Bezpłatny fragment - Peter Hostel

1

Today, Nina is just waiting for one guest, who should arrive at five o’clock in the evening. So she quietly engaged in cleaning the apartment, do not need to hurry, as always at this time of year.

The apartment was quite large and spacious with high ceilings. There is a typical communal apartment of St. Petersburg in the city center, only with fashionable design and renovation, which creates an atmosphere of comfort and well-being. In the spacious lobby, which begins from the entrance to the reception desk, were soft leather chairs in white, a sofa and a coffee table next. And also a bookcase with books, magazines and souvenirs and a cupboard for bed linen. And it is all the furniture, apart from a folding ironing board and a folding rack for drying clothes, they were used when necessary. Thus, the space of the hall of the apartment was very practical. There was a parquet floor, the walls were white. The gold color of image of the Admiralty at the widest wall of the hall is quite enlivened and decorated this space. Since the furniture in the lobby was not enough, the daily cleaning took a little time, Nina cope with this process for 15—20 minutes. Modern mop greatly helped.

Next was the kitchen. Spacious, beautiful, it was too little furniture. In the middle stood an oval table covered with a tablecloth, chairs and a small sofa by the window, near a refrigerator. The kitchen was open and served as an extension of the lobby.

The first door in the lobby, which was visible from the doorway, led to a shared bathroom. This bathroom was completely covered with white tiles; there was a toilet, shower and sink with large mirror.

Then there are the rooms.

Room number 1 is six-bedded room. Also, the white walls, parquet floors, three double beds and one common wardrobe. The room was cramped, but practical. The advantage was that there was a bathroom — a tiny tiled room with a toilet and shower. This room accommodated boys on a regular basis.

Bedroom number 2 has a replica of the room number 1. Only the girl lived here, on a regular basis too.

Room number 3 is a double room, with a TV, a large mirror, a sofa, a wardrobe and two bedside tables. There is most comfortable and expensive room for guests, but without bathroom.

Room number 4 and the room number 5 are the usual eight-bedded room with four double beds for guests and tourists.

It`s time of eight in the morning, in the silence of hostel. Because someone had to work, they were gone, and one day off, they are still asleep. Tourists were not, because now is not yet the season for them. There is beginning of March in 2015 on the calendar. Snow places still lies in the city, but mostly, of course, the puddle and drops. It is not a good weather for tourists. But soon April and May will come, and behind him the flow of tourists will come.

Nina was cleaning the hall, when the phone rang.

— Nina, hello, my dear — it was an enthusiastic voice beloved younger sister and companion Zina.

— Oh, Zina! I’m so glad to hear you. I was just thinking about you. I remembered that today you have to come. How was your vacation? And Volodya?

— It’s okay, everything is fine. Today, I’ll come to you, for about two hours. About all talk. Good?

— Good, good. By two o’clock I will wait.

Nina put the phone down, this time in the kitchen kettle whistling. „Brew some coffee,” — said Nina, heading toward the kitchen.

— Good morning, — a mischievous and cunning Herman`s voice startled Nina, while she brewed some coffee.

— Oh, scared, Herman! — Nina gasped. — You’re careful with the old lady, my heart can stop, so if you sneak.

— Why are you old lady? Aunt Nina, you are younger than all of us, at least in the soul.

— Oh, about the soul is not better to talk, Herman. And it is a fact; I am old lady for you. I am sixty years. And this is much more than you, you twenty and thirty years.

— It is not good for a woman to talk about age! — Herman raised his index finger.

— Women of my age do not play these games, — noted Nina.

— Nevertheless, you are a woman — not appeased Herman, smiling his sly look unchanged.

— Hey, Herman, Herman, not try me! Better tell me what happened to your money? When you are going to give debt?

Herman sighed, looked down and guiltily turned his head to the side, like a puppy.

— I understand — Nina sighed. — But mind you, that give you time week is the limit. So, the sooner is the better. Okay, let’s sit down, and breakfast.

— And I have nothing now, not even coffee.

— Well, I can give coffee, let’s sit down.

