Original subtitles

Oops, sorry.

Victim of love.

Your guy is further down.

Brought in naked at 8 AM. Male, age 35.

Cause of death?

That's what's interesting.

Ripped his spine out.

I've never seen that before.

Must have taken some real strength, huh?

Inhuman.

So who's the suspect?

King Kong?

YULENKA

Andrei, where did you work in the capital?

I... 15 Andryusha taught at the university. He has a PhD in ancient literature.

And will have his doctorate soon enough.

So why come to our school, then?

They say you've got a great city.

And for the fresh air.

Please don't smoke in the car.

Mom, where are your medicines?

In a bag.

She's got asthma?

Don't worry, it's fine.

What about your doctorate?

There's no university here.

My doctorate can wait.

I'll admit, Andrei Valentinovich, I had my doubts about you.

Really?

Why?

We are an educational institution of advanced moral principles, you know?

And that's important to us.

Pour the water.

And here is a man, a man with university experience...

From the capital.

Yeah.

I understand.

That could be suspicious.

I'm not offended.

Good.

Give me your hand.

I confess, we made some inquiries.

But what can I say, Andrei...

Lift it up.

Higher.

Aufchengen.

Sit down.

We don't get a lot of people with your qualifications.

You're a hero to our girl's school.

And so.

We're trusting you, and your strong moral principles...

To be the head of our 5th Grade class.

Sorry -- grade head?

Tamara Iosifovna, I've never worked in a school before.

Andryusha, we're in a tough spot.

Grab a pen.

Our former 5th grade head just took off overnight.

Turned out to be completely unreliable. Not like you.

I don't have the experience...

Andrei. 61 Be consistent, it's too late to second-guess yourself now.

By the way, bring in your daughter's papers.

Don't wait, September 1st is almost here.

She's 11, right? So she's in your class.

And don't worry about having experience.

I'll leave you detailed notes.

Everything you could need to know.

'Aufchengen'...

'Aufchengen'...

Oh! It's German!

'Hang it up'.

Who let you in here?

I just broke in, Lera!

And I declare war on just sleeping in bed all day!

We moved to a wonderful city with a great climate...

And very high moral standards.

What moral standards?

Very high ones!

Now, get dressed and ready!

Breathe, breathe, breathe in the fresh air!

And you, little Nastja, I will torture you!

Why me?

Because I love to torture the little ones beautiful girls, don't you know?

No!

No? Well from now on you will not get any rest, day or night...

Because I'm your new class teacher!

Yay!

Where should we meet?

Hey, are you new?

This is for you.

Thank you.

I'm in your class this year.

You'll be good, I hope?

I'll try.

My name is Julia.

Nice to meet you, Julia.

Thank you.

Dear pupils, dear guests, here we are again!

Today is September 1st, the Day of Knowledge.

And knowledge is our weapon in the fight against backwardness, ignorance...

The high standard of education our school gives our students...

Aaaand, here she goes again.

Same thing every year.

About standards, and hearths, and gutters...

What about hearths?

Listen.

Like the hearth fires of the Inquisition failed to burn out the sprouts of Enlightenment...

The gutters of ignorance will never capture those who strive for progress.

Now hold your heads up high!

Without looking backwards, without the fear of obstacles...

And walk the path of knowledge to a bright and happy future!

Mr. Andrei is not the only Valentinovich who will be an asset to us this year.

Welcome your new classmate, his daughter Nastja.

Not technically.

I'm sorry, not my business.

Go sit there.

Thank you.

Well, Andrei Valentinovich, I will not bother you.

Follow the guide.

Sit up straight.

Well, let's get acquainted.

Anikey Svetlana.

That's me.

Have a seat, Sveta.

Gavrilova Lova.

Weirdo Lova.

Excuse me, you are?

Well, I'm Kononovich Kira.

Great...

Please don't interrupt going forward.

Maevskaya Julia.

Ah, the girl with the flowers.

My mom and I picked them out for you.

Thanks again, have a seat.

