Chantele

by Jasmina Siderovski

  The Sokolov twins moved by his plan for peace and networking in harmony with the rest of Europe listened at the ideology of no corruption, equality in class, more educational facilities, the birth of a railway system bringing the countries and an entire continent together accessible for everyone and working as a unified greater superpower.

  Fascinated by Santino's plans encouraging a prosperous economy and trade with the neighboring countries incorporating innovation, technology and research, they were even more amazed at his fascination with America and hunger to learn from the legends of the great past. His plan revolutionizing politics was more prominent than they ever have possibly dreamed. He was transforming the world.

  Konstantin and Vladimir wanted to be a part of the change, peace and history. Picturing themselves happy in the unity of strangers an environment dedicated to growth, education and innovation. Mesmerized by Santino's strategies and plans for the world and future generations, but they still didn't understand what did this have to do with them?

  "Boys!" Carless grasped taking a minute to re-group and take a deep breath.

  "I want you to be a part of this. I want you to come with me, join me and help lead everyone who is part of this vision. In fact, I want you to work together as a team building your team of revolutionaries. I want you to make history with me!" Santino Carless stopped as he had announced what the boys had been nervously waiting to hear all day.

  The Sokolov twins couldn't believe what they just heard. Was this a dream? Shocked and excited once again their synchronized voices echoed.

  "Yes, yes of course, but how are we able to do that?" Realizing that they sound like little children looking annoyed at each other and their schoolboy choir monotone voices once again made its appearance in the room of the giant.

  "Right answer fellas." Was the response of a very excited Santino?

  "Brilliant. I have already organized for your transport and safe arrival to New York and London. Vladimir you are going to leave for New York tomorrow morning and Konstantin you are leaving for London this evening." Santino didn't bother with the chit-chat and wasn't going to take no for an answer let alone give the twins a chance to change their mind.

  As far as Carless was concerned, they had to act quickly and leave Russia immediately because there was no room for error or downfall of his master plan.

  Vladimir in shock from Santino's request from them asked Carless the question that had been playing on both the brother's mind.

  "How can we leave so quickly? It's impossible."

  Konstantin also backed his brother and added.

  "There are things to organize; we have to pack and then there are our parents. Our mother she needs us." Konstantin defended his fear of leaving so quickly going to a country he had never been to before his nerves taking over at the thought of the urgency of it all.

  "How is this even possible?" Questioned Vladimir also supporting his brother's reservations.

  Santino stopped. Annoyed, but prepared for the hesitance from the boys. Rising from the comfortable armchair he was sitting on, Santino walked around the desk and reached into the inside pocket of his tailored suit pulling out an old torn photo, carefully handing it over to Vladimir. Vladimir's eyes filled with tears staring at the picture beginning to shake. Konstantin leaning over curious what the photo was?

  "Where did you get this?" Asked Konstantin.

  "Why do you even have this photo? I am demanding an answer now." A very upset and disturbed Vladimir, jumped up at the shock of the contents of the photo Santino had just handed to him. The photo was of their younger deceased sister Svetlana, murdered by the German invasion of Stalingrad. Their memories of her warmth and friendly, selfless nature streamed in the heart of the twins.

  "Svetlana made this possible," Santino exclaimed noting the sadness and their disturbed faces at the shock of the photo of their sister.

  "Her death is what makes this possible. You now have a purpose. Look around you at the millions of lives already lost because of that crazy psycho assassin Stalin."

  Santino's voice chanted louder and angrier lecturing the twins on the cold facts of the war.

  "Do you think you can overpower Stalin by doing what you are doing now? Yes, it's commendable and admirable, but you are powerless under the terror of this fool. That is why you must leave immediately and rid of this rule surrounded amongst like-minded philosophers, thinkers and intellects who were smart enough to leave Russia already. You have the ability and available resources to make a change, a real difference. You have a duty to your sister. You owe this to Svetlana and the millions of others like Svetlana and the millions more who will meet the same fate as your sister did. Do you seriously want that?" Yelling at the top of his voice Santino reminding Konstantin and Vladimir how real this mess was and the importance to contribute against Stalin's totalitarian dictatorship.