Herman quickly drank coffee, thanked her and ran away to work, and promised that within a week sure to pay off.

At dinner Nina was alone in the hostel. At two o’clock, as promised, came Zina. The sisters embraced warmly at the meeting, and then went into the kitchen to drink tea with Turkish sweets.

— Well, what about Turkey there? Tell me! — start questioning Nina.

— Delight! — Zina chattered. — So, I brought you some Turkish coffee, Turkish Coffee Maker, knowing how much you like coffee, and that’s that handkerchief. Hold, hold!

Twenty minutes Zina talked admiringly about the resort of Antalya, the sea, the warm weather, hotel, about how she and her husband had a good rest, showed bought clothes there, and in the end concluded that the week in Antalya is a beautiful holiday.

— Well, now to business, — Zina cleverly switched. — How are you? What’s New?

— All is well. Nothing new happened — Nina replied. — Herman also idle, he cannot to find the normal operation, waiting for the month of May, when the boats will begin to ride on the canals, in a period not paid, I gave him a week limit. Antony is going to go to Riga at the weekend; he warned me that I was not looking. Lena has changed; she is a thoughtful now, and she used to be so nice and smiling. Maybe she had a fight with her rich boyfriend. But Irina and Kostya are the beginning of love.

— Come on! — Zina exclaimed. — I thought so last time, there is love between them. They were here, in the kitchen, and so smiling at each other. Before leaving, I saw them here.

— Yes. Three days ago, they officially announced to us that they love. We applauded them and even drink a bottle of wine for the sake of their happiness. Others live as before, nothing has changed.

— And Elisa is still living?

— Yes! Moreover, asking about a place of Irina.

— In what sense?

— Well, when Kostya and Irina announced for us about their love, they also warned that they will leave us in a week.

— Oh, what a pity! These guys are good.

— Yes. But nothing can be done. They said they found a nice apartment for rent in Kupchino. They will be able to enter the apartment through the week. And here Elisa sat and heard it all too. Then she asked to take the place of Irina, when Irina leaves.

— What about you?

— Well, I asked her how long she plans to come here. She said that two months — that’s for sure. I agreed. Do you not mind?

— Yes, of course, I do not mind. I like Elisa, she is a good girl.

— But the most important news is that we have a new guest, her name is Marie Neri!

— Who?

— Marie Neri. She is French of Italian origin. As I have understood. In Russian she speaks very bad, even worse than Elise`s speaking. But something she was trying to say. Unconventional woman, I tell you. She is 57 years old as you. Long, skinny as a stick, but sinewy. Like a boy, you know, on our Herman is very similar. She has short and gray hair. She has glasses. She walks in a green sweater and green jeans. As I have understood, I have bad English…

— Do not complain! Your English is better than mine.

— …she’s retired now, and before that served in the military orchestra. Well, she is a musician, playing bass. In Russia she arrived for a month, and she will live with us for a month. She says she will walk to museums, theaters and Philharmonics of Petersburg. Sometimes she will go. She is going further this month to visit Moscow, Kazan and Ekaterinburg.

— Wow! It seems that she has money.

— She has accumulated for retirement. I think for her to go for a month in Russia, it’s the same thing as you go for a week in Turkey.

— Do you think? Well, maybe.

— I hooked her to Elisa. And today another foreigner should come at five o’clock. Brazilian!

— Come on! Are you kidding? The Brazilians have not been come to us yet.

— Yes. He’s going to live with us a week. I want to put him to Elise and Marie Neri that he was not bored. What do you think? Or is it better to number five?

— No, it is not populated in the fifth number. You are all well planned. I think they will find a common language, as foreigners.

— I think so too.

Nina and Zina drank their tea with Turkish sweets, which Zina brought, then the sisters said goodbye, and Zina went.

At five o’clock in the evening, when the Brazilian arrived, everyone was at home, except for Herman, Natasha and Kate. Sasha, Ruslan and Elisa were in the kitchen, and Masha and Zeinab sat in the lobby. They watched for a new guest.

