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INVISIBLE

  Copyright 2014 George Kavsekhornak

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One – 37 Minutes Ago

  Chapter Two – 37 Minutes Forward

  Chapter Three – Zero-Zero Minutes

  Chapter One – 37 Minutes Ago

  Safron Tikhonovich was the person imperceptible, and that time he's become almost transparent, that's invisible.

  It didn't happen suddenly. His management has ceased to notice him and colleagues didn't pay attention to him. Safron Tikhonovich even wouldn't give the value of this variable, if there aren't a series of subsequent events.

  He worked in a research institute with a complicated name "The Study of a Nano-material in a Quadratic Cycle of a Space of Zero Beats". Whose staff gave it the abbreviated name "IzNAN" - ​​"The Study of a NANo-material ... " (TN: words play - on Russian the study translated "izusheniye" so "Izucheniye Nanomateriy" - "The Study of a NANo-material" transpose to "IzNAN"). Colleagues from other research institutes teased employees "iznantsy" - just to spite, envy and alluding to the fact that it would be nice for them to get acquainted with the "wrong side of Fortune." (TN: "iznantsy" could be translated as "the people from the reverse side". "IzNAN" is a cropped Russian word "iznanka" - the reverse side or the inside)

  Safron Tikhonovich as well as his colleagues, perfectly knew this given insulting nickname, but didn't attach much importance to it. Some of "iznantsy" invented various nicknames to researchers of other institutions in retaliation. And, Safron Tikhonovich was a peace-loving and quiet man. He never was climbing into inter-institute conflicts. His distinguished kindness - always greeted the others and was the first to shake hands, smiled and said no bad word for all time of his excellent work.

  He was executive in affairs. Qualitatively carried out duties, he held a position of the technical writer. Because of this, during the restructuring period of SRI, when the former institute "The Study of Heavy Metals in the Environment with the Condensed Moisture" converted into "IzNAN" not without human losses, Safron Tikhonovich not shown the door, and he kept the place. However, the accumulated work experience of more than three decades hasn't moved up his career ladder and performed almost the same function as he always has.

  He liked to write clearly, correctly, nice and in a sense, interesting. Though the pension wasn't far away, he was able to create such technical texts that the heads sometimes exclaimed: "Yes, this Instruction with a twist!" or "Let me take a Technical Form by Safron Tikhonovich, I'll have read it before a sleep." Though a management seldom encouraged Safron Tikhonovich materially, he didn't take offence and stuck to one's last. He had no family, so enough money to live.

  Safron's Tikhonovich workplace was small, under a wide stairs. The staircase led to the next floor that housed offices of senior management of the Institute. There were a few people on these stairs, roofing felts because the heads were frequent in travels, roofing felts to the contrary because supervised zealously and didn't suffer too much excitement. Steps above his head seldom disturbed Safron Tikhonovich.

  He had everything to work a table with two monitors, cabinet with technical literature and an empty table, which he kept for his own pencil notes and old ballpoint pen to sign the papers.

  The bedside-table carried out also another function – on it there was a printer seldom was in the use after innovations by signing of documents by the digital signature and use of electronic document circulation. Safron Tikhonovich was afraid of these innovations, but being the person fairly clever, has stayed for some days, studying the engineering specifications according to subject matters and, observing of work on electronic documents of other employees, and has quickly entered into a rate of business.

  The printer became useless, probably even has been written off, and the bedside-table didn't store a large pile of clean sheets inside any more. But Safron Tikhonovich didn't begin to get rid of the printer; it was dear, as the former friend and the assistant. Behind of the workplace there was a door in experimental laboratories, nobody used this door, the front entrance in the laboratory was on the other side.

  It was given to young graduate students to conduct innovative scientific experiments. A sometimes strange sound, clicks, crackles, a low hum came from the lab, but it didn't distract Safron Tikhonovich from the work. Of course, he was curious about what happens there, but because of the innate shyness, he did not dare to inquire about the experiments conducted in the laboratory.

