Chapter - 10

In a small basement of a private two-story house, several candles burned muted. It was cleaned and clean. Icons depicting saints hung on the walls of the basement, there were several benches and chairs in a row. Apparently, people often gathered here for meetings, but today, apart from Robert, Artem and Sasha, there was no one in this place. The candlelight fell on the face of the holy father, distorted and refracted, and perhaps that's why it seemed unnaturally pale.

"Look at what's going on outside, and then repeat your question again," Robert looked depressed. He was sitting on a hard wooden bench with his head bowed and leafing through a volume of the Gospel in his hands. The cathedral broke down, everything they had agreed on, the next meeting of the parish, all this has sunk into oblivion. No one else came to the sermon except the faithful Sasha and Artem.

Fat Sasha looked confusedly at the boarded-up windows and waved them away.

"You don't have to tell me that. I'm just giving you the mood of the masses," he said.

"Artyom?" Without raising his head, Robert turned to the third man.

"That's right, Robert, they believe in the rehabilitation center," said Artem.

It was painful to hear. Robert stared at the volume of the Gospel, folded it carefully and put it aside. It's not that he didn't expect such a scenario, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon. They broke down. All these people who had been going toe-to-toe with him since the beginning of the mess were now ready to bow their heads and believe the promises of the authorities. Open up to sin and turn away from God. Did they not understand that no matter what, God would not turn away from them? And he did not turn away, giving them white bracelets. Didn't they realize that the rehabilitation center was another farce? That they, those who wear a white bracelet, were simply getting rid of them? All these laws, new rules that were adopted from day to day. What were they aimed at? It was the purest genocide of those who remained healthy and escaped infection. And now, when he was sure that, despite everything, he had raised hope in their hearts, when he created a parish, gave the meaning of life in faith, did all this negate the news about some center? The ghostly hope of a ghostly sin... How could they change spiritual purification to... Robert couldn't find the words.

"You have to understand that it's hard to turn down such a chance," Sasha said.

"A chance? What chance are you talking about?" Robert chuckled.

"I'm saying that they believe that they will be able to change their lives once and for all, not to be afraid anymore, not to hide, not to feel like outcasts in this world," the man said.

"Do you hear what you're saying? Come to your senses!" The muscles in Robert's cheekbones moved back and forth in anger. - "What new life? Do you believe that the "reds" have a life? To live one day, to live not for yourself, but in the name of the vaccine, is this your life? This is life in the name of sin!"

"Maybe you're right, Robert, but no one wanted to live in the unknown without going through all the possible options here," Artem intervened.

Robert said nothing. It was useless to argue, to prove something, to explain. Both Artem and Sasha understood everything perfectly without unnecessary words. These guys knew the Holy Scriptures as well as Robert himself and, as it seemed to the holy father, sincerely believed in these words. Where the whole fuse of men had gone now, it was unclear. Each of them has repeatedly said that it is impossible to find God in yourself without overcoming the trials that fate is preparing for you. Both the world and the circumstances around it are sinful. They wanted to exchange their own spiritual purification for food and water, for the opportunity to throw off the long arms of the government and such a life as they please. How could they not understand that they were given a chance?

Robert looked sadly at the empty benches that he, together with Artyom and Sasha, had dragged into the basement a few weeks ago, when there was still no total control of the military, when there was still a chance that the virus could be dealt with by the vaccine. Once it was crowded here and every evening about a dozen people came to Father Robert's commandments. There was no one here now. Every single shop was empty. The silence hanging under the vaults of the basement walls was depressing. Everything immediately became empty and unnecessary. Robert buried his face in his hands, feeling his face burn.

"How long have you known about this?" - he asked.

"Some people started doubting yesterday, but I didn't attach much importance to their words," Sasha cleared his throat. - "But they announced a firm decision only today."

"And your brother? Does your brother think the same way?" Robert looked at Artyom.

Artyom did not find what to answer and lowered his gaze, blushing.

"Most of all, I'm afraid that the authorities will now become aware of the basement," Sasha said.

Robert shook his head. To completely exclude such an option was at least stupid. Someone from the parishioners, having bought into the promise from above, could easily split and tell about meetings of people with white bracelets under the auspices of the church. But how I wanted to believe the opposite. The people who prayed with him, who listened to his sermons, simply could not do this. Perhaps it was a disadvantage, but Robert always tried to see only the best in people. And even now, when the parishioners turned away from him, he continued to think about what would become of their souls after the red bracelet snapped on their wrist. It is easiest to go astray from the true path and it is more difficult to find this path. Robert, like no one else, knew this.

"What are we going to do now, Father?" Sasha asked.