The Hidden Sun

Yekaterina1 whipped her head from the dish she was cleaning at the sound of light
knocking coming from the door tucked away at the back of their house. A wide grin stretched
across her face as she hurriedly shoved the dish into her mothers hand and ran to answer it.
Is it that Ilya2 boy? Her mother shouted after her crossly.
Of course, mama! Who else would knock there?
Her mother harrumphed, and returned to washing the dishes, muttering about scandals
and reputation and that young women should not hang around young men if they dont plan on
marrying. Yekaterina ignored her and instead, after smoothing down her frizzy hair and
straightening her homemade dress3, answered the door. Ilya stood there, all sunny and bright,
wearing his favorite uniform with his yellow, blonde hair slicked back, and holding a single
daisy in his hand.
Ah, Terina, He held out his arms and enveloped her in a hug, depositing the flower
behind her ear while doing so. Its been so long since Ive seen you!
You idiot, its only been two days.
Two days feel like an eternity when Im away from you.
She laughed, playfully shoved him away so she could close the door, and led him into the
house. They passed through the small kitchen, where Yekaterinas mother cast Ilya a dirty look
and Yekaterina made them quick cups of black tea4, through the cozy, cluttered living room, up
the narrow, creaky stairs all the way to the dusty attic, and onto the balcony that looked out over

1 Yekaterina is the Russian version of Catherine. She is named after the Russian Tsar, Catherine the
Great, who ruled during the enlightenment era ("Catherine II.").
2 Ilya is the name of a popular Russian hero, Ilya Muromets. Muromets fought many terrible monsters,
just as Ilya does in a more metaphorical sense (Prominent Russians).
3 During the 1940s, due to spending on the military efforts, supplies were limited and clothes often had to
be made at home (Soviet Fashion).
4 Black tea is the most popular tea in Russia, thought its being replace by green tea (Russian Tea.).

all Moscow5. It was a small balcony, just a bunch of planks nailed together, and it creaked
unnervingly when people stood on it. But it had been built by Yekaterinas late father and she
loved it dearly, as did Ilya. Together they had decorated it the best they could, with a small, fuzzy
rug, a few faded pictures of Yekaterina, her family, and Ilya, as well as some sunny flowers,
evolving the it from a drafty balcony to a cheery outlook.
The two plopped down at the edge so that their legs could dangle out into the summer air
and they could precariously balance their tea on their knees. Yekaterina leaned back onto her
hands and looked out over her city, at the vast expanse of buildings and streets.
So, She dragged the word out, and nudged Ilyas shoulder with her head. Is it
there?
Yes, the sun is there, just like every other time youve asked me, He gave her an aside
glance and an amused smile. Ive already told you that the sun is always there, no matter what.
She shrugged. I know, but Im just making sure. Its not like I can see it and check for
myself, She took a sip of her tea, then set it to the side and leaned back up so she could see his
face. Describe to me what you can see. All of it.
Alright. Well, for starters, I see the city. There are so many building and people in it. I
can see the Lubyanka building6, right over there, and Detsky Mir7 right across from it. I can see
the old buildings and the new building and buildings still being built8. And I can see the people,
the ordinary people doing their ordinary things.
Yeah, I can see that too. What about the sun?
Ah, the sun. It hangs far above the city, sitting in the sky, watching over us. Its so far
up, yet it still manages to shine so brightly for us. I swear its made of gold, as it washes the city
5 Moscow is the capital city of Russia. It is also home of the headquarters of NKVD (Pike, John).
6 The Lubyanka building was the location of the headquarters of the NKVD (Pike, John).
7 Detsky Mir, or Childrens World is a popular toy shop located in the same corner as the Lubyanka
building (Children's world).
8 This is a reference to Stalins rapid industrialization of Russia.

in a golden wave, leaving it magnificent and gorgeous. And, at night, the sun sinks below the city
in an amazing show of pinks and purples and blues. And when it sleeps and its light dims, its
children come out to play, dotting the midnight blue sky with a thousand little lights. Its
magnificent, all of it.
Yekaterina strained her eyes at the sky, searching for even a hint of the brilliant light Ilya
described. But she could not, no matter how hard she tried, see it. Just the blank, grey skies, same
as always.
She sighed. I wish I could see it.
To her surprise, Ilya shook his rapidly. No, you dont. Its dangerous, life-threateningly
dangerous, to be able to see the sun.
Are you in danger?
Every second of the day. Upon seeing her wide-eyed, concerned look, though, he
laughed and pulled her close. Dont you worry yourself about me, love. I can take care of
myself. After all, Im not gone yet, am I?
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his worn military jacket. I
know. But I still worry. She gave him a tight squeeze, and then wriggled out of his grasp so she
could look him in the eyes. But why are you always in danger? What is it about seeing the sun
that is so bad?
Because it means I know things I shouldnt. Things that certain powerful people dont
want me to know.
Like who?
Like the man of steel9.
Yekaterinas eyes widened and she mouthed, Stalin? Ilya nodded. Butbutsurely,
he has nothing to hide, right?
Ilya slow shook his head. Our great and powerful ruler has a lot he would like to keep
hidden. Surely, youve heard the tales of the NKVD taking people, families, anyone, away in the
middle of the night, never to be heard of again. All under the guise that they were traitors to

