Vasiliy Petrowich only has returned and has got from knapsack a cellophane package with sweets. He has put it on buffet, and itself has sat down a table covered with a sticky cloth, and recover one's breath. Then he has risen and has gone to prepare to itself supper.

Vasiliy Petrowich was born in a village, named Korogod, that under Chernobyl. After failure on atomic Electro station he has refused to be evacuated and has remained in native village. Where to him, seven-ten years' grandfather to leave from a place, where he has lived all life? If he also could die, let it will be in native to him places. And whether still is equal where to die? In warm bed in an environment of the relatives or one in empty village in the irradiated territory? To him all was equal. He has examined photos on walls: the lovely, native persons. Hang his father with the mother, and the son hangs smiles. And he, on a background of the river. His wife … My God, all of them have died! The mother has died of a crawfish, the father from old age, son was lost on the Atomic station … There was one…

For supper were potatoes. Vasiliy Petrowich take potatoes by boiled water with unleavened sweets, which to him have given out on the block-post. Sweets were tasteless, with metal smack. He any more did not notice it, because all in the Zone was with metal smack. Water, air, food, smells … Vasiliy Petrowich has got used. He has got used and that practically each week come to him stalker, many of them wounded, and someone and is simple so, in the visitors. It is a lot of them here became recently. Here is how of steel on woods, bogs, cemeteries beasts everyone's running, and stalkers have appeared. Go, search something. It happens, by money will help.

Suddenly Vasiliy Petrowich has heard behind a wall any steps, and here has seized worth in a corner his gun. Someone, is probable bones, went on perimeter of a log hut Vasiliy Petrowich, and has not reached yet a door. Then was a heavy knock and someone's deaf hoarse vote has cried out: « Vasiliy! Petrowich! Open! I it! Faster! » Vasiliy has rejected the weapon and convulsively began to move a latch. When it was possible to him has come stalker — high, with blood on the right hand. Having removed a protective helmet, he, shaking and rattling has approached to bench and villages. Vasiliy Petrowich has gone to other room behind the first-aid set. While he greased and tied up stalker's wounds, that began the story: « you Are good, Vasiliy that live beside. If not you, I don’t know, as there would be — up to nearest block-post is of hour two walking. You help to all stalkers, in a trouble nobody will leave. Arch… shit … », — stalker sat on a bench, and Vasiliy Petrowich accurately rolled up to him a hand with a bandage. « And you tell me, Volodya, that with you happen? The dead men, shit on'em? Or any on other? You tell, I shall vodka pour, sweets we shall have a snack ».

— Pour, Vasiliy! — Has told stalker, already little bit recovered from a wound, and Vasiliy Petrowich has pulled out from under a table a bottle of gorilka (Ukrainian vodka). Flood on glasses, they cut and have had a snack sweets. — Understand, Petrowich, heavy it is a piece our animal work. Go on the infected territory, with risk for life found these artifacts. And all for the sake of what? For the sake of these dirty money. And you see anywhere to not get to any more. It is necessary you see family to feed. At me you see, Petrowich, the family is. Yes, wife, daughter. In Kiev.

And you thought?

Vasiliy Petrowich attentively listened the stalker.

— And tell me, Volodya, who to you a hand has wounded? Not these… mottons damned?

— Mutants? Yes, they. Blind dogs.

— Yes, yes, Volodya, mutants … I can not in any way name remember, the memory old … On me they is simple beasts. The last week, these, small how them there? The house has surrounded. And what with them that make! On glasses knock, a door break. But under morning they have left.

— Petrowich, dwarfs? Yes, these can. They are absolutely insolently, damned. Recently northern block-post attacked. Correctly, to break wanted, — and both of them have roared. Then cut again on one. There was a rain.

