Павел Миллер - The Power of Time

When Svetlana Smirnova woke up at the sound of the alarm, she was not even surprised that she did not get enough sleep and it was time to go to work. Getting out of bed with struggle, she made it to the bathroom. First of all she reached her shirt, which was washed last night and left for drying. What was her surprise that it was still moist, as if right out of washing machine! «All right, – thought Svetlana, – I would have to find something else to wear».

She took another look at the reflection of her face in the mirror, set free from the fetters of sleep, a little elongated, with beautiful like the blue sky eyes, accurate lips with charming movements. Touched her aristocratic nose, spread long heavy lashes, fixed still sleeping brows and stated to take care of thick and curly fair hair that covered her forehead and fell on the shoulders almost reaching bust. Pressed lips as if wanted to smile and proceed to the kitchen after turning off bathroom lights.

While tea was heated, Svetlana opened the window and became surrounded by the freshness of the chilly autumn. She enjoyed autumn, especially at that time, in the remaining night darkness, when under the завораживающих star light on the dark sky dopey trees become weaker and weaker and every moment compete for its leaves with the forces of nature. But forces of nature are stronger; they are draining the tree crown leaf by leaf, tearing their essence from the mask of the foliage.

Sveta lighted up a cigarette, letting the smoke pass in the kitchen window. Everyone was sleeping in the total silence and only in a few neighbor homes the lights were glowing. Nothing was bothering her, but for a reason unknown perception was addled. Svetlana switched attention to the flying comet, got lost in her thoughts, and the cigarette ash fell on the floor. Only then an idea to make a wish which she desired for a long time came to her mind. At that moment, the craving of her wish coming true became especially strong and Svetlana even felt a slight dizziness. She jerked hand abruptly, dropped a cigarette butt that burned her, dropped an ashtray on the floor and thought: “I need to pull myself together”. After collecting ashes from the floor she turned off the tea pot, opened the cabinet doors to get a mug and became frozen on the spot fixing eyes in the sink at the chicken covered with ice which was left there at 6 pm yesterday to melt. Chicken looked exactly the same as she got it out of the fridge. Sveta was afraid of darkness, but decided to turn off the lights and lit a candle. She started another cigarette sitting still at the chair, trying to organize thoughts in vain and understood: she could not think about anything at the moment but felt something obscure. That became frightening: rays of light in the facets of the crystal ashtray, comet flying away and the sky which become edification of coldness and loneliness. Heart started to beat a little faster. Taking a look in the corridor, Svetlana suddenly noticed that two green eyes are staring at her without blinking from the darkness. Svetlana curdled and realized that she is not scared any more. Lighting another cigarette, she remembered that yesterday a dog was brought from a village. It even became easier to perceive herself at that moment.

Ejecting the smoke and having a sip of tea, Sveta firmly decided that precisely today she would talk to her husband about what was torturing her for a long time. She dressed up, entered her son’s room, sat on his bed carefully not to wake him up, stroked his head, kissed and left.