NO CHANCE (SHORT STORY)

4

- Now, everybody out! - announced the woman who came in. - Come on, get ready, get ready!

I couldn't even move. Where are we going? To death? Or vice versa, to freedom? I didn't care. I didn't move.

- Hey, lady, I mean you! - the man, already familiar to me guard, who did not wait for at least some response from my side, grabbed my hand and, with one jerk, put me on my feet.

I started to panic. The ladies, sensing danger, began to wail again, and the guys rebelled, but their protests seemed so pathetic that I couldn't help but smile, realizing our total helplessness.

- Get up, come on, we're leaving! - yelled the angry lady.

Now I was able to see her: a dark-haired lady of thirty to forty years and pronounced idiocy, which was read literally on her forehead. Now, no matter how much I force my memory, nothing more about her I can not remember. Though, I think it was not especially important, because after this meeting I would not see her again.

We were pushed out of the room to the first floor. I was not mistaken in this, because then we immediately went out into the street, through a huge iron door. To my great surprise, it was winter outside! Through the high drifts, it was impossible to determine even approximately in what area we were. But as I recalled the previous part of my life, it was late autumn. What happened to so irrationally fallen cut-off season?

I tried in vain to figure out where we were. The cries of my "cellmates" became so familiar to me that I hardly paid attention to them. I turned back to look at the place we'd all been led out of. No even remotely similar construction of all that I knew in my life, this building reminded me. A high, two-storey building, gray, with crumbled paint... I saw it surely for the first time. What was this place? An old abandoned place where maniacs registered to do their dirty work? God, was this really happening to me?

- Okay, stop right here! - the woman barked.

We all obediently stopped. Right in front of us was a dark blue van with its doors wide open, inviting us in.

- What's this... - a whisper came from behind.

- Get in! - the guard ordered. - One at a time!

It all seemed to be a plot from some movie with the participation of either terrorists and hostages or murderers and victims. But definitely something abnormal. We were pushed into the car in turn in a rough way, then the doors slammed, and the engine started. The car pulled away, and despite the fact that the doors of the truck were wide open, continued its movement. We turned the corner of the building and went out into a wide street. I feverishly tried to comprehend what was going on. The door was open, it was impossible to delay, but fear and some ridiculous fears chained me. I was surprised that no one made even the slightest attempt to escape. Suddenly I noticed that among us was a stranger. That was probably why everyone was sitting still.

Suddenly the stranger looked at me intently, and without saying a word, jumped out of the van.

I was taken aback by his actions. The reaction of the rest was not of my concern at that moment. I watched him walk up and down the street and tried to figure it all out.

I jumped out of the van...