"THE THIRD PLANET" " Everything's fine." " Did the doctor say so?" "The doctor, too, everything's fine." " Hi!" " Hello." "Well?" " What did the doctors say?" " I didn't expect anything else." "Sure, there was some damn hope..." "Listen, you said you knew a man who could lead into the Zone." "Is it that bad?" "Yep." "It's impossible to look at your faces without crying." "Stop bothering me." "I'll mix up my calculus." "Don't mix them up with us." "Normal people have normal faces." "They seek ordinary things." "We naturally have the faces of donkeys." "We seek what's bigger and cheaper." "Everything is clear here." "But, uncle Misha..." "Simple and very tasty." "Mankind has reached a special perfection here." " Killing themselves." " Yes." "And enjoying it." "Pick up some things." "I'll be back soon." "Some woman from our god-forsaken place came here and went out of her mind." "Well, I understand her." "If I understood anything about this..." " Where were you?" " Don't be cross." "Misha, I've already tried everything." "So will you help me?" "Those are just tales for unfortunates." "Mutants with their organs suitable for everyone, their superpowers..." " Do you know this?" " But do you?" "Have you seen them or just heard about them?" "I've just heard about them." "That's why I consider the Zone to be a myth." "I can't lose her." "Understand, I'm a healthy man... and I can do absolutely nothing for my daughter." "Our land has accomplished the greatest feat, that of survival." "No nation in the world... has remained unblemished for seventy three years." "There are problems." "Many depart now out of tiredness or disenchantment." "And the Zone - that's a convenient tale." "Okay, I'll shut up." "To hell with you." "OK, I'll write a letter." "If God allows, Ivan will bring you over to the Zone." "When?" "OK, Right away." "I'll put everything aside and write it." "Look at yourself and think about where you're going!" "If you were alone..." "alright, I'll shut up." "Can we go faster?" "We can." "Why are we being dragged towards the motherland so much." "When we arrive we'll be in a trance for a week." "They way we're living, it's shameful." "What we've brought our country to." "Uncle Misha, do you long for the motherland?" "Oh, my friend..." "There's an old Hebrew fable about a man who wanted to see how people in other lands live." "His wife prepared him for the journey, he bid farewell to all his family." "And he went out of the city for the first time in his life." "He walked all day." "And in the evening, tired, laid down to rest." "There are fields all round him, no trees, no bushes." "He turns over in his sleep, wakes up the next morning and mistakenly, returns the way he came." "In the evening he reaches a city very much like his own." "He finds a street identical to the one where he has spent his whole life." "And there is a house on this street, just like his house." "Then he saw a woman whose face reminded him of his wife." "And children, too, very much like his children." "The woman smiled." "He stayed to live with her, earned his bread and supported the woman and children." "Anyway, he lived happily, not bad." "But he longed for his motherland, for his whole life." "And all this time thinks of his kids he has left behind." "Man, living in Russia, should be sent to Paradise, no questions asked." "Don't pity me, I'm gonna cry." "I, too, begin longing for a motherland." "That place..." " Where?" " The place where he stayed." " It's just a story." " He didn't know geography." "When others went to school he had to work to feed his family." "You don't understand a thing." "Fools!" "It's just a fable!" "We've arrived." "Motherland." "Yes..." "We're home." "Yes, we've reached the motherland." "Home." "It depends how you say it." "Home..." "It can sound horrible." "Thanks." " The road to Znamenci?" " What?" " Does this road lead to Znamenci?" " Yes, this one." " Need a lift?" " No." "Are you from the city?" " Yes." " Do you know section five?" " No." " You don't know section five?" " Right beside the railway station..." " Thanks." "Now we'll know." "You're from the city but don't know section five..." "Checkpoint sergeant