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Description
It was an odd situation.
This landscape, now quite differed little from the rest of the landscapes in this part of Ukraine, and very similar to her own village: Hills, small streams and forests. Just no fields to interrupt the idyll. One could almost lie to oneself and forget that this was the Zone.
ut what was the zone? It was a restricted military zone, she had known that before. A treasure trove of things that could be sold expensively on the black market - and often paid for with one's life. She had thought she knew that too, but what it meant she realized now.
But there was much more to it than that... she could feel that somehow. There was something emanating from this place, a fascination.
But actually it was a home for strange creatures, mutants and dangerous animals - and dangerous men.
She had seen very little of them, but according to Bogdans explanation she didn't want to either.

Before they reached that 'Rostok' they had to make a detour. Bogdan explained that the ruins, she saw there, were in the hands of outlaws at the moment, and it would be better to avoid them until someone took care of them. For, he explained, the zone had rules and perhaps something like its own laws. Even though most of the people here were indeed criminals and there wasn't really a law that was guarded by the militia, they invented som kind of law among thieves...
(Also the allusion to the mafia did not escape her attention.)
...the men here had formed groups, some with different interests, and of course, some groups were at war with each other, and there were also enough who didn't want to join. But nevertheless all of them had agreed to respected one rule: you don't kill another person for no reason, you don't rob him or attack him without a compelling cause.
Why everyone kept to it? Maybe because they feared the retaliation of their companions, but some claimed that the Zone was taking revenge itself.
What ever the reasons had been. It worked - ecxept from these outlaws.

But he now would not get involved in such philosophical discussions about what the Zone can and cannot do.
"Who then?" she wanted to know.
He looked at her and she knew she didn't like the answer.
"But Viktor as well knows a lot about the Zone. Talk to him. He can tell you a lot."

Then they had reached their goal. Rostok was like a city - it had probably once been an industrial area, but it was well fortified now. There were roadblocks but apparently they knew Bogdan well, so they let him pass.
She didn't hear what was said, but apparently he explained their situation.
She didn't like the guard, however. And the same applied to the other guards of this settlement. "The Watchmen," Bogdan had called them. She knew enough men in uniform, soldiers, policemen.
Every man in her village had been in the army, some had even seen a war. They had fought loyally, maybe a even proud - at least those who hadn't been broken. But noone had worn the uniform like these men, they reminded her a little of the fascists she had seen on TV.
But Bogdan explained that they were reliable and disciplined allies, most of the other factions were just chaotic, when they needed reinforcements they used the Watchmen.
But Golubka still not yet liked them.

Bogdan led them through the alleys, to a larger hall. He had his eyes on his smartphone.
It was dark inside, through a few dirty windows high up there was some light, and a few light bulbs and fluorescent tubes illuminated the darkness, but not all of them worked.
What should be interesting much more, however, is that they had electricity at all. And that apparently everywhere in the zone.
It took some time for the eyes to get used to the light conditions, then she could see some details. This was a sleeping room. Numerous camp beds and sleeping bags were lined up here, in between, backpacks, but also smaller tables, tattered camping chairs and bottles. Vodka, beer... then plates and cans with food. Some sat in small groups, talking, eating and drinking, smoking.
Everything looked so peaceful and normal somehow. Except everyone had a gun ready for use.
"He must be right over there..."
"How accurate is the device?"
"Depending on where we are, to within a few meters. More accurate outdoors, less indoors. Over there... Is that him?"
He was hard to see in the half-light.
The man Bogdan pointed at was not tall, had grey hair and was wearing one of those suits she had seen so often here.
She had to concentrate and squint her eyes a little to see him clearly.
Maybe she didn't want to, because now she noticed how hope had grown in her, how she had been looking forward to this moment to stand here and see him again... She had imagined that first she would fall around his neck and then give him a slap for having run away. Or vice versa, depending on how he behave.
"No, he's not."
She couldn't quite hide the disappointment.
Did she really think it was that simple?