9 The Man of Steel was a nickname for Stalin, due to his rapid industrialization of Russia.

Stalin. Good people get taken. Good, innocent people. Ive seen it happen. Ive learned. There
was a pause. Yekaterina was confused, not quite wanting to believe him, but not wanting to
dismiss him either. Then, suddenly, Ilya clapped, loud and sharp, and smiled at her. Oh, but look
at me, talking away. You neednt worry about any of that, Terina, I will take care of it. As long as
you dont know, as long as you cant see the sun, youre safe.
Four days later
Yekaterina calmly pedaled down the street on her old bike. The city and its people sedately past
her by. She would have pedaled faster, but her long dress made it hard, and she also didnt want
to get too sweaty in the summer heat.
She was on her way to visit Ilya, and not for mere want of company. She hadnt seen or
heard from him in days, which was very unlike him. He never went a few days without visiting
or calling. She had become worried and, his words about always being in danger echoing in her
ear, decided to pay him a visit. But on the way, while waving absentmindedly at the people she
passed by, she reasoned to herself that Ilya could take care of himself.
Yekaterina slowed to a stop in front of his apartment building. It was one of the old ones,
an antique building, which looked like it had once been like a grand mansion but was now old
and decrepit. She tromped up the decaying stairs that wound around the outside of the apartment
to Ilyas room. His room was situated on the 3rd floor at the very end of row, nestled in a small
alcove. Its location made it seem cut off from the world, which, unfortunately, suited Ilyas place
quite well. In the few times she had visited, she was struck by how lonely and cold it felt,
especially in contrast to Ilyas bright and vibrant personality.
Yekaterina slowed to stop in front of Ilyas door, and felt a chill run down her spine. The
place seemed drained of life somehow, like all the color had disappeared. She shook the feeling
off and knocked on the door and waited. Two minutes later, she knocked again, louder. She

waited, and then knocked again, growing worried. Ilya? she shouted through the door, Are
you there? Please answer me!
Excuse me?
Yekaterina whipped her head around, towards the other end of the hall. An elderly man
had poked his head out of a room a few doors down and was looking at her with a mix of worry
and apprehension. Are you looking for Ilya?
Yekaterina almost breathed a sigh of relief. At least he seemed to be aware of his
whereabouts. She walked toward the man. Yes, I am. Could you tell me where he went?
The old man stepped out of his apartment, and leaned against the open door with a sigh.
He looked uncomfortable, pained even, and refused to meet her eyes. I hate to be the one to tell
you this, but its better than being told by the police. Ilya was taken away by the NKVD late last
night.
She nearly stopped breathing. A soft, broken what? escaped her. Cold, raw grief swept
through her, pushing out all thoughts, all hope. All around her, life seemed to disappear. The
never ceasing footsteps of the people on the streets, the incessant chatter, the loud roar of cars,
the sing-song of birds, the sound of life continuing despite her grief and loss all vanished into
cold, dark silence. The man in front of her, the man telling her about Ilya, however, seemed to
become more vibrant, till every detail his wispy hair stubbornly growing out of his balding
head, the scar that stretched the corner of his mouth enough to reveal crooked, yellow teeth, the
smell of cats on his musty shirt seemed too real, too much. The old man reached out a hand and
patted her shoulder.
I am truly sorry for your loss. I knew how close you two were. We would talk
sometimes and he would go on forever about you. The man stepped back into his room, giving
her one more glance. Im sorry, but I think you should leave. If youre caught visiting a traitor
the night after he was taken away, you may be taken next. And with that he closed the door, and
silence fell.

Yekaterina leaned against the wall between doors and tried to regain her breathing and
composure but she couldnt because Ilya was gone and as good as dead. A cry escaped her at the
thought of him dead, and she tore out of the hall and down the stairs. She tripped several times
and scratched her knees and hands, but it didnt matter. There was no Ilya to make her feel better.
She scrambled onto her bike and pedaled as fast as she could, not caring if she ripped her
dress, or nearly hit a passerby, or to where she was even going. She finally stopped when she
could go no more and collapsed in an empty alley, her bike clattering against the ground.
The alley was grimy, Moskovskaya Pravda10 newspapers and trash littering the ground,
suspicious puddles dotted about, and smoke clouding every corner. But the dirt and grime didnt
matter to Yekaterina. She leaned against the wall for support, slowly slid down into a curled
position, and sobbed.
It just wasnt fair. She had already lost her father, now her best friend? Her best friend
who saw something terrible happening in this is country, and he only sought to fix it, to tell
people about, to make it known. And that was apparently grounds to arrest him and take him
away, never to be seen again, simply because the people in power didnt want their secrets to be
known. Any doubt she had about Ilya words withered away and was replaced with the truth, that
people were being taken without trail, that rights were being ignored, that people were being lied
to every single day by the very man they trusted most.
Behind her closed eyelids, crusted with tears, Yekaterina saw a light begin to appear,
shinning through her eyelids. Slowly, she blinked them open, wiping away her tears, and looked
up.
Light streamed down into the alley in shafts, spilling pools of light unto the despairing
ground. Smoke filtered through it, almost sparkling, as the light swirled around, lightening every
corner of the dark corridor. She rose up shakily and stepped away from the wall, craning her
neck to see into the brightening sky. And she saw it: the sun, high in the sky, shining merrily
10 Moskovskaya Pravda is a Russian newspaper that runs in Moscow (Russian Newspapers).

down on the ignorant people. She gasped, and leaned back up against the wall to support herself
so she wouldnt fall. She raised a hand up so her fingertips were bathed in the brilliant light, and
laughed a sad, happy, bittersweet laugh at the warmth that spread along her hand. Her best friend
was gone, the NKVD would be after her, everyone she ever knew would be in danger, but she
could see.