hard for me to be here. Our love will remain in childhood. She is not dead. She will live in the past. Varya burst into tears. She believed until the last moment that Gena would return eventually. But after hearing and reading his words, she could not swallow the lump that rolled up to her throat. These lines were reminiscent of a melodrama, only not of a book she had read, but of her life.

– That is not true. Varya punched Gena, her hand went through his body. Abruptly withdrawing her hand back, she examined her fist and from under her eyebrows looked at the tightening hole in the chest of the water statue. Sitting down in a chair, she continued to sob. Gena wiped her tears with wet fingers. Suddenly his body began to spread out, and he ran to the bathroom. – What happened? The sound of the shower turned on made the girl look behind the curtain. – Ice water? You feel bad from the heat. That is the reason. Varya’s head was splitting apart. Since the development of these events, a sedative and analgesic appeared in Vari’s first aid kit. After drinking both, the girl calmed down a little.

Gena understood that he had no place in any city. Wherever he is, there will be panic everywhere. Every day an animal instinct developed in him. He wanted freedom more and more, and he lost the need for people. Confident that when he leaves Tambov and stops contact with Varya, the police will leave Varya alone, and talk about the monster will eventually subside.

It was a sad night. The farewell to Varya, or you can say it with undead love, was imprinted in the memory of each of them as an unlamented mourning. Dawn has not come yet. A key turned in the door lock. – This is Dasha. Gena waved goodbye and disappeared into the bathroom. Varya did not have time to say anything in response.

– Hi. You are not sleeping! I brought so many delicious things.

– That is you by the way. I ate everything. Varya covered the night guest.

– Replenished the spent reserves!

– Exactly. All right.

– I do not want to go to class so much. Maybe we will take a walk. Varya had been thinking about it since the night before.

– Come on. I do not want to crawl out into the street either. My friends stayed at home. Having made the table sweet, the girls warmed themselves with hot coffee. «Dasha couldn’t stand it and asked,» tell me honestly, did anyone come to you?

– What makes you think that?

– It is just that the smell of the built is very strong.

– Yes. And what does it smell like? If it is not a secret.

– «I don’t know. Either by dampness. Either with salt. Some kind of man. Varya laughed in response.

– You will not believe it. But the police came here yesterday. With a search. They were looking for a Gene.

– Yeah, well. So what?

– Like what? Is he here?

– Of course not. But no one saw him dead. So he’s alive.

– Alive. Of course, he is alive. I know that. After a pause, Varya added. – They ransacked the whole apartment. And even a little threatened.

– Yeah, well? Dasha uttered in amazement. Now I understand why you did not go to class. Wow, what scoundrels, laughing at someone else’s grief.

Gena was looking for an investigator to understand how things were going. Whether Varya is in danger. In general, he wanted to make fun of this interrogator. Spreading across the windows like a frosty pattern, Gene finally found the right office. Being in the police, building was very dangerous, Gena was just afraid of being caught and dying from the heat. Deciding not to take any chances, but to get to the investigator’s home, Gena drove quietly on the pallet of his car. In the parking lot, a viscous consistency in the shape of a snake crawled through the snow in a hurry to get ahead of the walking. Realizing which door the tenant was heading for, the iron door was covered with frost as if it had been. Not noticing anything suspicious, Ruslan opened the door of the entrance with an intercom. The door was closing with difficulty, but even this moment did not arouse suspicion. This time, a gray viscous liquid covered the entrance door from the inside. But it was so fast and not noticeable, it seemed that it was just drops from the cold. Having called the elevator, Ruslan stood with his back to the front door. Sticky dough jumped from behind on the sills. Gene had no choice but to listen to what floor Ruslan lives on. The elevator moved for a long time and barely audible. – So about the seventh, ninth. High. The elevator came back. Gena went up to the seventh floor. Fortunately, for him, the front door opened in one of the apartments. The tenant went out onto the landing and headed for the mailboxes. The noiseless steps of transparent feet played a big role. Unable to breathe, Gena did not even have to hold his breath, he was the very noiselessness. Going up one flight of stairs, he saw Ruslan opening a mailbox. Gene thanked fate. Although in his current position and appearance there was no one to thank. While one enemy was opening the mailbox, another got into his open apartment. Unfortunately, for Gena, his wife was in Ruslan’s house. – That is all I needed.

It was difficult to be in the bathroom. The heat plus the constant fuss. The woman was running around the house like crazy, constantly cooking something and running into the bathroom to fix her makeup or hairstyle. – Oh, my God. Thought Gena. How difficult it is with her. Every time she ran into the bathroom, the Gene turned into splashes or spread out on the tile decorating the wall. The woman did not notice this being too busy with her husband.

– Dear, tell me how your vodoroten.

– Who are they talking about? About me? Gena slid off the tile. Thanks to his Internet fame, the mystical image of Gena was nicknamed the vodoroten. As he got closer to the kitchen, he strained his ears.

