Anton took a glimpse of the clock and accelerated his move. Late for a business trip... It was the stupidest thing that ever happened to him. And how is it possible to explain to the chief that he slept at the station, not at work, the office of which was on the other side of the city, but at the station, that he was just a stone's throw from Anton's house?
But Anton managed it - thanks to Ana. He was half an hour late for his train, if not more. And all because his beloved girlfriend in the middle of the night suddenly wanted to talk about their future. We talked... And now this future is in big question for Anton. At least if the boss finds out. Who, by the way, had already called twice. Anton ignored the calls, and it was clear. He was pathologically incapable of lying. And if he had said he had overslept... He would have probably heard in return that he was fired.
Anton looked at the clock again... Half-past five. His train left forty-five minutes ago. Without him. You'd think you'd call the chief back, explain yourself to him, get a head start, that's all. The chief will just reorder the ticket, and today Anton will leave, but only on the evening flight. Anyway, the deal is scheduled only for tomorrow. You can take your time. But Anton did not want it. He was constantly balancing on the verge of dismissal. And this trip was his last chance to prove not only to the chief but also to himself that he is worth something.
At exactly five o'clock, another train had to leave in the same direction. And Anton was hoping to drive it away.
"Perhaps I could persuade a guide or cashier to take me on a train on my ticket. At least at a surcharge," Anton thought, stopping at the station door. At the same time, his chest pocket was full of jackets and his phone was vibrating. Almost praying it wasn't the chief, Anton pulled out his cell phone and looked at the screen. Lena.
- Yes? - By pressing the green button, he said on the phone.
- Did he succeed? - Lena asked.
- No, of course not. My boss will kill me.
- Well, I'm sorry, it's not my fault...
- Oh, come on! Do you think I can get on another train?
- Everything can be. Call me when you go.
- Okay," Anton replied, "and by pressing the breakout button, I hid the phone in my pocket.
When he walked into the station building, he went straight to the ticket office.
- Excuse me, may I ask? - Leaning slightly towards the small window, he said, stopping at the booth.
- What?" He was staring at a pretty gloomy, if not evil, cashier's face.
- You see, I missed the train, and I need to...
- Buy a ticket!
- Yes, you understand, I already have a ticket, but I missed my train. Can I go on my own ticket?
- So, man, buy a new ticket, I said! And if you don't want to take it, don't stay here, don't interfere with your work!
With a sigh of sorrow, Anton stepped away from the ticket office and sat on the bench. Buying a ticket is the only way out. And with the money, he is not dense. He had only a daily allowance with him, which was given by the company. And they will definitely not be enough for a ticket. Anton looked at the clock automatically - there was still ten minutes to the train - and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. It's time to confess to the chief. It is better now, later it will be worse.
And at the moment when Anton found the number of the chief in the contacts and has already dialed the call, suddenly there was someone's scream from the apron:
- The train leaves! Passengers to take seats! The train leaves!
A minute ago Anton looked at the cars, which appeared as if out of nowhere.
- Young man! - It seems that the guide, standing by the train, repeated three times before Anton realized that he was addressing him.
- What?" Anton asked, still looking at the train with surprise.
- Where are you going?
Anton named the city and the guide smiled:
- We can give you a lift. We are passing by.
- Oh, yes?" Anton exclaimed joyfully, but then the squeal came: "I only have a ticket for the recently departed train. And there is no money for a new train.
- This is not a problem at all! Give me your ticket! - The guide reached out and Anton gave him the ticket without hesitation. - That's all! Sit down, let's go!
- So easy? - Anton was surprised.
- Not quite. My aunt lives in a city where you need to go. And I don't have time to visit her. The train only takes a couple of minutes to stop at the station. Will you give her the bag?
- Of course! No problem. You just tell me the address! - Anton easily agreed to such a service.
- When we arrive, I will tell you. Absolutely.
Anton went into the train car after the conductor, sat in an empty compartment and, enjoying the sound of the wheels, covered his eyes...
A few hours later, the same guide woke him up.
- Ten minutes later," he smiled.
- Thank you very much! - Anton nodded to the guide.
- You're welcome! - The conductor smiled. - You will write down my aunt's address...
- Yes, yes, of course," Anton replied, and after a while, he went through his pockets, he pulled out a pencil with a notebook. - Dictate!
- 7, Lobnaya Street.
- Everything, I have written down. And what is your aunt's name?
- Zina Arkadyevna. Do you have to pass it on?
- Of course, what are we talking about!
After a few minutes, the train arrived in the city. Anton went to the platform and turned to say goodbye to the guide, but suddenly found out that the train had disappeared as if it had fallen to the ground.
After spinning on the platform, Anton finally spat - maybe the train went off quickly because it was off schedule, or maybe Anton himself just mixed up the trains - in the thicker one that was on the platform, and it was possible. Without bothering with the strange things that had happened, Anton took a taxi and asked the taxi driver to take him to the address given by the good conductor.
When Anton got there, he was very surprised. On Lobnaya Street, house seven was a police station. After thinking for a while, he went inside - suddenly the aunt of the conductor, Zina Arkadyevna, serves in this very police station.
As Anton found out from the duty officer, there was no Zina Arkadyevna here and in a memoir. But he did not have time to step away from the window of the duty station, as the officer on duty, carefully looking at the wall, where the portraits of the wanted were hanging, called him out:
- Boy, wait! Are you looking for Zina Arkadyevna Alexandrova?
- I don't know, maybe her too," Anton shrugged. He definitely didn't like the whole story any more.
- What do you have in your bag? - suddenly asked the duty officer
- I have no idea. They asked Zina Arkadyevna to tell them to this address.
- Come on, open up!
- Yes, please, - agreed on Anton and, having put the bag on the chairs standing in the corridor, shoved a lightning bolt...
At him, snidely smirking, looked empty eye sockets turtle, lying on the scattering of bones resting in the bag.
- It seems that this is your Zina Arkadyevna," the duty officer said in the silence that reigned for a moment.