[Latest Version 2.1.2] Download Firestorm Software Windows
Written By Steven Arends
Firestorm is a useful utility software by Zotac to boost your GPU and manage many other aspects of your PC within the software. The software can do it all by monitoring CPU usage, voltage usage to changing fan speed, and LED lighting.
Being a Gamer myself, I have tested the software, and I can assure you that this app is reliable, safe, and efficient for you to use.
The software will help you monitor the CPU and GPU usage. Also, the PC temperature and fan speed. You can watch all of your computer processes with the help of this app.
The customizations of the LED lighting with the help of the firestorm utility is an excellent feature. You can custom light your keyboard and other compatible hardware.
Keep Reading because you are one click away to download the latest Firestorm Software.
Also, Download RGB Fusion to customize your PC’s motherboards, graphics card, LED strips, casings, and other peripherals in one click.
Download Zotac Firestorm for Windows
How to install Firestorm Software by Zotac
How to use the Zotac firestorm app
Which graphics card is Firestorm compatible with?
Is the firestorm app safe to use?
Is the Zotac Firestorm app worth it?
FAQ
Final Thoughts
Download Zotac Firestorm for Windows
Firestorm by Zotac is a utility app for customizing, monitoring, and overclocking your PC and GPU to the full extent. You can custom and watch various aspects of your PC and overclock your GPU to have the best performance. You can overclock your PC manually or automatically with the help of the app. The app has an easy user interface for you to monitor and change your CPU and GPU usage.
The software has an easy interface for users to engage in games in a boosted manner quickly.
The software has ways to balance and increase the gaming experience you get. You can easily select between modes to get quality game time.
Download Zotac Firestorm V.2.12 ➜➜
All the file/s mentioned above are hosted on Zotac’s server. We don’t host or modify any file whatsoever. Firestorm is the proprietary software of Zotac.
| Name | Firestorm |
|---|---|
| Developer | Zotac |
| Compatibility | Windows 7/8/Vista/ XP (32/64bits) |
| Price | Free |
| Latest version | 2.1.2 |
Some features of the software:
- One-click custom power tuning modes
- CPU and GPU stats Monitoring
- Maximized usage rate
- Custom fan speed
- Custom LED lighting
- Easy overclocking
- Manual, auto, and advanced mode
The software helps you with the total control of your PC with an easy interface. The software helps you with the PC lighting and allows you to monitor your processes fully. You can change and monitor your Fan speed to have a smooth run time.
Download Sapphire Trixx to easily monitor and check your GPU’s processes.
How to install Firestorm Software by Zotac
The software from Zotac is free software from the company itself. It is quite simple to install. The app is an efficient app to use, and it has minimal setbacks.
Here are the steps to install the firestorm app:
- Click on the download link.
- Download and extract the file.
- Install the downloaded setup file.
- Move the file to the desired location.
- Run the software as an administrator.
Also, check out the latest version of TT RGB Plus software to customize your RGB lights and fan speeds on all peripherals.
How to use the Zotac firestorm app
Firestorm software is an efficient and smooth app to use. It has an easy user interface for you to have a good user experience.
You can easily track and custom the lighting, processes, and other peripherals of your PC with the help of the software.
Using the software correctly will help you achieve the best performance of your PC.
Here are the steps to use the firestorm software by Zotac:
- Click on the Windows button, then search and open the software. You will see the homepage showcasing you with the various options and PC stats for you to monitor.
- Click on the OC scanner to scan the GPU’s optimal clock settings. This option takes 5-10 mins to work.
- Click on the auto mode to automatically optimize your PC or click on the manual or advanced mode to custom processes on your own.
- Click on the fans to adjust fan settings, drag the sliders on the various options to your right side and change them to your needs.
- Click on the spectra options to custom and select the lighting for your PC and other hardware quickly.
- Select, save, or load profiles by clicking on their options at the bottom.
Download Razer Synapse to take your Razer devices to the next level.
Which graphics card is Firestorm compatible with?
The Firestorm software can run with many graphics cards. The list of compatible GPUs is massive. So, here are a shortlist of products for you-
- Asus RTX 2080ti and GTX 1070ti, 1080ti graphics cards.
- Gigabyte 2080ti and GTX 1070ti,1080ti graphics cards.
- MSi 2080ti and GTX 1070ti,1080ti graphics cards.
- Geforce 2080ti, 2070 ,and GTX 1080ti graphics cards
Is the firestorm app safe to use?
The Zotac firestorm software does not need any information about your PC, making it very secure to use and download. It has no issues with malware-related problems.
Also, check out how to Download Logitech G HUB for the Optimum gear ecosystem.
I have tested the software with ten antivirus software, and I have found no malware problems. There is no problem with viruses. Your computer data also remains risk-free.
It does not hamper any of your PC processes nor put your parts at risk by overclocking.
It works properly without any problems.
There will be no data loss or violation of privacy from the software. It is 100% safe to use the software. Download MSI dragon Center to tune the lights and custom the visual aesthetics of your PC on your own.
Is the Zotac Firestorm app worth it?
The firestorm app lets you optimize and enhance the performance of your computer. It is very efficient in expanding the in-game experience for you.
The software lets you manage the processes of your computer that can help you optimize your computer. You can select which function you want to use while gaming. That helps with the initial boosting of your game.
The app from Zotac helps you boost your frame rate to give you perfect satisfaction while gaming. You can increase your fps count very quickly with the app. Furthermore, you can showcase your FPS count to keep updated about the frame rate.
Also, light management settings are fantastic. You can set various colors for your PC parts and set presets to fill your aesthetics.
The software helps you set up profiles to help you save your lighting customization.
Download Logitech Unifying Software to connect different wireless devices with your computer.
Malware and privacy issues are a significant concern for consumers. The software has no problems with malware and never puts your data at risk.
It is a very efficient app to custom and tracks your computer’s custom parts. For gamers, it is a useful app to have quality game time.
FAQ
Question: Can you monitor systems with Zotac firestorm?
Answer: You can easily monitor your device processes and systems with the firestorm software. It showcases a window to update you about the CPU and GPU usage, Temperature, Fan speed, Etc.
Question: Is the Zotac firestorm app right for gaming?
Answer: The firestorm app is excellent for gaming. It has a gaming mode for you to have the best game time.
It disables unwanted processes and gives you reasonable frame rates and clock time.
Final Thoughts
The firestorm app by Zotac is excellent software to use. You can manage and monitor your PC processes and system settings efficiently.
You can customize your RGB and other components to your needs. The settings for customizing every aspect is straightforward. So, there is never an issue of having errors.
The software is safe to use and has no privacy issues. You can easily download the software and use it to your needs.
I have used the software, and I have found it very useful and efficient. This software is a must-try for all the gamers out there.
Is Zotac A Good GPU Brand?
It can be challenging to buy a new GPU from the most desired manufacturers. You may have seen that the only available GPU is from a brand called Zotac.