Anfiev." "Your pass and documents, please." " Here you are." " Purpose of arrival?" "Everything's written there:" "visiting relatives." "Are those sleeping bags?" "What for?" "Isn't it allowed?" "We don't know where we'll be able to sleep." "To stop or turn off the road is forbidden." "Yes, I know that." "Good bye." "Turn right after four kilometres." "A radioactive hazard sign." "Here it is." "The sign." "So, five hundred metres from here is a left turn." "Then three kilometres further." " Are we being trailed?" " Maybe not." "Wife?" "She's his daughter." "You go to bathhouse first." "We'll follow." "How's Mikhail?" "Well, what about him?" "Does he intend to pay us a visit?" " Beautiful." " After father." "He said he'd drive by in spring." "Put down the canister." "Do your clients give you the cars?" "They leave them." "I need a car." "You can't get through with a car." "Times are not right." "I won't make it in time without a car." "We only have three days." "Do as you like." "You won't get through in a car." "If you do take one into the Zone..." "there are clean, little cars these days." "If you want, you can find them." "I'll sketch a map." " How old are you?" " Fifteen." " Your father is okay." " There are many like that, these days." " Like what?" " Doberman pinchers." " What do you mean?" " Ah, nonsense." "First passage is here, near the cliffs." "You can get a car at the motorboat base." "I'll tell you where to get gasoline." "You can get a car there as well as gas." "I'll expect you in three days." "Here, by the pier." "Where's Ivan?" "Keep quiet." "What's your name?" "Understand, there's a strong undertow." "The motor is weak." "Then go this way, it will be less walking for me." "We'll meet there." "That suits me fine." "Cheers." "Let's do it." "I've seen this bottle before." "I remember now." "I took one exactly like this." "I picked up one in the port, a little one, she was called..." "Hoa, that means "river" in our tongue." "Woke up in the morning..." "No bottle, no Hoa." "Ivan!" "Stop!" "Ivan, stop!" "Turn around!" "Ivan, come back!" "Damn you..." "Ivan!" "Now I get it..." "Why you've come." "It's hereditary?" " What?" " This illness." "Don't worry, it's not hereditary." "See, I thought I could let you go." "Yeah, I thought it." " I wish you luck!" " I'll wait for you..." "In three days on the railroad near the pier." "Dear God!" "Damn!" "Hello." "It's you who have gasoline?" "I... can... offer... this as a price." "No?" "Then, perhaps..." "This?" "Here you go." "More?" "Here." "Take it." "Is that enough?" "Take this." "Thank you." "Here's the sign." "That means the river is three hundred metres ahead." "We've arrived." " Well then?" " Let's go." "Where did this city really go?" "Disappear to?" "It sank." "It was drowned for all its sins." "Worms dug at it from beneath." "And only the water reads these writings now, washing it all away." "Devils." "We're looking for Shurich." "Her relatives lived here." "So, do you know Shurich?" "Excuse me, we must find Shurich." "If you know her relatives." "Help us to find her." "Shurich." "Do you know?" "Hell!" "We're in a hurry." "Excuse me, we're in a great hurry!" "If you know where she is, take us to her" "So will you take us or not?" "Get out quick." "Get out." " Wait!" "What's your name?" " Mine?" "Gleb." " Anton." "Alyona." " Let's go." "What d'you mean?" "D'you know where we must go?" "No." "It's simply too dangerous here." "We need Shurich." "We're looking for her." "She lives around here." " Shurich." "You go to meet her?" " Yes." "Yes." "We really need her." "She's a healer." "Her special charms." "Here's her photo." " But this isn't Shurich." " How come, not Shurich?" "Here's another photo of her." "Look." "It was taken three years ago, though." "Here's her house." "Here's the photo." "No." "She doesn't live there." " Do people live here?" " They do." "Kosoy lived here." "Then Shurich, mother of Snezhana." "Snezhana at first lived..." "Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob..." "Evangelist!" "You are simply being asked who lives here now... and who lived here three years ago." "Snezhka." "Is that her?" " That is Shurich, Yelena Mikhaylovna." " Do