Pyotr returned to his silent room. He hung the heavy, glittering star next to the glass bird. The tree tilted under the weight, looking ridiculous and vibrant. For the first time in a year, Pyotr didn't see a dying tree or a lonely room. He saw the light catching the glitter. He felt the cold draft from the window and, instead of shivering, he leaned into it.
For months, the world had felt like it was fading to gray. Pyotr had stopped answering the phone; the voices on the other end felt like they belonged to a life he no longer lived. He looked at the meager tree in the corner—a spindly thing he’d bought from a street vendor out of a lingering sense of duty. It had only one ornament: a glass bird with a chipped wing that had belonged to his mother. rozdestvo_tak_xocetsya_zit
Pyotr took the star, the wet glue sticking to his fingers. "What kind of promise?" Pyotr returned to his silent room
"Christmas," he whispered, the word feeling strange on his tongue. "I want to live so much." For the first time in a year, Pyotr
He reached for his coat. The city was still loud, still messy, and still cold. But as he stepped out into the falling snow, he realized the gray was gone. The world was blue and gold and silver, and for the first time in a very long time, he was part of it again.
A sharp rap at the door startled him. He hadn't expected anyone.