A moment before immortality. Juriy Tashkinov

far from their technology. If the translators understood everything correctly, they live for several thousand years (I mean, each individual). They built mechanisms at the dawn of their youth – and since then there has not been a single breakdown! «Made on Mars» is a special mark of quality. Let our shop workers not blame their crookedness on obsolescence technologies, we are far from Martians. Due to their underground lifestyle and small stature, journalists dubbed the Martians «gnomes.» The media said that the gnomes gave us Medicine based on nano-robots, but most likely it was a mutually beneficial exchange; I don’t know what we could offer to such a highly developed civilization. The first military volunteers were injected with a portion of the «vaccine against all diseases.» Where else can you find such a number of volunteers if not in the army? Even the epsilon strain of flucovibola stopped working on young people. Some politicians also set an example. By the way, they are alive and still control us. The serum began to be injected into everyone who could afford it, including children and those seriously ill with incurable diseases. But the impression effect became known only after a while. The «cured» person became virtually immortal – except for direct physical impact, nothing could kill him, and severe wounds healed before his eyes. But his psyche remained forever at the same level, and often the meaning of their life revolved around only one type of activity or even an object. In the case of the soldiers, this suited everyone: unquestioningly following orders, eager to kill. By the way, this caste of soldiers was the first to die, as they went headlong to the hottest spots. Everything also went well with the politicians: they never betrayed their ideals, for which they received the support of voters. But imagine the impressed children! Forever little girls and boys dragging a teddy bear with them. Some were lucky: their parents also took the Martian vaccine, and such Peter Pans live in endless overprotection until the end of time. But most of the parents are dead, and who will take care of these not-quite-humans? Ninety-nine who took the Medicine fell ill in this way. By analogy with the Martians, they began to be called «elves»: beautiful, immortal, but absolutely useless for society.

      I make my way along the long corridor in search of the desired compartment. A forest of bare legs looms above. And here is my place. The sheet and duvet cover are neatly folded on the bed.

      – Young man, will you have some tea? – asked the conductor droid.

      – Yes, black with a spoon of sugar, please.

      A couple of minutes – and the steaming drink in the glass stood in front of me. Apparently, this glass holder was made in the mid-twentieth century – a real rarity.

      – Are you busy? Apparently this is my place.

      The compartment neighbor turned out to be a blond, curly-haired girl. My heart seemed to beat a little faster at the sight of her. Only this familiar look: emptiness and absolute detachment. Elf?

      – I’m Ilya.

      «And I’m Alena,» she extended her hand, but instead of shaking hands, I involuntarily brought it to my lips. Alena pulled away.

      – Let’s have breakfast?

      I took a printer out of my bag and set a program for boiled chicken, and Alena printed out cucumbers and boiled jacket potatoes on hers. At first we ate in silence, I glanced at her casually, and she lowered her eyes. Then we started talking.

      – I had lung cancer, stage four. The doctors didn’t give me even a year. I didn’t have much choice: either voluntary vaccination or a grave. You can’t imagine these feelings! First, the whole body is shrouded in a veil of indescribable pain. And then relief: there is no endless burning in the chest, even without painkillers. The doctor carried out repeated examinations: there was no trace of the tumor.

      «My wife also got an injection. More precisely, the ex-wife was very worried about her appearance. Seeing the first wrinkle, she signed up for vaccination. Since then, she has not left the mirror, admiring her ideal appearance day and night. Tell me, should I have continued to work, equipping her with new doses of cosmetics, and in the evenings watch her profile in the mirror? And every family that took the «dwarven medicine» has its own little tragedies. Therefore, many did not like those who were impressed. Who needs people functions?

      – Many of our people have sunk to the level of «former intelligent people.» Although, there were no «ours» – everyone came to the hospital to solve their own problems. To achieve something, you need to work on yourself for years and constantly improve. Studies have shown that it takes six weeks to go down. Forty days – and now you are already accustomed to being at the bottom, from which you can again get out through years of work on yourself, which the impressed are no longer capable of.

      Meanwhile, the space elevator had already lifted our car into orbit. Now we will reach the required speed value – and forward to the conquest of Mars: for those who have not yet been to their planet. We were rotating along an axis, so the view outside the window was fabulous: the stars merged into stripes and circles, creating a feeling of wish fulfillment.

      – Are you impressed too?

      «Yes, unfortunately, I am no exception,» Alena answered me.

      – On what? What does it feel like to be impressed?

      – I myself didn’t notice the moment of transition. One day I noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to remain without Tolik, my husband. We leave for work, and all my thoughts revolve only around him. I tried to hide my endless love for my husband from those around me, but Tolik apparently noticed something. I suggested that he give himself an injection, but he categorically refused.

      How I understand you, Tolyan! I remember Karina’s face when she did not leave the mirror for hours on end, forgetting about sleep, and about food, and about me. I also vowed to myself to live an ordinary mortal life.

      «That’s how we lived until his old age,» Alena continued. «And then he had a heart attack.» I made a diamond from his ashes, which I still keep close to my heart. You can’t imagine how much effort it takes me not to give up, just to continue living. There’s an eternity ahead, but I don’t know what to do the next morning.

      «Or maybe…» I kissed her on the cheek. – Tolik will understand. You don’t lose anything.

      During the kiss, her empty eyes looked like the artificial eyes of a robotic toy. I pulled off her clothes, and only the lines and circles of stars in the emptiness of space witnessed what happened next.

      – Ilya, I love you!

      – And I love you, sun!

      – You did not understand! Impressive, you cured him. I don’t love Tolik anymore.

      On the third day, we landed on the surface of the red planet, and Alena took me to the nearest medical center.

      – Get this vaccination. For me. I don’t want to lose another person close to me.

      It smelled of alcohol and carbolic acid. Under the fluorescent light, the nurse droid administered the injection. A burning wave of pain passed through my entire body, and then I felt an irresistible urge to go to the mirror. O Mars, what facial features! Why didn’t I notice in the reflection of the mirror before – how handsome I am! Smoothed an unruly strand of hair. Perfect! I suddenly realized that I was ready to stay here, near the mirror for an hour, for two… for a year? Karina, how I now understand your passion for mirrors.

      Alena pulled me by the hand. Now the elf family will have an eternity of love. Alena will love me until the end of time. And I will love myself until the Universe shrinks into a point, and then a new one is born.

      Universe without an observer

      The clock hands crossed midnight. This was not the first time that two men emptied the contents of vessels resembling a Klein bottle in their favorite bar, «Klein Bottle.» Fortunately, the curfew had been abolished by the beginning of the twenty-second century, so visitors who had stayed for so long