  Seeing the immediate supervisor, Safron Tikhonovich gets up from their seats, respectfully held out his hand to shake, and nodded his head in greeting. And, when it all began, the chief Eduard Vikentievich as usual went to the table of Safron Tikhonovich, who stood with a ritual greeting. But the chief looked through him, looked around, and left. And, Safron Tikhonovich stood with an outstretched hand, not knowing what had happened. Shrugged and went back to work, thinking that with his boss that something was wrong, something was amiss. And as it turned out later, with Safron Tikhonovich was something wrong.

  After working, he went to the store to buy food. At first everything was normal. He took a shopping cart, and then went to the vegetable division. He had become a serious overlooking to choose cucumbers, trying them with firmness and choosing with good pimples. The most robust and attractive he put in his cart. Has already gathered in a milky section, but has noticed that in the place where he just took cucumbers were new, very similar to those that were with him in the cart. Safron Tikhonovich was puzzled. Just in case took off his glasses, rubbed them with a scarf, just looked through them and put on. Cucumbers, which he had just seen on the shelf with his own eyes, weren't there. Safron Tikhonovich was the person resolute enough, but in that instant also hungry. Therefore, he has decided to understand in all things, but later and didn't begin to experiment with cucumbers more. After selecting all the necessary products, he went to the cashier.

  He has laid out foods from the basket on a moving tape and has approached to the woman-cashier. She has pushed a button, and products on a tape have drawn near her. Safron Tikhonovich has looked at the cashier, expecting. But the woman looked aside, as though looking out for the buyer. Safron Tikhonovich has cleared the throat, trying to draw an attention. The cashier looked ahead and saw him at least, exclaiming: "Oh! Sorry, didn't immediately notice you!" Safron Tikhonovich patted his side and wondered: "How it is possible to not notice me?" Oddities continued, and at the exit of the store's automatic glass doors didn't open before Safron Tikhonovich. He waved his arms and even jumped, trying to summon the motion of the sensor door into action, but all attempts were in vain. While a young couple showed behind the sensor, the doors opened, Safron Tikhonovich slipped out and in deep thought went home.

  At home, without adventures, he had supper. Unexpected things have continued, when he was watching TV. The feature film was "The City Zero". Safron Tikhonovich sat on the couch and rested. Suddenly, the image on the TV became double, there was such feeling that on one screen two programs at the same time were showing. The second image as if it was shown through the first. Safron Tikhonovich has blinked the eyes. Yes, there was the film and atop of a picture advertising showed. "What's this? Is a new technology of advertising?" he transgressed. Deciding that it's too much, and to watch the movie there is no way Safron Tikhonovich turned off the TV and picked up a book. With reading problems haven't occurred.

  In the morning Safron Tikhonovich has directed to work. In a trolleybus by habitual movement he has got an electronic travel card and has put to the input reader. The green sign notifying on payment from a card, on the small screen has not appeared. Safron Tikhonovich repeatedly put a card, but without results. Probably, the reader was faulty. He was a man well-mannered and decent, so pulled out his wallet counted out the fare paid and gave
it to a conductor. Bored conductress took the money willingly, it somehow calmed him.

  At the entrance of "IzNAN" unpleasant moment suffered again. A contactless card of the Institute didn't work too. Safron Tikhonovich couldn't get to work. He had to go to the guard who was sleeping quietly in a chair:

  "Please let me in, my card doesn't work. Possibly it has broken."

  Having shuddered with unexpectedness and having opened eyes, the security guard has seen … the person dissolved in space. The guard blinked frequently and now in front of him stood a familiar figure, plain, and opaque:

  "Good morning Safron Tikhonovich. You're early today. Give a card, we'll check up and we'll give out new after a dinner."

  Safron Tikhonovich was sure that he had come to work on time, could only be a minute late due to delays at the entrance. He looked at the wrist chronograph. It showed exactly 9:00 am. In the lobby a beautiful wall-mounted clock hung, on which was 8:23 am. "Iznantsy" neatly watched that all clocks in the institute showed an exact time. Still, the Institute "The Study of Nanomatery ... ", and it would be wrong if the watch was left behind or escaped forward. One expert, junior researcher, even made a synchronization of all institute's clocks with Kremlin chimes on the Spasskaya Tower.

