Vodoroten

– It is just a blizzard. Go to bed. I will clean the snow in the morning. The parents did not show much interest in the natural phenomenon. Gene finally wilted. – Why is this dog so angry? The street is quiet and peaceful.

– Probably a full moon. After the disappearance of his master, he howls every full moon. This was actually the case. The dog howled every full moon. His mystical master would like to do the same, but not being able to talk, Gena always stared at the moon stretching his neck forward.

– What I have done. What I have done. He blamed himself for that day. That fateful day, which became the last day of his happy human life. He spent that dark night in his unfinished house. Wandering through empty rooms like a restless soul. Gena wondered if he had a soul. And is there at least one other being like him? – If I remember everything, then my biological body is still alive. My cells, my memory, they are alive. My mind is working, so my brain is alive. What then? What does it mean? How do I become normal? Maybe swim in a thunderstorm again? Blood? I do not have any veins anymore. There are only these crystals. What do they mean? Trying to touch them with his water fingers, Gena was surprised to see how his dense water hand passes through another similar hand. By themselves, the crystals felt like a solid, braided, bright wire, not connected to each other. Branches resembling a salute shrank and unclenched, reacting to the cold and changing color. Gena was lost in thought.

In the morning, a familiar car drove up to the house. Gene immediately followed to his parents’ house. The interrogator decided to conduct an interrogation by deception. – May I ask you a few questions? I was given the case of your missing son. Tell me, has he appeared? Ruslan looked around the house as if he was looking for a small detail.

– What are you? He would be here right now, next to us. We would have been the first to know about it.

– That is why I am asking you. Has he appeared? The parents were a little tense from the onslaught of the interrogation. Gene did not like this treatment of his parents, including the treatment of Varya. Anger towards this man was growing in him.

– What happened? There is news. The kind face of the woman looked at the investigator with such sweet eyes. He literally had to slow down his pressure.

– Unfortunately, no. As soon as we find out something, we will let you know right away. The interrogator left. The mother was standing at the window, looking at the car leaving.

– This is a good sign for the New Year. So he’s coming soon.

– It means that there is no one to conduct this case. So it is passed from hand to hand. My father went to smoke in the barn. Gena, seeing that he had nothing else to do here, went to Varya.

The way along the river was not easy. The water was covered with thin ice. Having cut through the thin ice, Gena swam under it, periodically surfacing to look back. – It is not bad. From the subzero temperature, its crystals turned dark blue. It looked like a Christmas tree garland. As he continued on his way, he was afraid that he would turn into ice. To his surprise, this did not happen. —What is it?» Adaptation? Or another mutation? Remembering their first feelings in the cold, they were completely different, not what they are now. At the first reaction to the cold, his body froze, and Gena had to move intensively or look for warmth. Today, his walk under the water paved a direct path to his future existence. – I’m not freezing anymore! He shouted to himself and surfaced, breaking through the ice with his head and dived back. If you look closely, you could notice (for those walking along the Embankment of Tambov Street) how bright blue lights like a garland move under a thin layer of ice. From the Embankment to the International Gena reached a convenient way for himself on the roof of a passing car.

Then his traditional way to the apartment, through the bathroom opening, to his surprise, was closed. He just physically could not push out the valve inserted into the bathroom. – What should I do? Something incomprehensible came out of the bathroom sink and took on a human form. A woman screamed, only it was not Varya, but Dasha. Dasha flew naked out of the bathroom without covering herself with a towel.

– What happened? The girl’s body covered with goosebumps, the blue lower lip trembling, and the feverish state said that Dasha could not speak, and she might have to call an ambulance. – Gena, how could you do that? Varya scolded the water monster like a mother who scolds her forty-year-old son.

– Gene? Are you laughing at me with Gena? Dasha defiantly tore off the hanging towel and covered her nakedness. – I am leaving. I cannot live with you anymore. It will not take long to go crazy. Be grateful I did not report you. And I trusted you. I am going to celebrate the New Year with you. A friend is called. There was no limit to Dasha’s lamentations. Hastily getting dressed and shoving things into a bag, the girl called a taxi. Varya stood in confusion, realizing that her friend was right. Gena knelt down with Dasha standing next to him and folded his hands like an angel. – What is it? Be grateful that I did not turn you in to the authorities. Gena bowed, saying thank you. – Can’t you talk? Gena nodded in agreement. Taking the form of a snowman, he tried to make the angry Dasha laugh. – What else can you do? The shape of the cake delighted the girl. The phone rang, notifying about the taxi that had arrived. – Traitors. Okay, I am staying. Gena clapped his hands, splashing drops. – It is unnecessary. Dasha was shaking off the slimy water. —How long have you been here?»

