Strangely

It’s a very strange story about boy Tony and it’s my first job in a foreign language. As rich as Russian is, English is so poor, but there are some charm and precision. Nice reading!

This story is very strange. How did it start? Tony sat at the table and slowly ate pancakes with orange juice. His younger sister passionately watered a mountain of pancakes with a thick layer of syrup. Mom and dad talked at ease about something, sometimes looking at their son. «How are you doing?» Dad asked. Tony chewed pancakes and started telling. Suddenly tears flowed out of his eyes. So strange.

«Is everything exactly okay?» asked his mother, seeing the boy off to school. «Yes, it’s just allergies!» exclaimed the boy. He wiped his eyes again. Strange.

The boy quickly pedaled on his bike. He stopped by John’s on the way. The guys were driving fast trying to overtake each other. The empty streets of the morning city are filled with only smooth, long rows of cars.

Soon Tony and John get tired, slowing down. They start some kind of conversation. Strangely, when they drive up to the gates of the school, Tony can’t remember a single word from the dialogue.

Lessons are ending up quickly and imperceptibly, except for all the time of current tears. The boy answers his classmates’ questions simply: «allergies». He doesn’t know what happened himself.

For some reason, he thinks about mom and dad. What are they doing now? Mom cleans the house — she always does it on Fridays. Meanwhile, Dad teaches a history lesson in high school. Sister Marie sat down with the book again. She loves science fiction. Strange, Tony can’t remember the color of theirs eyes and hairstyle.

Tony grabs backpack and John, running out immediately after the call. «Do you want to play?» John asks. Tony nods to him and goes to the stadium. Strange, but after the game he can’t remember the announced score.

A couple of hours later, Tony slowly walks through the sleepy streets with his dog. Strange, but he can’t remember the name of his dog.

He’s coming home. Things don’t stand in the hallway like in the morning. The wallpaper is more blue than yesterday. Mom is calling him to the table. Tony moves the chair, sat down and lays out the spoons and forks.

Mom carefully pours orange juice into the carafe. Strange, but it doesn’t look like dinner. Strange, but Tony is sure it’s breakfast. Strange, Tony can’t remember his family’s faces, even looking at them. It’s like they change every second. Mom asks if he’s cold. Tony shakes his head negatively. He wipes tears. Hot tears. Dad says, «Cold? It’s hot here, like in hell!»

Tony wakes up in the cold walls of a cold apartment. He wraps himself in a cold blanket, hiding with his head. He looks out the window, looking at the scarlet dawn in the blue sky and peering at the smooth mirror inscription on the entrance gate. «Children’s Mental Hospital No. 3.»

Tony erases tears and leans back on the bed. He remembers that there was no dinner that evening. It’s been three years since that fire, but he definitely remembers. «Strange, the walls were of a different color yesterday,» he whispers, falling asleep again. Strange, but he doesn’t know who he’ll be when he wake up.