NO CHANCE (SHORT STORY)

5

So cold...

I tried to run as hard as I could and not look back. Just don't get caught. I was choking from running, and I was so cold. But I ran on. The last thing I wanted was to be grabbed and shoved back into that stinking car. The man who jumped out in front of me was nowhere to be seen. I started to think that he was my hallucination, a cry of reason, an impulse to action, or something. I don't know.

Gasping and struggling to withstand the unthinkable cold, I turned the corner of the street and slipped into the first building I came across. I was freezing and afraid that I had forgotten all danger. I heard voices coming from somewhere in the back of the house. The voices were kind, sometimes there was some singing, and I decided that I should come closer. The house was clearly residential; curtains and beautiful furniture of the past era made it clear. It looked so exquisite that for a moment, I felt like I was in a museum. Finally, I realized that I had reached the room, where were people whose voices I had heard. I entered the spacious hall and could not believe my eyes.

In the corner of the room was an old piano, occupied by a man in a tailcoat, looking at the girl standing beside him in a luxurious evening dress of blue satin(I confess, sometimes I imagined that the color was still red). She was angry and capricious, obviously refusing to perform some composition and all the time trying to take off her dress. But I swear I knew that girl! She shocked me that appearance was clearly of an actress of the stupidest youth series, and also one of those my "cellmates" whom I left to go without the company in a dark blue van.

I stood there, not knowing what to do until these people noticed my presence. They recognized me. It was in their eyes. I was terrified.

- My lady! - the man in the tailcoat said gently. - I'm so glad you came!

I saw a passage through the hall to other rooms and rushed there. Really, if I decided to run away, then why didn't I decide to do it the same way I did- through the front door. I still don't understand myself. But in any case, I decided to run away from these strange people, whose voices were initially a chance for me to save.

- Where are you going, my lady? - the pianist pronounced with a smile, slowly approaching me and blocking my way. - It's so good to have you here; you shouldn't be leaving so soon. What about your dress?

What torture. I thought I couldn't take this nightmare anymore. I'm sleeping, obviously, I thought. I should wake up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the girl was still trying in vain, pouting, to pull off the hated dress and, I believe, to give it to me.

- That is ridiculous! Get away from me! - I cried out, eyes filled with tears. - What is happening?

- My lady, honey, calm down, - the man almost cornered me and started pulling his thin arms toward me, trying to either hug me or strangle me to death. - It's gonna be okay, don't cry.

The girl in the blue dress screamed hysterically. The pianist was taken aback for a moment, and I was able to dodge and run away. I prayed to God that I would not run into a dead-end because, for some strange reason, I ran in the opposite direction of common sense. But there was a way out, Heavens heard me, and I saw the door, and as soon as out got stuck in the cold snow and stumbled about high threshold.

I lay still for a minute. I thought I was going crazy. I couldn't find any reasonable explanation for what was happening.

Gathering all my will, I rose to my feet and dusted myself off. Frost was such that my teeth clenched. I began to cough. Listlessly looked over to the side door of the house, making sure there was no chase. This was madness.