Translated by Kirill Bobrovsky. Published in English for the first time CHAPTER 2. "Standards" breaking (without mom) I don't want to remember anything on pages of even a very frank book in order to look more aesthetic and more significant ... Mom offered to register disability and I refused. Meanwhile, I had to look for some work in Rostov and to search for housing for the next year which was necessary till Sasha's graduation. A local newspaper office was visited: there was a vacancy in the editorial department and the hostel was not promised...

Every summer there was a Zarnitsa game between the camps, since there were as many as four camps on Crow Island. Of course, not all four camps played at the same time, as a rule they were divided into pairs by drawing lots. And here another privilege of the first detachment worked - night reconnaissance was part of the game. The first detachment got up at 3:00 am, equipped accordingly, and in several groups went to find out the location of the enemy. That is, if you got into the first squad, then in this game you were always a scout. Further Everything went as usual; the camp woke up, military fuss and running around began, there was a hunt for the flag of the enemy team...