Kalinin: Escape from Moscow

By Shantnu Tiwari

10 years ago, Kalinin saw his whole family vaporise in nuclear attack. The survivors now live underground, where they are hunted by strange demonic creatures.

Kalinin has a dream: To escape the underground and live in the free air.

With his psychic connection to the Spirit, Kalinin now plots his escape from Moscow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shantnu Tiwari
• Release date: Dec 17, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386499695

Book preview

1

It was a quiet evening, like any other in London. The sun was setting, throwing a light pink light everywhere. The pale yellow street lamps were just beginning to come on, and the sounds of birds chirping filled the air. The street I was on had a very ethnic look, and people from the Middle East, Asia, even Russia could be seen selling their goods. Everything from colourful beads to mouth-watering mango curries. Some of the food was being made fresh, throwing grey charcoal-smelling smoke everywhere. The mood was jovial, with people laughing and talking to each other like old friends.

It could have been any street in London.

Except it wasn’t.

This was the street. The street protected by The Russian.

There are thousands of Russian migrants in this country. Yet, when anyone says The Russian, they only mean one man.

Every time the demons attacked London (or to call them by their proper name: Pan Dimensional Hostile Beings), the air raid siren would sound and people would run to take cover. All the people of London, except the people of this street, who never ran. Inspired by the Russian, they had a policy of standing and fighting. The demons were so scared of the Russian, it’s said they would cross the street rather than tangle with him.

It wasn’t just the demons who were in awe of him. The head of the army was his best friend; the chief of police had him on speed dial. He was the man the other demon hunters went to when they were in trouble.

And yet, when I saw him the first time, I was underwhelmed. The Russian was a five-foot-six man of small build, someone you would not look at twice on the street. He wasn’t imposing or scary in any way. He looked like an office clerk going home after his shift.

When I saw him, he had been eating a falafel from a Lebanese shop. He seemed to know the owner very well and was in a chatty mood. Which was good, as the owner was my friend too and had agreed to provide an introduction.

When I finally met him and asked him for an interview, Kalinin Victorovich had only one request: That I would let him speak without interruption, and no matter how unbelievable I found his story, I would try to understand. I agreed readily. We went back to his small flat, where he offered me some Russian tea. I accepted it out of politeness, but found it too strong.

Kalinin sat on an old comfy couch and closed his eyes for a few minutes. I thought he had gone to sleep when he opened his eyes to look directly at me. Ready?

Ready, I said.

So here is Kalinin’s story in his own words.

2

I first felt the Spirit when I was but a child. Strongly felt it, like it was a real thing, as real as you or me.

Of course, I had always felt the Spirit around me, though I didn’t know what it was then. I had been born in Moscow, a city I don’t much remember. I’m told parts of it were very beautiful, and parts made Third World slums look prettier in contrast.