Nikitina Maria.

Here.

Have a seat.

Osipova Anna.

That's me.

Shimadina Marina.

By the way, I won the top student award last year.

Well done, sit down.

Yurchishina Elizabeth.

Here.

All right, who's left?

Yalinskaya Sonya.

Yalinskaya Sonya.

Sonya's gone.

OK. When will she be back?

Never.

Sonya's gone forever.

That used to be her seat right there.

Girls, girls, be careful there.

You're going to hit someone walking around.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Andrei!

Watch out, I said!

Hello! Congratulations on your first day, yeah?

And congratulations to you too, little lady.

Why so glum?

What's wrong?

Nastja...

Go on ahead, I'm right behind you.

I'm the head for the 5th grade.

Yeah?

And a girl in my class died, but nobody said a word to me about it.

Pssh, that's Tamara trying to do damage control.

What do you mean?

Come here.

Over here.

When the girl Sonya died, parents began pulling their girls from the school.

There were a ton of investigations.

The fired the old director, and Tamara took the position.

And?

Now you're the hot seat too.

So what happened to the girl?

To Sonya? One morning before class she jumped out the window. Right onto the asphalt.

They said it was some kind of mental disorder.

Do you think that's true?

Oh, there's a disorder...

Something in that class, maybe.

Get away! Ahh!

Dog! Ugh! Get out of here!

Nastja, come here!

Nastja, you've gotta be more careful.

The dog doesn't know you yet.

You're good? No bites?

Come on, let's go home.

You like that?

Shut up, don't say a word.

You're gonna ruin the moment. But yes, you dummy...

We're good, we're in love, we love each other.

You're wonderful...

I...

Shut up, don't say a word. I have to tell you something very important.

Are you listening?

I've never been so happy with anyone before.

Do you mean it?

There are visions, such deep insights...

that allow us to deeply dive into ourselves...

that they set us free from our own history...

From the burdens of our names.

There's something about loneliness today that takes us back to our beginnings...

The initial loneliness of childhood...

That leaves indelible marks in the minds of some people.

They'll spend their whole lives prone to flights of poetic fancy.

Flights of fancy that cause, ironically, more loneliness.

Stop it! Stop immediately!

Sorry!

Lova!

Lova...

Ms. Lova, it's me, Andrei Valentinovich.

Sweetie, I need to know what happened!

Why do you care?

What I saw was disgusting.

So what?

'So what' what?

If someone is picking on you, tell me and I, as the teacher...

Will deal with it. I'll deal with it...

I just want to go eat lunch.

OK. Go and eat.

Come on, let's go!

I'm done, let's go.

Enjoy your meals.

Just one second.

They're jealous I get to go to a home.

And they--

Good. Let them be jealous.

If the same things happen at night that happen during the day...

Today I saw three girls they beat Lyuba Gavrilova, and...

What's wrong?

Our class is bad.

Why is it bad?

They all know.

Know what?

They've got blood on their hands.

Andrei , Nastja!

Hi Mom!

Oh... not tired?

I'm thirsty.

Do you want a drink?

Oh. Yeah, sure.

Nastja...

I don't agree with what you said at school earlier.

I've thought a lot about what you said.

Thank you.

And I don't think you can really call kids 'good' or 'bad'.

The things they do aren't their fault, it's on us...

The adults.

Maybe nobody taught them better.

They just never learned.

They can still be good...

Even if they're being a bad example...

Do you know what I mean?

Andrei Valentinovich...

When can I...

Start calling you 'Dad'?

Soon.

I want, today..

To talk about love.

And how we're responsible for our own actions.

After all, these are the main themes. throughout world literature.

In every culture, since ancient times.

Nastenka, scoot over please.

Gather around.

Tell me please, which of the heroes of antiquity do we know?

Heracles.

Zeus.

Close, Zeus is a god. And we're talking about heroes..

Let me tell you about Orpheus.

Orpheus is famous not only for his beautiful singing voice...

With which he tamed wild beasts...

