Tales of Ghosts. Playing Another Reality. Edgar Allan Poe award. Alexandra Kryuchkova

already broken a few pots of flowers, my little prankster!”

      Valentina smiled, and she wanted to return home as soon as possible to express her love and gratitude to the red puss, even if he had nothing to do with her mission on Earth…

March 1994

      4. The Wind of Changes

      “The 1^st April street, building 77, entrance B,

      the 5^th floor…”

      I knew that address by heart, having worked for over four years as chief accountant in the office of a small company, located there. The company, which I loved very much, became my almost second home, but it was going through hard times, if not to say ‘its last hours’. The Swiss owners postponed until Monday the release of the already taken decision on liquidation, that would start the painful process of dividing assets, including money, of course.

      The working day was already over, but the financial director, George, and I were sitting in his office enjoying a melon.

      “Well, tell me, Arisha, have you been conjuring?” George asked, referring to our future.

      “Yes, of course,” I muttered grudgingly, aware of his skepticism.

      “What way this time? Solitaire or coffee?”

      “You see, cards and coffee, and all that stuff are just kids’ play if there’s nothing behind. The Subtle World is called so for being immaterial; its door can’t be opened with earthly keys only, such as cards or coffee. If you can’t read signs, feel with your soul, hear your inner voice, no cards will be useful.”

      “Well, okay, let’s say so. What are you feeling right now?”

      “A Wind of Changes.”

      “Good or bad?”

      “Cardinal ones!”

      “Anything more specific? Will you finally get rid of the fear of getting fat after childbirth and agree to become my wife?”

      “Olga is coming, cut her a piece of melon,” I said calmly, not reacting to his skeptical jokes.

      In a couple of seconds, there was a knock on the door, and a cheerful and blooming Olga, the HR manager, appeared on the threshold.

      “Hello, friends!” she said and took a seat next to me.

      “From our table to your table,” I handed her a piece of melon on a plate.

      “Thank you, Arisha! And I have some news for you!”

      “Good or bad?” George asked to clarify.

      “I’m looking for a job… If we are going to be liquidated, there’s nothing else to wait! It’s better to prepare a straw in advance! So, I noticed a vacancy, published by some recruitment agency. In fact, as it turned out, they have two vacancies!” Olga said enigmatically.

      We exchanged glances with George.

      “Well, it’s getting more and more interesting!” he grinned.

      “In brief, a foreign company with the same sphere of activity needs a financial manager and… chief accountant!” Olga summed up in a solemn voice.

      “Wow!” I exclaimed in surprise and exhaled deeply.

      “It’s not just ‘wow’! ” said Olga offended. “It’s a sign from Heaven! Destiny! Where else will you both find such a fateful combination to work together further?”

      “Perhaps,” George agreed without much enthusiasm. “However, I would prefer not to work with Arisha, but to live! Happily and forever!”

      “One doesn’t exclude the other!” I declared. “So, Olga?”

      “Yes, yes, Arisha, I’m about to sell you both! With giblets!” she exclaimed triumphantly. “No names yet, of course! I called that agency, without specifying our company. I asked if there was anything for me as well, throwing the ‘fishing rod’… Well, their HR specialist will contact the customer and let me know the result for you! I’ll tell you then! Just don’t forget to take me there when you get the job.”

      “Agreed!” George promised.

      Olga finished her melon and went home. I washed the plates in the kitchen, anticipating the Wind of Changes, when a strange thought suddenly pierced my mind, and I flew back into George’s office.

      “Isn’t it strange that another foreign company appeared in our narrow sector, when…”

      I didn’t finish the sentence, as the lights went out throughout the building.

      “What difference does it make now?” George sighed, hugging me gently, but…

      …the front door to our floor slammed loudly, heavy steps were heard, and my heart began beating with a strange premonition, since no one usually was there at such a late time, except for Olga and us…

      “A security guard, probably. Because of the electricity,” George supposed and decided to make sure he was right…

      …That evening, saying goodbye – and obviously forever – to my almost second home, regretting only that the first one would never see my babies, which I naturally dreamed of, but constantly put off for ‘tomorrow’, because of my own complexes and fears (what if it didn’t work out, or the child would be born unhealthy, or I would really turn into a fat cake, and George would start cheating on me), I stopped at the ajar door to Olga’s office. She had forgotten her phone on the table, and it beeped, informing about a new message received.

      Oh, curiosity!.. I went over and read it.

      “Your candidates are welcome tomorrow at 2 pm,

      floor No. 5, entrance B, building 77,

      the 1^st April Street.”

      “Oh, my little witch! You were as always right,” George grinned. “And what Wind is blowing now?”

      “The Wind of Love,” I laughed, detaching myself from the situation.

      Having drawn, like in childhood, two hearts pierced by an arrow, with dripping blood, on that date page in Olga’s business diary, I took George by the hand, and we went out through the window into Heaven, without any desire to think about who had ordered the death to us…

August 2002

      5. The City of Rains

      It was the other way round: in the City of Rains we were greeted by the Sun!

      We stepped out of the express train onto a platform filled with sunlight.

      “No one will notice us, there’s no need to rush anywhere, and we can do whatever we want,” Denis said thoughtfully. “It’s so great to be absolutely free! Even if for 24 hours only.”

      “Yes, Denis! I feel the happiest in the world!” I said enthusiastically in response.

      We walked through the City of Rains in the morning, hand in hand, both of us with small backpacks, wearing blue jeans, dark blue T-shirts and brown boots, just like the day I had got the most important dream. Sometimes we stopped and passionately kissed each other, not ashamed of passers-by.

      “Think about it, Yana, this wouldn’t have happened without your dream,” Denis smiled.

      “It was Angel the Guardian! He took me by the scruff of the neck like a kitten and poked with my nose in you,” I smiled back.

      We