  "This is your chance to be part of a worldwide legacy. A change. A change for the better. The destruction of Stalin's government and be part of history. I am giving you an opportunity to set in stone everything you have been working hard for." Waving the documents and passports already organized for the twins safe and immediate departure, Carless knew the boys understood, and both were on board his team.

  The uncertainty in USSR had driven the great thinkers and new age philosophers out of the country, the mass walk-out of the intellects headed for a new life. The chance to be part of an entirely different way of thinking. The onset of the Russian Revolution in the early 1900's saw the end of the Emperor Tsar Nicholas II and the ruling of the Romanov Dynasty. The poor handling of Russia's engagement in World War I reduced the world economic leader to poverty and mass inflation. The Bolsheviks under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin abdicated and murdered Tsar Nicholay Aleksandrovich, his wife and family. An end to the autocracy of an empire that had lived over three centuries.

  Vladimir Lenin's infatuation with Marxism Philosophy empowered his vision for a streamlined party leadership while forming the Russian Communist Party to build the Soviet Union. His distaste for a class-biased legal system led him to revolutionize politics. Introducing 'Iskra' a newspaper he used as a tool to collaborate the views and influence of great thinkers throughout Russia and Europe. They all believed in the ideology of the German Philosopher Karl Marx and his publication of 'Das Kapital.'

  The Bolshevik's destroyed the Romanov Dynasty and a streamlined newly formed Union of Soviet Socialist Republics - USSR came back as a competitive world power under Vladimir Lenin's Leadership. The architect-builder of the Soviet Union ensured that any monarchist lovers eliminated during the civil war of the Red Army and the White Russians bloodshed from 1918 to 1922. He remained in power until his death in 1924. Before his death, Lenin became suspicious of Joseph Stalin's vision for the USSR, who was the General Secretary of the Communist Party and campaigned against him warning his party the threat that he imposed as a ruler of Russia. The death of Vladimir Lenin in 1924 was Joseph Stalin's chance to maneuver his powers and became the dictator of USSR.

  Joseph Stalin actively loathed and opposed the views of the Marxism Philosophers. His government engulfed totalitarian dictatorship by forcing industrialization of the Soviet Union. Stalin's obsession to control the economy saw the world's worst man-made famine across the USSR through his takeover of all the agricultural farms. The widespread hunger an onslaught by Stalin's rule by terror saw the deaths of millions of farmers and people who opposed the formation of industrialization and military superpower. He established a country ruled by a dictatorship and his hate-read of any foreign and western influence.

  Despite the warnings of the USA and Britain for the potential invasion over the USSR, Stalin signed a non-aggression pact with Adolf Hitler in 1939 betrayed by Germany in 1941 as USSR found itself defending their country from the attack of the Nazis. The battle of Stalingrad lasted over a year. Finally, the Red Army defeated Germany. Continuing to forming ally's, throughout Stalin's campaign of creat
ing communist governments throughout Europe against foreign especially western influence, Stalin led Russia in a nuclear age of the atomic bomb. He exploded these deadly bombs in 1949 suffering the consequences for his infamous support of North Korea's invasion of the USA, triggering the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

  Stalin's death in 1953 encouraged Nikita Khrushchev's rise in the ranks of the Stalin government, taking on the role as Soviet Union's Communist Party First Secretary and Head of the Communist Party. His disapproval and condemnation of Stalin at 'The 20th Party Congress' Khrushchev's speech referred to Stalin's 'cult of a personality' denouncing his style of leadership. Triggering a subdivision of worldwide split and confusion by countries influenced to admire Stalin's style of the dictatorship of the USSR. The announcement by Nikita Khrushchev's de-Stalinization policy reform became the central theme at the Communist Party Soviet Union 20th Party Congress.

