Story 1: Ispolin

Story 1 of the Fables Short Story Series

I sit on my threadbare couch, steadying my frayed nerves. The heater is broken, my tattered blanket is wrapped around me tight, my breath condenses into clouds with each exhale. The apartment's decaying walls, lit by flickering electricity, give off a stale odor. Nevertheless, the creaky bed and the musty curtains dividing the single room are a modicum of luxury in a war-torn city. The news is blaring on TV, giving chilling updates on the raging war. I never thought I would find myself living like this, but desperate times call for drastic measures. I take a deep breath and wait.

The phone rings. Its Mother. I answer, putting her on speaker. Her soothing voice comes through “Hello, Vasily? Are you there?”
I don’t want to talk to her, but I don’t want her to worry either. “Hi mother. Now is a bad time.”
“Please come home. I’m worried about you.”
Shit.
“It’ll be fine mother. I just got this one last thing to do and then I’m leaving. You know we need this.”
“We will make due Vasily. I’ve told you that dealing with the Mafia is like playing with fire.”
I shake my head and pause for a moment. “…I, have no other options.”
“You do Vasily. Come home.”
“I can’t, not when things are this bad.”
“Vasily, I am hearing stories. Stories about very bad things out there.”
“Of course, mom, it’s a war. War is very bad.”
“No Vasily, other, things.”
I chuckle. “That again? Mother, they’re not real. It’s just fables.”

A sudden knock reverberates against the door, disrupting the stale air. Shit, he’s early.

“Mom I have to go. They are here”
“Vasily wait I-”. Hanging up the phone feels like hitting my heart with a lead weight. Apologies mother, business awaits. I’ll be home soon, I promise. I release my blanket, and shuffle to the door.  Peering through the peephole, I glimpse the visage of a man. I call out through the door, “Russian winter.”

A reply echoes back, “Tanks of Steel.” I open the door. “Yuri, welcome. How was-”

Yuri pushes past me and strides inside. “Don’t use my name in public.” Two men with cold, unyielding expressions trail behind him, their scrutinizing gazes surveying the room.

“How did you get into Ukraine? No man’s land is uncrossable.” I said. Yuri slouches on a chair by the kitchen table. “Not if you come the long way from Poland. The Poles don’t care why you leave as long as you tell them you will fight for Ukraine.” He is a formidable man in his forties, of average height, rugged stubble, and a blinding white tracksuit. Most important, he carries a striking golden desert eagle tucked in his track pants, the desert eagle matching his golden hair.

Yuri produces a flask from his tracksuit jacket. “How’s your family, Vasily? I hear the war has devastated Moscow quite terribly”. I observe the two men flanking him; they had yet to take a seat. The burly man in a black suit towers behind Yuri. He is bald, muscular, and carries several guns. I bet he’s the type of a man who would enjoy strangling gorillas for fun. Then my gaze shifts to the other man; he is slim, wears glasses, a coat, and a backpack. He is the smallest of the group, scanning the apartment for potential threats.

“Not good,” I said. “The sanctions have hit them harder than most. But they are Russians, they will endure,”

Yuri takes a swig from his flask. “Well, let’s see if we can help, shall we? Do you have it?”

“Of course I have it. But will you actually hold up your end of the deal? I need assurances that my family will be completely taken care of,” I said, my voice wavering. He lets out an exasperated breath. “10% just as agreed upon.” I hesitate for a moment before pointing out the window, “And what about my escape plan? I have to get out of here too.” He snaps his fingers. “Nikolai.” The massive man in the black suit opens his coat, pulls out a mountain of rubles, and tosses it on the kitchen table with a loud thud. My eyes widen as I take in the incredible sum.

I smile and nod. “One moment, please.” I turn marching into the kitchen. Yuri warns, “No funny business, you understand?” I glance back, they now have guns in hand. My heart jumps to my throat. “O-of course,” I said. What kind of mess have I gotten myself into? I approach the sink, wrenching open the cabinet doors. “How do you plan on getting back to Russia? You’ll get shot or worse if you cross the front lines. And all the NATO countries have stopped taking refugees,” I said. Yuri shrugged “Don’t worry about it; Putin has many powerful friends in Belarus.” Made sense; if I were one of Putin’s thugs, I'd probably do the same. I reach deep beneath the kitchen sink, move a slab to reveal a gaping hole. I reach inside, retrieve a small metal box, turn around, and hoist it above my head.