Nina met the Brazilian at the reception desk. The Brazilian was presented. His name was Jose Arias. He was a tall young man, muscular body, black hair and curly, but the pimply, and glasses, and his voice was a little squeaky. In the view, he is 20 — 25 years. „He is not a handsome man, of course, but for those muscles I can forgive a lot,” — Masha thought and assessed with a cursory glance of the new guest.

— I’m from Sao Paulo. I have just arrived in Petersburg from Ukraine. I am a student of Institute of international relations. In Ukraine I worked as journalist, gathered information about the war in Ukraine. I finished my research work. But I want to see St. Petersburg and Moscow before returning to Brazil, — Jose spoke English.

Jose paid for his week-long stay. Nina knocked him a check and returned the passport, then spent new guest in room number four, she issued bed linen, said password from Wi-Fi, showed the overall wardrobe and luggage (and his luggage was one large suitcase on wheels), showed a shared bathroom and the kitchen, and then goodnight.

— Thank you, — Jose thanked her on his accent.

„Pretty boy — Nina thought. — He looks a bit like my late husband.” She immediately thought of her youth, and life flashed before her eyes for a moment.

In 1971, Nina was a young girl, she was seventeen years old, and she lived in the city of Saratov. She worked at a fish factory in those years, and every evening met with Andrew. Andrew was from Moscow, he did military service in Saratov. Andrew promised to Nina to take her with him to Moscow, when his military contract will end. And Nina was agreed, because she really wanted to go Moscow from Saratov. Because her life was very difficult in Saratov. She lived in a large family where there were five children. Her father was an alcoholic, the family fed only mother and Nina, as the eldest daughter, they were working at the fish factory. Her parents often quarreled and fought. Family life depressed her. She really wanted to go with Andrew. And once she collected her things, they were few, and ran away.

But the unexpected happened on the train. She met with Vladimir, and fell in love with him at first sight. Vladimir was from Leningrad. He was not handsome, but he was attractive. As well as Jose, he was tall, muscular, dark-haired and curly hair, wore glasses, too. In the train`s restaurant between them instantly kindled the passion, and they wanted to be alone in the compartment of Vladimir, where he was only one (Oh, my God! It’s a lucky break!). The passion swallowed both. After sex, Nina spoke briefly about herself, about what she was going to Moscow and is going to marry Andrew.

— Promise me that you throw him and go away with me to Leningrad — Vladimir begged Nina.

Nina promised, they agreed on everything.

When Nina came back to her seat in the second-class carriage, Andrew did not suspect anything. The train arrived in Moscow on Paveletskaya railway station in the morning. Parents met Andrew. When he unloaded his luggage and hugged his parents, Nina had time to go through the next carriage and escape, hiding in the crowd.

In Leningrad, Nina lived with Volodya and was happy. One year later they were married, and a year later they had a son — Vladislav. Nina wrote the letter to her mother that lives in Leningrad, but no answer. The answer came later from her sister Zina, who was the second child in the family. Zina wrote that her mother cursed Nina and does not want to know more about her. But she, Zina, is really misses her own sister and wants to see her. Nina wrote a response which she called Zina come to Leningrad.

Zina did not come to the wedding of her sister, but she came in a year when Vladislav was born. Zina stayed in Leningrad. She said that she cannot more to live in Saratov too. Young family of Samartsev took Zina and helped her to live in Leningrad.

Two years later, Zina married to Vladimir Korchagin. Samartsev family and Korchagin family were friends, and they experienced all the joys and sorrows together in the coming years.

Vladimir Samartsev died of a heart attack in 2000, and Nina is widow for 15 years already. She was not a young woman already, but she is very happy with life. She has a favorite son, beloved sister and beautiful Peter Hostel, in which a lot of young and beautiful people lived and still live today.

2

Entrance Hall of subway station “Sennaya” opens at 5.36 am. At this time Anton was standing at the entrance. Anton lives next to the Metro in the Peter Hostel at Efimova Street. He was not asleep, because he was in a hurry on the first train. At this time, Anton is usually asleep, but today is a special day; he goes to Riga as a tourist.

