Ksenia Anske PO Box 55871 Seattle, WA 98155
[email protected] TUBE: Trans-Urban Blitz-Express A novel by Ksenia Anske 153,144 words Anske / TUBE / 1 Chapter 1. Red Shoes The train was watching Olesya undress. She thought it shuddered under the carpet, thick purple carpet, felt the shudder through the soles of her shoes, new flats acquired for the tour in a boutique on Tverskaya, a red lacquer pair that cost half of her principal dancer salary, but it was worth it, dammit, it was worth it to spend— There it is again. A dragging laborious stretch ran through the casing of the machine as though it expanded and contracted, rushing out the air with a hiss. Olesya tore up her feet. Her heart thrummed. It can’t be. I’m just— She glanced out the window. They were standing. According to the large electronic clock it was 11:08 A.M. The train wasn’t due to depart for another five minutes. I wish we’d leave already. I don’t know if I can stand any more of this...whatever it is, are they checking the wheels? I hear Americans are never late, not like Russians. For us the concept of time doesn’t exist. I’m the only weirdo, always showing up before practice. Should’ve taken a shot of vodka like Natasha said. Now I’m hearing things that aren’t there. Anske / TUBE / 2 Olesya shook her head and continued to unpack. Her lucky charm—the TUBE toy train locomotive that she nicknamed Trubochka—the present her father gave her the year he died, the token of his memory she carried with her ever since, was already unwrapped and sitting on the foldout table, scuffed and scraped by a decade of life in pockets but still discernably chic for a mere toy, originally painted peachy cream, now faded to the shade of a healed scar.