you know her?" "No?" "You didn't mention her name, yet he even knew her patronym." "It's written in the book." "By the way, this guy knows Swedish." "Listen!" "Can you lead us to this Snezhana or Shurich?" "Here!" "Let's get moving." "I hope everything is fine with her head..." "Gleb!" "Has Snezhana got all her senses?" "Is she alright in the head?" "Her head?" "Everything's fine." "Faster!" " Gleb, what's this?" " You mustn't stop here." "Gleb, d'you sense radiation?" " Radiation?" "I sense it." "I can see it." " Sure." "He sees it and I sense it." "If you fill me with pastry, you could bake a cake." "Shut up and get a move on." "Faster?" "How can one go faster?" "The one who flees, falls down." "The one who crawls, won't fall." "Interesting..." " Gleb!" " Yes?" " Is it possible to eat these crayfish?" " It's possible." "You can be eaten." "We can be eaten, too." " Interesting: do they like to eat us?" " No." "They simply purge their world." "Purge world..." "Their world." "Purge from us." "Good morning." " It's broken?" " God forbid." "Where's Gleb?" " I don't know." " He's run away." "He broke the counter and ran after mutants." "The mutants will catch us." "And throw us to the crayfish." "The crayfish will grow fat." "The mutants will eat them with cold beer." "Why are you standing?" "You're very nosy?" "Get out of here!" " Thanks." "I don't eat it raw." " Me too." "You're healthy ad absurdum." " Natural man." "Candide." " What?" " Don't you have... nudists?" " Haven't heard of them." "I thought not." "Throw me your stick!" "Go on!" "Hit!" "Hold yourself!" " Are these bilberries edible?" " They are." "Who would've thought." "Fresh bilberries, winter, abroad..." "Wait for me here." "Is this the exact right place?" "Yes." "Only the woman you're looking for doesn't live here." "Hello." "Hello." "Are you Snezhana?" " Here." " I don't know her." " But this is this house?" " Yes, that's my house." " And Shurich?" " I don't know her." "Has this man been here?" "No." "And this one hasn't?" "No." "To hell with it!" "Sons of bitches!" "Damn writers!" "They've made everything up!" "The Zone." "An old woman and her house." "Slaves of the machines!" "Already..." "You perhaps..." " You can heal, Right?" " Some small things, but serious..." "Who told you that it was serious?" "You guessed yourself?" "Therefore, you can." "I knew it." "Otherwise..." "I'd lose hope." " Wait." "You didn't understand anything." " I understood everything." "Look at her." "Look." " If you want, I'll pay you." " We will look at her." " Why should they look at me?" " It has to be so, Alyona." "That's like showing me to a plumber in a hospital." "Would you do that?" "What are they?" "Can you heal?" "You see?" "They don't know how to heal." "They can charm away warts, put plantain on wounds." "But when you're ill.." "they sit in steam houses and drink tea with raspberries." "Alright." "Forgive me." "OK." "I would have stepped in earlier, but was curious how you would pay them." "Why is it always like this with us?" "When you're twenty you're a prophet, when you're forty you begin to think..." "Why are you sitting there?" "Is Khromoy a master?" " Master, as well." " Does he know how to heal?" "Sure, he knows." "He knows so much he doesn't write books anymore." "I don't understand." "Why doesn't he write?" "Books are said words, but words are said by those who know." "But those who know don't keep words in books." "Nonsense." "So, Khromoy is the smartest of you?" "And he lives in the city?" "For some reason all of you live in the city." "They live there because it's possible to know the world without leaving your home" " What's there?" " Throw a stone there, please." " What for?" " Throw it, please." "Stop!" "I'm I talking to you, Stop!" " Funny boy you have." " He's not mine, he's Gleb's." " I thought he was yours." "I'll have one, I'm still young." " How old are you?" " I'll be twenty in the summer." "In summer." "That's interesting." "What have you got now?" "Summer means bananas grow on fir trees and pineapples ripen in moss." "Who owns this?" "Gleb does." "What is he to you?" "Husband?" "Lover?" "Friend?" "He's Gleb to me." "Understand?" "What