"MY JOY" "How to atone for mothers' tears?" "We will not return here any more" "So many of us fell in this long campaign" "Our work remains unfinished, but..." "We are going away, going..." "Farewell, mountains, you know best" "What price we paid here" "What enemy we didn't conquer" "What friends we lost here" "Friend, empty the bottle into three glasses" "That's how many survived of our brave unit" "A third toast, even the wind falls silent on the slopes" "We are going away, going..." "Farewell mountains, you know best" "What we had, what we gave away" "Our hopes and our sorrows..." "Sergeant Zhitsov, Road Traffic Patrol." "Your documents." "Got a full load?" "Yes." "What are you carrying?" "Read. lt's all written there." "This is the end of the line for you." "You can't even guess?" "How am I to guess when you talk in riddles?" "You hear that, Sergeant?" "Doesn't have a clue." "The sergeant's smart, he can guess... but can't give." "And you can give, but can't guess." "It's so unfair!" "And who might you be?" "What did they want?" "A woman." "Who are you?" "I think we should go before they notice you're gone." "Don't be afraid." "Take your seat." "You're giving me a lift." "Maybe I'll tell you a story on the road." "Yes?" "Mmh." "Why so quiet?" "What, you really wanted a story?" "I thought you were just saying that." "You're confused, old man." "Or haven't you made up a story yet?" "See this?" "It's all that remains." "It was long ago." "Right after the war ended." "I was a young lieutenant." "I made it to Berlin." "I then served another year there, and was on my way back home." "I remember there was a railway junction." "It was already on our territory, in our homeland, you could say." "I had to wait for a train there." "Your documents." "Your documents." "Comrade Lieutenant, your documents." "Are those your things?" "They are." "Comrade Lieutenant, perhaps you'll come along with us." "is something wrong?" "No, everything is in order." "It's just that our place is nicer." "Have a hot tea or something stronger, if you like." "Take the things." "This way, please." "You've got a girlfriend waiting?" "A bride." "What's your bride's name?" "Maria..." "Marieka..." "She's a beauty from the next village." "You bringing her something?" "There's tons of good stuff in Germany." "I'm not a specialist in such matters." "Our general was sending off loads of stuff." "Not just furniture." "Clothes, paintings, statues..." "He raked it in." "And me, I just have a dress for my bride." "A pretty one." "In red." "She'll put on the dress, and I'll be able to spot her from the other end of the village." "Yes..." "Well, show me your trophies." "Come on." "Well?" "Like it?" "It's beautiful." "And what's that?" "This?" "It's a camera." "I decided to take up photography." ""Leica."" "It's a good one." "Good..." "They know howto make them, those devils." "And what do you need that for?" "For digging in the kitchen garden." "It's good quality cloth." "Show me..." "How do I look?" "It suits you." "You look like a real German." "Easy now..." "Make way!" "Comrade Lieutenant, your documents." "Comrade Commandant, didn't we just..." "Comrade Lieutenant, your documents!" "Are you still asleep?" "Your documents." "I have to arrest you." "On what grounds?" "Your documents look suspicious to me." "You have no right." "I do, until we verify your identity." "You'll do a couple of weeks." "We've got a good prison left over from the Germans." "What do you want from me?" "We don't have a left-luggage room yet." "Your things will get lost." "Well?" "Or would you rather return to your bride?" "My documents." "Take it." "Be careful, Lieutenant." "There's a lot of theft on the trains." "What about your bride?" "Did you meet her?" "Listen, what's your name?" "Georgy." "You see, you have a name." "But I lost my name there." "And my bride too." "Since then I've lived without a name." "Get it?" "NO PETROL -l need diesel." "NO diesel" "Old man!" "Old man!" "Been parked here long?" "What?" "Do you know what happened up there?" "Think you're special?" "Go and wait like everyone else." "He's in a rush, the arsehole!" "Want some fun?" "How old are you?" "Eighteen." "Eighteen?" "Why aren't you in school?" "It's vacation." "Right, vacation." "What's happened up there?" "An accident." "They often happen here." "The police haven't got here yet." "I see." "Hey, Tricks!" "Come here." "The girl's with me!" "Chill out, wise guy." "But no fantasies." "What's that?" "Only the classics, nothing perverted." "Oh, I see." "Want something to eat?" "To eat?" "To eat." "The classics:" "Coffee and sandwiches." "All