But what is Zotac? Are their GPUs reliable? How do they compare to other brands?
Well, let me say this first: This is one of those articles that is based on my own experience and on rounding up reviews from various sellers online.
Can your experience differ entirely? Absolutely!
To make the answer quick: Zotac is as good a GPU brand as any of the other big players. Their GPUs get many good reviews and some bad reviews and it might come down to luck if you receive a GPU that’ll fail early or have issues.
My verdict is that especially in times of low stock and high GPU Prices, Zotac is as good a brand to buy GPUs from as is Asus, EVGA, MSI, or Gigabyte.
Although Zotac GPUs aren’t as popular as Graphic Cards from MSI, Gigabyte, or Asus, they still state almost identical specs on paper.
Zotac GPUs are generally cheaper than premium brands, which may make you wonder whether this is due to inferior quality.
Let’s discuss where Zotac came from and how they’ve started to make a name for themselves in the hyper-competitive GPU market and, of course, how their GPUs compare to the more well-known competition in terms of performance, warranty, reliability, and any other factors that might influence your buying decision.
Zotac Overview
Source: ZOTAC
Zotac was established in 2006 as a computer hardware manufacturer under the umbrella company of PC Partner.
As a company, Zotac focuses on manufacturing graphics cards, motherboards, gaming computers, and much more. GPUs are mostly sold internationally and this is why Zotac is mostly associated with being a GPU Brand.
Although Zotac’s international headquarters is located in Hong Kong, there are regional headquarters in the United States, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
All of Zotac’s products are manufactured and produced in Dongguan, China.
As a company, Zotac focuses on creating budget-friendly graphics cards in a market dominated by high-end competition. This focus on the lowest possible pricing is how they’re able to compete with other popular GPU brands.
Zotac’s GPU Products
Zotac manufactures the same graphic card SKUs that other manufacturers offer.
From high-end to low-end GPUs, Zotac has them all.
Their GPU and cooler designs are on point, and from a consumer’s perspective, there doesn’t seem to be a visible difference in how their products are marketed compared to more expensive brands.
Here’s a quick overview of their most popular line-ups right now:
GeForce RTX 30 Series
Source: ZOTAC
- GeForce RTX 3090
- GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
- GeForce RTX 3080
- GeForce RTX 3070 TI
- GeForce RTX 3070
- GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- GeForce RTX 3060
- GeForce RTX 3050
GeForce RTX 20 Series
Source: ZOTAC
- GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER
- GeForce RTX 2080
- GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER
- GeForce RTX 2070
- GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER
- GeForce RTX 2060
GeForce RTX 16 Series
Source: ZOTAC
- GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
- GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
- GeForce GTX 1660
- GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER
- GeForce GTX 1650
Zotac also still manufactures GeForce GTX 10 Series and GeForce GT Series graphics cards, though they’re slowly being phased out.
Why Are Zotac GPUs Less Expensive Than Competing GPU Brand’s GPUs?
This is the main question that PC builders have regarding Zotac GPUs. Why are they cheaper, and does the lower price mean the product is inferior, either in performance, longevity, warranty, or something else entirely? What’s this all about?
The primary reason why Zotac GPUs cost less than more well-known manufacturers is because of brand name value.
An example: Think about Apple and Samsung.
Because these two manufacturers dominate the smartphone market, they can charge extravagant markups for the brand and mindshare they’re selling alongside the physical product.
MSI and EVGA follow the same strategy.
If people are willing to pay for their products at a higher price point, there’s no reason why they would price them lower. And it works. We’re all questioning Zotac for inferior quality because they are so cheap, right? So expensive = good? Well, that’s what MSI, EVGA, and some other Brands make use of.
Zotac doesn’t have the same brand name recognition as major manufacturers. This means, to compete in the market, Zotac has to lower the prices of its products to get a foot in the door. Zotac can’t compete in the upper price ranges of premium brands, also because it’s a younger company with less experience that can’t warrant higher prices. The best decision for them is to try and compete with low prices, and it’s working.
But that’s just speculation on my part as to why they decided to position themselves where they did. Let’s look at what kind of features Zotac offers with their GPUs:
Zotac GPU Warranty Policies
If you’re based in the US or Canada, all of Zotac’s GPUs come with a standard warranty of two years.
Source: ZOTAC
You can get an extended warranty that adds an additional year by registering your GPU on Zotac’s website within 30 days of purchase.
This three-year warranty is similar to what MSI offers, which also grants a three-year warranty on their GPUs.
You can also receive a 3+2 year warranty if you purchase a Zotac GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU. However, this is only covered by Zotac EMEAI, and you need to be based in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or India.
Zotac GPU Software
Zotac has its own GPU companion software called Firestorm.
Source: ZOTAC
Firestorm allows you to see your clock speed, memory speed, fan speeds, and GPU temperatures in real-time.
You can also adjust the settings to your needs and set specific fan speeds or change the RGB lights and GPU monitoring functions in Firestorm.
Are Zotac GPUs Worth It?
Now let’s answer the main question at hand.
If you have a Zotac 3070 card, it will perform like any other 3070 card from a big-name brand – give or take a marginal performance difference in the range of 0 – 5%.
Marginal performance differences do exist, though, mostly because of how each GPU Brand decides to overclock and cool its variant.
Because budget-oriented Zotac GPUs have to make do with cheaper materials (for the radiator etc.
) and therefore cooling solutions (even though they look great), this also means many Zotac GPUs are often said to throttle earlier than competing GPUs even though, on paper, the overclocks might look comparable or quite high.
They can potentially underperform compared to other brands. Now, don’t worry, “underperform” is within a marginal range of 0-5%.
Because these numbers don’t necessarily hold true for the entire Zotac Brand, you’ll need to do your research on an SKU by SKU basis.
After you find the Zotac GPU you’re interested in, I recommend conducting further research to confirm that the specific GPU you want is reliable. This involves looking for reviews on YouTube or noteworthy PC-Hardware Sites like Anandtech or Gamersnexus.
You can also check reviews on Amazon but remember only to take reviews into consideration that are labeled with a ‘Verified Purchase’ badge.
Overall, Zotac is labeled as a ‘budget brand’ with potentially louder fans and higher temperatures, however, performance is still on par when compared to the same GPUs from other brands.
(With occasional outliers)
Common Complains About Zotac GPUs
In terms of customer sentiment, the majority of Zotac GPU buyers are satisfied with their purchases. Nevertheless, some people have had issues with Zotac products.
Every PC builder has a different setup, so it’s not easy to determine the actual cause of some of the issues we’ve rounded up below. Is the issue present on all Zotac SKUs or is this an isolated case where individual factors (e.g. environmental or how the product was handled, etc.) are pivotal?
Loud Fans
Some buyers complain about loud and distracting GPU fans when the computer is under heavy load.
