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[Alexandr Korol]

And when I was walking through Tsarskoye Selo, exploring Alexander and Catherine Parks in Pushkin, I had this first impression — not just randomly, I mean, why would I even think this? — but the impression I got was that so many different structures had been preserved in a semi-ruined state, and even people didn’t seem to know what they meant. But I could sense that they were all structures — built intentionally — like in miniature, almost like models. As if they were showing me samples. And in that park there were so many samples of what had been built somewhere else — bits from different cultures, each one like a fragment of a world: Gothic gates, a Turkish bathhouse, an Egyptian pyramid, and then that strange concrete ring I called the “telephone.” And I understood that something would happen in the future and I would be the one to restore it. I didn’t see it as if I had to live in Tsarskoye Selo, that it was my home. No. I didn’t see it like I lived there — I saw it as everything there held something hidden, both underground and in tunnels, just like in Petersburg. In Petersburg, I had the same feeling, like I knew where to enter and that many things were hidden there. Same with this town, in Pushkin. And all these structures — they weren’t ordinary — and it felt like I was meant to restore them, to use them, that they were being passed down to me. But I understood that I was very young, and that all of this was being handed over for the future. And at that time, there was a strong emphasis on Petersburg. But what could I do with all of it at 20 years old? Sure, I understood that there were many abandoned churches, places that were now empty lots or just parks, but in fact you could go inside if you dug — of course, something like that should never be done without government approval. But the fact remains, there are many entrances, tunnels. Most palaces and cathedrals had a passage through a neighboring building, a tunnel, so you wouldn’t enter through the main entrance but always through a side one. And the system was simply highlighting all this for me, showing me. I was just like, “Okay, okay” — as if I knew where everything was. But why was it shown to me? I didn’t understand — I had no money, no resources. And who would believe me? Other than writing a book about it, that’s really the only place it ended up — in the book. It never got to the point where I would interact with it directly or touch it. Maybe all of this is actually meant for someone else in the future — someone who’ll read my book, and the system will highlight it for them,