Personal Diary of Vavilov N.A.

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## Technical information

### ID

Ruins\_Vavilova

 — In-game description

**Personal Diary of Vavilov N.A.** (Russian: *Личный дневник Вавилова Н.А.*) is a text document in *ATOM RPG*.

## Transcript

21/IV/1984

Hello, my dear reader! I'm starting this journal as my friends recommended, even though I doubt anyone but me will ever get to read it.

A week ago I started my work in a secret (my word!) laboratory 317! Here I will spend two years (minus the vacation time), and, to be honest, I have mixed feelings about this... Sure, the work we do here is really interesting. And the lab itself is simply amazing! Such new equipment!

On the other hand, though, my wife just gave birth to our daughter... And I miss them both so much! I also miss my friends and my parents. When I get mixed feelings like that, I try to remember that I am here to do my dream job, though. And everything turns for the best!If only the guys from the Institute would see me now!

Well, that's that. My first entry. Better go find something to do.

14/V/1984

Hello, my dear reader! The work on the Project is running well, and I don't really have a lot of time to write anything. Well, I do get some free time, but I don't like spending it on intellectual labor. But that's just me... I was always told that I'm prone to concentrating on one problem at a time.

Either way, I'm still alive. And work usually keeps me from thinking about my family, which I miss so much... Life is good.

09/VI/1984

Hello my dear reader! Recently I've got an opportunity to get to know other lab employees better. You must think, "It's just about time! He's been here for a full two months!" But I'm just that sort of a person. Don't know how to call this feature, probably shyness.

Anyway. Several days ago we went out. We do go out, of course. It's good to breathe some fresh air once in a while. But this was the first time we did it all together.

Someome offered to have a barbeque, and next thing I knew, we were outside. We had a drink or two, which helped me overcome my natural timidity, and I decided to get to know everyone.

Before that, my only informal company had been Terentyev, my roommate. But there I became friends with a couple other interesting people. In particular, Neuman, a specialist in chemical, petrochemical and oil-refining industries. He is a great music fan and the second youngest crew member after me. He promised to lend me his LP collection. He has plenty of foreign music. I know it's not allowed, but we are an exception.

Lazarenko is also a remarkable person: very smart, and a great chess lover. We both decided we had to organise a friendly chess competition, and the rest were totally in favour of the idea. Like Kasparov vs. Beliavsky!

By the way, Terentyev also showed an unexpected side. Apparently he is a cinephile! He tries to get an amateur cinema founded for us. I totally support him. It will be interesting.

Well, this is all that's new. Thanky you everyone, see you later!

25/X/1984

Hello, my dear reader! Haven't wrote to you in a long time, but this job... It keeps me from doing anything else!

Got a letter from my family today, and I'm so happy! It's not the first letter I ever got, but it was special anyway. In it, my wife told me our little girl just started teething! I'm so happy! And a bit sad, too... Happy when I think about them. And sad when I realise I can't be with them yet. My girl almost never saw her father... Talked about it to Terentev. He is not married, but he understood my worries. Good talk. Good man.

Although I don't really share his taste in movies. Two months ago we got a Betamax video player from the West. Terentev ordered a lot of movies, and showed one to all of us. The movie was "Fitzcarraldo" by Vernon Herzog. We watched it, and had a discussion about it later. I stayed silent, but still, the discussion seemed to me more entertaining than the movie itself. Although, maybe, I just don't understand some art.

I also don't quite understand Neyman's tastes in music. Well, I enjoyed parts of his collection. But Neyman himself laughed at what I liked!

Don't get me wrong, dear reader. They're both great people. It's just that we don't have many common interests.

This is probably enough for today. 'Till next time!

31/XII/1984

The last day of 1984… Ah, what a year it has been! A new job, new people, everything has changed so much. Our boss Nina Semyonovna is an extraordinary person. Strict and not exactly kind, she is yet an outstanding scientist. She has everything organised.

