Islanders. Наталья Андреева

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      "The Bay of Pleasure"

      The house was near the forest. When the sun slowly set over the horizon in a clear weather over the lilac pine-trees in twilight it seemed that the very top of the seventeen-storied building wore a gold crown. The red-bricked building was made of two close to each other like the twins. One entrance faced to the forest and led to the parking line the other – to the road crossing the blocks of houses. Windows like the sewing sticks glued the parts of the twins. A thick wall separated one section of windows from another. Each floor had four apartments: two one-roomed and two two-roomed.

      The house was strange with the sharp corners and among surrounding five-storied buildings it looked like a tower spike. Inhabitants of "the red dwarfs" struggled against the long construction which broke ecology but they lost the fight and when the house had been built frankly hated it. They called it the Tower. It attracted the eye but not the soul. To live in that house for some reason would not be desirable. Apartments in the Tower cost fabulous and in fact there was a suburb of Moscow! A place was not overcrowded far from the center and the underground was not under the windows but investors did not reduce the price and waited for "the right client". There were a few clients for a year that the most part of the windows remained empty.

      For that time the local businessman whose name was known very well rented the ground floor for a casino which he loudly called "the Bay of Pleasure". In the evenings under the neon signboard of "Casino" shone the other one "Billiard Club". Below it was "Bar" and to the left "Slot Machines”. "Crazy Cash" was written by huge red letters. Inhabitants of the five-storied buildings were frightened by "Crazy Cash". It also frightened off the possible buyers of the apartments in the Tower. They were not "crazy" to wait until somebody breaks "cash" and arrange shooting under their windows.

      The profitable businessman had managed to find the sanction which forces of hired workers to build a brick separate entrance to a casino for the convenience of clients. So near the Tower which became ugly was the third entrance to "Crazy Cash". Behind one of the windows of casino there was a huge palm tree in an oak tub. It was proudly looked at pine-trees from its exclusive position. Unlike the pine-trees it's always bright and warm. But it wasn't important for the wild-growing plants which didn't want to entertain clients sitting in a tub. On the glass window there was an image of the same palm tree which contour from the neon fires began to shine brightly in the darkness. So the entrance was full of lights, the bar attracted, the billiard club promised, the hall of slot machines encouraged and the crazy cash drove mad. Casino didn't like the Tower either. As nobody came there Casino was afraid to lose money but the stubborn businessman as well as his investors was waiting for the clients.

      Clients were not in a hurry…

      …That year the winter didn't come for a long time. More over it was much snow which wasn't going to melt, frosts at the end of March were like in January and people were sad. It was Monday. Even lights in "the Bay of Pleasure" appeared not so bright and the palm tree was bored. Yes, it was the usual Monday. The beginning of the working week and the beginning of cold boring March. The combination on the green cloth of the casino’s table meant despair.

      His new black "BMW" of the fifth model had stopped near "the Bay of Pleasure" in the center of the parking line. He had looked at the shining palm tree in the window and thought: "Crazy Cash. It is so primitive.”

      That irritated him. Everything irritated him last time: the weather, the late spring, clients, colleagues, employers. He left the car loudly shutting the door. And he again looked at windows of casino: "Don't wait!" They had some minutes to think: "The client arrived. The rich car, the excellent suit, the black cashmere coat, expensive boots…" "Don't even dream! Go to hell!"

      Well, it's not eight but the street was quiet. At eight in the evening the entertaining program would begin and music would be loud. To attract clients the crazy owner of casino sent through powerful columns signals to everything, to everyone who was passing by. Inhabitants didn't complain. Probably, that wasn't the time for the battle. The army hadn't gathered yet under the banners. But that was only a matter of time.

      "No, I am not your client." he thought and looked again at the windows.

      It was the reception room. There on the tenth floor was dark. "It means I am the first." and he went to the entrance watching the time. A quarter to eight. He didn't like to be late. They had fifteen minutes to gather. Otherwise…

      Otherwise what? It's not his time he would follow the game. He became irritated. Why was HE always in time? He always had a schedule. He knew time was money! Not everyone who should come here today was so rich and so demanded. Why? Really if the person was more significant the more he would appreciate time of the others. His time he should spend on himself. It’s time to communicate. That's his main problem – communication. He created the Tower for himself.

      He had typed a code and entered the house loudly shutting the entrance door. The house was elite but there wasn't a guide inside. Few apartments had been sold and not everything was ready. When could he call? Could he rise on the tenth floor first? It's a quarter to eight. No, thirteen minutes to eight.

      In the lift he took out the mobile phone from the pocket of the coat.

      At that time one more car came to the entrance. "BMW" of the third model the same black color but not so new and a back bumper damaged. A respectful man went out of the car in the same cashmere coat. He had the same tie and the same expensive boots. He was the copy of the previous man but a little smaller and not so wide in shoulders and the face expression was simple. In general he was just the advanced copy of the man who had arrived three minutes later. His car had stopped twelve minutes to eight.

      "I am not going to play, don't wait for!" he looked at windows of the casino.

      Then a man looked at dark windows on the tenth floor. He thought: "Aha, it means I am the first!"

      But in a second the light had flashed in two windows. He signed in disappointment and went to the house.

      He repeated to himself: "My time is money and they can't be late!" then added: "Why did I agree on this adventure?" He didn't choose the Tower. But the Tower had chosen him. He nervously pressed the buttons opening the entrance door. He had forgotten a code. But then he said: "Well! Come on! Nothing serious happens!"

      He had already entered the house and another car appeared near the Bay of Pleasure an old model.

      A driver parked very carefully straight to the white lines. Finally, a woman of thirty years old, modestly dressed in a dark thick long coat, boots on a platform, a turtle neck sweater went out. The man turned back and nodded her. The woman wanted to come but at that time she saw the other car. The man who had arrived on "BMW" of the third model went in she stopped.

      It was a dark green "Volkswagen". A man in a bright jacket went out and also nodded her asking with a smile: "Have they already gathered?"

      "I have seen only one." answered the woman.

      "What's the time?"

      "Ten to eight." she added looking at the watch. "It’s nine already. He likes accuracy."

      "It's so dark here." the man looked around."As for me I like the other entrance close to the road."

      "But it's better for walking." said the woman in disagreement."Just go out and you are in the park."

      "Walk, breath, look at pine-trees."

      " When I were old my tastes will probably change.” the man laughed. “Now I like to jump out of the house straight to the underground."

      "You are a typical product of a civilization. The child of a metropolis."

      "You are right. I haven't got a summer house. What for? On holidays I go abroad, week-ends spend with friends. Better rest is outside the city instead of work. In a metropolis we work. And how many should we be here do you know?"

      "Seven. Except the owner."

      " Well, that … "

      The man had locked a door of the car, put it on the signal and turned to the woman:

      "Let's go."

      Then they went to the entrance door. He pushed the buttons of the code. The woman stood close shivering