This issue might be solved by upgrading your case and installing more intake and exhaust fans to reduce the case’s inside temperature.
This way, your GPU fans won’t need to spin as fast to cool the keep the GPU at adequate temperature levels.
High Temperatures
Similar to the issue above, Zotac GPUs potentially have higher temperatures than other GPUs.
Usually, the increased temperature doesn’t reach a dangerous level, and you won’t have much to worry about.
However, you can install more fans and create better airflow with a new PC case to lower your Zotac GPU’s temperatures.
Poor Build Quality
The number one complaint that builders have about Zotac GPUs is that they’ve been manufactured poorly / low build quality.
Buyers claim Zotac uses cheaper parts in order to offer a lower price point – which makes sense really.
Although the parts Zotac uses in their GPUs are of lower quality than parts from other brands, this doesn’t noticeably affect performance unless you’re really pushing your GPU to its limits in sustained workloads or have it installed in a badly ventilated case. This can also become an issue if you live in a region with high ambient temperatures in general.
RGB Issues
Several Zotac GPU owners complain about buggy RGB lights. This means that the RGB lights on the GPU weren’t working properly or even stopped working altogether.
This has been resolved for many with new firmware updates, and the issue isn’t very common anymore.
Zotac GPU Reviews
If you take a look at some of the Amazon Reviews that Zotac GPUs present, you’ll find that the majority are rated at over four stars. Buyers are mostly satisfied, but there are the occasional one-star reviews that bring some glaring issues to light.
Lower-rated reviews seem to be more pronounced on higher-tier GPUs, which might point to the fact that cooling and materials aren’t sufficient for the true high-end which is much more difficult to cool as power-draw is considerably higher. Then again, people might just be venting more on high-end GPUs as they paid a lot of money and are more vocal about issues much more easily than buyers who spent less on a low-end GPU.
Well, Zotac isn’t the only GPU Brand that has some bad reviews, but it does seem to be more pronounced. If you look at, e.g. EVGA, who manufactures some of the most expensive GPUs that you can buy, the difference in ratings is apparent.
Then again, EVGA GPUs cost considerably more than Zotac GPUs (if prices weren’t so crazy right now), for just marginally higher performance.
Benchmarks
Here’s a quick comparison of an RTX 3080 Ti from Zotac vs EVGA.
As mentioned above, unless you’re comparing entirely different types of cooling solutions (like an AIO or Custom water cooled vs an Air-cooled GPU) performance differences between GPUs of the same tier are marginal.
Conclusion
All GPU Brands can have issues, Zotac included, and on paper, there’re hardly any differences that would make Zotac a clearly inferior choice compared to the competition.
In the end, it’s about who you trust more to realize your RMA without issues or which brand you think is capable of manufacturing a GPU that lasts longer or has fewer factory defects or bad quality assurance before it’s shipped to you.
Then again, in times of inflated GPU Prices and low stock, the decision to buy a Zotac GPU that you really need at a reasonable Price near MSRP is a no-brainer to me.
FAQ
What’s the Warranty Policy on Secondhand Zotac GPUs?
Unfortunately, the GPU’s warranty only applies to the original purchaser of the GPU.
This means that the warranty cannot be transferred.
If you’re purchasing a GPU on a secondhand market, make sure the seller is reputable and see if you can test the GPU before fully purchasing it.
What’s Better: Zotac vs. MSI?
When it comes to Zotac vs. MSI or any other brand, it’s important to look at the benchmarks of the specific video cards you’re considering.
If you’re looking for a gaming GPU, check how the game performs on each Brand’s GPU.
You should also check the temperatures, fan noise, overclocking capabilities, RMA and warranty before making a decision.
Over To You
And that’s it, for now! If you have any questions about Zotac GPUs, feel free to ask us in the comments or our forum!
CGDirector is Reader-supported. When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What Is FireStorm.exe? Is It A Virus Or Malware? Remove?
1
What is FireStorm.exe?
2
Is FireStorm.exe safe to run? Is it a virus or malware?
2.1
Over All Ratings for FireStorm.exe
3
How To Remove or Uninstall FireStorm.exe
4
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FireStorm.exe?
FireStorm.exe is an executable exe file which belongs to the FireStorm process which comes along with the ZOTAC Graphics Card Overclock Utility Software developed by PC Partner Co. software developer.
I have faced similar issues with unknown exe files running in the background in my windows computer. Read this tutorial to learn more about FireStorm.exe and whether to disable it or not.
If the FireStorm.exe process in Windows 10 is important, then you should be careful while deleting it. Sometimes FireStorm.exe process might be using CPU or GPU too much.
If it is malware or virus, it might be running in the background.
The .exe extension of the FireStorm.exe file specifies that it is an executable file for the Windows Operating System like Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
TIP: If you are facing System related issues on Windows like registry errors or System files being deleted by virus or System crashes, we recommend downloading Restoro software which scans your Windows PC for any issues and fixes them with a few steps.
Malware and viruses are also transmitted through exe files. So we must be sure before running any unknown executable file on our computers or laptops.
Now we will check if the FireStorm.exe file is a virus or malware? Whether it should be deleted to keep your computer safe? Read more below.
Is FireStorm.exe safe to run? Is it a virus or malware?
Let’s check the location of this exe file to determine whether this is a legit software or a virus. The location of this file and dangerous rating is mentioned below.
File Location / Rating : C:Program Files (x86)ZotacFireStorm
To check whether the exe file is legit, you can start the Task Manager. Then click on the columns field and add Verified Signer as one of the columns.
Now look at the Verified Signer value for FireStorm.exe process. If it says “Unable to verify” then the file may be a virus.
| File Name | FireStorm.exe |
| Software Developer | PC Partner Co. |
| File Type | |
| File Location | C:Program Files (x86)ZotacFireStorm |
| Software | ZOTAC Graphics Card Overclock Utility |
Over All Ratings for FireStorm.exe
If the developer of the software is legitimate, then it is not a virus or malware. If the developer is not listed or seems suspicious, you can remove it using the uninstall program.
Based on our analysis of whether this FireStorm file is a virus or malware, we have displayed our result below.
Is FireStorm.exe A Virus or Malware: FireStorm.exe .
How To Remove or Uninstall FireStorm.exe
To remove FireStorm.exe from your computer, do the following steps one by one. This will uninstall FireStorm.exe if it was part of the software installed on your computer.
- If the file is a part of a software program, then it will also have an uninstall program. Then you can run the Uninstaller located at directory like C:Program Files>PC Partner Co.>ZOTAC Graphics Card Overclock Utility >FireStorm> FireStorm.exe_uninstall.exe.
- AdvertisementOr the FireStorm.exe was installed using the Windows Installer, then to uninstall it Go to System Settings and open Add Or Remove Programs Option.
- Then Search for FireStorm.exe or the software name ZOTAC Graphics Card Overclock Utility in the search bar or try out the developer name PC Partner Co.