Yuri's grin widens, and Nikolai and the other man exchange a knowing look. I sit down at the table, place the small box in front of Yuri, then open it. With steady hand, I reach in pulling out a folded piece of paper, handing it to him. “The bank is approximately 10 kilometers northeast in southern Kharkiv by the M18 freeway. This code will allow you to enter the safe. The gold is stored inside. Before we shut the bank down, the logs said there were at least 500 kilos of gold bars. The bank is now rubble, but even with a direct artillery strike, the safe is most certainly intact. You should be able to extract the gold with a little effort. Lucky for you, Ukraine has pushed the front back to Luhansk, so now the town is relatively secure.” Then, I try to lighten the mood “Well, as long as you don't run into the Ispolin, that is.”

Yuri chuckled. “Ispolin? Ha, Fairy Tales babushkas use to scare their grandkids.” Nikolai shrugged. “I think they’re real.” Yuri whipped his head towards Nikolai. “There's no such thing as an Ispolin.” The tense moment lingers, then passes. Nikolai looks away but regains his composure. “I've heard stories, Yuri. The stars fell during the eclipse while brothers blood spill in Kharkiv just like the legend-” Yuri interrupts him, “Enough.” dismissing him with a wave of his hand. We've all heard stories, but they're just old wives' tales.

I reach into the box, retrieve another folded paper, and hand it to Yuri. He unfolds it with care, reading its contents while I said, "This is my family's information back in Moscow. Please take care of them." Yuri nods and passes the information to the slender man with glasses. "Keep this safe Aleksey, " he then hands him the bank codes as well. "and verify this too."

Aleksey retrieves his backpack and brings out a sleek, black iPad. His fingers move with impressive speed, typing away for a moment while his eyes dart between the screen and the paper. Aleksey's fingers come to a halt, and he gazes up at Yuri with an intense expression. "It's confirmed." Aleksey tucks away the iPad and paper into his backpack with great care.

Yuri grins. "You have fulfilled your end of the bargain, and now I shall fulfill mine," He nods to Nikolai, who retrieves the cash from the table and strides over to me. I reach out to take the money, but Nikolai strikes me on the head with his gun and aims it at my face. "What the hell, you bastard?" I said holding my throbbing head. The pain intensifies with every breath I take.

Yuri stands, adjusting his tracksuit with an air of indifference. "Sorry, comrade, but money is rather scarce these days due to the war. We must do what we can to survive." Yuri retrieves the money from Nikolai and tucks it into his jacket. "Nikolai, escort him to the balcony while we search his apartment."

Nikolai seizes my shoulder, presses the barrel of his gun into my back, and shoves me out onto the balcony. From the second floor, the balcony overlooks the street and wraps around the rest of the building, making escape impossible. If I try to run, I will end up catching bullets with my back.

A knot forms in my stomach as though I've stepped onto a falling rollercoaster, leaving me with an unshakeable sense of unease. I turn back towards my apartment "What in the world are you doing, Yuri?" Yuri peeks his head outside the sliding door with determined eyes. "I require the remaining details, Vasily." I tilt my head. “The remaining details? What the hell are you talking about?" Yuri jabs his finger at Nikolai. "Nikolai, explain while Aleksey and I search." Yuri vanishes back into my apartment; the sound of breaking furniture and shattering appliances signal his ‘search’ has started.

Nikolai speaks with cold aggression "The FSB claims you possess specifications on Ukrainian financial systems. We require that information." I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. "What's so amusing?" Nikolai said, his face twisting in a scowl. Gazing into his eyes I smile "If only you had honored your word, I would have happily given you that information for free. But now you get nothing. Funny, my mother was right, and I got burned. Oh well, good luck finding your information, but I doubt you will, Suka." Nikolai freezes, his eyes lock with mine. I sense the cogs turning in his brutish, primitive mind as he struggles to string together a coherent thought. Then he presses the cold, hard barrel of his gun against my forehead, his features contort with rage as he pulls back the hammer. "Info now or die." Damn. Now what?

Horrifying screams arise in the distance, followed by roaring gunfire. Nikolai withdraws his weapon backing away, scanning the streets for any sign of danger, while keeping an eye on me. I swivel my head towards the source of the commotion. The sounds are getting louder, more intense, more ominous. I turn back to Nikolai, who is agitated, but still pointing his gun at me from a safe distance. I turn facing the street and am taken aback in disbelief.

A swarm of terrified civilians, men, women, and children, numbering in the hundreds, run past our building, their shrill cries piercing the air. The screams come in waves, moving back and forth like a winding river. The sound of gunfire is getting closer. A deafening boom thunders off in nearby, as if the ground itself is being ripped apart. My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach. It isn’t a bomb or artillery, it’s something else. What the hell is going on? I don’t want to stay around and find out. I turn back toward my apartment, my voice overflowing with urgency "Yuri, forget the information. We need to leave now!"

