Four Ways to Pharaoh Khufu by Alexander Marmer

Author:Alexander Marmer [Marmer, Alexander]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781482855050
Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
Published: 2015-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

Belorusskaya Railway station, Moscow, Russia

Saturday, September 23

9:30 a.m.

It was half past nine o’clock in the morning as the Hannover HBF–Moscow passenger train #447 approached Moscow’s Belorusskaya Railway Station.

“We are now approaching our final destination, the Belorusskaya Railway station in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Please remain seated until we come to a complete stop,” the pleasant female voice announced first in German, then in English. Completely ignoring the announcement, most of the passengers were already standing up and crowding the aisles in anticipation, eagerly gawking out the windows.

The train pulled slowly into the station. When doors opened the passengers poured onto the platform into the massive human pool with everyone swimming to the exits.

After experiencing ‘hurry up and wait’ throughout his military career, Michael encouraged Anna to take her time getting packed while the masses in front of them squeezed through the doors one at a time. At long last it was time to leave the train, and Michael was jumping onto the platform.

“Finally,” he declared, taking a deep breath of Moscow’s morning air. He reached up to help Anna.

“Yes, finally,” she repeated happily as they were carried away by the enormous, noisy crowd.

Although it was late September, the weather in Moscow was unusually warm and pleasant. As they bumped their way to the exit, Michael and Anna attempted to stay together. In reality, this was a difficult task as passengers were hauling loads of luggage, bags, strollers, carpets and boxes.

There was more room to walk when they got outside. Anna made her way over to an empty bench and collapsed. “That was a real nightmare! Can you believe it?” The Belorusskaya Railway terminal loomed behind her, an enormous mint-green building with gothic towers. As Russia’s second largest railway station, the Belorusskaya has seen a lot of history over the years. Its grand opening was in 1870, the same year Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the 1917 Russian revolution, was born. During World War II the first military trains headed to the front lines departed from this station in 1941.

“Well, we need to find Kirilov,” Anna remarked as she tried catching her breath. “So let’s find our hotel, get changed and track down his apartment.”

“Sounds like a great idea,” said Michael, getting up to flag down one of the taxis passing nearby. Moments later one came to a stop next to them. “Do you speak English?” Michael asked as he and Anna climbed inside.

The driver, wearing an oversized Kangol wool cap and a long mustache shook his head. He pointed to a small flag hanging from his rearview mirror. It was a white rectangle divided into four parts by a large red cross. In each of the four white spaces was a smaller red cross. Georgia was emblazoned across the front.

“Oh,” Michael looked over at Anna doubtfully. “He doesn’t speak English? And he is from Georgia?”

“Obviously, not the Georgia that you know,” chuckled Anna, “He is from the former Soviet republic of Georgia. It is now a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia.

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