. - Then click on it and select the Uninstall Program option to remove FireStorm.exe file from your computer. Now the software ZOTAC Graphics Card Overclock Utility program, along with the file FireStorm.exe will be removed from your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do i stop FireStorm.exe process?
In order to stop the firestorm.exe process from running, you either have to uninstall the program associated with the file or, if it’s a virus or malware, remove it using a Malware and Virus removal tool.
Is FireStorm.exe a Virus or Malware?
As per the information, we have the FireStorm.exe . But a good file might be infected with malware or virus to disguise itself.
Is FireStorm.exe causing High Disk Usage?
You can find this by opening the Task Manager application (Right-click on Windows Taskbar and choose Task Manager) and click on the Disk option at the top to sort and find out the disk usage of FireStorm.
exe.
Is FireStorm.exe causing High CPU Usage?
You can find this by opening the Task Manager application and find the FireStorm process and check the CPU usage percentage.
Is FireStorm.exe causing High Network Usage?
If the FireStorm.exe has High data Usage, You can find this by opening the Task Manager windows app and find the FireStorm process and check the Network Usage percentage.
How to check GPU Usage of FireStorm.exe?
To check FireStorm.exe GPU usage. Open Task Manager window and look for the FireStorm.exe process in the name column and check the GPU usage column.
I hope you were able to learn more about the FireStorm.exe file and how to remove it. Also, share this article on social media if you found it helpful.
Let us know in the comments below if you face any other FireStorm.exe related issues.
About The Author:
Gowtham V is a tech blogger and founder of HowToDoNinja.com who is an expert in Technology & Software and writes awesome How-To Tutorials to help people online.
He has 5 years of experience in creating websites and writing content. He uses a Windows PC, a Macbook Pro, and an Android phone. Check out more about our website and our writers on our About US page. Also
follow me on Twitter page and Linkedin
Movie Firestorm (China, Hong Kong, 2013) — Poster-Movie
Movie Firestorm (China, Hong Kong, 2013) — Poster-Movie
Film
Fung bou (2013, China, Hong Kong) At the same time, a gang of repeat offenders led by Nam in broad daylight on a busy street commits a robbery of an armored cash-in-transit vehicle. Inspector Louis is investigating the crime. However, he soon realizes that extremely violent crimes require extremely brutal retribution tactics, even if for this he has to sacrifice his moral convictions.
Information provided by the XXXVI MMKF
Severnakita, Hong Kong
Genryboevik, Triller, Crime
Directory Yuen
9000 minutes 40 minutes
Exit date December 19, 2013
9
Acts 9,000 Lau, Hu Jun, Rei Lu,
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Read online «Firestorm in a glass», Marina Pavelieva — LitRes
Audit in a flower shop is still a problem.
Anna did not like them. You have to constantly rearrange the vases, count the flowers in them, write off the substandard, climb the shelves with fertilizers and lift heavy bags. And also to listen to the moans of the hostess that each time the revenue is less and less, and how this crisis has already got it. Moreover, the complaints of Nadezhda Stanislavovna did not differ in variety. Only the amount of money differed. Therefore, she and Lena, her partner, at such moments simply kept quiet and monotonously assented to the hostess that, yes, it is very difficult to do business now, then new taxes, then new deductions. However, she did not need their opinion, she just wanted to speak out and, as if by chance, explain why the bonuses for saleswomen are getting smaller. The girls understood this very well, but so far they held on to their places. Lena believed that here she would quickly find a husband for herself, because she was always in sight. Here’s an idea she has. And Anka wanted to hold out until graduation, because the store is very close to home, and the work schedule suited her quite well.
Outside the window the June summer was buzzing with might and main. The noise of trees rinsing their leaves in the wind, the buzzing of flying insects and the chirping of birds hunting for this living creature. The cooing of pigeons gathering in flocks and pecking at seeds scattered by good-natured old women. And the noisy flapping of the wings of a flying flock, when some juvenile tomboy began chasing birds.
The beginning of June was hot. This was felt by Anka even in a short pink T-shirt with blue jeans with holes through which slender, untanned legs were visible. Walking among the shop windows, she constantly looked out the window, anticipating that tomorrow the alarm clock would not force her to get up at an utterly early hour, and she would not have to crawl out from under the soft blanket with barely opening eyes. Tomorrow she is waiting for vacation and freedom.
And today she felt like a fish swimming in a small aquarium, which was a store with its glass showcases, outside of which another world existed.
Huge other world. But nothing can be done. Today you need to finish the tedious work. Anya again began sorting through the bags of seeds and laying them in piles — here are flowers, here are vegetables. “Girls, you will have to finish the audit without me,” the hostess said after talking on the phone. — I need to leave immediately. To the wholesale warehouse, there are discounts today. You should definitely check out what they offer. And I’ll be back in the evening.
The saleswomen rolled their eyes, but said nothing, pretending to understand how busy the hostess was. Rising from her chair, she pulled down a loose summer jacket made of white linen, put on a translucent bluish blouse with pink flowers made of Chinese silk, smoothed out the wrinkles on a snow-white skirt and went to the mirror. She combed her short brown hair and flew out the door like a butterfly.
This was not the first time this had happened. Once after dinner, during the next audit, a male voice called her .
.. The fact that the man called was accidentally overheard by Lena and secretly told Anka. And after the call, Nadezhda Stanislavovna, quickly adjusting her makeup, took off in an unknown direction. According to her version, to a wholesale warehouse. And according to Lena to her lover. — Why to a lover? Anka then asked her. “Maybe to a wholesale warehouse.
“Well, only if her lover works in this warehouse,” Lena laughed and straightened her new hairstyle.
Instead of braiding her frizzy red hair braids, she gathered them at the top of her head into a ponytail, which gave her plump little face a more oblong oval. And her long hair fell beautifully over her shoulders, so that the men who entered the store certainly looked at her. And they missed the control shot, with which Lena sealed their counter, forcing them to buy something that they did not count on at all. At least a rose.
– Why do you think she has a lover? Maybe it was her husband who called, — Anka asked again, because their hostess was a very serious woman with her husband and two teenage children, always in a suit, so she did not expect anything like this from her.
“You don’t look around much,” Lena stated. She stretched, spreading her arms so that the new jersey dress with longitudinal stripes of dark and light gray stripes, which she wore today, almost cracked at the seams. — You need more observation, and you yourself will understand everything.
Having finished with the seeds, Anka took small roses from the vase, removed a few wilted ones and began to count the rest. Then she said to her partner, who was writing down the availability of goods in the statement at the table:
– Len, stop philosophizing. Just tell me why? Write eighteen.
— Because when her husband calls her, her eyes don’t light up like that. And she wouldn’t run out of the store just because her husband called. She won’t see him at home, will she? They could have agreed with him to go somewhere in advance, and she would not suddenly break loose, because the audit is a serious matter. And she drops everything and runs headlong from the store, like a first-grader girl,” Lena finally explained to her.