are you doing here?" "Escaping from the world, aren't you?" "Why are you so angry?" " I'm sick of your rural idyll." " Then why did you come here?" "Why?" "Do you want to know?" "I don't believe in you." "Your powers are meant for people like my father." "I think you just do it for the money." "You're tired." "I might say many stupid things but I want to say what I think of you." "You've spouted that shit for so long that you've started to believe it." "I say this to you so you won't have any illusions about me." "I don't." "By the way, do your hens lay cubic eggs?" " Why would we need them?" " I haven't seen any." "Don't be afraid, I only wanted to talk to you." "Listen, we can't actually help you." "We're people like anyone else." "And what's written in your book is make-believe." " I don't know how to ask you..." " I can't help you." "Can't or don't want to?" "You're a mother." "Please help me." "I'll accept anything." "Don't be foolish." "You said "foolish"?" "Is the life of my child foolish?" "I'll do something foolish, only you'll do something even more so." "I will kill your son." "Do you hear me?" "I will kill him!" "It's not sunstroke." "You're already forty." "You must watch your health at your age." "But you still run around like a kid." "You knocked back two glasses yesterday and thought it wouldn't affect you." "That it wouldn't do any harm..." "it's frightening to look at you." "Don't try to be like Uncle Misha who at least plays sport." "Always your uncle Misha." "You are more and more like your mother." "We separated when our conversations got more quantitative than qualitative." "Like the quarrels you hear in trams." "Well, attaboy." "Otherwise you'd get totally grumpy." "Well?" "Interesting?" "One more time... for me." "Good boy." "Talent." "Look, can you do this?" "Can you do it?" "Go on, turn it over so it doesn't drop." "Oh, you..." "Flora is older than the animal kingdom, and both much older than man." "We've aspired to extend our lifespan whilst treating the world so poorly using up so many resources and trying to adapt to nature without really understanding and knowing it." " I'd say without trying to understand it." " Yes." "And that's what has happened here, I mean, your world, Gleb, that's very characteristic." "Our definition of intellect is limited." "Man is always the point of reference." " Why man?" " Well, man is the crown of nature." "No..." "Why?" "What particularly singles out man?" "Goodness, love, religion." "All of them are human qualities." "This is our system of evaluation." "Perhaps everything is different for them" " For what?" " For trees, grass..." "We humanize nature." "We judge it according to our concepts without thinking that perhaps we are something ephemeral, unnecessary to this world." "I propose a new name." "Homo finitus." "Even smarter." "Homo finalis." "Anyway, you made me lose my train of thought..." "Don't fuss like a little kid." "You read it somewhere and then convinced yourself that you invented it." " Where could I read this?" " I don't know." ""Young Naturalist", "Pioneer Truth"." "Whatever you subscribe for me." " Well, what will the square root be?" " 888,5." "Correct." " And if you multiply?" " Zero." " How do you do this?" " I'm not doing it." " What then?" " Simple." "I simply want it." "Where does the doctor live?" "Why do I want a doctor?" "What if you fall ill?" "Someone must treat you." "Why should I fall ill if it's not necessary?" "Hold this." "Why?" "That's a stupid question." "People fall ill for all sorts of reasons" "Is that clear?" " Where does Khromoy live?" " There, in the city." "In the city..." "Here!" "Here!" "Come here!" "Here they are." "Oh... so they eat this filth." "How much Roentgen is there?" "They've been cleaning up here since last year." "You do as you wish, but I can't." "What's wrong?" "It's natural." "I need a doctor..." "I need a doctor." "You can remain sitting." "I understand it's hard for you..." "Signal from sector five, as suspected." "We have two casualties, one of which is hopeless." "Trap 4 was triggered." "Weapons remain on site." "Again..." "Where's Gleb?" "Shooting?" "There?" "Keep silent." "You don't understand