In evening darkness the invisible drops knocked on a roof and vanished in a wet herb. The trees stood, having lowered branches and taking up heavy burden to be killed a downpour. Vasiliy Petrowich and Volodya are dispatched on rooms of a log hut and go to sleep. Behind a wall was sleeping Volodya. Vasiliy Petrowich did not sleep. He laid on a back, peered in black hole between planks on a ceiling and thought. The childhood was recollected. Each Tuesday he with the father went on fishing. They sat on a coast of Pripyat, and the father told to him ridiculous histories. Little Vasya laughs and father said him: «shhh» on him roared, and then: « you are more silent, all fish will scare away! » But then began to laugh together with the son. And already later, went, is remembered, small Vasya on a road with a piece of black bread in a hand. He was eat it, has not noticed a dried up hollow from a pool, has stumbled and has dropped bread directly in a dirt … Really such triviality so was remembered to him, is direct on all life? Strange, and the failure on Atomic station has passed for him as something completely ordinary, as though and should be. But in a head it any vague ideas were carried by, the not clear persons flashed before the closed eyes, and Vasiliy Petrowich, at last, has fallen asleep.

When he has woken up, Volodya already has left. Vasiliy Petrowich has left on a street to wash. After Vasiliy Petrowich has returned and began to have breakfast. Except for yesterday's sweets nothing was. Suddenly in a window, on the other hand woods he has seen four figures. They slowly came nearer, went, as if after hypnosis. Dressed in any tatter, Vasiliy Petrowich at once has understood, that it is «dead men», as he named them. Zombie went to the house. « Shame on you! » — has whispered Vasiliy and has seized his gun. For last 30 years he should learn well to shoot, because who in a Zone is not able well to shoot, that not the tenant on this light. Vasiliy Petrowich has opened a window, and, having waited while they will approach more closes, has shot. With a scream one of the zombie's has fallen in an herb. Vasiliy Petrowich has slammed a window and quickly became to change a cartridge. To open a window was already is unsafe — they came absolutely close. Vasiliy Petrowich has recollected, that has forgotten to close a door. In two jumps he has overcome distance between a window and door and has knocked on a latch. That obediently has driven in the lock. Now it was necessary only to hope that zombie's the glasses will not beat out. Fuckin“ zombies, fuckin' Atomic Station, fuckin’ life! But the hoarse breath … they absolutely close are already audible. Suddenly one face has had a look in a window. Vasiliy Petrowich has not sustained, and has shot through glass. Simultaneously was death shout and broken glass, which has departed in a log hut. Zombie has fallen on a windowsill. Vasiliy Petrowich the gauging in fear, but whence behind, in other room, was again distributed ringing of a glass. «Mother fuckers» — has thought Vasiliy Petrowich, and was aimed at a door aperture. One it will have time to beat, but then there will be no time on change cartridge of a gun. Means will come second in hand-to-hand.

Vasiliy Petrowich has seen by a sight a room, and, having seen on a table the knife has seized it and has thrust to itself for a belt. Steps behind a wall came nearer, and first zombie already has left darkness of an aperture. Vasiliy Petrowich has shot. Zombie has remained on legs. Second has seemed. Vasiliy Petrowich has cast away already useless weapon and, has snatched out a knife. Zombies went to him. Vasiliy suddenly has felt that he is old. For the sake of whom to him to struggle for the life? For the sake of whom? For the sake of this constant fear? For the sake of these painful memoirs? He could not give himself the answer to this question.

Zombies put Vasiliy Petrowich in a corner and already pulled to him the stinking hands. Vasiliy Petrowich already has reconciled with his fate. But here in a head he was flown with an idea, — and how are stalkers without him? In last some years, as they here have appeared, how many of them has he rescued! What they without him will do? And Vasiliy Petrowich, having come round from meditations, has pierced by a knife to one zombie a stomach, and second with scope has given in a jaw. First also was tumbled down on a floor, with rotten blood. Second also has seized Vasiliy Petrowich by a neck by two hands. Vasiliy Petrowich has struck zombie by a leg in a stomach that was bent. Then he has thrust to it in a back a knife …

Vasiliy Petrowich sat on a bench before the house in Korogod, on the irradiated Zone and luxuriated in radioactive beams…