— Ahhh, — Anka drawled. — Well, maybe …
— Yes, it can’t be, but for sure, — Lena began to convince her that she was right. Because there was another case. On my shift. I forgot to tell you. So. Why did she come, I don’t remember, either which documents to pick up, or something else, only a man calls her, and she is carried away. And literally half an hour later her husband appears and asks where I am hiding Nadezhda Stanislavovna. He says that today she should be in the store until the evening, and he forgot the keys to the apartment. And he is very surprised that she is not. How they explained it later, I don’t know. She got out, probably, she’s not a fool. But the fact that the man who called was not her husband, that’s for sure.
“Understood,” Anka said. — All right, what do we want? I’m neither cold nor hot. Everyone lives as he pleases.
– Yes, Lena agreed. – Only then I even envied her. After all, she is no longer a young woman, and she already has a husband, a good man, an economic one.
And also a lover. Well, how can you not envy? I didn’t have Petit then,” Lena took a deep breath, remembering her fiancé. Yes, yes. Finally, Lena had a real fiance. Not some stray boyfriend, but a serious young man. True, he was from the suburbs, and lived in a private house with his parents, which Lena did not really like. But he turned out to be a very nice guy. And as soon as he was brought into their «World of Flowers» on Krasnoarmeyskaya? In some strange way, his path, passing through the shops of Yoshkar-Ola in search of a birthday present for his mother, turned into the Gomzovsky district. As he later told his friends, he saw an advertisement for the Gigantia store and decided to go there. And then I remembered that I didn’t buy flowers for my mother. But leaving the Gigantia, he saw what he needed — shop windows filled with multi-colored bouquets.
He crossed the road and opened the door to the flower shop… Seeing Lena behind the counter, the unfortunate guy lost his mind and speechlessness.
But how unlucky is he? Now he considers himself the happiest. And he tells everyone how incredibly happy he is at this meeting, how great it is that fate brought them together with Lena and other rubbish in the same vein. Friends are already tired of listening to him, and Anka has heard about it at least three times. Lena did not take Petya seriously at first, but she did not refuse courtship. “Why not, guys don’t roll on the road,” she said. And although she then had other suitors, she did not start a serious relationship with anyone. Usually it all ended with gatherings in a cafe and sex after. After a short relationship, leading to nothing, Lena sent the next guy to hell and began to look for a husband again. And all this time, Petya was somehow imperceptibly present next to her. And then she herself became involved in their relationship. And it looks like she’s happy now. Especially after Petya asked her to marry him. Well, why pull? Twenty-three is already old.
The fiancé was a short, puny fellow, with short hair, a smooth shave, and meticulous grooming.
He didn’t look like a villager at all, although he knew everything about household farming, because from an early age he helped his father. However, he was not going to walk in kirzachs and a cap. This is what Lena liked. And although from the side they looked like a fly and a mosquito, everything else they had was like in a fairy tale about a fly. Petya looked after Lena so much, he took care so that she would not catch a cold, that she would definitely wear a scarf and warm boots, they met in the spring that any girl who was waiting for her prince on a white horse would envy. And so this prince rode up to Lena. She looked at her watch and remembered:
— Wow, what time it is already! Petya should be here soon. We will visit him after work. There, his ancestors stirred up a barbecue and called me. Wow, how I love barbecue in nature!
– Great, – Anka drawled, climbing onto an aluminum stepladder and taking out a vase with callas from the top shelf. – Me too… Nine pieces.
— Listen, come with us. It will be even more fun for me,” Lena suddenly suggested, writing down the number of flowers in the right cell. — I don’t really like to chat with relatives, but at least you will be with me. They will switch to you, they will look after you, but they will leave me behind.
Lena never lost her mercantile interest, even inviting her friend to barbecue. The groom’s parents were always glad to see her, but they looked after her so intrusively when she and Petya came to spend the night that she was tired of it. Therefore, Anka’s invitation was most likely due to what she voiced. Lena did not know how to cheat and mean behind her back, but on the other hand, she expressed her thoughts too directly. Anka was already used to this and was not at all surprised by such an invitation. But she decided to refuse. Today she wanted to go to bed early and finally get some sleep.
— No, Len. Not today,” she said wearily. “I want to take a bath and go straight to bed.
” I turn on the telly and under his muttering I will dream of a prince. — About the prince! Lena exclaimed and laughed. Yes, you have two of them. They just disappeared somewhere in the fog. It’s time to find. What are you pulling?
Who are you talking about now? — Anya made her round eyes, as if she did not know what she was talking about, and declared. I don’t know any princes.
“You know, you know,” Lena smiled at her. — Do they leave such guys? One is better than the other. Eh, I would take Xandra away from you.
She dropped her pen on the table, pushed her notes aside, and rested her chin on her fist. She closed her eyes dreamily and clicked her tongue. Then she began to tear off the upper petals from the substandard roses set by Anka so that they seemed fresh.
“I almost took you away,” Anka muttered, remembering how one evening her partner came to her and left with her boyfriend, spoiling her the whole evening, and smiled maliciously.
“I will never forgive you for this. Lena even jumped up in her chair and looked at Anka in surprise. She was silent for a while, deciding whether she was serious or joking, but, not understanding, she carefully asked:0003
Are you serious? We seem to have figured everything out. Why are you starting again?
“Yes, I’m joking, I’m joking,” Anka laughed when she saw Lenin’s face taken aback. — They forgot. Moreover, you told me the whole truth. You and Xander didn’t go anywhere, you didn’t take anyone away, but like a fool you succumbed to the persuasion of a handsome man in a black coat.
“Well, yes,” Lena agreed, shaking her head. “I forgot about that handsome guy a long time ago. By the way, he never showed up again, you bastard. At least your talisman returned.
– Well, okay. To hell with it. Both with him and with this talisman, — Anka nonchalantly dismissed, put the vase with callas in place and went down the stairs. — We’ve gone. I don’t know why they are remembered now? More than two months have passed.
— That’s what I’m talking about. It’s been two months now, and you’re all alone, — Lena returned to her conversation about the guys, trying to get away from unpleasant memories as quickly as possible.
Of course, the memories of the March events were extremely unpleasant for her. Then she stole for the first time. Yes, and with his good friend, almost a friend. However, they never became friends with Anka, but they were closer to good friends. She stole a trinket, a metal amulet that Lena thought was worthless, for her new boyfriend, who really wanted to take possession of this little thing. How then she succumbed to his persuasion, Lena did not understand until now. Therefore, she tried her best to forget this black streak in her life. And here on you, they remembered again.
Anka also didn’t want to think about Illarion, the name of Lenin’s handsome man, and part-time dark sorcerer, who had the power of Whistle — the terrible power of the ancient god, the son of Stribog, who had the ability to control dark winds and raging elements.