anything," "Here." "You brought them here." "Nonsense." "What's that?" "A transmitter." "Measuring radiation you turned on the transmitter." "So they came." "Snezhana, have you seen my book?" "It's impossible." "I brought it over the counter in an ordinary shop," "I was one of thousands of customers." "It could have been planted outside the shop." "Oh, here it is." "What?" "Do you think we were sent here?" "I don't know." "What do you mean - you don't know?" "So you suspected us from the very beginning?" "I came here for the sake of my daughter." "I don't understand a thing!" "This is just stupid!" "She doesn't care about that." "This has happened and we are to blame." "No!" "This is very important!" "I don't want us to be considered enemies here." "Better pack your things." "They'll soon be here." "Where did the toys go?" "Just a moment, Snezhka." "Well... but you're clear." "Dogs?" "They don't have any dogs." "They'll get us even without dogs." "We've left such a trail only fool wouldn't see it." "Let's go." "They're near." "Wait." "Wait!" "This is madness." "We're getting lost in here." "It's useless." "Listen, people are expecting us, to fetch us out of the Zone." "That's our only chance to save ourselves." "Do you understand?" "Wait." "If you don't care about yourself, at least think about the boy." "Alright." "Turn back." "It's too hot for you here." "Hot?" "I feel it even without the counter." "My skin is burning." "You walk all over the Zone." "A nuclear tan suits you." "They don't need us." "But why are they hunting you?" " Is that what they want?" " Is it your organs they're after?" " Is that what it is?" " Don't talk such nonsense." "As you wish..." "Snezhana, wait." "Take it, it will come handy." "Where is he?" "I don't understand what use it was." "To you?" "To me?" "I don't need this." "Why did you drag me there?" "Do you understand I don't need anything anymore?" "That's it." "It's all over." "We're already there." "There." "It doesn't matter how we've got here..." "What's the difference?" "One moment..." "The trace is hot." "Easy to see." "They passed through the dirtiest places." "They won't last long." "Are they headed for the sea?" "Yes, most likely." "Keep in contact." "Let them get close the shore if they have a boat." "Wait." " Well?" " It's ok." " Unusually clean." " She's not from the Zone." "Also clean." "And how about here?" "Alyona?" "Where are the mutants?" "Where are they?" "So you can do it." "Damn it!" "You can." "I knew it." "I can't do anything." "I simply ease the pain, that's all." "I can't cure." "I don't know anything." "No, you can do it, after all." "You can, but you don't want to!" "Understand, I just eased the pain, that's all." "They must have a boat." "Get up!" "Show us where the boat is and you'll live." "Let's go." "Animals!" "Dear God." "What brutes!" "Bastards!" " Where's the boat?" " The boat is there." "Hold it." "Keep watch on him." "You..." "Gleb... right?" "Don't, Alyona, don't." "Burn the sack." "Go to the shore!" "The car is here." "Snezhka, don't drag me." "I'm tangled up." "We're here." "Can't see a damn thing." " What are you called?" " Anton." "No, what did your mom call you?" "Toshka." "Then, I'll call you..." "Aren't you afraid to bring us into the world?" "What are we?" "Perhaps we're bringing evil." "Vengeance for violating our home." "You could be bringing unhappiness with us." "Illness and suffering." "It wasn't for nothing the world separated from us." "She was told:" "Don't do harm to grass, or trees or any green plant." "Just harm people." "Who doesn't know how to." "I'm not afraid." "Is it time?" "I want to eat." " Well?" " Clean." "What's there?" "Iviy!" "Some kind of rug." "Have you seen the doctor anywhere?" "Number One, Seven calling!" " attempting to leave the Zone..." " Where's the doctor?" "License plate..." "Klimenkov, look, what's the license plate." "Wait." "No, I don't know her." "She's probably from the Zone." "Sure thing, from the Zone." "Maybe not..." "No, I don't know." "Shit." "To hell with it." "Shit!" "The motherfucker won't burn." "Why are you whining?" "Don't cry." "You're a man!" "You won't cry?" "You're freezing?" "Hug me."