Luney's Stargaze

The Real Demise of '52

I peer into this strange time, there's no color but definitely sound. From what I know, this is my university back in '52. I watch as a man walks through to the observatory, and... ...Henrik!? what is he doing there? let alone nobody is in this room. Was he a professor? He never told me that.. Wait, how could he have been granted access otherwise? this doesn't make any sense, this can't be happening.. wait a minute, who is that!?

Before I could finish with a complete thought, somebody walks behind Henrik, and begins to strangle him from behind with his arm, whilst bearing a Tokarev TT-33 in the other. As I tried to shout something to stop and save him, nothing came out. I couldn't do anything. He gagged, and pleaded. He even tried to reason with the man, but he was eventually thrown down, and the man shot him in one of his legs. "Now's the time to talk Henrik! Where's Luney!?" The man in the suit ordered. "I-I don't know! last I saw him he say he go to store! please, I don't know anything else! I couldn't search for him if I w-" The man had then shot him in his other leg, as Henrik yelled out in agony, no-one there to save him. "Nice try, but this is last warning. Speak now, or die." Henrik had then chose a bold statement in favor of Luney. "Shoot me then, и иди на х*й." [i idi na kh*y, and go f**k yourself.] "Ха ха ха, don't act like I won't regret it. After all, you brought this onto yourself." The man had ended, finishing the job he had started by finally taking his last shot to the downed Henrik's head, wiping his glasses down to the floor, spewing blood all over the carpet. "You won't forget the day you betrayed us Henrik." The man said, before exiting the building and holstering his pistol out of sight. I then approached the body, I tried to hold it up, but I couldn't do anything... That was it.. He's dead... I was then transported to a different time, not so long after when he was buried. Моя дедушка was there, lamenting on his knees. "Why? why!? you didn't have to do this, why!?" He shouted in grief, losing his friend permanently without any way to have previously intervene the situation. I was then transported back into my own consciousness on the floor, perfectly unscathed. As I woke up, Henrik was flapping above me, trying to wake me up. "Hey, hey! внук луней!" He shouted. "Ugh.. what happened.." I then say, unaware that I had collapsed next to the telescope. "You were out cold! I tried to wake you up, but you were completely unconscious for 7 minutes!" Henrik explained to me. I then realized what I had saw, I processed, and then went straight into accusing. "Why didn't you tell me!?" I then shouted in anger. "Tell you what? I don't understand!" He then responded. "You weren't caught in a building fire, you were shot!" I then continued. "What do you mean? I wasn't shot, I don't know what your talking about!" He says, thinking that playing dumb would somehow make me forget. "That won't work on me! You could have told me the truth this whole time, yet you didn't!" This only fueled my anger. "Okay, okay! calm down and I'll tell you, please calm yourself!" He then responded, attempting to slow the situation. I then sighed, and sat down for a talk. "You see, I didn't think you were ready to hear the truth." He started. "I'm 17! thats more than old enough to hear someone getting shot!" "Okay, okay maybe that was a stupid reason, but I didn't want you to go over and kill him for killing me. We've all moved on from that." He said, thinking that was enough. Boy, was he wrong. "So he gets to live a criminal, whilst your in this sorry state?" I then asked. "Uh... Well how else do you figure this gets solved?" He questions back in confusion. "I'll simply ask дедушка for one of the arms he stole from the war, and if I can borrow it, I'll find your murderer and seek vengeance." I stated. "Won't that land you in court for killing a defenseless дедушка of someone else? You do know he's probably very old like yours, or dead by now too?" Henrik says with logic. "Okay, maybe your right. But I need answers as to why I got into this s**t in the first place!" I then yelled. "Then how about this, you'll have the man in court instead. It doesn't get easier than that, you'll be the lawyer, your дедушка will be the defendant." Henrik plans out. "Maybe..." I then agree. "Well, shall we go back to our plan?" Henrik says to guide me back to the point of going here. "Yes, yes we shall." I then double agree.

An awfully disappointing time for Artiom, learning of Henrik's fate for real this time. As they continue on, things can only get worse, or better? Only time itself will tell.

A/N: I am also incredibly sorry again for holding off on this chapter for soooooo long. I left it on cliffhanger, but fear not! it is presented now.

Also another note: the "Ха ха ха" from the man is a laugh. Whilst English uses "hahaha" Russian uses the letter Kha (Х) instead of an H that doesn't exist.