– The second time. Varya answered with a dry mouth.

– What are you going to do?

– We? Varya uttered this word so sadly. – Gennady wants to leave me.

– Where and when? If it is not a secret.

– I do not know. He is afraid for me. This cop does not give me a pass.

– That is even how. You need to get married. This will save your situation. Gena nodded in agreement. – See, your crocodile Gena does not mind. Gena took the form of a crocodile. The girls laughed.

– «You both talk about it so easily. Did you ask me?

– You are getting married will save you both from police harassment in general. They will have no one to look for him. Varya thoughtfully sat down on the edge of the bed.

– I am not ready for that yet. Gena clasped his head with both hands. Picking up his and Varya’s synopsis, he wrote.

– I need to disappear. I have to make sure she is okay.

– Who guarantees it to you? Wait for her parents to take her home.

– Varya, I wish you happiness. Gena left without writing anything else.

– Where did he go?

– How should I know? Varya replied dryly. She was more scared that Dasha saw him in all his glory. Now two people know a secret. Varya did not trust Dasha. For her, Gennady’s life, even in such an image, was in the first place.

Gena himself went to Ruslan’s house to find out his plans. Studying his body, he noticed such a moment, being without movement for a certain time, his body began to freeze. Constant movement that is what he needed. No matter where his body is, in the water or on land. Constant movement, power, cooling. His body needed constant monitoring.

Ruslan’s wife was in the apartment. Ruslan himself was not at home. Gennady felt more confident without him. Forgetting to refresh himself at the girls’, he went to the refrigerator of the hated enemies. His noiseless movements would not have been heard even by «big uh.» Replenishing his energy reserve, Gena proceeded to the bedroom, hoping to find something useful for himself. The girl was watching the series, and did not notice the presence of a water person under her nose.

Gennady was right. This interrogator is literally fixated on his capture. There were printouts of files with chemical formulas on the table. Chemical emissions, radioactive rains. Phone numbers recorded in the column. – What is he up to? I would like his brains. The turn of the door key signaled the arrival of Ruslan. As soon as he came, his wife started fussing and walking around the apartment. Gennady took his place on the wall of the refrigerator.

– What is new?

– So far, nothing. On New Year’s Eve, many unsolved cases were closed. Including this correspondence. Referring to the fact that this is an evil joke. Like hacking the page, the case was hushed up. This vodoroten is recognized as missing. The video with the cast was categorized with space aliens.

– What are you going to do?

– Everything is going as well as possible. Ruslan ate dinner with an appetite. His wife listened attentively to his story with a miniature cup of coffee. – I alone will independently conduct this case.

– But it is illegal.

– But I know from where the legs grow. Then, when I become rich and famous, the law will be at my feet.

– You are scaring me.

– Don’t be afraid. You will be the wife of the most successful investigator. The wife, seeing her husband’s obsession, has already begun to doubt the existence of the water.

– Maybe he has lost his mind. She thought. Maybe he is just not satisfied with his position, and he dreams of more with the help of fiction.

Meanwhile, Varya, saddened by the fate of Gena, was looking for a way to somehow secure his existence. Not allowing the thought of parting forever, Varya in her childhood dreams imagined Gena living in the river in the village of Goreloe and her coming to him on the shore to somehow be together. Her friend Dasha saw everything more globally, and was looking for a more convenient way to get rid of the Genes. Dasha was the only person after Varya who knew about the Gene mutation. – Varya, how do you imagine Gena’s future? Varya was silent for a long time before answering.

– I do not want to, I cannot let him go. We will be together.

– You understand that this is not reasonable. It is impossible. Dasha saw that Varya did not understand this. – They will just kill him here.

– And where they won’t kill him?

– The police are looking for him. Eventually he will be tested. It will earn a lot of money. He will be like a guinea pig. You are driven by love. But think of it yourself, marriage between you is not possible.

– What do you suggest? Where should he go?

– He wrote to you about escaping to the ocean. So let him run. And you get married. It will save you from an annoying cop. While you are alone, he will still harass you under the pretext of looking for a Gene.

– From your words, I have a candidate.

– Can’t you see? Take a better look. The conversation dragged on.

In Ruslan’s apartment, events developed more briskly. From the heat, the Gene began to spread. The liquid dripped from the refrigerator, turning from thick to liquid. Unable to stand the heat any longer, Gena crawled down the corridor to the bathroom. The door handle made a sound. Ruslan abruptly got up and walked towards the bathroom. «He’s here.