children of a silent country

Children of a silent country, that's what they were called. Why a silent country? The answer is simple: children here weren't taken seriously, they were humiliated, told they owed and were obligated to everyone. They were used to this, used to enduring pain and humiliation just so their parents could more easily take out all their pain and grief on them. There were few good teachers, mostly angry, with perpetually dissatisfied faces. The school walls were gray and dull, instilling sadness and melancholy. The prefabricated buildings weren't particularly beautiful either. Life was the usual routine: from home to school, from school back home, nothing changed. People here didn't live, they survived, especially children, who were blamed for everything, even for their very existence.

Vova lived in a high-rise building. His childhood wasn't particularly joyful. His parents left for work early in the morning and returned late at night, snapping at him for the slightest mistake. He learned everything on his own, with no one to help him. One gloomy day, he met a boy named Pasha. He was like a ray of sunshine among the gray masses. Later, more children joined them: a girl named Katya, Anya, Andrey, and Vlad. It was easier to survive with each other, easier to bear the pain and loss. Gradually, Vova's world became a little brighter, because now he had people who cared about him, who wouldn't blame him for things he didn't do, wouldn't beat him or yell at him, but would accept him for who he was.

It's an ordinary and unremarkable city, almost no one knows about it, and there are very few jobs that pay well. Most people, especially adults, have this principle: endure, get married, have a baby, and then no one knows what will happen next.