I've talked to the family today, under supervision, but at least they allowed me to talk at all. This is very good, if you take into account our unflexible scedule. I heard their dear voices and couldn't help but cry. This made me feel very awkward, but the KGB official who supervised the conversation had the tact to turn away.

Now I feel dismal (which might partly account for my taking the pen again) but I hope the party tonight will disperse my gloom. Happy New Year!

01/I/1985

Hangover… I had forgotten what it was like…

18/I/1985

Hello, my dear reader! A curious thing has happened today. It was announced that something called 'objects 50' would be delivered today at 4 pm. So all the lab staff (except the managers) was to lock up in their rooms. These objects were delivered straight to the 'round hall' which, like the most of us, I am forbidden to enter. Nina Semyonovna personally supervised the delivery.

This made me wonder what it actually was that we were working on. I know there are many chemists and biologists among us, me being one of the latter. Yet we only receive the information about the part of the job necessary to complete our imediate task. I hope we develop cutting-edge medicines... But the secrecy level that shrouds the project suggests a different explanation.

29/III/1985

Hello, dear reader! Today I thought a lot about my family. The thoughts overwhelmed me so much, I became sick, and stayed in my room all day.

I miss my family so much. It's tearing me apart. I know it's a weakness, but I can't handle myself... I understand that other people in this bunker must feel the same. Both scientists and soldiers. But nobody mopes around because of that. Only me...

Had a chat with a soldier today in one of the corridors. We rarely see eye to eye with the military personell, even though we live in the same bunker. The man wasn't very talkative. I suppose that's reasonable. Nobody would hire a chatty type for this line of work. We don't get television or radio down here, only newspapers, which I dislike. So, to keep the conversation going, I asked the soldier about the latest news.

He told me that we have a new secretary of the state, Mikhail Gorbachev. The tensions between USSR and USA are more rotten than ever. Gromyko and Schults had a fight once more. There was a plane crash near Minsc. No good news, to be sure.

And that's my only story for today. See you later, dear reader.

21/IV/1985

A year! It's been exactly a year since my first note. True, my reader, I haven't exactly been generous with my notes, yet this date still calls for celebrating.

Especially now that I have good news! I'm going to have a vacation in summer! The very thought of me meeting soon with my family, my dear daughter and friends gives me strength and inspires me! I don't even want to think that we've had another delivery of the 'objects 50'.

This time I was able to get a glimpse of them. Terentyev tried to talk me out of it, but my curiosity took the best of me. Our doors weren't locked, so I peeped out cautiously. Soldiers were quickly steering three hospital-like stretchers along the corridor l. On the stretchers, there were things... covered by sheets. Judging by the size, they might well be bodies. I told Terentyev about it, and he said the objects must be corpses from the nearest morgue. Well, everything's possible.

27/IV/1985

Had a fight with Lazarenko today. Funny. Can't even remember the reason behind it. Some tiny thing... It just so happened that we both were really nervous at the time. No joke. Others had to actually pull us from one another.

When the men escorted us to our rooms, we simmered down, and later even made peace. As we shook hands, we couldn't remember what made us so aggressive before.

Decided to play chess with Lazarenko. Terentev joked about it, saying that fighting in a chess match is an improvement from using our knuckles. I wholeheartedly agree!

07/VII/1985

Hello my dear reader! Haven't had reasons to write for a while. At first I had too much work, then they threatened they wouldn't let me go on vacation. But thanks to Nina Semyonovna, it all sorted out. Then I actually went on vacation.

I won't describe all the feelings that overwhelmed me. I don't trust the heartless paper with such strong emotions. I'll just give a basic outline.

My wife, my parents, my daughter and I decided to go to Palanga, to the Baltic seashore. We visited the Amber Museum and the botanical garden. The sea was unimaginably cold, but we swimmed a lot anyway. There's a curious legend about one of the local attractions, the Birute hill. According to it, the wife of the medieval lithuanian Duke Kestutis was born there. Birute herself was pagan, and after her death there developed something of a cult in her honour. I didn't quite understand why, but, as history had always been very far from me, I was amazed at the literary value of this legend.