right." "It's going to take a while." "A truck rolled over." "They're still tidying up." "is there another way around?" "There's a dirt track, but it's a long one." "And the way is rotten." "You mean swamps?" "No, the swamps were drained long ago." "Grandma said it's cursed." "And here isn't cursed?" "I don't know." "Your girlfriends?" "There's no friendship here." "Can I smoke?" "Smoke away." "Do you live with your grandma?" "My grandma died a long time ago." "You live by yourself?" "Are you trying to invite yourself round?" "No, I'm just asking." "I live with my Mama." "And what does your mama do?" "Nothing." "What do you mean, nothing?" "I mean, nothing." "Are we going to keep talking or get going?" "We can go to the woods." "It's full of condoms there." "Do you have one, or will you need mine?" "Are you going to have more coffee?" "Then show me... where we're going." "Beginner's luck." "And the guy looks okay." "You know, I got such a freak yesterday." "First he was fixing his car and then he got on top of me all covered in diesel." "I told him to go and wash, but he said he hadn't the time and was late already." "Afterwards I had to get rid of the diesel with wipes." "You know these wipes with alcohol." "They're good." "I need to buy more." "I wasted all of them on that freak." "And what's her name?" "Who?" "The new girl." "l don't know." "Hey, girls, how about it?" "Man enough for two?" "We need to turn up there." "Hey, you missed the turn!" "Are you trying to come over, after all?" "is this your village?" "Yeah, but it's a town." "Listen, I don't bring men home." "Anyways it's better in the woods." "The birds sing there." "is he gone?" "Yes." "Who is he?" "Uncle Kolya. I'm afraid of him." "is it okay if I sit like this?" "lt's okay." "Where can I find a shop?" "Keep going straight." "There's a market on the square." "Turn here." "Buy some food." "Should I buy vodka?" "Buy food, go home and feed your mama." "Are you stupid or something?" "So you're noble?" "Decided to give me a ride?" "Took pity on the girl?" "How compassionate!" "Maybe you'll support me?" "Look at yourself!" "I've seen men like you before." "Maybe you'll come tomorrow, too, and give me some more money?" "Choke on your money!" "I'll earn my own." "With this!" "I don't need your pity or your hand-outs." "Are you an idiot?" "Give me some money!" "Maybe you were hearing things." "No, I wasn't." "I definitely heard a motor being turned off." "And Mute twitched." "And where is he?" "There, dragging his ass." "Hey, cripple, you tagged along so don't fall behind." "What do you need him for?" "First, a spare pair of hands never hurts." "What if there's too much for the two of us to carry?" "And second, unlike you, he can't tell anybody." "Are you nuts or something?" "I was speaking theoretically." "And you get all excited..." "Watch it, you theorist." "What are you staring at?" "Let's go!" "What's going on?" "Looks like he's asleep." "It smells of something burning." "That means he won't be going anywhere." "Fine, on we go." "Just be quiet." "Hey, guys, what are you doing?" "Let it bake a bit longer..." "What bad luck." "Just our damn luck:" "If luck comes and you let it pass, you'll be left to scratch your arse." "You'll be the one to scratch." "First I need a pick-me-up." "When you're laid out, you'll need a pick-me-up." "Hey, hold your horses." "What's there to wait for?" "Wait and see." "Hey, give me that stick." "Why do you need it?" "Let it lie here." "What?" "Listen, don't be angry." "The devil took us. lt happens." "We saw a car in the field." "It looked abandoned." "So we decided to have a look." "We just didn't notice you." "Well, what do you need now?" "Nothing." "Come and sit with us." "It's warm over there, and the potatoes are ready." "Otherwise it's an unhappy situation." "We'll feel guilty." "Come on, okay?" "He's been mute since childhood." "He's a bit stupid." "People say his dad was killed and something snapped inside him." "But who knows?" "Leave him be." "A lot of things happened here." "Who's to say?" "No." "Why not?" "I'm driving, right?" "Come off it!" "Cops never come round here." "I won't drink." "Well, it's your business." "Mute doesn't drink, either." "When he does he really goes crazy." "Listen, since you're not drinking, maybe you have some salt?" "We dug out some potatoes, but salt doesn't grow here." "No, guys, I don't have salt." "That's just the way it is." "They'll do, anyway." "Where does this road lead?" "What road?" "The one somewhere here." "Through the woods." "I came out of the woods and lost my way." "It's not a road, it's a direction." "A