Only once he got up so early. It was last year, in October, 2014. Then he went to Tallinn as a tourist. In the past morning a lot of people were in the underground, because then Halloween`s carnival ended, and young people hurried to homes after the various parties in bars and nightclubs.

Today, not a single person was almost in subway, because many people have the day off. Today is a holiday too, the 8 of March; it is a Women’s Day. Anton has a day off too, so he decided to go to Riga today. But it was not as easy as he had thought at the beginning, because all the tickets have been sold already. Anton usually buys tickets online, but the tickets were not. Then he called in the bus company.

— Young man, you’re late! — a woman’s voice on the phone was very surprised. — It is a holiday today. All tickets were sold out a month ago.

— Well, it’s not my day — Anton thought. — In that case, I’ll go in another time someday.

But before he gave up, he looked at the BlaBlaCar website more. BlaBlaCar is the world’s largest long-distance ridesharing community. There was one suitable offer. User Ekaterina has offered a trip to Riga on March 8 at 6 am, for 1000 rubles.

Further correspondence from the chat:

“- Hello, Ekaterina. My name is Anton. And I’d like to go with you to Riga tomorrow. Will you take?

— Hello, Anton. And will you be the one?

— Yes, I am alone.

— Okay, we will take. Then be at exactly 6 am at the store „Auchan” metro „Staraya derevnya”. Only without delay. Wait, we cannot more than 10 minutes, and then leave. Write down my phone number: +7 927 *******.

— Thank you. At six I’ll be there. My number: +7 981 *******.”

Thus it turns out that Anton will travel to Riga, as a traveling companion. And in St. Petersburg, he will return by bus on March 10, he has bought a ticket online already.

The first train arrives at the Sadovaya station in 5.45. For 10 minutes, he drove to the Staraya derevnya station, well, that’s one line. Coming out of the subway, he ran to the Auchan`s parking, and at six o’clock he was on the spot. But he did not see any cars in the parking. He called Ekaterina.

— Ekaterina, hello. This is Anton. I’m standing in the Auchan`s parking.

— Oh, yes, hello, Anton. We are seeing you. Now we come.

The car drove on the left, the Chinese Geely, and rolled over to Anton. Anton opened the back door.

— Hello, I’m Anton. You follow me?

— Yes, yes, sit down, and we went — a young woman’s voice said from the front seat.

Anton quickly got behind the rear seat, slammed the door, and the car moved off quickly. The driver was a young man of about thirty, not thin, but not thick, handsome. His companion on the seat was about the same age, long dark hair and a spring coat. That such Anton saw in the first minute of his companions.

— Well, hello, Anton — a young woman in the front seat said. — I’m Catherine. This is my husband; his name is Anton, too. We’re going to Riga. You’ve got to us a thousand rubles. Is your visa a good?

— Yes, — Anton said, quickly transferring money to Catherine, she quickly adopted and put in her purse.

— So, that’s great!

The driver Anton with assessing squint looked in the mirror at their new passenger sitting in the back seat, and after that his eyes were fixed on the road and on navigator. He spoke little, only with his wife, and the function of questioning the passenger Catherine took over.

— Do you go to Riga first time? — she asked.

— Yes. As a tourist. I have a Schengen visa for a year. In October I was in Tallinn, and now decided to go to Riga. The fact is that all bus tickets had been sold a month ago on this date. So many who want to go to Riga today, as it turned out!

— Of course, many people have a holiday, so all travel.

— Well yes. I thought that I would go the next time. But still I looked at „BlaBlaCar”, and there was your suggestion. Do you coming in Riga for the weekend, too?

— Actually, we’re going to Paris from Riga`s Airport. At eight in the evening we have the plane tickets. Therefore, we must hurry. Where should we leave you in Riga?

— In the center. I’ll go out in the center, please.

— Let’s do so — the driver Anton suddenly said. — We will leave you at the bus stop near the shopping center „Olympia”. Then you go over the bridge across the Daugava River and just you come in the center. It is convenient for you and for us.

— OK. Good. Excellent. Thank you.

— What is your profession? Where do you work? — Catherine asked.

— I’m a cook. I work in a restaurant. Ahead I have three days off.

— I Got it.