Читати книгу - "Навіщо. What For"

did waited the third day.

Everywhere the speeches became audible:

It is time to reach a case-shot!

And here the night shade has fallen

In the field of the terrible fight…[2]

— We’ll also start at night. We’ll feed them with their independence… their damn holiday!.. They’ll crawl like warms if survive. We’ll cover them with fireworks. How do you like it, the fireworks?

Chervonets

— Sure thing! Our folks would blast the whole thing till the early morning, the car would scream, dogs would bark... Well, it was like that before. Now everyone is used to another reality…

Martynov

— Well, at least got used to it. Today ears will be plugged (checks whether the grenade launcher is loaded). Since you feel hurt, buddy, you complain, and yet we have only a skirmish. For you, brother, I arrived here from Blagoveshchensk to offer my life and you’re complaining that you’re either hungry or not well enough armed.

Chervonets

— We wanted it like the Crimea—chpok!—and we’re in Russia, and have all of those wages, pensions.

Martynov

— If Ukraine was about to pay, would you celebrate its independence, ha? You’re a slave, Chervonets, a true slave. That’s because you’re not a Cossack. Here I am—a nobleman from mother’s side and a Don Cossack from father’s. Blood is a powerful thing! You know what the present means for me? The Black Day! I saw the Great State to fall. After the breakup of the Soviet Union I served in Central Asia and saw with my own eyes how much blood was spilled on the peripheries of Russia. Our forefathers brought the Caucasus, they brought Siberia. To save them from decay! We’ll save the Donbas and Ukraine! I do not fight here for your money, Chervonets! I've been fighting against the West, for them Russia is a thorn in the side.

Chervonets

— No objections, man! But tell me why the Crimean folks pig out in peace while we’re starving here between the bullets? They would rob tourists like boobs, while I was grubbing. I wasn’t just a miner, though, I was a dispatcher. Nonetheless, I worked like a dog!

Martynov

— Let’s go elbow-bending, you dispatcher!

Chervonets

— I have nothing to offer you, man.

Martynov

— Ask your wife.

Chervonets

— She kicked me out…

Tetyana (comes in)

— Now you got it! Swilled my perfumes yesterday!.. You cuckoo! Now consider this day your own independence day. You’re independent from me and Tiomka. Turn yourself loose! Don’t like the Ukrainian holiday, have your personal!

Chervonets

— Everybody drinks. Each and everybody. The war is around.

Tetyana

— We lived like descent people! Payed out for our car— look at it now!—with a roof sawn off and a machine gun sticking out of it. You were calling this war, you were begging for it from your Raseyushka! Eat it now, drink unless you burst, watch it unless your eyes jump out from their sockets!

Martynov

— Dear, I-don’t-know-what-is-your-name-and-patronymic…

Tetyana

— Tetyana. No patronymic.

Martynov:

— "Tetyana was her name…" Could you bring us vodka?

Tetyana

— I kicked him out because of vodka!

Martynov

— That was the right decision. A drunk soldier serves the enemy. But this is a special occasion—we didn’t give up the town and today we’ll liberate it completely. And fair governors will come and establish order. Our brothers and sisters deserve a better life than they had under the banderovtsy.

Tetyana

— Are you mad? What are you talking about? These are the same people who are in charge. They started this to remain close to the trough and continue licking Putin’s ass, to keep robing millions from us and tour around Europe and America! Bloody helpers, go home!

Chervonets

— Tania, please, be quite and go away!

Martynov

— Who am I, you think, a beast? I don’t fight with dumb women. Bring us vodka and go to hell with God. By the way, why did you come? Spying, bitch?

Tetyana (to Chervonets)

— Give me the keys. I’ll bring the kid to the village. For now, it’s safe there. Yurka goes there with his family. He said there’s a place in his car.

Chervonets (looks for the keys in his pocket and gives them to her)

— Be careful. It might start now…

Martynov (clamps the bolt)

— Come on! Tell this dirty Ukrainian spy where it will start. You’ll get down just here. And I’ll erect a headstone for you with the inscription, ‘she lived happily and died on the same day.’ Your grandchildren will be jealous. If you ever have any.

Tetyana

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