A boy was thrown out of his home by his parents on New Years Eve. Years later, he turned the knob and an unforeseen twist awaited them.
Behind the windows of the houses, the warm glow of garlands shone, Christmas trees reflected in the panes, and festive melodies drifted through the air. Beyond those walls, however, a hushed, muted white silence reigned. Thick snowflakes fell as if an unseen hand were pouring them endlessly from the sky. The quiet was so dense it felt sacred, like a temple. No footsteps, no voicesonly the winds moan against chimneys and the soft whisper of snow landing, laying a veil of forgotten destinies over the city.
Kolya Sušanov stood on the front step, still unable to grasp that this was truly happening. It seemed a cruel, senseless nightmare. The cold seeped through his clothes, soaking his socks; a biting wind cut his face. His backpack, abandoned in a snowdrift, reminded him of the stark reality.
Get out of my way! I never want to see you again! his father snarled, his voice hoarse and full of hate. The door slammed shut in his face immediately thereafter.
They tossed him out on Christmas nightno belongings, no farewell, no chance of return.
And his mother? She lingered nearby, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. She said nothing, made no effort to stop her husband, offered no Hes our son. She shrugged helplessly, biting her lip to keep tears from spilling, and simply fell silent.
Kolya descended the step slowly, feeling snow seep into his shoes and pierce his skin with icy needles. He had no idea where to go. Inside, an abyss yawned, as if his heart had sunk beneath his ribs.
Enough, Kolya. Youre useless to anyonenot even them. In fact, especially them.
He did not weep. His eyes stayed dry, but a sharp chest ache reminded him he was still alive. It was too late for crying; everything had already unfolded. There was no turning back.
He began to walk, aimlessly, through the storm under the lamplight that illuminated deserted streets. Behind windows, people laughed, sipped tea, opened presents. He was alone, a stranger at a party where he never found a place.
He lost track of how many hours he wandered. The avenues merged into an endless road. A guard chased him from a buildings entrance; pedestrians stepped aside when they saw his stare. He was a bizarre, unwanted, useless figure.
Thus began his summerthe first summer of solitude, a summer of survival. During the first week, Kolya slept wherever he could: on benches, in the subway, at bus stops. Everyone shooed him awayclerks, guards, distracted passersby. He saw irritation, not compassion, in their eyes, a stark reminder of what they feared themselves.
He ate what he could find: leftovers from trash bins; one day he stole a sandwich from a kiosk while the vendor stepped away. It was his first theft, driven not by malice but by hunger, by the terror of dying.
At nightfall he found shelter in an abandoned basement of an old fivestory building on the outskirts. The space reeked of mold, cat tracks, and rancid smells, yet warmth seeped from a nearby urban heating pipe, releasing enough steam for him to survive the night. That basement became his home. He spread newspapers on the floor, gathered cardboard boxes, and covered himself with discarded rags. Occasionally he sat there, silent, not shedding tears but feeling violent convulsions in his chest, a pressure that squeezed from within.
One day an elderly man with a cane and a long beard discovered him. He examined Kolya and said, Alive? Well, thats better. I thought the cats were throwing the bags again. The old man left a canned meat and a piece of breadnothing more. Kolya didnt thank him; he ate with trembling hands.
From that moment the old man returned intermittently, bringing food, never asking questions. Once he muttered, I was fourteen when my mother died and my father hanged himself. Go on, kid. People are fools. But youre not. Those words lodged in Kolyas memory; he repeated them to himself whenever his strength faltered.
One morning he couldnt rise. Nausea, chills, the whole body trembling. Heat throbbed at his temples, his legs gave way
A boy was expelled from his house by his parents on New Years Eve. Years later, he opened the door and an unexpected twist awaited them.