But also his love.

His incredible love..

For the beautiful Eurydice.

Eurydice died from the bite of an insidious snake...

And Orpheus descended into the realm of the dead,

To ask his lord, Aida...

To bring Eurydice back to life. Hades, struck by Orpheus' feelings...

Agreed to let her leave the underworld.

So the lovers set out on a long journey through total darkness.

And after climbing up, Orpheus soon began to see the sun above them.

And what happened next?

They made it?

Orpheus wasn't that lucky.

He broke the only rule Hades had made for them upon leaving.

He looked backwards.

And he lost his love.

When you're going forward, there's no need to look back.

Yes, Julia. Correct.

Never forget that you are responsible for your own actions.

OK, back to your seats.

Julia, tell me, what other myths do you know?

All of them. My dad loves them.

Wonderful. Tell your dad that I approve.

We'll continue next time, have a great weekend, class is dismissed.

Oh, and...

Turn in your journals, I'll mark them. Who is collecting them?

I am.

Hey, do you want to go to a show today? I have an extra ticket!

To a performance? I'd like that! I'll ask my dad.

Come on, hurry it up.

Andrei Valentinovich, can I go to the theater with Julia today?

She has an extra ticket.

It was my mom's, but she can't go.

Can I?

Of course!

Thank you!

Jeez, way to make me wait.

Here's your stupid journals.

"Save us!"

Svetlana Anikey

Hello, Andrei Valentinovich.

Are you waiting for someone?

No, I...

Well, yes, for Nastja.

She's a wonderful girl!

Thank you.

Why not wait in the teacher's lounge. It's better than the hallway.

We'll have some tea, talk about your class, you can tell me about Orpheus.

There's no Underworld here, but...

Tamara Iosifovna, if possible, let's do it another time.

Next time, I promise, I'll tell you everything.

OK then.

I'll be waiting.

Tamara Iosifovna!

Yes?

Next time.

Hello.

Svetlana, I need to talk to you.

Are we going?

Nastja, no. I have another lesson. Go on home, your mother is waiting.

Sveta...

I found a note in your diary...

Tell me.

I didn't write a note.

Then who did?

I don't know.

What are you afraid of? Does this have something to do with Sonya's death?

Sveta, I'm not done...

You're the adult, you figure it out.

"Mother of girl killed: Teachers to blame for tragedy"

Yeah.

Sergei, it's me.

We need to talk.

It won't take long. Yeah.

I'm telling you, the kids are scared.

Don't get involved in this. That's what the investigator told me.

What made you drop it?

And what about the note?

Just a stupid joke.

She said herself that she didn't write it.

So what, it's just a joke.

There's something you're not telling me.

Something that has to do with that girl Sonya's death.

The kids are afraid. Sergei, I can see they're afraid!

They're afraid of being interrogated.

Do you know how many kids it affected? It was stressful for them.

Lera!

Lera...

Honey, what happened?

Nastja! Nastja!

Where is Nastja?

The show is over, Nastja never came home!

Deep breaths. I'll go to the theater.

Lera, everything is fine, they're right here.

Nastja... Good evening.

Good evening.

Hello.

Hello.

Why didn't you call me?

Mom...

I'm sorry, it's my fault.

I didn't pick them up on time because I got held up at work.

Then I had a flat tire...

It's fine, would you like some tea?

No, we've gotta get going.

No, we'll stay.

I'm cold.

Are you?

I'm cold too.

Let's go get you a sweater.

Yeah, that sounds nice.

Well, I guess we're staying.

Please, come in, come in.

Right in here.

What was the performance?

The Snow Queen.

It's about a girl with a heart of ice.

If I remember, it was the Queen who had the icy heart, not the girl Gerda.

I was talking about the Snow Queen.

Ah, but is a Queen a girl?

Of course, otherwise why would she be friends with a boy?

That's a funny way of looking at it, but I don't think I agree.

I don't think children can be evil, and the Snow Queen...

It's not her fault. She's lonely, and miserable...