The fight with him on the day of the spring equinox almost ended in tears for Anka. She then mentally said goodbye to life several times. But, oddly enough, the talisman of the fiery wind itself rescued her, recognizing her mistress in her. The soul of the talisman that inhabited her called for help Yarila the sun, and his lightning strike killed the sorcerer. “Of course, he won’t appear again,” Anka mentally answered Lena’s words about the handsome man. “Now he rests somewhere near Kazan.” Where, probably, all the sorcerers are buried, the heirs of Stribog, to whose family she herself belongs. How many are there? She did not know. For all the time that has passed since the battle of the elements, she never bothered to learn about her kind something more significant than the notes of Professor Romanovsky. Her life became normal, no one else hunted for her, and she began to forget the events of those days. I did not forget only to periodically train the power of Stribog, trying to develop it further.
She got used to training during yoga. So, having developed a training plan, I tried not to miss it. But the more time passed after March, the less training became. Moreover, after them I always wanted to eat, and she tried to keep her slender figure in good shape. She did not want to look like fat Lena at all. And now Anka waved her hands once a week, realizing that things were not moving forward.
– Why are you silent? — Anka was brought out of her thoughts by her partner. — Where did your heroes go?
— Either princes or heroes. You already decide somehow, — Anka grumbled in response, for some reason she did not want to talk about guys at all.
“What difference does it make what you call them,” Lena chuckled. “Men, they are men. And all they do is bring joy to women. And a prince or a hero — whoever is lucky. You have one prince, another hero. They were here, but swam away. Well, I understand, you don’t need them, so find another one. And you all sit at home and kuksishsya.
I’ve already changed five guys in two months and found Petya. — Did you find Petya? It was he who found you himself, — Anka laughed at Lenina’s conviction that she makes her own life.
“Let him find it, so I tamed him,” Lena did not stumble. — A man is easy to find, hard to keep. It needs constant work, and you let everything take its course. Where is your Sasha-oper? Sounds like you messed with him.
— He went to study, some promotion courses in Nizhny Novgorod. For now, she’ll be there soon, by the way, — Anka answered and thought.
After all, they still have only friendly relations with Sasha the opera. Although a couple of times after the investigation into the murder of Romanovsky, they still met, even kissed. But things didn’t go any further. Anka still kicked off intimate relationships, not knowing why. She liked Sasha. Both as a person and as a man. But every time it was planned to move beyond kissing, something stopped her. And she was vaguely aware of that.
She hasn’t forgotten Xander yet. Somewhere inside her, flashing sparks of memories flickered, periodically penetrating her brain and again warming her soul with love for him, Xander. Immediately, fragments of days happily spent with him surfaced, and in a dream he imagined his soft lips and strong arms hugging her fragile body. However, she couldn’t decide if she wanted to be with him. She was constantly tormented by contradictions. In addition to pleasant memories, she could not forget the last quarrel with him. His burning jealousy when he, without listening to her excuses, went home, and then did not pick up the phone when she called.
Although she only called twice on the insistent advice of her best friend Irinka. If the first time he could not hear, then the second time he probably heard. She did not ring the third time, because it makes no sense. He must have seen her number come up. And if he didn’t call back, it means he didn’t want to. “I won’t do it again. As you wish,” she said firmly to her friend.
And she didn’t really call again. And then the session arrived in time, so for a while she completely abandoned her personal life. When I remembered Sasha the Opera, it turned out that he had left to study and would return only in the middle of June…
Kalina, ”and ran out into the street, shouting to Anka. – I am now. Just kiss him and tell him to wait in the car.
Anka looked after her, thinking: “She is acting strangely. Only recently she invited him to a barbecue, and now she makes him wait in the heat in a tin can. Does he get jealous? To me?» She shrugged her shoulders in response, rearranged the ladder to the next window and climbed for the last vase with a bright yellow expensive bouquet. I had to see if the flowers had wilted in it. Or maybe it’s worth changing the painted spikelets, which periodically faded in the sun.
Climbing onto the third step, Anka took hold of the vase and was about to take it off the shelf when her elbow caught on the corner of the stairs.
The vase swayed and splashed cold water on her chest. In surprise, Anka recoiled from the stairs, and the vase spun in her hands. Afraid of dropping the expensive vessel, she grabbed it with both hands and began to lose her balance, falling backwards. Pressing the vase to her with one hand, she tried to grab the edge of the stepladder, but a centimeter was missing. Anya just scratched the metal with her nails and continued to fall down. There was a moment left before the impact of the human body on the ceramic floor and the loud bams of the smashed vase. And Anka mechanically extended her right hand down… Why? To break her? After all, in order to successfully fall, you need to curl up into a ball and gently smack on part of your back, and not on your entire back. And the hand is definitely useless. So hands break. All this miraculously flashed through Anya’s subconscious, and she realized what an utter stupidity she was doing now. But it was too late.
“You have to do everything for you,” another voice whispered in her head following her thoughts.
— Forgot what to do? Eh, kulema. Her right hand twitched, her fingers clenched, unclenched, clenched again, and unclenched again, and a moment before she fell, a vortex pad appeared between her palm and the floor. The furious stream of wind that escaped from her palm rested hard on the floor, blowing away fine dust and fallen petals from it, but not letting it fall. Anya hovered between the stairs and the floor like in some cartoon, when the characters freeze in a freeze frame. If someone saw this frame from the outside, they would be very surprised.
The picture is still the same. Because from a full vase, pressed to his shoulder and decently tilted, a stream of water ran, which flowed down his T-shirt and jeans to the floor. But Anna couldn’t move. If she removes her right hand, then the wind will no longer hold her, and she will fall, as was originally intended by the vile vase. And Anka cannot land on the floor, because then she will drop the vase. And it will end the same again.
And the left hand cannot be used for the new wind, because she is holding this rubbish. In general, whatever one may say — the end of the vase. So you have to save your back. “I didn’t think of anything else, how to fall down again? the voice in his head chuckled. “No training will help you if you don’t think with your head. See how easy it is.»
Anya’s hand, with which she pressed the vase, slid along the thin ceramics to the neck and grabbed the vase by the edge. Then she lifted the vessel and straightened its position so that no water would flow, then placed it carefully on the step of the stairs. Now all that remained was to straighten herself up, for which the left hand also did the “shrink-unclenched” exercise and a new stream of wind rushed to the floor. This time, the power was enough to rise and press against the stepladder with the whole body, and then stand with both feet on the second step. Clenching her fists and turning off the wind, Anka grabbed the vase and went down to the floor.
At that moment Lena came in and, seeing her wet and disheveled partner, laughed out loud:
– “What, were you taking a shower? I didn’t know we had it.
Anka put the vase on the table and, examining herself, said bitterly:
– What kind of shower? That’s not fucking funny. I almost dropped this vase, but while I was saving it, I poured myself. How can I go home now? What will people think? My pants are all wet, like I pissed. Should a worker wear a robe? So he’s scary.
