“Guys, guys, stop,” Nikolai bustled about next to them. He had stressed everyone out the day before with his rambunctiousness and now felt a little guilty. Not too much – he knew that things were all good now, that the sea had also cleansed his soul of its grime. He now felt only slightly guilty, therefore he quickly diluted some medicinal alcohol in a big mug. “Here guys, morning exercise. Just a bit to get us to the sea.”
Grisha was the first to take the mug from his friend’s hand. He steeled himself for it and drank. Down his throat and in his stomach, then through his entire body to his fingertips, he felt a revolting, bitter, sweet, delicious wave. In spite of how he had tensed himself for it, he involuntarily and subconsciously shuddered, clenched his eyes shut to the point of tears
