Sasha looks at me like I’ve just asked the most ridiculous question in the world. “To whom? The police? They don’t care about people like us. To them, we’re just trash in a different bin.”
I record every word she says. Olga keeps talking, too - describing the leaking roof, the rats that come out at night, and how the landlord just doesn't care.
“Can I take pictures of the building?” I ask, looking at Olga. “Just the rooms and the conditions. Not you guys.”
Olga nods. “Yeah, go ahead.”
I pull out my camera and start snapping photos. I focus on the peeling walls, the windows that won't close, and the buckets they use to wash their clothes. While I move around the room, Larisa keeps talking to Polina, and Yulia stays busy taking notes.
About twenty minutes later, I check my watch.
“We should probably go,” I say to the others. “I think we should do just one more building, then we head back to the car.”
We stand up to leave, and Olga looks at us. “Thank you for actually listening,” she says. “Most people don’t care.”
“Of course,” I tell her.
Sasha just snorts from her corner. “Don’t count on it actually helping anything.”
We head back down the creaky stairs and meet Yegor and Kostya outside. They had been on the boys' side doing their own interviews.
“Are you guys ready to move?” Yegor asks when he sees us.
“Yeah but, we need to do just one more building,” I say, looking back at the factory one last time. “Then we’re done for the day.”
We start walking toward the next street.
We follow Kostya deeper into the district. The streets get narrower and darker until we turn into an alley that twists and turns. The buildings feel like they’re closing in on both sides.
Larisa whispers, “Kostya, are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yeah,” he says. “My friend said his roommate lives here. He told me we should check it out.”
“This place is really sketchy,” Yulia says quietly.
I look around. There are men everywhere - leaning against walls, sitting on crates, smoking and drinking. They’re all staring at us. One of them looks right at me, grabs his crotch, and licks his lips. I look away and just keep walking.
“I don’t feel safe,” Larisa whispers. “I don’t think we should be here.”
“Why?” Kostya says, his voice loud. “Is little Miss Princess rubbing off on you? You can’t handle seeing where the poor people live?”
Yulia turns to him, snapping. “Are you still on about this morning? That was your fault. Why are you trying to make Zoya the bad person?”
“I didn’t make her anything,” Kostya sneers. “But she made me look like a villain over a maid spilling some water…”
“Can you shut the fuck up?” I snap, stopping in my tracks. “You are not who you think you are. I will slap you right now and walk away scot-free.”
He steps closer to me, his face turning mean. “You see? This bitch knows she has power. But guess what? We’re in a place where your guards won’t be able to do shit if I decide to throw hands. These men around us? They’d do a lot of nasty stuff to you. So I’d watch myself.”
I face him head-on. “Did you plan this? Did you bring us here to get me jumped?”
“I don’t have time for that,” he says. “When I want to get you, trust me, it’ll be worse than this.”
I step even closer. “You'd better not try anything stupid. I can hold my own. And you better not cross my husband. Do your research before you threaten people.”
I turn my back and keep moving. I can hear Kostya laughing behind me, but I ignore him. We walk into a wide open space and stop. The building is right in front of us. It’s five stories of solid concrete and looks completely empty.
Suddenly, I hear it. Bang. Pop. Pop.