Eralash | Misha Tilkin

It was evening. Your mother was standing in the kitchen making coffee when the phone rang in the hallway. She quickly walked over and picked it up. Two minutes later, she hung up and returned to the kitchen.

"Daughter, come here!" your mother shouted. You went to her and sat down at the table, taking a cookie. She continued , "Anyway, I'm being sent on a business trip for two weeks, so you'll be staying with Aunt Tanya for now. She has a son, about 14 or so, the same age. I'll call her now and ask."

After these words, Mom went back to the phone and waved her hand into your room, as if to say, "Go pack your things." After three rings, Aunt Tanya's familiar voice came over the line, and they began talking and laughing. At this point, you weren't in the mood for laughter at all: "Wow, I'm already 14, and they still take me to all these aunts. I could easily live alone! What's wrong with her?" Five minutes later, Mom came into your room and said:

— So, we leave tomorrow at 6:30, I'll drop you off and then I'll go. Have you packed your things? "Yes," you said, slightly offended by your mother. Then you lay down in bed, trying to sleep.

Morning, 5:30. Mom woke you up, and you went to the bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth. Three minutes later, you went into the kitchen, but seeing neither food nor Mom there, you sighed heavily and went to get ready. Thirty minutes later, you were already sitting on the bus. Mom was silent. You could hear the conversations of other passengers.

Finally, 15 minutes later, you arrived, got off at the stop, and walked quickly to their house. You went up to the fifth floor, knocked on the door, and entered the apartment. Mom quickly greeted her friend, put your things down, and said goodbye before running to the station. You looked down, feeling uneasy, as you sensed someone watching you. You looked up, and it was Aunt Tanya's son.

Aunt Tanya: Mish, show her your room! Oh, yeah, you'll have to sleep on the same bed. But don't worry, the bed is big enough, there's enough room for everyone.

"A Boy's Word. Blood on the Asphalt" (2023) is a crime drama about teenage gangs in Kazan against the backdrop of perestroika (1989).