“Afanasiev?” he asked, looking at Afanasiev. “Come outside.”
The Chekist rang again, very pleased that he had immediately found a person and didn’t need to pull him outside by the leg.
“Oh, they’re calling me to my lesson,” Afanasiev said, turning to Artiom, not so much joking as trying to raise his own spirits. “I’ve learned my lesson… I’ll go answer it right now.”
Artiom unwittingly stepped back, pushing someone, and the one who stood behind him took a step to the side, and Artiom took another step back.
Afanasiev waved his hand over his head — if only he could grab his forelock and pull himself against the current…
One more time, at the doors, he looked back at Artiom — Afanasiev’s eyes were completely different. He had understood everything in a single second and with a clanging v