She just wants to be happy.

And she kept the little girl happy in her palace.

Do you need help?

Sure, go ahead.

Forgive me, please, for

making you worry.

Believe me, it was unintentional.

Thank God everyone is fine.

Are these...

My mom's.

Really?

Mom is a professional photographer.

She has a scrapbook of me, do you wanna see it?

Sure...

Mom, can I show her?

Fine.

Let's go!

Remember the myth of Orpheus. When he went to save Eurydice.

He himself looked back. What for?

The boy in the play did too. Why did he go with the Snow Queen

if he was happy with his grandmother and Gerda?

Do you think Orpheus didn't really want to save Eurydice, and was just faking it?

Maybe he realized he was making a mistake. Ever consider that?

Hooray! Tea and sweets!

How is everyone?

Good.

Julia, look how lovely!

Nastja, give me a cup!

Do you want us to make one for you?

Fishermen found the body. No documents on him. Was anyone reported missing?

No, no announcements. Drowning?

Could have been asphyxia. He was floating for three months.

Well, he's still full of Dormicum, 40 milligrams of it.

Dormicum?

It's a very strong sleeping pill.

Used in anesthesia, you can't just buy it at the pharmacy.

So someone put him to sleep and dumped him in the water, right?

That'd be my guess. Yeah.

"Mother of girl killed: Teachers to blame for tragedy"

There's not much of a case to solve.

When her only child died, the Ivanovna woman became obsessed.

Yeah, I read she tried to burn the school down...

Attacked teachers.

There's not much we can do for patients in her condition.

What is her condition, exactly?

There's remission, but no real hope of recovery.

Have a seat.

Although... nowadays, who really is healthy?

Why are you looking at me like that?

What, you want to talk to her?

Yes.

Julia Ivanovna!

You have a visitor.

Julia Ivanovna, hello.

I'm the new 5th grade teacher. Where did your Sonya study?

Julia Ivanovna, there are 20 girls in my class.

And it's important for me to know--

- Just leave her alone.

Take her away!

Go! Go!

Some teacher you are.

You won't learn anything here. You're just embarrassing the sick.

Get out.

Shh... it's OK...

It's me.

Andrei, what's wrong with you?

A girl in my class died. Not recently.

Long before we got here, earlier this year

She's appearing in my dreams.

Whether she's asking for help or trying to warn me, I don't know.

Andrei, be honest, it this because of me?

What?

Is this about me and Nastja?

Because we're here?

This job is making you crazy. Let's just leave.

You're the crazy one! Let's leave?!

Oh sure, why not?

You think we can just pick things up and drop them when we want?

Go here, go there. You know how selfish that is, Lera?

Not another word about leaving. I'll figure this out on my own.

Svetka got interrogated on Friday.

Did she blab about it?

Doesn't seem like it.

Should we do something?

Not yet. She said to wait.

She's watching him.

Hello, Andrei Valentinovich!

Who is watching me?

Kira, who is watching me?

Tamara Iosifovna?

Andrei Valentinovich, did something happen?

Yes, something happened.

I want to know what's going on here!

You'll never know anything.

Andrei Valentinovich, it's time to start the lesson.

I refuse to teach little liars who mock me and refuse to tell me the truth.

It seems like I'm not needed here.

I need you.

Julia, you have a father who reads wonderful books with you.

He'll teach you how to think, and the rest of these kids can find another way.

My dad died three years ago. First he left me, and now you're leaving...

I thought maybe you would understand me.

Who do you see in the mirror?

I see myself.

And I am a grown woman, held prisoner in the body of a ten year old.

If you think you feel bad, yes, I feel a thousand times worse!

And if you leave, I'll jump out a window, just like Sonya did!

Julia!

Julia...

Did you mean what you said?

What you told me there... I'm not sure I understand

Sometimes I just say weird things, I was just joking.

I said my first word at two months.

At a year and a half, my dad had taught me how to read.

By five, I knew all my books by heart...

And everyone said, 'Oh, what a brilliant girl!'