  USSR built a rapport with the west and believed in a peaceful co-existence even though Khrushchev still believed in a Communist Government approving the construction of the Berlin Wall between the east and west in Germany, preventing the east from fleeing to the capitalist west and his involvement in nuclear bombing during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Dumping nuclear weapons 90 miles of Florida in 1962 and shooting down an American U-2 spy plane entering deep into Russia's territory.

  Successful talks with the President of The United States of America, John F Kennedy, agreed to take Russia's nuclear weapons out of Cuba and America's nuclear weapons from Turkey. The 1963 Treaty introduced the ban on Nuclear Testing by United States of America, United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.

  CHAPTER 6

  V

  ladimir Sokolov moved to New York in 1950, marrying Alina two years after his move to America. He met Alina at 'The Rakes Progress' an Opera performed over three acts and an epilogue by the music symphony genius Igor Stravinsky, who was born in Russia but forced to flee to Switzerland at the emergence of World War I.

  Alina was born in Boston, New York. A Yale University PhD Graduate Nuclear Medicine Scientist. She worked in the Central Laboratories for Nuclear Medicine and Research under the guidance of Jason Larson, the godfather of Nuclear Medicine. As a Professor and intellect in cancer research, her discovery of the 'Rocher Principle' awarded Alina the prestigious Noble Prize for Scientific Research at the age of 24. Her breakthrough for diagnosing diseases and curing several auto-immune disorders through nuclear medical innovation.

  Vladimir Sokolov and Alina fell in love at the Opera in New York's prestigious Arts District of Performing Arts. Vladimir already admired Alina because of her contribution science research, secretly a fan of Alina's long before they had the chance meeting at the Great Stravinsky Opera of 'The Rakes Progress' in New York.

  Two years of courtship during the stressful time of the Korean War and invasion on American soil, Vladimir's background as a Russian Philosopher earned Alina's father's disapproval of their marriage. Alina ignored the forbidden wishes from her father marrying Vladimir in 1953. They were blessed with their daughter Katya the following year.

  Katya was born and raised in New York during this time of uncertainty, modern warfare and nuclear age. Katya, their only child as Alina, fell victim to Ovarian Cancer not able to have any more children. Content with a healthy daughter, they both, loved dearly, Katya and Vladimir provided her with the best of everything. Katya was raised by two successful individuals who carried on their missions to make way for a safe and peaceful future for their daughter and all new generations.

  Vladimir was part of the modernist movement and became one of the World's Greatest Thinkers in Philosophy after Santino Carless commissioned the twin brothers to leave the USSR under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. The brothers joined forces and united on opposite sides of the globe as Vladimir migrated to USA and Konstantin to Britain, UK. They further mastered their influencing skills empowering and educating intellects, followers, leaders and anyone who wanted a new revolutionized philosophy in economics and politics in a bid to de-centralized The Soviet Union superpower.

  The Sokolov brothers founded the 'Philosophy Ship', an organization who met in secret with key influencers from around the world ingeniously utilizing the support of secret service agencies including MI6 in the UK, CIA in the USA and the KGB from the Soviet Union.

  Their mission gained them power and influence working together with Stalin's successor Nikita Khrushchev and the President of America, J.F. Kennedy to crush nuclear testing and modern warfare. The breakthrough earned them arch enemy rivals in Korea and China as China becomes profoundly interested in Khrushchev and his allies of the western world disapproving the worlds lack of understanding and their role against western imperialism during the cold war.

  Katya's skills in the nuclear world of medicine inherited from both parents following in her mother's footsteps with Vladimir's vision. Discovering the cure for leukemia by accident during one of her lab experiments, Katya is immediately shut down by the three dominating giants in the business industry, Bogdan Ruskin, Edmond Johnson and Gerard Gladstone.

  Their immeasurable wealth earns them a voice as the world economic leaders control politics and financial benefits of war and disease. In the business to fast pace progress and innovation, through the marketing of oil, weapons and pharmaceuticals their vital interests.

