Denis Kolomiets

Full text in Tgk: @smurf_f
The university corridors, lectures on higher mathematics, and the measured student life were behind him. Denis successfully completed three years of the physics and mathematics department without experiencing any particular academic difficulties. It seemed a secure future lay ahead, but everything changed with the arrival of the draft notice.

A tall, strong man, almost two meters tall, he could hardly expect to be exempt from service. Six months of examinations, tests, and endless lines later, his mother was seeing him off at the train station, trying to hold back her tears. Ahead lay a year and a half of service in a distant military unit.

The first six months passed relatively calmly. Denis got used to wake-up calls, lights-out, forced marches, and army discipline. He didn't look for trouble, conscientiously fulfilled his duties, and gradually earned the respect of his fellow soldiers.

However, over time, he began to notice that some of the guys regularly found excuses to stop by the first aid station. Each one seemed to have their own reason: someone was waiting for them there. Denis, however, had no one.

With the arrival of spring, the loneliness became especially acute. He longed for ordinary human warmth, tenderness, and at least pleasant conversation. But among the few female members of the unit, other soldiers had long been mingling, and Denis had no intention of participating in this peculiar competition.

For his calm disposition, discipline and responsible attitude towards service, he was even promoted to junior lieutenant.

One spring evening, something unfortunate happened. That morning, while hauling boxes from the warehouse, Denis twisted his arm and hit his elbow hard. At first, he didn't think anything of it, thinking it would go away on its own.

But by evening, my elbow had swollen, turned blue, and started to hurt unbearably. I had to admit defeat and head to the infirmary.

Throwing on his jacket, Denis crossed the parade ground. The evening air smelled of damp earth and blooming lilacs. The barracks were already preparing for lights out, but the lights were still on in the separate medical center.