Cказки Призраков. Tales of Ghosts. Премия им. Эдгара По / Edgar Poe Award (Билингва: Rus/Eng)

«Yesterday I ran by chance into the guy who had assembled furniture for you. He said that Michael, who had been in love with you, died.»

A terrible thought and, forgive me God, not at all about Michael, who had appeared to me in my dream – so sweet, kind, harmless, writing music and really loving me from afar, silently, realizing that there could be nothing but a working relationship between us, flashed through my mind, and I finally woke up, jumping out of bed.

I dreamt about both of them… Michael and…

«YOU?!?!?! Pluto!!!» I shouted at the whole Universe to an undefined number.

«HOW??!!! YOU ARE DEAD!!! YOU DIED MANY YEARS AGO!!!»

«I emailed you last year, you wondered the way a stranger had got your address. You didn’t recognize me. Maybe you weren’t ready.»

«But… how???»

«Have you forgotten how many debts I had back then? You said it yourself, it’s easier to die. No one would have been surprised. Yes, I just had to die))) By my own! Would you prefer to find your love killed for real?»

I raised the blinds and the Sun dazzled me.

Pluto people, being under the patronage of the Lord of the Kingdom of the Dead, used to survive where everyone else met death…

«I dreamt about you… today…» sinking to the floor, I whispered, remembering how many times in life we had tried to be together, but something happened beyond our control, that left no chance, driving us apart, until one day he…

«Great! You never have dreams without sense… Something happened yesterday.

I don’t know how to explain it. So, there’s no need to explain. I just want you to be nearby now!»

«You’re a ghost, and I need a real man!» I said, still refusing to believe in a miracle.

«Surely. I’ll be in Monte Carlo this weekend. I have to sort out some affairs. And next weekend you will fly to me in Venice!»

«We’ll never meet,» I exhaled, remembering that next weekend the Sun would stop caressing Pluto, and he would step into his own Kingdom.

«There are no options not to meet, Barbara! I’ll be waiting for you on your favorite bridge!»

However, the Sun disappeared into the clouds. Some evil stars contributed to the launch of a mass lethal virus epidemic, and the air traffic between countries was suspended.

The world stepped into the Kingdom of Death through the wide-open Gates.

My airline tickets were eaten by the fireplace. Italy was in a fever.