direction leading where?" "Nowhere." "What do you mean, nowhere?" "Like I say, nowhere." "It's a dead-end, an accursed dead-end." "But it must lead somewhere." "It leads right to there." "All right." "If I need to get out of here... I go back through the woods." "Then there's a village and a fork in the road." "Where do I go from there?" "I don't understand you." "Draw a picture, why don't you?" "Guys..." "Here is the field." "And here... is the car." "These are the woods." "Here's the road through the woods to the village." "The fork in the road is here." "Holy shit!" "You cunt." "Move him aside." "Come on." "Fuck, it's flour." "What were you expecting, gold?" "Shut up, you idiot." "What about Mute?" "He'll be fine." "He'll get back on his own." "We bothered that guy for nothing." "Who's there?" "Friends." "Can we come in?" "We need to stay the night." "That's understood." "Where can you go when night's falling?" "Do you have Polizei here?" "No." "They haven't made it here." "We don't even have a warden." "We thrive untended, like the grass." "You'll be hungry." "Go ahead, eat." "You haven't eaten in a while?" "Quite a while." "Here, I have some honey, too." "It's good with bread." "Honey, that's good." "Why do you live alone?" "There's the two of us, my son, Grishuta and me." "And where's your wife?" "She died." "Our Mama died." "Her heart gave out." "It was hard." "You can imagine." "I brought her here." "I thought I could save her, but she couldn't take it." "Her heart... gave out." "Have you come from far away?" "From the very border." "We've been walking since the war started." "We barely had time to fight." "We were at the rear from the start." "There are lots of you." "They've been passing all summer." "And why aren't you in the army?" "Or are you back already?" "I'm a teacher." "And I have weak eyes." "I'm not fit for the army." "I taught children to love." "But to kill..." "I somehowjust can't kill." "But what if an enemy attacked you?" "I can't kill and I won't." "I need to raise Grishuta." "To get him on his feet." "When everything settles down, rulership is established and schools are opened, I'll teach children again." "Wait away, they'll open your schools for you." "Why not?" "The Germans are a cultured nation." "They believe in God." "They'll open schools, establish civilized existence." "So what is it you're proposing?" "Everyone should just go home?" "It's up to you." "War naturally makes everyone pay." "But what price is for each to decide." "All right." "We need to be up early tomorrow." "Where should we lie down?" "Let's go." "They say nice people used to live here." "Now it's nothing but riff-raff." "Does he get up?" "He does." "is he walking?" "He is." "Then why is he lying down?" "He's tired." "Maybe you need a coffin?" "I don't." "Think he'll make it?" "We'll nurse him back." "If you need it, tell me." "There's an old man who makes coffins." "He fixes them fast." "He's barely alive himself." "Maybe you'll order one before he dies." "What about a drink?" "Your stove is smoking." "It needs rebuilding." "Then again, the fuck with it." "My sister and I sold our apartment, gave the money to a rest home." "But when we got there, there was no rest home, nothing." "We came back to no apartment and no buyer." "Nobody." "A nice person said:" ""Leave here, grandmothers, or you'll get killed."" "Why is your dog so evil tempered?" "Watch out or I'll shoot it." "Did you come to tease my dog?" "This car is being looked for." "As is that passenger of yours." "I should turn you in, actually." "Look, I have handcuffs." "Want to take a ride?" "All right, I'll have time to play with you later." "I'll send guys for the car, but get rid of your passenger." "Get it?" "Or shall we go for that ride?" "Fine, you're free for now." "But I'm shooting your f-ing dog." "Get out of here!" "Come with me, we need to talk." "Who are you?" "I'm asking you, you scum, who you are." "Don't show your face around here again." "How's your eye?" "All right." "Did the wild man calm down?" "He seems calm enough." "His woman came around." "I know." "So what?" "Let him do some time." "I brought you a client." "He's interested in erotica." "We need to contact the loony-bin, ask if someone's escaped, because he's a bit strange." "Your surname?" "Your surname?" "You see?" "Do the paperwork." "What the hell do you want him for?" "is he violent?" "Who the hell knows if he's violent orjust faking?" "Let him keep you company." "I can see you're bored here by yourself." "It's so I can saw it out later." "There you go." "You can form a club." "Get lost!" "Hey, let me saw