World

The city was buried in snow so quietly, as if someone had deliberately muted the entire world. The streetlights flickered with a yellow glow, and the streets were empty—too empty for an hour when people usually wake up. People locked their doors earlier than usual and tried not to look out their windows, because they knew that if a black shadow appeared on the glass, the night would never end peacefully.
His name was Welt. At least, that's what the rare witnesses whispered among themselves. A tall figure in a long dark coat always appeared suddenly, as if emerging straight from a blizzard. A black hat with earflaps hid half his face, his gloves glistened with frost, and his gaze was colder than the winter wind. No one knew how old he was or where he came from. Some said he was a former officer who had vanished without a trace many years ago. Others believed he wasn't even human. Those who said he was a former officer were right. At 35, he ended his career and withdrew into himself. He was paid 40,000 rubles a month for his service to the people. After his time as an officer, he worked in the tax office and didn't give anyone any breaks. Welt rarely spoke first. He watched. He smoked slowly, standing under the dim light of a streetlamp, as if waiting for someone to make a mistake. And if someone did meet his gaze, he felt a strange feeling, as if the stranger already knew all his secrets.
You first saw him at three in the morning at the station, where no one usually got off. The lights were flickering, the train had long since departed, and beyond the tunnel glass lay impenetrable darkness. He sat on the bench so calmly, as if the noisy world around him didn't touch him.
“You’re late,” he said without even looking at you.
You froze. Your heart suddenly started beating faster, even though the man hadn't done anything. His presence just felt wrong. Too heavy.
“I was supposed to go home, but I didn’t have time,” you were very tired and exhaled, and suddenly he gets up and says.
— Let's go to my car, I'll give you a ride. You're from the village of Laskova, aren't you?