Nikolai lowers his weapon and calls out into the apartment. "Comrades. You need to see this!" Yuri emerges from the room, grinning from ear to ear as he produces a parchment from his jacket pocket. "It's just our brothers taking back what's ours. When the Nazi rats are driven back to Kyiv, we'll use this to aquire military assistance. It's signed by Putin himself. Don't worry." But how did Yuri manage to slip past customs with a document bearing Putin's signature? Oh, that's right - the damn Polish.

The thundering of gunfire becomes ferocious, and the wails of the innocent grow more harrowing. Before long, a group of Ukrainian soldier’s dash underneath our balcony, their faces covered in blood, dirt, fear and desperation. As I watch the streets, something new makes my blood run cold. I spin around trembling. "Look!" Nikolai shakes his head. "I won't fall for your childish tricks. Yuri says we're safe." I point to the street below "The soldiers! They're both Russians and Ukrainians. Running side by side from something. We have to go now!" Then, Yuri hurtles through the doors, tripping over his own feet. He points a trembling finger at Nikolai. "Keep your gun on him in case he tries something."

Yuri strides over to the balcony and takes in the apocalyptic scene unfolding beneath us. His eyes widen, his mouth gapes open, and he reaches for his hand cannon. For the first time since I’ve met him, terror crept into his features. As I gaze upon his quivering frame, I couldn't help but crack a small, satisfied smile. How does it feel to lose control, you bastard? Another deafening boom, this one emanating from the foundation beneath us. Everyone fell silent. Gunfire and screams erupt from the first floor, followed by another explosion shaking the building to its very core. Yuri spins around terrified. "Aleksey it's time to go, Now!"

Nikolai's his voice cracked as he asked Yuri a question. "Wha-What about him?" Yuri glanced in my direction as he broke into a jog down the balcony walkway, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for danger. "Fuck him, let's go. We got what we came for. We can always come back later." Aleksey bolts out of my apartment. Both he and Nikolai follow Yuri, leaving me to fend for myself. The balcony walkway looms ahead, leading to a set of double doors. From there, the main walkway connects to stairs- the only escape route out of the building. The bright blue cold sky above us reminds me there is no third floor to escape to. As soon as the three men disappear through those doors, I have no choice but to follow, there is no other way out.

Yuri opens the door and freezes. He steps back, looking up and lets out a blood-curdling scream. I too freeze unable to move any muscle, my ears ring like a bell and my heart bursts out of my chest into my neck. Blyat!

They’re. Fucking. Real.

The visage of an ancient Germanic barbarian stands before us. The creature, twice the height and build of Nikolai, towers over Yuri, his skin a shadow of dark grey. Its black beard spattered with red blood. Piercing blue eyes stared through us. Human eyes. One massive hand grips Yuri's arm, the other clamps down on his head and neck. It pulls with explosive force. All of Ukraine hears Yuri scream. The gore turns my stomach.

Nikolai aims his gun at the mountainous monster and discharges his firearm as fast as he can “Ispolin!” I reach out to help, but then pull my arm back. My urge to help is overridden by survival instincts and anger. I won’t die to save criminals who double cross my family. I decide they can fend for themselves. Clutching the railings I yell. “Fuck you, Yuri!” I yank myself up and over the second-story level. I fall, the landing knocks the breath out of me, but no bones are broken. Above me, more gunshots ring out, followed by another thunderous boom. I stagger back to my feet. Then, a cry from above “Shit!” and Aleksey falls beside me. He rolls and regains his footing. A professional. “Damn. The computer is still up there!” he said. I shake my head. “Tough shit, comrade.” I turn, sprinting from my apartment. A tremendous weight hits the ground behind me, causing me to stumble. I regain my footing and flee.

Aleksey curses. His loud footsteps stamp behind me as he sprints to catch up. Aleksey fires his gun. The sounds of monstrous thuds commence chasing us, louder and closer. I gasp, my heart bursting through my chest. Just keep running. Just keep running Vasily! More gunshots blast through the air. Aleksey's yell turns into agonizing screams. His cries grow fainter as I rush ahead. Did it get him too? A thunderous blast rattles the earth, his cries fell silent.

I keep running, and up ahead, is a helpless family. A father, a mother, and two small girls. My heart races, and my mind screams in panic. This can’t be happening. I yell at them, “Run for your lives. Don’t you dare stop!” The family tries their best but falls further behind with every desperate stride. The woman struggles to carry her child, while the father drags her by the arm. I sprint towards them, yanking the child from her grasp. “Let’s move, quickly!” She unleashes her fury, punching my face. She clings to me, clawing at her child like a rabid animal.