“Probably yes,” Lena agreed with her. — Take off your clothes, take off your pants and put on a bathrobe. But on the street in it you will also look funny. Petya and I will take you home. So do not worry. Did you count everything?
— All. One bouquet remained. I don’t know whether to write it off or not, it’s been worth it for a long time. We must wait for the hostess and ask her.
— Oh, yes, in fig. Ask more, write and okay. I’ll take it for myself, I’ll make my mother Petina happy, she has never seen such overseas flowers.
And everyone will be happy, — Lena smiled, believing that it would be better for everyone. — Now I’ll call the hostess and say that we’re done. I don’t think she’ll even come. I’ll show her the list tomorrow. So go for a walk, Anyutka. Your vacation begins. Indeed, Lena was right. The hostess said she was busy and would look at everything tomorrow. So the girls closed the store, put it on the alarm and went home.
As always, her parents were in the garden, and Anka, having had a quick supper of cottage cheese with defrosted berries, lay down on the sofa in front of the TV and immediately fell asleep. Again she dreamed of Xander’s lips, flying butterflies and fluffy dogs. However, closer to the morning she had a nightmare. It was as if she was walking in the garden at night, seemingly in her garden, but for some reason dark and overgrown with shrubs, from which a monster with a gray mane and green eyes protruded. It beckoned her to him with his hand and said something in a low voice.
But no words were heard, only his lips moved. Anya did not understand anything, and she was scared. She wanted to run away to the house, where a bright saving light burned in the windows, but her legs would not obey. She panted heavily as she struggled through the bushes and eventually woke up with a heavy head. Seven in the morning. Glancing at her watch, Anka cursed, because today she had grandiose plans to get enough sleep. And woke up as usual, as if she had to go to work again. “Well, no, you bastards. To hell with work, she thought, and wrapping herself up with her head, she turned to the other side. I tried to sleep again. After about twenty minutes of aimless tossing and turning from side to side, she nevertheless got up. I put the kettle on, had breakfast, turned on the computer and found my long-running series. Calmed down again.
Around ten o’clock she received a call from an unknown number. She looked at the phone for a long time, but the combination of numbers did not give her anything.
Then she nevertheless decided to pick up the phone, you never know what. — Hello. How are you? a pleasant female voice cooed.
Anka was silent, thinking. Usually, either banks call with such unctuous voices, offering their boring credit cards, or scammers, playing naive bank card holders and swindling money from them. But neither of them ever asked how things were going. Weird. Who is this?
– Why are you silent? Did you swallow your tongue? a voice asked after a while. Hello, are you still there?
“Hello,” Anka answered and fell silent again, the voice was not identified in any way.
“I see,” the girl on the other end laughed. — Can’t figure out who’s calling?
“I can’t,” Anka muttered. Usually strangers introduce themselves first.
— So I’m not a stranger, you know me. Didn’t you know?
— No, — Anka answered firmly and wanted to switch off, she did not like all these fortune-telling from the category of guess who I am.
Otherwise, it is not clear who is calling and says: “Hi.
Did you know? These fools screwed up. It would not be right to say: “Hi. This is Vasya. And that’s it, it’s immediately clear what kind of idiot mumbles into the phone. — I’m Lena, Dyukha’s wife, — the girl introduced herself, and Anka immediately understood who was talking to her. “Oh, I have business with you. Can we meet somewhere today and talk?
Anka was very surprised when her former friend called. Well, as an ex — just an acquaintance whom they had not seen since the very day they quarreled with Xander. Yes, and quarreled — perhaps too strong a word. He just caught her when she was kissing another, got offended and silently disappeared without any explanation. And this same Lena then offered to reconcile them and even came up with some kind of cunning plan. But Anka didn’t intend to realize it then, because she herself pouted at Xander because he didn’t trust her, because he didn’t listen to her excuses, because he didn’t answer calls, because … In general, for all.
“Hi, Lena,” she said in confusion. — What fates?
“I have business with you,” the interlocutor answered and repeated her question. We can meet somewhere. It’s not easy to explain over the phone. I want to talk to you personally.
“I don’t even know,” Anka drawled, wondering what kind of business led Lena to her. If again at the expense of Xander, then for some reason I did not want to shake up the former relationship with a stranger, so I asked. Why, Len?
“Well, if I say that I just really need it, it won’t convince you,” Lena grinned, she understood Anka’s confusion. “You won’t hear a word about Xander from me if you don’t want to. I have a personal request to you. And so that you don’t suffer for a long time with the answer, I’ll say right away that I’m getting married to Dyukha, my Andryushenka …
— Oh, — Anka squeaked in surprise and brought herself to a sitting position, from which the sofa creaked softly. — That’s lovely! Congratulations!
That’s the news.
Anya was really happy for Lena. As far as she knew from Xander’s words, they had already lived together with Duha for a long time, and everyone did not dare to legitimize their relationship. Anka did not know for sure whether Andrei did not propose marriage to Lena, or whether she herself decided to wait, but the fact remained that the usual cohabitation suited them quite well. Moreover, they lived in perfect harmony. Apparently, finally, they were honored to become legal spouses. Well done, whatever you say. “Thank you,” Lena said. — An, well, why drag out our chatter on the phone, if we can talk at a meeting. My case is directly related to your flower shop and I need your advice on decorating a wedding. And it would be nice to get a discount from you for a bulk order. I thought no one could help me better than you. Still, you know about colors. And I don’t have any other friends like that.
– Understood, Anka thought, well, why not help a good person, especially since Lena treated her very well when meeting Xandra’s friends.
— I don’t mind. Whatever I can, I’ll help. – That’s nice, – the interlocutor was delighted. – Can you come to the cafe today?
— Yeah. My vacation has just begun, — Anka figured out how long it would take to get ready and decided that in an hour and a half exactly, depending on where to go.
— Excellent. Then you will immediately see the cafe, what and how to decorate. At the same time, you will calculate the approximate amount, how much this beauty will cost us.
— Where to come?
— Cafe «Rose» in the ninth microdistrict. Do you know where?
— Well, yes, to Vasiliev, — Anka has been there several times for someone’s anniversaries, mostly mom and dad acquaintances, and just ran with the girls.
— Come here at four o’clock. Andryushka and I will choose the menu for the wedding, at the same time we will talk about everything with you. Are you comfortable?
— Yes, fine. I will come.
– Then I don’t say goodbye, – and Lena switched off.
“Bye,” Anka told her in her mind and stared at the blank screen of her smartphone for a long time. Then she looked at her watch, there was still time to go to hell, and again lay down on the couch to watch the series. Anyway, today was planned lazy. And then at least walk around the city, stretch your legs. In addition, walking to the cafe is not very long, and even more so in good weather. Walk for pleasure.