Then my dad died, and I'm just a kid who is smarter than most adults around me.

I felt like a freak.

I didn't want to end up locked up like an experimental lab rat

so I lie, and I pretend like I'm just like everyone else.

Do you think that makes me happy?

I'm a double prisoner - in this body, and in this school.

Stuck among girls who play with dolls.

Please, head back to class.

I'll wash up and come back too.

Andrei Valentinovich, what's wrong with you?

Are you sick?

Yes. Well, no.

No. Here's what I wanted to ask.

I was talking to one of my students, Julia Maevskaya.

Yes, she's a good girl.

A very bright student.

With a good mother.

Yes, her mother...

When you taught Julia, did you notice anything strange?

Maevskaya? No, nothing.

Why?

Oh, nothing, nothing.

I'm sorry.

Lera, I'm sorry that I yelled at you yesterday.

It's all right, Andrei, I'm not angry.

I'm just tired.

Lera, remember that tomorrow we are going to the park to feed squirrels.

We promised Nastja.

Yeah. Could you possibly go without me?

Come on!

There's one right there.

She's an interesting girl, Julia.

Unusual.

She was my husband's from birth.

Developed and educated her in every way possible.

I was afraid to mess her up.

But he achieved fantastic results.

And when he died, Julia closed up.

The doctors said she needed to interact with kids her own age

So I give her that, five days a week.

At school?

At school.

What about now, does she communicate well?

I think so, yeah.

Who was Julia's father?

He taught at the university.

I was one of his students.

Students shouldn't fall in love.

- Where did the squirrel go? - Let's go back.

- Wait, I'm coming!

I never finished college.

Julia was born, and I stayed at home, making everyone comfortable.

I was a good wife.

I think.

Look, a squirrel!

What should we name her?

I dunno, you're the smart one.

Listen, Andrei, why are you always so serious?

It's like you don't know how to have fun or something.

Maybe.

Time to go.

Aww man.

Thanks for the pleasant company.

Be seeing you.

Maybe.

Nastja, let's go, mom's waiting.

One sec. Bye.

Bye, Julia.

Good luck!.

Goodbye.

Julia, ready to go?

Are you ready?

I'm ready.

That's great.

Follow my hammer with your eyes.

So you were saying, premature mental maturity?

Yeah. The result of an abnormal development of the cerebral cortex.

An extremely rare phenomenon.

Close your eyes and use your index finger...

To touch your nose.

Kids like that usually live relatively short lives.

Now with the other hand.

How short?

As long as God wills.

OK, get dressed.

When a person develops faster than nature intended...

The get less time as a result.

Most don't survive to adulthood.

Doctor...

Sit down.

Have you ever had a case like that?

Personally -- not once in 43 years of practice.

So Doctor...

Would you know how to identify this disease?

Well, there are tests the child would have to pass.

Take a scan of the brain.

Get dressed.

Right, right...

Doctor, do you treat mentally ill children here too?

What children?

There, that girl.

Oh, that's Yulenka.

She's the best friend of one of the daughters of a patient here.

She's like the young lady's guardian angel.

As for you, Andrei Valentinovich.

Nerves are clearly a problem.

I'm prescribing you antidepressants and sleeping pills.

We're done.

He's here!

Hello!

Hello, Andrei Valentinovich!

Hello.

Sit down.

Anyone absent?

Julia Maevskaya.

What's wrong with Julia?

Sorry for the surprise visit, I just heard that Julia is sick.

It's sweet how much you care about your students.

Please, come in. You're like her idol, all she does is talk about you.

So what's wrong with her?

Nothing, she's visiting her grandmother.

I just called the school and said she was sick.

Are you here to scold me?

No, no. But maybe it's for the best.

I need to talk to you.

Please, come in.

Is this Julia's room?

Yes.

May I?

Of course.

So many books. No toys at all.

How come?

I don't know. That's just what Julia is interested in.

And to be honest, I usually don't come in here...

Without an invitation.

Can we?