  As soon as he had succeeded, he had kept in secret. But when came the ministers or officials, the leaders of the "IzNAN" proudly told this undeniable fact. Safron Tikhonovich knew about it, but has decided to check up once again:

  "Excuse me, but how much time it is on your own?" he turned to the guard.

  "Half of the ninth."

  "And more precisely?"

  "23 minutes past 8. Give me your card." said the guard.

  Safron Tikhonovich gave card-pass and went inside. Looked at his watch and moved counterclockwise back to 37 minutes. He got to the workplace, turned on the computer and sat in an armchair. Opened the current working document and started to work.

  Usually nobody bothered him. He received tasks by email and also sent the documents in electronic form to an archive department. To his table went the fast step the secretary to the chief.

  "Safron Tikhonovich, Eduard Vikentievich wants to see you!" she said aloud.

  "Me?! Yes, I'm on my way." answered Safron Tikhonovich.

  With mixed feelings he went to the chief's cabinet, which had not visited for a few years.

  "I welcome you, Safron Tikhonovich." greeted the head.

  "Good morning, Eduard Vikentievich."

  "Look, why don't you take a new job for the development of technical documentation? This is not good! I sent yours job package an hour ago and have not received confirmation of acceptance by you." with these words Eduard Vikentievich turns his huge display to Safron Tikhonovich.

  "Here look!" On the screen there was a highlighted line with information "Sent: 10:00 am".

  "Excuse me, probably it's a failure, I didn't see this task. Sorry, I double-check." Safron Tikhonovich lowered his head to hide his eyes and mechanically looked at his watch.

  The arrow shows 23 minutes past 10. Safron Tikhonovich raised his head and looked at the wall clock in the office - exactly 11 o'clock. He looked at the clock.

  Another two arrows have appeared on the clock face - small was between ten and eleven, big one showed 23 minutes. All around was dimmed. Safron Tikhonovich was alone-there were not nor chief, nor office, all dissolved, leaving only him and ridiculous clocks with four arrows. "What is it?" has had time to think Safron Tikhonovich and about the first time in his life has fainted.

  Opening his eyes, he saw the secretary of Eduard Vikentievich. She was holding in one hand a glass of water, and the second spanked him on the cheek. Safron Tikhonovich sat in the guest chair in the office of the chief, head thrown back against the back.

  "Are you all right, Safron Tikhonovich?" asked the secretary.

  "My watch doesn't work ..." responded Safron Tikhonovich.

  "Please, go home, relax. Get a day off tomorrow." said Eduard Vikentievich.

  Safron Tikhonovich listened to his manager as always, and went home. At home, he has lain down on the sofa, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

  Safron Tikhonovich sat behind a desk and typed on the computer the next instruction. It was evening. He loved to stay at work late. All lights went out, and only two monitors flickered in the darkness. Old printer hummed and printed sheet with a black square in the middle.

  Safron Tikhonovich looked at the printer confused and noticed that the floor is illuminated by some green. He looked around and saw that from under the door behind him, through the gap, a steady stream of unusual green light was pushing through. From the door he heard: "... don't set more than 37. More can't be installed ..." He stood up, walked over to the door. It was unlocked and opened a crack. How Safron Tikhonovich could remember, this door was always locked from the inside. He decided to find out why the door was open, and what it was happening in the laboratory. Yet, he would like to know about this amazing light source. Safron Tikhonovich opened the door. Bright green stream hit him in the face.

  Opening his eyes, Safron Tikhonovich was surprised to find that lying on the sofa at home. But something was wrong. He looked at his hands, they were translucent. He could see through them. In a corridor the entrance door has opened. Someone's stepping was heard. Into a room he entered and not noticing his transparent copy sat on a sofa.

  The watch on a hand of the "stranger" was behind the clock on a translucent hand of Safron Tikhonovich exactly on 37 minutes.

  The whole world around of vanishing Safron Tikhonovich twitched and went out. He saw only his transparent hands, they disappeared, and he was dissolved. Safron Tikhonovich wanted to scream for the first time in his life, but didn't have time for it.