Also during the vacation I noticed I was watched. Although it wasn't too annoying, it spoiled the impression from the trip anyway. But not too much.

Among the latest news: Edward Shevarnadze has been appointed the Minister of External Affairs. There's a war in Israel. Terrorists have taken over a plane. And some looney has spilled acid over a painting in the Hermitage and cut it with a knife. History takes its course...

Now, reinvigorated, I am back in the lab, ready to work again. `Till next time, dear reader!

19/X/1985

This night I had a strange dream. As if I'm going somewhere at night in Leningrad. Well, not going somewhere... More like running from something. I run into the first house I see, an old fashioned one somewhere in the center of the city. Then I look behind me. It's so dark in the hallway of that house... And empty, at first glance. But then I suddenly feel that I am no longer alone. Everything is quiet... But then I hear someone calling for help! And this voice... It... It's so alien... Not human at all... I awoke in cold sweat today.

31/XII/1985

 Hello my dear reader! Another page is closed. A new 1986 year is coming, and I don't even know what to say. Everything seems to be in order, my work (mysterious as it remains) is in full swing, we live in harmony, and soon I return to the civvy street, as our army men here say... But I feel uneasy, for some reason. Since I first had that creepy dream, I've been having nightmares. As soon as I start drifting off to sleep, weird voices sound in my head, talking and talking and talking... I can't understand the language though. Are they even really talking? If anything, it resembles... the rustling of the leaves.

Terentyev tells me to speak with our doctor, but I'm not overly enthusiastic about it. I don't see any reason. I'm not mad! And what is he going to tell me, anyway? Probably that it's home sickness that causes these nightmares. I know it already. Obviously, a family means a lot to me. I'm just not cut out for all this.

17/II/1986

Dreams continue. Starting to understand some of the phrases. But no meaning behind them. Some random jumble of words.

Terentev always looking at me funny. I look at myself funny too. Especially after Lazarenko told me he has similar dreams. What kind of devilry is this?

Asked for a phone call with family. Was told that the "current situation does not allow it". Never got them to tell me what is wrong exactly.

Always sleepy. Everyone is drowsy. I understand why I'm feeling sick. No sleep. Sorrow for my family. But the others..? Why are they feeling so bad?

I never get to see Nina Semyonovna anymore. When I do, it's just for a moment. She's not herself anymore. Circles under her eyes. Hair all messed up. Moves so nervously...

04/V/1986

Someone wanted to get outside, but they wouldn't let him. After that we revolted and demanded an explanation. They promised to tell us everything tomorrow.

05/V/1986

We did it… We finally really did it..! You Maniacs! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!

We sent a detachment of soldiers to the surface. They never returned. Probably died.

Power and oxygen supply is consistent. The bunker was built to last for centuries. What we do feel the shortage of, however, is food. Actually it was food we sent the soldiers to get. Funny, isn't it? This state-of-the-art fortress has everything to sustain life - except food, and any reason to do so. It's weird we've broken down so quickly. Although why does it matter?

No more dreams now. Once I was wandering along the corridor and saw Nina Semyonovna. She was heading for the lab with a gun and a gas can. I wanted to talk to her but she gave me such a look that I didn't dare.

I haven't seen her since then, and my dreams stopped. All of them. I have no dreams at all now. Just...

Anyway, that's what it is.

1987

Stole a handgun. Funny. One round left in the clip. Makes you think.

1987

I found Terentyev today, lying in his bed. Dead. Apparently he'd overdosed on sleeping pills and died in his sleep. I think it was deliberate. And I can't say I don't understand him.

I thought I'd toss a coin. Tails mean yes. Heads mean no.

Tails. Well, okay. Good-bye, my reader.