  Katya and Alina crushed by these giants and influential people handcuffing the women's commitment to research finding cures for cancer and other disease and saving millions of lives. Controlled heavily by the watchful eyes around them, Alina leaves unexpectedly in the hope to outsmart these controlling giants dedicating her knowledge and discoveries as an insurance policy in secret. She sleeps with the enemy gaining her a foot in the door to continue her research and glance of hope curing people of diseases around the world. The support of her new alleys teaches her freedom was never a reality, money is a business and the evil of our existence.

  Vladimir Sokolov woke up at the sound of the alarm grabbing the pillow from under him placing it over his head hoping to block the noise from waking him up. Realizing it didn't foolproof or going stop on its own, forcing himself to get out of bed. Turning off the alarm, Vladimir noticed his wife Alina wasn't in bed next to him.

  After a shower and quick shave, heading to the kitchen, Vladimir pours himself a coffee hoping to join his wife, Alina, walking towards their lounge room, Vladimir's attention caught by the envelope placed against a vase of tulips, Alina's favorite flowers on the coffee table.

  The envelope addressed to Vladimir Sokolov.

  (Letter for Vladimir Sokolov from Alina Sokolov)

  13 September, 1977

  My Dear Vladimir,

  The perks of our reality may guide us but aren't necessarily the life we are conditioned to be content. Choices are a critical life skill and yet if used in the right manner a game changer. It's the maturity to appreciate each of them and their attempt to contribute substantially to life experience.

  If we all search a little more in-depth within ourselves, we will find we all have the potential to embark a difference in this world and continue to leave footprints a journey of lessons learned as we make a difference in someone else's world. Tomorrow isn't worth dreaming about if today we don't learn something new from yesterday's flaws.

  When you commit to a legacy as a wife and a mother, one of the downfalls is ambitions take back seat. Over time you grow convincing yourself that the priorities outweigh any glimpse of hope, or any chance to alter a destined future. Happiness suddenly classified by tradition and our upbringing to abide as a wife and a mother.

  As a curious person, you find you don't belong in a world of rules, conspiracy and deception of the great white sharks looming in the deep blue. Fueled by ambitions, change and the strength to deliver hope growing within yourself appreciating your qualities, uniqueness and abilities for something far more significant than family. You realize you aren't part of a society content working hard, drivi
ng a car, decorating your home or laughing with friends. It's much more. You tap into that side of you releasing hidden emotions and feelings you dared not reveal fearing the judgement of the diabolical law slammed by the rulers of the world.

  When you lay in bed, you notice the homeless, while everyone walks past them. We take our children to school and are ignorant of children who will never go to school. We eat our burgers at the fast food cafes and fail to see the famine in third world countries as refugees, scatter in hope for a crust of food. We visit the local Zoo a favorite past time to entertain our children meeting caged animals, dismissing the pain in their eyes for freedom in the wilderness.

  Our goals to be successful and raise our children around us while the world is broad and the challenges are too steep, yet delivering results are a factor we are conditioned to do. I love you and Katya unconditionally, but I would be lying to myself if I failed to admit there is a significant part of me missing and feeling empty.

  Sometimes I am upset with myself why I allowed this crazy heart to love so hard so young. The voices of children oceans away, reaching out haunt me at night. Other times, I see women secretly crying as in their world freedom is not governed by their soul. Many times, I feel the broken homes where greed and temptations for money, drugs and alcohol ruin innocent lives. I am the one watching from a distance as my hands are tied, conditioned only to deliver results to my masters.

  Sometimes love, and normality doesn't cut it and that void you feel no one will ever be able to fill unless you sacrifice the happiness of two lives you committed your life and heart indefinitely too. You begin to explore the world through your fingers connecting with the intellect of the past. The miracles and natural wonders, today's innovation yet there is so much more sadness as the world grows and we sacrifice one by one humanity, from children to our elderly. Feeling lost and empty however blessed with love and a life many can dream about, as you think about many who will not eat dinner tonight, and others are turning to crime for survival, as we point fingers at how disgusted we are.