The deafening silence is broken only by the noisy breathing of my husband, who slowly walks towards me, burning with his eyes. Temporarily, his mother disappears from our field of vision. We forget about her. We only look at each other. And an invisible tunnel is created between us, cutting us off from the outside world.

- Ksyusha, what is it? he asks almost in a whisper, in a dull, cracked voice, in which I notice an illusory hope. Hopes that I will answer something other than the truth?

There is a lump in the throat that makes it difficult to breathe and speak. Therefore, I can only wheeze.

-...