_______________________________
"Return to the Zone"
can be found here:
www.deviantart.com/koshnika/ga…

"The Dove and the Serpent"
www.deviantart.com/koshnika/ga…

_______________________________
Rendered with DAZ Studio 4.12 and IRAY

Description
It was an odd situation.
This landscape, now quite differed little from the rest of the landscapes in this part of Ukraine, and very similar to her own village: Hills, small streams and forests. Just no fields to interrupt the idyll. One could almost lie to oneself and forget that this was the Zone.
ut what was the zone? It was a restricted military zone, she had known that before. A treasure trove of things that could be sold expensively on the black market - and often paid for with one's life. She had thought she knew that too, but what it meant she realized now.
But there was much more to it than that... she could feel that somehow. There was something emanating from this place, a fascination.
But actually it was a home for strange creatures, mutants and dangerous animals - and dangerous men.
She had seen very little of them, but according to Bogdans explanation she didn't want to either.

Before they reached that 'Rostok' they had to make a detour. Bogdan explained that the ruins, she saw there, were in the hands of outlaws at the moment, and it would be better to avoid them until someone took care of them. For, he explained, the zone had rules and perhaps something like its own laws. Even though most of the people here were indeed criminals and there wasn't really a law that was guarded by the militia, they invented som kind of law among thieves...
(Also the allusion to the mafia did not escape her attention.)
...the men here had formed groups, some with different interests, and of course, some groups were at war with each other, and there were also enough who didn't want to join. But nevertheless all of them had agreed to respected one rule: you don't kill another person for no reason, you don't rob him or attack him without a compelling cause.
Why everyone kept to it? Maybe because they feared the retaliation of their companions, but some claimed that the Zone was taking revenge itself.
What ever the reasons had been. It worked - ecxept from these outlaws.

But he now would not get involved in such philosophical discussions about what the Zone can and cannot do.
"Who then?" she wanted to know.
He looked at her and she knew she didn't like the answer.
"But Viktor as well knows a lot about the Zone. Talk to him. He can tell you a lot."

Then they had reached their goal. Rostok was like a city - it had probably once been an industrial area, but it was well fortified now. There were roadblocks but apparently they knew Bogdan well, so they let him pass.
She didn't hear what was said, but apparently he explained their situation.
She didn't like the guard, however. And the same applied to the other guards of this settlement. "The Watchmen," Bogdan had called them. She knew enough men in uniform, soldiers, policemen.
Every man in her village had been in the army, some had even seen a war. They had fought loyally, maybe a even proud - at least those who hadn't been broken. But noone had worn the uniform like these men, they reminded her a little of the fascists she had seen on TV.
But Bogdan explained that they were reliable and disciplined allies, most of the other factions were just chaotic, when they needed reinforcements they used the Watchmen.
But Golubka still not yet liked them.

Bogdan led them through the alleys, to a larger hall. He had his eyes on his smartphone.
It was dark inside, through a few dirty windows high up there was some light, and a few light bulbs and fluorescent tubes illuminated the darkness, but not all of them worked.
What should be interesting much more, however, is that they had electricity at all. And that apparently everywhere in the zone.
It took some time for the eyes to get used to the light conditions, then she could see some details. This was a sleeping room. Numerous camp beds and sleeping bags were lined up here, in between, backpacks, but also smaller tables, tattered camping chairs and bottles. Vodka, beer... then plates and cans with food. Some sat in small groups, talking, eating and drinking, smoking.
Everything looked so peaceful and normal somehow. Except everyone had a gun ready for use.
"He must be right over there..."
"How accurate is the device?"
"Depending on where we are, to within a few meters. More accurate outdoors, less indoors. Over there... Is that him?"
He was hard to see in the half-light.
The man Bogdan pointed at was not tall, had grey hair and was wearing one of those suits she had seen so often here.
She had to concentrate and squint her eyes a little to see him clearly.
Maybe she didn't want to, because now she noticed how hope had grown in her, how she had been looking forward to this moment to stand here and see him again... She had imagined that first she would fall around his neck and then give him a slap for having run away. Or vice versa, depending on how he behave.
"No, he's not."
She couldn't quite hide the disappointment.
Did she really think it was that simple?

_______________________________
"Return to the Zone"
can be found here:
www.deviantart.com/koshnika/ga…

"The Dove and the Serpent"
www.deviantart.com/koshnika/ga…

_______________________________
Rendered with DAZ Studio 4.12 and IRAY