Her finger gouges my eye, and I howl in agony as I drop her child. I whirl around holding my injured eye, facing my apartment again. Oh shit, it’s heading straight for us. Terror jolts my body from head to toe, I sprint away, cursing God. The family shrieks, but their cries are drowned out by the creature's deafening roar reverberating through the decimated buildings. The father yells at them to keep moving, while the wife and children continue to scream. Then, the ground explodes again, and all the screaming stops, replaced by the sobs of the little girl. I pray to God she'll be spared, but my hope is short-lived as another earth-shattering boom echoes through the city, silencing her cries. Tears begin to blur my vision. God damn it. Cry Later Vasily. Push it down.

The path is a maze of rubble and carnage. The twisted remains of corpses and debris block my way, making every step a task. The sound of approaching footsteps reverberate through the ruins, relentless and determined. The gunfire ceased, leaving the chilling echoes of screams in the distance. The only signs of life are a few individuals struggling to flee, far up ahead. Shit, I’m all alone. With no other distractions, I’m its target now.

I push myself to run faster, but my body betrays me. I start to slow down. No, this can't be happening! My muscles are screaming in agony, burning with the effort. It snorts behind me. Panic sets in. There is nowhere to hide, nowhere to escape. What do I do? Is this it? Am I going to die?

Then a fearless Ukrainian soldier jumps out from behind a building to my right. God Bless him. I sprint past him and as points his shotgun and shouts “Die Ispolin!” Bang! Click click. Bang! Click click. Bang! It bellows, the solider screams, there is a deafening thud, and the screaming comes to an abrupt halt. Then there is a loud crash into debris 20 meters away behind me. Poor bastard. The creature howls, its pounding footsteps recommence in my direction. But I have more distance now. What should I do?

There! A mound of rubble up ahead offers some semblance of shelter. With what little energy I have left, I veer to the right, bolting into the crumbling structure. The debris trips me up at every turn, but I persist until I reach a small room. The creature pursues me with relentless fervor, tearing through doors and walls with its massive frame. I'm trapped with no escape in sight. Damn it all! I scour the room, frantic, searching for a means of survival. The sound of destruction grows louder by the second. Then I spot it. A gap behind a shelf. I shove the furniture to the side, revealing a small opening. It's large enough for me to squeeze through, but too narrow for the beast. It's a long shot, but it's all I've got.

I crawl in, the rebar scratching me while jagged concrete scrapes my skin. There is a tiny space I can hide in, only a few feet away, but it might as well be miles. The creature hurls itself hitting the building, shaking the debris, causing clouds of dust to shower me. Is this the end? Will the structure give way and crush me? The monster's repeat attacks cause the rubble to shift, and I feel it closing in on me. Each impact sends more cascades of dust raining down on my head. I arrive in the space. I turn and sit facing the entrance, but the debris blocks my view. My legs extend in the space I just crawled through. I search for an escape, but my options are limited. Above me is rubble. To my right is more concrete. To my left a minuscule gap appears, but it's too small for a child to squeeze through, let alone a grown man like me. I wedge myself as far into the crevice as possible, hoping to avoid detection.

He growls with insatiable bloodlust. I feel him shove against the wall with tremendous force. He belts out a snort and takes a deep violent breath. Then the jarring sound of his arm grating against the rough concrete edges resonates in the crevice. His arm pushes further in. His fingers are scraping concrete mere inches from my feet. I slow my breathing and curl my legs in as tight as possible. Tears stream down my face. Dammit! Not now! He continues to try to grab me. His voice is growing with frustration, and he pulls his arm out. Then he starts slamming into the rubble, over and over. I scream in terror. He knows where I am. My heart pounds my chest so hard it might burst.

His arm plunges back into the hole. His fingers inch even closer and now he can tap my shoe. Shit! Close, but not enough. It fuels him. He tries even harder and crashes against the wall to get to me. But it's in vain. The scraping ceases, and the sound of his footsteps fade away. Despite the new stillness, my heartbeat thunders in my chest. I take a moment to catch my breath. Lord, what is happening? I close my eyes and exhale. I think, I think I am going to make it.

There is a loud rumble above me. The debris starts to tremble. The rubble above my head disintegrates, and I'm blinded by bright sunlight. Each stomping footstep shakes the rubble as he ascends from behind. With each step he takes, it feels as if a thunderous storm cloud is rolling in, ready to strike me. The foreboding sense of doom is like a weight on my chest, crushing me with every passing moment as he draws closer. His breathing signals he’s now above and behind me. His form blocks out the sunlight. He reaches in and pulls me out, lifting me above his head. I scream.

Boom.