her for you." "Your old lady will make you sore enough." "I'm here, in the hole." "Who are you?" "Why don't you answer?" "What are you, a tramp?" "is my woman out there somewhere?" "Hey, did you see my woman?" "Arsehole." "If you sit quiet, I'll let you out." "You bastard!" "Come here, you scum!" "Come here!" "You're hiding behind your uniform, you louse!" "You've been chicken-shit as long as I've known you." "You only sneak up from behind!" "Scared?" "Come here!" "Come here, you scum!" "Come here!" "Are you coming out?" "Come on, quick." "The bastard's been working out." "Took me three goes to knock him out." "Let's go." "Hello." "No." "He's resting." "What, you don't recognize me?" "Then don't fucking call at night!" "Freedom, all right!" "Or don't you give a shit?" "Whatever, I don't have time." "Got to get a move on." "Put it back." "So we're even then, right?" "Will you give us a lift?" "To the turn and no further." "Don't offend the master." "What are you doing in the dark?" "You need to heat the stove or you'll fucking freeze." "Get the hell out of here." "Get the hell out of here, I say!" "Get the fuck out!" "Get out, I said!" "You'll freeze to death, you fool." "Come on, get up." "Come on, Son." "Come on." "People are just like little children." "Stop!" "Giddy-up!" "I put all of them, every single one of them, into a mass grave." "Not one of those sons of bitches managed to avoid my just bullet." "Comrade General!" "For the fatherland, for world peace, I laid the bastards head to head, hole to hole, as if strung together on a single thread." "Your order has been carried out!" "The bastards will lie in the ground, the children will smile, and stars will glow in the sky." "A mass grave is a peaceful grave, Comrade General." "Trails, trails... I killed those trails and they vanished into thin air." "Comrade General, slain trails have been added to the mass grave." "The mass grave of slain trails, Comrade General." "Our victory erased all trails." "Dead men keep silent with trails of their lips." "Dead men join us in the fight for peace on earth, Comrade General." "Stop!" "Easy, old man!" "Mister!" "Where does this road go?" "He almost killed me, that freak." "You knowwhat I think, Bro?" "There's nothing we can fucking do here. lt's dead." "This boy is dead." "No one needs him." "He has to be buried." "He stinks." "It's your decision." "You're my superior, but how much longer are we going to drag him around?" "They keep sending us on and on." "If we need fake documents, that's easy." "It's your decision, you rank higher, but there's no fucking reason to hang round here." "And we'll drink to him as to one of our own." "What you say is sound, but I'll answer for it." "What if no one's there?" "What if everyone died while he was biting the dust?" "We'll keep going till the locals kill us." "All right, all right." "We'll see." "Pull over, I need to freshen up." "There!" "What?" "A hanged man!" "You're hallucinating!" "This shit is going to do for us!" "We give up at the next village." "Go crazy if you want, I'm through." "He was there." "I get it, I get it." "All of it." "Open the door, you bastard, or we smash it down!" "Who's there?" "Identification check." "What do you want, Lad?" "It's a population survey." "is he with you, the guy hiding by the wall?" "He's with me." "And what do you need, Lads?" "We're taking a population count." "What population?" "Grandpa, give us some milk." "Why didn't you say so?" "So you're thirsty." "And the guy who's hiding, do I give him milk, too?" "It looks like there's meat." "Maybe we should eat here." "It was him." "Who?" "The hanged man." "I see." "Hang in there, Bro." "I'll deal with this." "Get up." "I might need a hand." "Try it, Lad. lt's fresh." "It's him." "What did the guy who's not drinking say?" "Everything's fine, Grandpa." "He's recounting his dreams." "What's this?" "What's what, Lad?" "This." "I'm asking you, what is it?" "Anything's possible, Lad." "You know yourself these are troubled times." "What was it, you say, brought you this way?" "Grandpa, I need your signature on a piece of paper." "Why do you need my mark on your scrap of paper?" "The thing is, I need to leave a corpse here." "You mean his?" "No, not his." "It's in the car, in a zinc coffin." "He was a good guy, fought his battles." "We can't find his mama anywhere." "Not here." "Not there." "Nobody knows shit." "And that one's losing it." "He's hallucinating." "I should get him away, but I have my orders." "Take him as a grandson." "He was a good guy." "I swear on my mother." "He's in zinc, you said." "lt's a good, non-ferrous