After wading in front of the computer until three o’clock and chewing something all the time, well, for some reason she was nervous, Anya began to get ready. She seemed to want to meet Lena, ask about them with her husband, about friends, about Xandra, but on the other hand, she didn’t want any of this. She again had this double feeling of «I want it or I don’t want it.» As in the old saying — and you want, and prick. A couple of times she tried to call Lena back and refuse to meet, but each time she pulled herself up, justifying herself by saying that the newlyweds needed help.
Where else would they find a florist like her? So by 3:30 pm Anka was ready — she had made up and was dressed. It didn’t take long to choose clothes. She put on her favorite translucent crepe de chine blouse with cheerful white and blue flowers, through which a black lace bust showed through, and a knee-length white pencil skirt with a side slit in front. She grabbed a long-handled white handbag, buttoned up her white high-heeled sandals and ran out the door of the apartment…
Entering the Rozochka, Anka immediately saw Lena sitting at the third table by the window, facing the entrance. Somehow she was alone. At least Duhi was nowhere to be seen, as well as other visitors. Lena immediately saw Anka and waved her hand, inviting her to her.
“Well done for coming,” she chirped happily as she walked over to her table and stopped beside her. “I honestly thought you’d change your mind.
Lena was wearing a black sleeveless T-shirt with a large neckline, from which her tanned breasts peeped out, and tight-fitting summer blue jeans, emphasizing her slimness.
Her long blond hair was also tied back in a single braid. The girl had not changed at all since their last meeting and still shone. “I promised,” Anka grimaced her surprised face, although she herself thought so quite recently, and asked. — And where is the betrothed?
— Already gone. We made the menu, and he went about his business. Yes, we don’t need him,” Lena answered, smoothing her slightly disheveled hair and pushing the loose strands back into her braid. Guys usually don’t care about their own wedding. Mine is no exception.
“Yes, yes,” Anka agreed with her, although she didn’t understand anything about this, neither in weddings, nor in guys who wanted to marry. She hasn’t been through it yet. Thinking, she asked inappropriately, looking around. — Why don’t people?
3
Patricia Wilson — Firestorm read online
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Patricia Wilson
Firestorm
Chapter 1
Alyssa glanced at her watch and sighed expressively.
She showed up too early, and since Candy was always late, she was clearly in for a long and dreary wait. Alyssa didn’t like to sit and stare at strangers. She wasn’t the type to sip an aperitif in the company of someone she didn’t know and would never see again. She’d rather be doing something. She turned the steering wheel to the right and soon drove into a place she hadn’t been before. A quiet street opened up to her eyes, a short drive from the bustling thoroughfare of the city. Amazed that there could be such corners in the center of the city, Alyssa looked around with curiosity. A real safe haven in the midst of London’s chaos. It’s amazing how she hadn’t seen this place before and only found it because she wanted to kill some time. The mobile phone blew. It was at the bottom of the purse, so there was no way to answer right away. She turned off a small green alley and parked her car. She could bet anything it was her sister calling. He wants to make sure she hasn’t forgotten about the upcoming dinner.
Are you coming? — As usual, Candy’s voice sounded motherly, anxious and fussy.
— I’m just about to make my way to the main street.
— I would not like you to use such expressions. Be careful, you still have plenty of time, there is absolutely no need to take stupid risks.
Alissa suppressed a laugh as it was about to burst from her lips. Stupid? There is nothing in it that would indicate stupidity. She would describe herself as a person who acts coolly and efficiently. And she would call Candy forgetful. Her sister is a wonderful wife and mother. For years she only dreamed of marrying Bob and having children. She did what happy married women do: cooked delicious food, went to school when it was her turn. Went to parent-teacher conferences and was pretty as a picture when Bob came home in the evening.
Alyssa thought it was all very sweet, very boring, and somewhat intimidating. A golden cage in which there is no place for adventure. She had no desire to enter such a velvet-lined prison.
For all she knew, the men were hardened, cowardly egotists, constantly looking for someone to wash their shirts and cook their three-course meal. She stopped listening when Candy started a long story about one of the neighbors. The sister obviously forgot that they were going to meet for dinner. As usual, she just couldn’t wait to tell Alyssa something.
Candy could speak without asking for an answer. Alyssa had learned to be distracted at times like this since they were kids. It was enough to pretend that she was listening. Since Candy had taken on the proud status of a landlady, Alyssa had already listened to several similar stories that differed from each other in implausible details. It seems that these were exactly those exciting events that took place outside the walls of the velvet prison. Alyssa forced herself to listen to what her sister was telling her.
A black Ford slowly drove past her car. He stopped almost opposite, but Alyssa barely glanced at him.
Except for her car and the car opposite, the road was deserted. Large houses, so quiet that they could well have been uninhabited, were located far beyond the gates, guarded by video cameras. The trees in the huge gardens that adjoined these houses made up an elegant range of colors. Below were flowers and well-cut lawns. Long masts were visible on some lawns. Everything felt a carefully guarded privacy. No other place in London could be so calm on a sunny morning while the rest of the city was bustling with activity. It was impossible to imagine the noise, bustle and movement in this quiet place, from which big money blew. Alyssa made a face. These houses belonged to very rich people, probably scrupulous and boring. She imagined millionaires dining alone, eyeing the soup suspiciously with cold eyes.
She imagined the servants waiting for the moment they were needed and hoping that the cook didn’t mix things up. No, there should be a chef here. She made adjustments to the picture: she replaced a simple cook with a chef in a high cap.
She imagined that he had a French mustache, and immediately felt sympathy for him. How hard it is for them when the sun is shining outside and the birds are singing in the trees!
Two children came out of the gate of a small park. It was clearly a private park reserved solely for the inhabitants of this graceful street—after the children had gone out, a young woman in a gray uniform appeared and closed the gate.
Alyssa was watching them while Candy kept talking and talking. Periodically, Alyssa made sounds of surprise or condolence when it was required, but all her attention was riveted on the children.
They were pretty cute. The little girl was about five years old, her golden curls shimmering in the sun. The boy was older, he was about eight years old, and his appearance contrasted sharply with that of the girl. His hair was black and he looked somewhat important.
Alyssa watched them walk up the street with the professional interest of a teacher.
The girl was led by the hand of a young woman. Alyssa thought it was the nanny. The children must be living in one of the big houses on this street. Most likely, the boy’s self-confidence is explained precisely by this. Candy had almost spoken and was already finishing her story, and Alyssa could not take her eyes off the children. The girls she taught were much older than both of them, yet she compared them, marveling at how a girl could be so cheerful and jump around the nanny, while the boy primly paced beside her without making a sound. She saw the door of a black Ford open before them. A man came out of there and immediately leaned back towards the car. Alyssa paid no attention to this: it seems that he opened the door too wide and interfered with the movement. She had seen people do such stupid things hundreds of times.
The children moved to go around the obstacle, smashing one by one. Everything was natural and Alyssa was watching with a smile. They were well-dressed and well-mannered — just the kids in the picture.
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