It's just the two of us.

What did you want to talk to me about?

Please, take this seriously.

The fact is, Julia--

Oh, Julia will kill me!

What do I tell her?

Tell her I was here.

"At that moment, Alice, without thinking, rushed in after him."

"Although it wouldn't have hurt her to stop and think first."

You were wonderful.

Look... I...

I get it.

We're both adults.

Where have you been?

I was up with Seryoga in the bar.

He was telling me about his heroic past.

And your phone?

What about it?

Mom, are you going to the arena with us? The girls are competing in show jumping.

I don't know.

Why is Andrei Valentinovich still sleeping?

He's probably tired.

Do you understand the plan?

Let's go.

I told her to leave Nastja behind.

Now I'll tell him everything.

What will you say?

Oh, Julia. I'll talk about you and Sonya.

Let him know what happens to the people who think they're your friend.

Get away or I'll scream.

So tell me, if you're so brave.

I'll hold it for you.

Have you forgotten how to stay in the saddle?

Well, let's see what kind of rider you are.

All right, Show Riding class.

Let's go!

Are you the teacher?

Yes.

She's extremely lucky.

It'll take a few months, but things could have been much worse.

How did it happen?

Dormicum is used in combined anesthesia.

Yes, we have Dormicum, but your suspicion is meaningless.

Why, doctor? If you can't get it in pharmacies...?

Look, this kind of drug is under very strict control.

I personally review our drug records every day.

And I personally found a drowned man, with Dormicum practically coming out his ass.

And there's only one hospital in the city.

The whole thing is a mess.

You're here every day saving lives...

Excuse me, what are you two--

If the girls parents decide they want an investigation, then we can talk.

Otherwise you're getting on my nerves. Take a walk, teacher.

Let's go, Valentina Ivanovna.

Sit down.

Andrei Valentinovich, how is Sveta?

Nastja, sit down!

Sveta has a concussion.

Multiple fractures.

Covered in bruises. But she'll be fine.

And she'll definitely be back in class soon.

Thank God. Andrei Valentinovich, can we go visit her?

Enough! Enough lies!

I'm tired of this nightmare.

And you all know exactly what I'm talking about.

What am I talking about?

I don't know.

Oh you don't know?

Do you know that Sveta's accident wasn't an accident?

What, Julia? Nothing you want to tell the class?

Oh, you want an honest conversation?

OK.

Sit down! Sit down, I said!

I'll tell you when you can go!

Listen, you. You're always imagining something, aren't you.

Some conspiracy, or some secret.

Andrei Valentinovich, did you pick the wrong profession? Huh?

There are two ways that this can go.

You can tell them what happened to Sveta, or I can do it for you.

What do you choose?

Neither. My mom told me a lot about you.

I think she's in love.

Well how nice for your mom.

But now I'm--

We could live together.

Mom would have a husband again, and I would have a father.

Julia, are you out of your mind?

You were the one out of your mind. There, at our house.

First in my bedroom, and then in my mother's room.

Julia...

Your mother and I are adults.

And what happens between a man and a woman is...

None of your business.

It doesn't involve you at all.

Some great moral teacher you are.

Now it concerns everyone.

Nastenka, come here.

Nastja, come back to class!

Close the door right now!

Don't you dare. There's no reason...

No reason to harm anyone else.

I'll talk to your mother.

You need special care and treatment.

You need help, Andrei Valentinovich.

I hope you understand the meaning of the word 'war'.

Hello.

Yulenka, how are you?

I'm going to the circus tomorrow to see the big cats.

Go on then, child.

She's a smart one. Never gets bored.

Don't forget about the meeting today at 3 PM to talk about yesterday's incident.

Nastja!

Andrei !

Nastja!

Mom!

Get outside! Now! Run!

Here's what I think.

You move over with me at the High School...

There's an extra room there.

Yeah. This is a total loss, but we'll get it rebuilt.

Thank you, Sergei.

It's only temporary.

Hello, Andrei Valentinovich.