– To be honest, I am interested in this case. Thanks to him, I have a chance to contribute to science, become rich and famous. The wife listened to her husband, and judging by the expression on her face, the girl was hooked that her husband spoke in the singular.

– In what way? The girl was not a blunder, a great assistant for someone like Ruslan.

– I see that this vodoroten is not so dangerous. He has not committed more than one murder yet. The most he did was steal the cutlets. By itself, he is an interesting, either mystical, or chemical being. Until they started talking about it all over Russia, or even the world, I have a chance to catch him and become famous. The Moscow police are not taking any action yet. Waiting for information from us. It would be necessary to interrogate the parents of this Gena. Surely, they know something.

– Do you think parents who will declare their son missing tomorrow know something?

– I am thinking about it. Can somehow trace them.

– You think they are hiding something. I think that this idiot Gena is not such a fool as to jeopardize the life of his parents. The girl tried in every way to be useful to her husband. And apparently this Ruslan trusted her beyond the limit.

– So I am a fool. And interrogate the parents. Looks like I am going to be delayed. Covering the side door of the refrigerator facing the exit, Gena cooled his body and continued to listen to the dialogue.

– By the way. This creature is vulnerable. I sprayed it with a non-freezing liquid and it got scared. This liquid was not to his taste. There is a more vulnerable place – this is his young lady. With her help, it will not be difficult for me to catch him. We just need to think about how to do it better. Gena took hold of his head.

– Varya. Parents. What I have done. If I surrender to them, what will they turn me into? What will they do to me? Gena returned to the bathroom and was already rushing home to his village of Goreloe, only not on the water anymore, but on the roof of a passing car. His girlfriend night and companion moon accompanied their mystical companion to the house.

The native house on the eve of the holiday turned out to be gloomy and half-starved. Gennady could not have imagined that it would all turn into such a grief, into such a problem. Not a single New Year’s lantern was lit in the house. There was not a single sparkle hanging, not a single snowflake. Barely warm batteries kept the heat up. The half-empty refrigerator indicated that his parents were eating sparsely. – Damn it. Why would I do that? Slamming the refrigerator door, he forced both parents to get out of bed.

– Gene. It is you. His mother’s voice caused his crystals to change color. Danger was indicated in red. Woe to the blacks. The holiday is blue. Its usual color is purple.

The dog, sensing the smell of Genes, barked incessantly. —What’s the matter with her?» I will go check it out. Gene could not show himself to his parents. But in order to cheer them up somehow, he went outside and started a snowstorm under the windows. Turning into a blizzard, he arranged a blizzard near the house.

– The weather has deteriorated.

– It is just a blizzard. Go to bed. I will clean the snow in the morning. The parents did not show much interest in the natural phenomenon. Gene finally wilted. – Why is this dog so angry? The street is quiet and peaceful.

– Probably a full moon. After the disappearance of his master, he howls every full moon. This was actually the case. The dog howled every full moon. His mystical master would like to do the same, but not being able to talk, Gena always stared at the moon stretching his neck forward.

– What I have done. What I have done. He blamed himself for that day. That fateful day, which became the last day of his happy human life. He spent that dark night in his unfinished house. Wandering through empty rooms like a restless soul. Gena wondered if he had a soul. And is there at least one other being like him? – If I remember everything, then my biological body is still alive. My cells, my memory, they are alive. My mind is working, so my brain is alive. What then? What does it mean? How do I become normal? Maybe swim in a thunderstorm again? Blood? I do not have any veins anymore. There are only these crystals. What do they mean? Trying to touch them with his water fingers, Gena was surprised to see how his dense water hand passes through another similar hand. By themselves, the crystals felt like a solid, braided, bright wire, not connected to each other. Branches resembling a salute shrank and unclenched, reacting to the cold and changing color. Gena was lost in thought.

In the morning, a familiar car drove up to the house. Gene immediately followed to his parents’ house. The interrogator decided to conduct an interrogation by deception. – May I ask you a few questions? I was given the case of your missing son. Tell me, has he appeared? Ruslan looked around the house as if he was looking for a small detail.

– What are you? He would be here right now, next to us. We would have been the first to know about it.

– That is why I am asking you. Has he appeared? The parents were a little tense from the onslaught of the interrogation. Gene did not like this treatment of his parents, including the treatment of Varya. Anger towards this man was growing in him.

– What happened? There is news. The kind face of the woman looked at the investigator with such sweet eyes. He literally had to slow down his pressure.

– Unfortunately, no. As soon as we find out something, we will let you know right away. The interrogator left. The mother was standing at the window, looking at the car leaving.

– This is a good sign for the New Year. So he’s coming soon.

– It means that there is no one to conduct this case. So it is passed from hand to hand. My father went to smoke in the barn. Gena, seeing that he had nothing else to do here, went to Varya.

