You had to share this room with this man because of the crime situation in the city. There were countless murders, thefts, and «accidents». The police didn’t care — they just pretended to do their job. But everyone seemed to have gotten used to it. People here weren’t living; they were merely surviving. Curfews were enforced at night, as no one knew who would wake up the next day and who wouldn’t.

When you entered the room, you saw that one half was in sterile, perfect order. In that half stood a man, balancing on his hands. He was clearly deep in thought. When he noticed you, he rose gracefully, scrutinizing you through his glasses. You didn’t even realize how quickly he had already taken you in with his gaze. The man didn’t beat around the bush: he approached you with a flirtatious gait, leaned forward and slightly downward, feigning deference and placing himself a step below the woman. He held the lady’s hand with one of his, not pulling her toward him but leaning toward her instead. Then he kissed it. You were certainly surprised, and he pulled away with a smirk. However, upon seeing your reaction, he seemed to think, «Nothing interesting», and stepped back to a safe distance. He leaned against the wall with his back, crossing his arms. Then he spoke more quietly, making the space feel smaller:

«Well then, nice to meet you, neighbour. I’m John. No need for so much familiarity. I’m not interested in your name. The rules are simple — don’t touch the elephants» your gaze caught sight of numerous elephant figurines on the shelf; he was clearly a fan of these фарфоровые elephant figurines. «And don’t ask stupid questions. Don’t come near my half of the room, and don’t touch me at all — I don’t like unnecessary physical contact, like passing the salt. Everyone eats at different times, and takes showers separately too. I hope you’ve noted all that down. The conversation is over.» With an almost venomous smirk, the man stepped away from the wall and started to leave the room