metal." "But it won't keep you warm." "Does the boy have an overcoat?" "Grandpa, that's thieving." "It's up to you." "You had your drink and I need to feed the animals." "Will the officer's do?" "I saw you have a gun, too." "A gun's off-limits." "Don't get greedy, Grandpa." "All right, bring me the officer's coat." "Lodge your buddy next door." "Over there." "I'll make my mark." "I'll even make two of them." "You're not a talkative guy, are you?" "You tired?" "Just tired, or tired of life?" "Why blame it on life?" "Ajob you love, a girl, a little money." "What else do you need to be happy?" "I'll tell you one thing:" "The main thing is not meddling." "Never meddle." "If they don't ask you, then, fuck it, don't meddle." "Get me?" "Everything bad comes from people meddling." "They don't like this, don't like that, so they fucking meddle." "Right?" "You probably meddled, too!" "Now you can face the music!" "It's an art, understanding when to meddle and when not to." "It's a talent worth having." "If you shouldn't meddle, don't." "Am I right?" "Keep cool." "Keep cool, Beardy." "Maybe you can straighten things out." "It'll be a lesson to you." "I tell everybody, don't fucking meddle!" "If they don't ask you to, don't move a muscle." "It's safer." "Right?" "If you're stealing, steal!" "But don't fucking meddle." "Steal, but steal quietly." "Those bastards can do as they like and we have to live like shit?" "Fuck that!" "I knowthey don't say to you, go thieving, but they let you know:" "steal but don't get greedy." "Take what you need and don't meddle." "Am I right?" "Time to fill up." "Sergeant Zhitsov, Road Traffic Patrol." "Your documents." "What's with your headlight?" "It burned out." "And your roadworthiness certificate went with it?" "Don't you know the situation here these days?" "Your headlight is burnt out." "Let's go." "Where to?" "Where to?" "To check." "Check what?" "I'm a policeman myself." "Then why the fucking around?" "If you're asked for documents, give them." "Let's go." "A burned-out headlight!" "Listen, there's something wrong with one cop writing up another." "Maybe we can find some solution?" "What's wrong with it?" "We'll draw up a report now." "Maybe we can reach an agreement..." "Sergeant?" "So, you're a commissioner." "A fucking major." "And from Moscow, too." "Be quiet, Sergeant!" "How dare you, fuck it!" "There's a policeman in front of you." "A major, fuck it." "A major, fuck it." "Let's see what kind of major you are." "Your surname, Sergeant!" "l don't have to give it." "Then back the fuck off." "The major from Moscow here just crossed the line." "He's acting tough, cursing, grabbed his papers, demanding his rights." "We'll put him in cuffs now and take him away." "What are you doing?" "Shut your mouth." "One more move and I shoot you." "You've got a feisty woman." "She must be a good fuck." "I demand you call the on-duty commander." "Maybe we should call you a lawyer, you louse." ""At a document check, he resisted Road Traffic Patrol Sergeant so-and-so." "Witnesses: ..."" "I demand you call the on-duty commander." "Hang on." "Don't say a word," "Papa's going to buy you a mocking bird." "A major, fuck it." "From Moscow, fuck it." "Lady, that could be dangerous." "It's not going to work." "Documents." "Both of you follow me." "In we go." "Witnesses." "Look over here." "Move over here." "You wet yourself?" "What are you transporting?" "Nothing. lt's empty." "Why's it empty?" "I already unloaded." "What were you carrying?" "Baby food." "Where from?" "From Dyatkovo." "Where to?" "Smolensk." "Whose vehicle is it?" "What?" "Whose vehicle is it?" "Mine." "Help me." "Look over here!" "Been drinking?" "No." "Then why are your plates dirty?" "I'll clean them." "All right." "You'll sign a paper now and be on your way." "Listen here." "Come closer." ""During a document check," "Vladislav Ivanov resisted Road Traffic Patrol Sergeant so-and-so."" "Your signature." "Guys, listen." "I showed my papers but they abused me." "Shut up." "When I took my papers, they beat me." "Shut up!" "I'm a policeman too, a major, and they beat me!" "Come on guys, what are you doing?" "You want some too?" "We can give you the full tour." "Sign!" "Guys, don't do it!" "If they treat me like this, what will they do to you?" "Shut it, you bastard!" "Stop!" "Well?" "Sign!" "Sign it, bitch." "And now you." "Surname!" "Guys!" "Guys!" "No!" "Don't do it!" "Don't..." "They're killing him!" "Surname." "Don't do it!" "Sign it, you idiot!" "No, stop it..." "Come and sign!" "They're killing him!" "He's sick!" "Get out of here, bitch!" "Get off!" "Right you bastards." "No!"