[1935]
"Then I told that Militsia, 'As you are not blind like me, it means you can see clearly this buffoon is the double agent who stole both noble and partisan archives all of this time'," quipped Vasily as he inhaled his cigarette's smoke proudly.
Alexei clapped happily, "Whoa, how brave of you to tell them like that! And so, did they finally arrest that guy?"
"Yeah. And finally the building where I build with other workers in the past won't be meddled by some Militsia walking around," shrugged Vasily. Meanwhile, Dmitry and Vadim were just silent to hear the music from the radio. They have heard the same story from Vasily since years ago, and Vasily re-told this story to Alexei who just joined their peers.
"Vadik, you are lucky to be roommates with him. He has cool stories to be told!" implied Alexei. But Vadim rolled his eyes and snorted.
"Well, he just like to boast and tell anything where he is the main hero. I've gotten used to him."
"Oh, someone is jealous that I'm the main character in everywhere~" teased Vasily when he press the cigarette butt to ashtray, "But hey, you are rarely told things about your life, Vadik! So far you only tell me that you have a bad father and not wanting to go home anymore! I would love to see you as main hero more!"
Vasily's remark caused Dmitry and Alexei's eyes goes to perplexed Vadim. Or maybe also intrigued. Alexei asked, "Really? You have a bad father? What did he done to you?"
"Well, just ask Vasya! I already told him," evaded Vadim as he try to turn on the radio's volume, but he is startled the radio is not on the table anymore. Dmitry has picked it up and hugged it with small smile.
"If you have told Vasya, he will already telling us about you like a train wagon," deducted Dmitry.
Vadim facepalmed in annoyance, though then he spoke with lazy voice, "Okay, I will tell a bit. Yeah, my dad had a habit to locking me and Mark in the closet, whenever he has bad mood. It worsen after my brother's death, though."
"Did your mum also do the same?" pondered Alexei. Vadim shook his head, "No. She is very kind. But of course sometimes she was beaten too if try to defend. So at the end, she just secretly gave me and Mark some food when dad is outside."
"Thank goodness..." muttered Dmitry.
"Had he always been like that to your other siblings? I remembered you had a late older brother and younger sister too... Eduard and Zinaida, right?" questioned Vasily.
"No. They were treated quite nicely by dad, with condition that they must limit their interaction with Mark and me. I guess it's because they are born in right condition," shrugged Vadim... and all three are went silent for exact twenty seconds.
"Right condition? You mean better health and personality?" confused Alexei.
"Not really. Like... my family had weird tradition back when we still had plumbing business; all Oktyuchev family must had children born in October... then odd numbered child must be boy and even numbered girl must be girl. If such tradition violated, the defect one must be dumped to orphanage or killed."
Another silence among the four appears. Even slightly five seconds longer until Vasily croaked, "Say WHAT?!"
"Yeah. Odd numbered - boy, even numbered - girl. And you know that I am second-born, despite my birthday is 8 October 1912. I almost dumped to street, but Eduard punched dad so hard till that old man finally gave up."
Vadim then raised his eyebrows when seeing Dmitry's face was so horrified and Alexei whinged, "You gotta be joking!". He just continued speaking, "And oh! Mark also almost dumped too, the next year after my birth. He was born as third boy, but in 29 September. Quite bad luck too. Dad tried to fake Mark's birthday by announcing it as 1 October. But three months later the extended family caught the lie, because the plumbing business worsened instead better. Noble families somehow finding cheaper brand from other cities."
"...WHAT?!" shouted all three young men in unison.
"And Zinka was born too late - 10 October. Then everything happens fast based on mum's story; the workers escaped from factory to some world war, and the factory just... not producing anymore. The extended family exiled us as punishment to remoted city, and dad has been since then locking Mark and I in closet."
"What. The. Fuck..." Dmitry mouthed, still his horrified face unchanged.
"Yeah I know it's kind of crazy. But I guess karma finally comes three years after Zinka's birth; the Revolution arrived and the Bolsheviks apparently slaughtered my extended family. Although... yeah, Eduard is scared we will get slaughtered too. So he signing himself to White Army and never came back. Thus... the closet punishment worsened."
"Vadik, you lived in a fucking cult, not a family at all!" exclaimed Vasily after Vadim finished telling the story.
"Huh, what is a cult?" confused Dmitry and Alexei.
"It's like a group where people had beliefs that against the common sense. They thought it's totally a common sense and the world are against them," elaborated Vasily fast before he coughed from inhaling his cigarette too much, "And... cough... everyone in are doomed to die fast except the leader of that group."
"And how did you know that much? Till knowing such nonsense term," Vadim knocked his fingers impatiently against the dining table.
Vasily put down the cigarette again to the ashtray and sighed, "I learned from stories I heard from fellow workers at construction site. I heard such ridiculous stories about noblemen who hired them and their traditions!"
"Well, but I am not doomed to die, then. I am still alive by now. And Eduard is just being stupid for overreacting to the Revolution," smirked Vadim.
"That's because you are escaped before you went insane! Fellow workers mostly telling me; the cult members who stayed for too long are just wasted and went mass hysteria forever! Just like your brother Eduard!" argued Vasily, then followed by Vadim who now glared back at that shorty bald man.
Dmitry and Alexei can only took glance at each other as Vasily and Vadim debated further, until suddenly Vasily reached his shirt pocket and throw a box of Zabek cigarette to the table... which slides near surprised Vadim.
"Here. You need this cigarette more than me, Vadik. I'll buy entire slot if you want more!"
"No!" posited Vadim as he throw back the cigarette box to Vasily's face.
Then Vasily annoyed and huffed, "I'll teach you how to smoke too! Just... please, take it!"
"I'm not that mad, Vasya! I might live in such terrible times, but it's already in the past. Now stop pushing me or-"
The sudden rise of his tall body almost scaring everyone. Alexei quickly gets up to pat Vadim's shoulders, and Dmitry waving his hands toward Vasily with his teeth gritting. Vasily finally exhaled in disappointment and pocketed his Zabek cigarette again.
"Fine. But know that you cannot just keep running, Vadik. If anything happens to you, quickly tell us," Vasily's voice now sounded calmer, which led Vadim to push Alexei and storm off the door.
"I'm going to seek wind first," Vadim grumbled before slamming the door. Then Alexei and Dmitry look at Vasily who also had tense face.
"Well, what we do now?" puzzled Dmitry. Vasily waved his hand, "Don't worry about it. He will come back at midnight or so. I've been argued with him few times and knew his habit."
"I think we have been too pushy. At least now we know Vadik's problem, and no need to offer solution unless he asked," pitied Alexei.
"Oh, he will never ask. That's why I poke him so he remember not to kept everything to himself. Don't worry, he wasn't actually that grudgeful," dismissed Vasily. Then he gets up to tidied the teacups on the table and washed it on the sink, "You guys can go home first. The tram will close soon in 6pm, remember?"
Without other options, Dmitry and Alexei finally packed their things and leave (and Dmitry has returned the radio back to the table)...
...Leaving Vasily who now just cleaning the entire communal without complain.