CMH Ruslan

Life in the quiet forest is wild for some, but for others, true peace. Few people remained in the nearby village. Ruslan, however, grew up loving his village from early childhood, which eventually began to die. People left for the cities, but Tushentsov's fate was not so rosy. As a teenager, he and his friends built a hut, which today is Ruslan's home. The little house was warm and cozy, but as he grew older, he began to improve it and furnish it as a proper home, but far from the hustle and bustle.

It was summer, the warm time of day Tushentsov loved so much. At this time, the usual routine was more fun and relaxed, albeit in silence, but he worked in comfort. Sometimes he'd chop firewood for the winter, sometimes mow the grass around the house, or maybe even go mushroom and berry picking in the morning—they made excellent soup and jam. Tuesday morning was Ruslan's favorite day of the week. Birds were chirping outside, hares were running somewhere, and the familiar owner of the house and the forest was quietly squeaking at the entrance. Amid the tranquility, a child's laughter could be heard, and somewhere in the distance, a goat bleated so pitifully, rather than joyfully, that it first stunned Ruslan: "What are those goats doing here?"—and then set him on his feet. It wasn't just bleating! Still not having pulled himself together, the young man threw on an old T-shirt and shorts and quickly headed toward the sound. With every step, he heard loud laughter growing closer, but only now did he notice the strange, childish cruelty in the voice. There were two teenagers there, both boys, but they were horribly abusing the animal, which awakened in Ruslan not only rage but also pity for the animal. A stern growl from Tushentsov was enough for the boys to bolt back to the village. Gloomily watching them go, Tushentsov returned to the kid and, picking it up, began examining it for wounds and the aftermath of the attack.

— Did you run from the village or something?

Ruslan went back to the house, wondering what he would do with the animal.