The Great Sins
written by: Anastasia Loginova
Vitalina walked down a deserted backstreet. She had crossed it twice a day — to work and back — for the last three months, yet she hadn’t met a single living soul. Not even a rat. At first, it had felt calming; now it was just creepy.
Vita shuddered involuntarily. The click of her heels was deafening in the deadly silence of the empty alley. “I should’ve worn sneakers. Or taken another route. Or just moved to another city…”
Besides, it was pitch dark, though she’d stayed only half an hour late at work. She could swear that yesterday, when she’d walked here, it hadn’t even been dusk yet. And as if to make it creepier still, there wasn’t a single breath of wind — nor any scent at all.
Vita reached out and touched the nearest wall. It was solid. That eased her a little. “Looks like my imagination ran wild. So what if there’s no smell? I should be glad about that!”
But the tension wouldn’t let her go. She had been walking for at least twenty minutes, though the whole street usually took her five. What had happened to this damned place? Was it bewitched or something?
She tried to smile at her own clumsy joke but couldn’t move her lips. Her lips trembled, her body shook, the endless click of her heels grew louder in the absolute silence of the alley… There was only one thing left for her to do — she started to pray.
Somehow, she called upon the Ancient Gods. Her great-grandmother had been a shaman, and Vita had heard stories of the Ancient Gods since childhood. Now she had no doubt: the time had come to call to them.
“Oh Almighty Father… and Merciful Mother… please, get me out of here,” she panted, her steps quickening to a near run.
Nothing changed in that damned alley. Maybe more of the Ancient Gods would help? “Oh Beautiful Daughter… and Great Sins…” She gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. “Great SONS! SONS! Not sins!”
She broke into a full run. No wonder she stumbled almost at once, scraping her knees and palms raw. She nearly bumped her nose against a pair of men’s boots. Still kneeling, Vita slowly raised her eyes.
The man was very tall, tightly wrapped in a long cloak, and somehow clearly visible in the pitch-dark street.
“Vita mia, have you called for us?”
The man’s lips didn’t move, yet the voice sounded clearly inside her head.
Vitalina shook her head. Suddenly, strong hands gripped her under the arms and lifted her to her feet. Her legs gave way, and he kept her upright by the collar of her coat.
“How careless you are,” he said with a disapproving shake of his head. “It’s no good.”
“What do you mean?” Vita finally dared to ask. “No good for what? And who are you?”
“I am one of those you’ve been calling upon.”
“Almighty…” Vita gasped.
“No, not yet. I am still the Son,” the man said with an unpleasant smile.
Still gripping Vita by the scruff of her coat, the man turned and flung open a door. Vita could’ve sworn there hadn’t been a door there a moment ago. Blinded by the light pouring from within, she could only blink through the tears welling in her eyes.
“Welcome to the Sacrifreceiver of the Ancient Gods.” His voice was calm, almost solemn. Still holding Vita by the scruff, he ran his free hand along her body, and the pain in her scraped hands and knees vanished instantly.
“It’s no good to have an imperfect sacrifice,” he explained.
“Me? A sacrifice?” Vita cried in disbelief. “What for?”
“What do you mean — what for?” the man said, surprised. “You’ve said it yourself. For all the Great Sins, of course.”
And he pushed her inside. The slam of the door cut Vita off from her past. She was swallowed by a pillar of blinding white light, where nothing remained — no pain, no fear, no wonder, no doubt. Nor any Great Sins, of course.
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