Amaury Dreher - Opalescence - The Secret of Pripyat

Like the Manhattan Project in the USA, most of the workers on the complex were subjected to a watertight division of labour and were unaware of what was really happening with this machine. Everyone went about their mission without worrying about the more global plan behind it.

The inhabitants of Pripyat, on the other hand, had lived peacefully a few kilometres away without even having been aware of it. NATO, for its part, was well aware of what was going on there thanks to the many satellite and aerial photos available to its agents. Well, I wanted an aerial view too.

Eager for curiosity, I approached the radar. One of the first ladders of the structure on the North facade had been broken by an intrepid visitor who wanted to climb with too much haste in order to achieve his selfie. The unfortunate man had finally crashed to the ground with his head first, dragging the metal ladder into his fall, as it had not supported his weight and stupidity. Fortunately, there were other access roads to the top of the radar. I had a plan in my possession that I had retrieved from the Internet. He detailed the different footbridges and ladders that marked the structure. I had briefly studied it before my expedition and had a vague idea of the path I would have to follow.

Some routes were less reliable than others. The Soviet-designed construction had not been maintained for 30 years and left abandoned, promised to die slowly from rust and oxidation. A death that it seemed to want to repel, however, as the structure seemed stable and solid despite its neglect and the many dilapidations committed by the curious who had climbed it.

I left my backpack in the snow, also unloading my anorak before starting the ascent. I knew it was long and painful, but I had prepared for it. I pretended to ignore the rubiginous aspect of the scale and tried not to look down.

As I climbed higher, gusts of air made the structure slightly shake, slowing my progress. Forced by the ever-increasing wind, I was forced to take a break on one of the intermediate platforms that were once used for maintenance and observations. The place was cramped, it wasn’t really made for rest. My balance was precarious. Trapped by a hasty gesture, I stumbled. Duga’s plan fell out of my pocket and flew away in an icy blast, spinning towards the snow-covered forest below. It didn’t change my determination, I would persist no matter what. It was time to resume my climbing. The limbs were sore and despite the gusts, I finally reached the upper bridge.

My hands were frozen and bruised. I had no idea how much time had passed, but I didn’t care. I had succeeded in doing so. Duga’s summit was reaching out to me. From up there, I could see the barracks of the military complex and even some red lights in the distance. It was the shards of the power plant and its gigantic sarcophagus.

Sitting on a rusty railing, I watched the sunset unfold across the Zone. My eyes were focused on the horizon, looking at the infinity of the landscape. Thousands of pines surrounded Duga and me, like a huge shield to the eyes, to the intrusion. The twilight offered its most elegant finery while the wind had subsided. Very fine snow continued to fall, silently. The first stars began to sparkle. I was happy with this show for many minutes. The night was beautiful and cold, I hoped it would last forever.

Time passed, I finally fell asleep. The ascension had exhausted me. I dreamed of a strong storm. The structure was shaking violently. I felt it collapsing like a house of cards and I stood up unharmed, rising from its heavy bowels in the face of a horde of helpless help. One of them pulled out a gun and fired at close range. I collapsed among the rubble of Duga, with the black and snowy sky as my last image.

My dreamlike death ended my nightmare. I woke up with a jolt, my forehead sweating despite the cold. The night was now fully set and temperatures had plummeted. I grabbed my night vision goggles and tried to observe the surroundings. Something was leaping away. It was probably Tarzan, the watchdog. I noticed that he had an incoherent trajectory, and frequently retraced his steps. Maybe he was hunting a fox? Apart from this incomprehensible movement, it was flat calm.

My watch said 12:40. I was thinking of leaving when suddenly lighthouses lit up the complex. My pulse accelerated. It seemed to be an SUV that was parking. An individual came down from it. The dog had mysteriously stopped moving.

In a hasty gesture, I took back my night vision goggles. Unfortunately, because of my sudden movement I had lost my balance a little bit and I was forced to let go of the plane in order to hang on to the railing. The glasses tumbled into the void. I had no illusions about their vertiginous fall, they would no longer work. I was now blind. Impossible to distinguish the silhouette that was being activated down there. I would never know who he was and what he was doing. The vehicle’s headlights went out. Perhaps he was also considering climbing the structure? A shiver of anguish gripped me. I didn’t know anything about his intentions. I had to run away without further delay.

I decided to start the descent from the back. Secondary routes existed, but according to the Internet they were not recommended because they were unreliable. Nevertheless, I had no choice. I made a quick commitment. My actions were hasty and unthinking.

I reached the ground in about ten minutes, short of breath and with a shaky hand. The calm was astounding. The individual was no longer there. Only the wind turbulence disturbed the tranquility of the place. Camouflaged by night, I walked to the SUV to try to find a clue. The windows were tinted, it was impossible for me to see inside the vehicle. The license plate was Ukrainian and I had no conclusion to draw from it. A frosty wind continued to blow. I had to leave.

As I took a last look at Duga, I saw a shadow climbing up the main ladder. It was the same as the one I practiced when I arrived. His progress was much more assured than mine. The execution of the gestures and their speed were impeccable. Obviously, it wasn’t the first time he’d climbed up there. I stood still, spying on the individual’s ascension.

He reached the top and settled at the observation post. I was thinking that he too could probably distinguish me. A chilling breath prompted me to leave. I’m running away at full speed through the woods. I didn’t have the courage to look back. I was trying to convince myself that no one was chasing me. We had to stay strong, face this environment, stand up to the Zone.

After a few kilometres, I finally managed to reach a house on the edge of the forest. I was freezing and hoarse noises came to me. They were male voices intoxicated by alcohol. Slowly, I approached to find myself inside the building. This one was quite spacious and composed of several parts. I was in a kind of living room containing a double bed, a table and some shelves that were quite marked by time. The sounds came to me, but they were always distant. I was lurking against the wall, watching through the keyhole what was going on. The two individuals were in the other room. They chatted loudly while chewing big gum and spoke English with a very heavy, almost snoring accent.

“Danny, come over here! It’s awesome, there are a lot of things.”

The tall fellow kicked a little wooden horse. His partner was busy kicking a cupboard with his fist. He pulled out an old hat full of dust and put it on his bald head.

—Is that okay with me?

—You look like a bum.

—Shut the fuck up!

They giggled and started drinking and chuckling. Their laughter caused me to misunderstand. I was looking down at the little boy who was part of the duo. A neo-Nazi tattoo adorned his chubby forearm. He spoke English with a strong Slavic accent. I understood that he was Ukrainian. To make matters worse, he was holding a gun to his hip. Some kind of old rifle he must have inherited from who knows who. His sidekick looked American.