Are you OK?

What is this...

Andrei Valentinovich...

You're thinking of leaving us during this difficult time?

No, Tamara Iosifovna... I'm the one having difficulties.

No! We all are right now!

The tragedy in the arena... the parents are shocked, the kids are all worked up.

Everyone here is on edge.

Andrei Valentinovich...

Where is your 'strong male leadership' now?

I have to think about my wife and daughter.

Yes, I already gave the order for repairs.

In a week, the apartment will be like brand new.

- Stick around. - Thank you.

Thank you for everything.

Sign my resignation.

No, of course you're not going to compromise on your own principles.

Never willing to compromise. Nooooo.

Your phone is ringing.

Sorry. Hello.

Andrei Valentinovich, this is Julia.

I'm listening.

Have you talked to Lera yet? Are you leaving because of her?

I'm not discussing it any more.

Oh Andrei Valentinovich. You don't want me to have to do it for you.

Lera!

In here. Come in.

Nearly all the negatives were burned out.

Why is this happening to us?

I don't know. Just remember that I love you very much.

You don't have to be afraid.

I'm not afraid.

Lera, what about Nastja?

Nastja?

Don't worry, I let her go.

She's walking with Yulenka.

Who?

With Julia Maevskaya.

Oww, you're hurting me! Let me go!

Where did they go?

Back to the school. Didn't you pass them?

Nastja!

Come here!

Where?

Here, here!

Quickly!

Help us! Hold on, sunshine.

You'll be OK soon.

Set her down? Here? Be careful...

Go! Quickly!

Sir, you can't go in there. Take a breath. You can't go in there.

Andrei, if you're tired, go. I can stay here a little longer.

Andrei Valentinovich, this is Julia.

You're going to pay for all of this!

I didn't want it to come to this.

Where are you?

We should talk.

Come to the High School. The old building under repairs.

What's going on?

I'll be back soon! I'll be back!

I'm here!

Come out!

I wasn't hiding.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her.

But how else could I stop you?

My mom cried all night because of you, by the way.

Her and I only want one thing: happiness.

We love you, Andrei.

Julia! Julia!

You can't force people to do what they don't want to do!

You want to be with us! You're just afraid to admit it to yourself!

And you're always looking back! What for?

I want you to leave me and my family alone!

You don't care about us!

That doesn't matter!

Please, I'm begging you, everyone will be happier!

Say yes!

No!

Leave, now!

Julia, I...

Get out of here!

Andrei Valentinovich!

He said we were going to play a game.

He told me I just needed to take off my panties. And then...

He touched me...

Yulenka, where did he touch you?

Here.

Then he told me I should touch him too.

I wouldn't do it.

They're saying that the evidence against you is irrefutable.

What kind of a...

I didn't do anything.

I don't know.

Do you want me to bring you something?

You know what, Lera...

If you don't believe me, you don't need to come back at all.

I went back to the school, and I saw him leading Julia to the outbuilding.

He led Julia by the hand?

Yeah.

I saw it myself.

Julia was fighting back, or...?

He was the cool teacher!

Everyone trusted him.

I guarantee you that this monster will not leave a jail cell for a very long time.

Buddy...

Just tell me honestly, what did you do to them?

What's their motive for lying?

I don't know.

And you have witnesses. Why not say that?

What witnesses?

Let's see... your fellow teacher Zolotova Irina.

"I said hello to him at 2:30 next to the old outhouse." Yes?

Yes. But then she left.

Yep. To visit the school caretaker, Kovalchik Sergei.

Together they saw Yulenka go into the building right after you entered.

They spotted her friends watching you from the bushes.

They waited for some sort of signal, and then worked together to call the cops.

Believe me buddy, it's hard for me to believe children could do something like this.

But it's also got me thinking they were the ones who burned down your apartment.

I mean, that's going to be hard to prove.

So am I free to go?

You can go.

You'll be reinstated as a teacher, but I'd advise you get out of here.

The job didn't work out, and your life definitely won't work out here.

