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Photo of the author as a young boy in the early 1980's

The author as a young boy in the early 1980’s. Oleg is currently recovering from injuries while supporting his unit, and would love to hear what you think of this story!

Odesa of My Childhood #1

“What About the Stars?”

by Oleg Veretskiy

“Can’t have it forever,” I shook my head. “A person can remain a child for as long as someone else sees him as a child. No matter how old he gets.”

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What About the Stars?

We dreamed of the stars. We sat in the yard on top of the makeshift tennis table, the one the older kids dragged over from god knows where, and stared up at the blazing lights in the twilight sky.  

“Imagine,” Sashka broke the solemn silence, “in just some forty-fifty years we’ll easily be able to jet over to Saturn. My parents by that point will, of course, have drunk themselves to a stupor and there won’t be anyone left to be proud of me. But does it matter when you’re leaving your mark in the cosmic dust?”

“It matters,” Vadik responded. “To them, we will always be their ‘baby’ — we must respect and honor this.”

“What for?” Sashka lay down on his back, folding his hands behind his head.

“To one day return to them,” Vadik said this so quietly, as if he was embarrassed by his suddenly hoarse voice.

“You misunderstood,” Sashka yawned. “What do I need for someone to keep seeing me as a child? I want to be a grown up. Once and for all.” 

“I think it’s important for every grown up to be able to still be like a child,” I answered in place of Vadik. “Without this ability, a person turns into a shell of habitualism.” 

“What kind of saying is that?” Vadik asked. 

“I don’t know,” I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe it doesn’t even exist. Just came to mind. ‘Habitualism’ is when a person becomes accustomed to bright colors, to dreams, to miracles and wonders. When he stops believing in goodness. When he wakes up every morning and takes his regular morning commute on the overcrowded trolleybus to the construction site, drinks through his wages, when he beats his wife for no reason, and he lives from paycheck to paycheck. And waits. Waits when the workday ends, when the workweek ends, waits for retirement and waits for it all to end. Habitualism eats away adults from the inside and leaves only the skeleton and skin behind.”

“What’s it need the skeleton for?” Vadik didn’t quite understand. 

“To maintain human resemblance.”

“And the skin?” 

“To deceive those around him. So that everyone else would think, ‘here goes another person.’ But in reality, it’s habitualism walking in human skin. It was once a person, but it is a person no more.”

“Fine, you’ve convinced me,” Sashka sighed heavily. “Let there forever be in me a bit of the child left.”

“Can’t have it forever,” I shook my head. “A person can remain a child for as long as someone else sees him as a child. No matter how old he gets.”

“And when the parents pass away?” Sashka’s voice trembled with emotion.

“Then there will be no more of the child left.” 

“What will be left?” 

“Only you. One on one against this world.”

“That’s so scary,” Voshik, who had been silent until now, gasped.

“Don’t worry, you’ll never be alone,” Vadik protectively hugged him by the shoulders, “You’ll always have us.”

“What about the stars?” Voshik asked timidly. 

“We will fly to the stars only together too,” Sashka jumped to his feet. “Because without all of you, I don’t want even the stars.”

⇒ Publishing Update ⇐

New Cover!

Ukrainian artist Darya Kochneva has delivered several versions of a stunning new cover, rendered in the layout by graphic artist Luis Esquivel. Join the mailing list to see her artistry!

What’s Next from Oleg?

After Book 1 of the Mists trilogy is published, we’ll give Oleg some time to make his revisions of Book 2. While y’all are waiting, we plan to begin editing and production of the book version of his deeply personal and powerful “War Through My Eyes” essays and his latest series, “Odesa of My Childhood.”

Meet the Crew!

At an event in December or January, you’ll meet editor Megan McKenna, graphic artist Luis Esquivel, cover artist Darya Kochneva, translator Marina Palenyyy, author Oleg Veretskiy, web designer Laura Williams, and publisher Charlotte Pierce and hear their takes on working on Oleg’s book as we draw closer to the launch date of February 24, 2025!

Direct Inquiries To:

PIERCE PRESS
P.O. Box 206
Arlington, MA 02476

Copyright Oleg Varetskiy/Pierce Press 2020-2023  Design by Laura Williams Pages

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