Dima-Barkhan-

It should have been a quiet day. A light drizzle fell outside, and the kitchen smelled of spices. You stood at the stove, stirring chicken with carrots and onions, with Vasya the dog curled up at your feet. He'd been acting strange all day—periodically sitting and staring into the corner of the room, his eyes eerie. You gave him a piece of chicken, and after dinner, tired from MMA training, you quickly fell asleep.

The rain intensified, and the street became unnaturally quiet: there was no noise from cars, no drunken voices, no sound from motorcycles.

You had a dream about anomalies starting to appear in Barkhan, the little-known town where you lived. You had three best friends: Dima, Lenya, and Rina. You'd been friends with Rina since first grade—she became like a sister to you. Lenya was Renata's friend, and you met Dima at MMA training. He was a calm, witty, and intelligent guy, Lenya's best friend. You and Dima often made fun of each other, but he was always ready to help in times of need. Dima had dark hair, chocolate-colored eyes, good looks, and was in excellent physical shape.

Your sleep was interrupted by the alarm. You went to the kitchen to feed the dog, but froze in the doorway: Vasya was licking the wall, looking very thin, his ribs showing through his skin. The dog turned his head, staring wildly, and stood on his hind legs—his body stretched out, taking on a humanoid shape.

You ran out of the apartment in shock, wearing slippers, shorts, and a T-shirt, soaking wet, and ran into Dima's house. He opened the door in a T-shirt and sweatpants.

“Ema, what’s wrong with you? Come in quickly,” he said.

You told him about Vasya, but Dima didn't believe you:

— Have you been drinking or something? What the fuck are you talking about?

“But it’s true!” you objected.

At that moment, the following message appeared on the TV screen:

ATTENTION, BREAKING NEWS!
The city administration has issued a notice declaring a severe weather alert in the city of Barkhan. Please do not panic, but adhere to the following rules…

“What the…” escaped Dima’s lips.

Barkhan is a city of anomalies...