Lera!

Yeah. The train departs in two hours. I'll come back.

You start thinking...

How to explain this... exhibitionism... to your wife.

They're gone, Andrei Valentinovich. So do you know what will happen next?

You will die.

Just a few minutes ago, near the railroad station...

A Volga, license plate GAZ-2402, failed to turn and crashed, rolling several times.

The driver, one Sergei Kovalchik, died on the spot.

The incident was caused by a malfunctioning brake system in the car.

Lera, I did not dare to tell you the truth about what happened to me.

To us. I guess I was afraid I'd stop being a hero in your eyes.

Now I'm punished for my infidelity.

Evil always triumphs over those who have gone astray.

If you are reading these lines, then I am already dead.

She's right. Everything that happened to us is because of me.

But no matter how many victims she claims, she'll never get rid of it.

Her desperate, painful loneliness.

Be patient, Andrei Valentinovich, it'll all be over soon.

Julia, don't do this. You'll have to live with it for the rest of your life.

That won't be that long. As you already know.

My diagnosis.

My head hurts sometimes. Sometimes it feels like it will explode.

OK, so.

Ancient hero. Singer and talker. Seven letters.

Orpheus.

A-N-D-R-E-

I'm just messing with you, Andrei Valentinovich.

Julia. Stop before it's too late.

It's too late.

This last May. There's a lake nearby.

I met this traveling artist.

He came to the city to do his sketches.

I liked him.

Mom liked him too.

We rented one of our rooms to him.

For a brief moment, I thought, this is a real family again.

But it didn't last long.

The vacation ended. He started packing up to go home.

I tried to talk him out of it.

But he was stubborn, just like you.

I was so angry!

I knew that I couldn't let him go.

I asked Sonya to steal some strong sleeping pills from her mother's hospital.

I mean, you know.

Sonya's mom was a surgeon.

I added some pills to the tea. I asked him to take me for one last boat ride.

Goodbye.

The morning air was so nice.

So of course... he fell asleep quickly.

Sonya was worried that her mother would find out and everyone will know.

Julia Ivanovna still blames herself for the death, of course.

I visit her sometimes, pretending to be Sonya.

If she does what I say, I let her beg for forgiveness from her daughter.

It's like a 'Hound of the Baskervilles' type of thing.

You should have seen her face when I told her!

Ancient people used to say that stubbornness came from the spine.

If you tear out a vertebra, you can tie it in a knot.

I thought you'd like that.

What?

Your daughter forgives you.

Thank you.

Now be free. Free

Goodbye...

Don't be afraid...

Brought in naked at 8 AM. Male, age 35.

Cause of death?

That's what's interesting.

Ripped his spine out.

I've never seen that before.

Me either.

Upper cervical slashed, the entire spine down to the coccyx... pulled out!

Must have taken some real strength, huh?

Inhuman.

So who's the suspect?

King Kong?

Hey buddy.

I'm on my way.

Get a bunch more guys out here to keep people out.

People walk by here.

Great.

Hello.

So, you've got a drowned man, huh?

God, if you knew the kind of morning I've had so far.

Well, let's get it over with.

Hello.

Good luck with this one.

OK, so... both corpses are the work of former surgeon Yalinskaya.

What the...

First guy, the drowned man, was her lover. She gave him some Derm...

Dormicum?

Yeah, and drowned him.

More than overkill if you ask me.

The woman wasn't right in the head, you know?

That's why we didn't touch it. She was in a mental hospital.

She escaped last night, and ritually

killed the girls school teacher, and for some reason, cut out his spine.

Jeez. Why him?

Because he was a teacher.

Remember, after the death of her daughter, she started hunting down teachers.

That's why she was in a psych ward.

Wait.

The guy only lived here a few weeks.

What's it matter to her?

Returning home, Yalinskaya shot herself.

What, something not adding up?

Where's the spine?

It's gone.

Any witnesses?

Just one.

Where?

Don't worry, sweetie. It's all over.

Everything will be fine.