The way along the river was not easy. The water was covered with thin ice. Having cut through the thin ice, Gena swam under it, periodically surfacing to look back. – It is not bad. From the subzero temperature, its crystals turned dark blue. It looked like a Christmas tree garland. As he continued on his way, he was afraid that he would turn into ice. To his surprise, this did not happen. —What is it?» Adaptation? Or another mutation? Remembering their first feelings in the cold, they were completely different, not what they are now. At the first reaction to the cold, his body froze, and Gena had to move intensively or look for warmth. Today, his walk under the water paved a direct path to his future existence. – I’m not freezing anymore! He shouted to himself and surfaced, breaking through the ice with his head and dived back. If you look closely, you could notice (for those walking along the Embankment of Tambov Street) how bright blue lights like a garland move under a thin layer of ice. From the Embankment to the International Gena reached a convenient way for himself on the roof of a passing car.

Then his traditional way to the apartment, through the bathroom opening, to his surprise, was closed. He just physically could not push out the valve inserted into the bathroom. – What should I do? Something incomprehensible came out of the bathroom sink and took on a human form. A woman screamed, only it was not Varya, but Dasha. Dasha flew naked out of the bathroom without covering herself with a towel.

– What happened? The girl’s body covered with goosebumps, the blue lower lip trembling, and the feverish state said that Dasha could not speak, and she might have to call an ambulance. – Gena, how could you do that? Varya scolded the water monster like a mother who scolds her forty-year-old son.

– Gene? Are you laughing at me with Gena? Dasha defiantly tore off the hanging towel and covered her nakedness. – I am leaving. I cannot live with you anymore. It will not take long to go crazy. Be grateful I did not report you. And I trusted you. I am going to celebrate the New Year with you. A friend is called. There was no limit to Dasha’s lamentations. Hastily getting dressed and shoving things into a bag, the girl called a taxi. Varya stood in confusion, realizing that her friend was right. Gena knelt down with Dasha standing next to him and folded his hands like an angel. – What is it? Be grateful that I did not turn you in to the authorities. Gena bowed, saying thank you. – Can’t you talk? Gena nodded in agreement. Taking the form of a snowman, he tried to make the angry Dasha laugh. – What else can you do? The shape of the cake delighted the girl. The phone rang, notifying about the taxi that had arrived. – Traitors. Okay, I am staying. Gena clapped his hands, splashing drops. – It is unnecessary. Dasha was shaking off the slimy water. —How long have you been here?»

– The second time. Varya answered with a dry mouth.

– What are you going to do?

– We? Varya uttered this word so sadly. – Gennady wants to leave me.

– Where and when? If it is not a secret.

– I do not know. He is afraid for me. This cop does not give me a pass.

– That is even how. You need to get married. This will save your situation. Gena nodded in agreement. – See, your crocodile Gena does not mind. Gena took the form of a crocodile. The girls laughed.

– «You both talk about it so easily. Did you ask me?

– You are getting married will save you both from police harassment in general. They will have no one to look for him. Varya thoughtfully sat down on the edge of the bed.

– I am not ready for that yet. Gena clasped his head with both hands. Picking up his and Varya’s synopsis, he wrote.

– I need to disappear. I have to make sure she is okay.

– Who guarantees it to you? Wait for her parents to take her home.

– Varya, I wish you happiness. Gena left without writing anything else.

– Where did he go?

– How should I know? Varya replied dryly. She was more scared that Dasha saw him in all his glory. Now two people know a secret. Varya did not trust Dasha. For her, Gennady’s life, even in such an image, was in the first place.

Gena himself went to Ruslan’s house to find out his plans. Studying his body, he noticed such a moment, being without movement for a certain time, his body began to freeze. Constant movement that is what he needed. No matter where his body is, in the water or on land. Constant movement, power, cooling. His body needed constant monitoring.

Ruslan’s wife was in the apartment. Ruslan himself was not at home. Gennady felt more confident without him. Forgetting to refresh himself at the girls’, he went to the refrigerator of the hated enemies. His noiseless movements would not have been heard even by «big uh.» Replenishing his energy reserve, Gena proceeded to the bedroom, hoping to find something useful for himself. The girl was watching the series, and did not notice the presence of a water person under her nose.

Gennady was right. This interrogator is literally fixated on his capture. There were printouts of files with chemical formulas on the table. Chemical emissions, radioactive rains. Phone numbers recorded in the column. – What is he up to? I would like his brains. The turn of the door key signaled the arrival of Ruslan. As soon as he came, his wife started fussing and walking around the apartment. Gennady took his place on the wall of the refrigerator.

– What is new?

– So far, nothing. On New Year’s Eve, many unsolved cases were closed. Including this correspondence. Referring to the fact that this is an evil joke. Like hacking the page, the case was hushed up. This vodoroten is recognized as missing. The video with the cast was categorized with space aliens.

– What are you going to do?

– Everything is going as well as possible. Ruslan ate dinner with an appetite. His wife listened attentively to his story with a miniature cup of coffee. – I alone will independently conduct this case.