Do your ears hang low elephant


Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Nature is up to its ears in, well, amazing ears of every shape and size. But far from organs just to listen with, ears are a multipurpose tool designed by the Creator to help his creatures thrive in a sin-cursed world.

Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

In the torrid US Southwest and Mexico, the blacktailed jackrabbit’s seven-inch ears (18 cm) act as air conditioners, diverting warm blood from the rabbit’s interior. With so much ear area for the blood to pass through, heat leaves the rabbit quickly, regulating its temperature.

Hippo

Hippos spend up to 16 hours a day in the water (that's why their name means “water horse”). So God designed their features for water life. Their eyes, ears, and nostrils are topside so hippos can sense what’s going on around them while partly submerged. When they dive deep, their ears can close completely.

Caracal

This stylish kitty uses its long black ear tufts to dispel heat, swat insects, communicate with other caracals, and aid with camouflage. But some scientists believe the tufts also enhance the caracal’s hearing by funneling sound into its ears. The caracal’s ears are each controlled by 20 individual muscles (human ears only have six). When hunting, the caracal swivels its ears independently, pinpointing the sounds of possible prey.

Spotted Bat

The spotted bat has the largest ears of any North American bat—up to two inches (5 cm) long. Bats use echolocation by sending out sound waves and listening for the echo to bounce off prey. The spotted bat’s large outer ears help it hear low-frequency sounds like bugs rustling in the leaves. When the bat rests, the ears roll up around its head. When it’s time to hunt, the ears fill with blood and unfurl.

Elephant

African elephants, the largest land mammals, have the animal kingdom’s largest outer ears. In addition to keen hearing, elephants use their ears like Swiss Army knives for many other purposes. They use these flappers to cool themselves, shoo away insects, and show excitement. Male elephants also wave their ears to waft their scent far and wide during mating season.

Illustration by CORY GODBEY

Have You Heard About These Ears?

Cheetah

When running up to 70 miles (113 km) per hour, the cheetah requires good balance. With longer ear canals and a bigger inner ear size than other cats, the cheetah can keep its head still and its eyes focused on dinner, even when dashing by in a blur.

Pigeons

Pigeons are known for their remarkable navigational skills across long distances. Scientists believe they access a detailed “sound map” made by infrasound (soundwaves too low for humans to hear) that emanate from deep within the earth, in the ocean, and even the atmosphere.

Dolphins

Above water, dolphins hear through two small openings on their head. Underwater, special fat in the jawbone helps conduct sound waves to the middle ear. With their keen hearing, dolphins can detect a range of sounds seven times greater than that of humans.

Wax Moth

The wax moth detects sound through two membranes (like our eardrums) on its thorax (chest). With these simple “ears,” wax moths can sense higher frequencies than nearly any other creature. For comparison, wax moths hear 300 kHz while humans can hear up to 20 kHz. With this sharp hearing, the wax moth can detect a bat’s sonar calls and avoid being on the menu.

Best Gifts for 1 Year Olds

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Simple toys for 1-year-olds like this wooden Blues Clues puzzle from Melissa & Doug make great gifts. Amazon

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  • If you're shopping for gifts to give 1-year-olds this holiday, look for simple age-appropriate toys.
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One-year-olds are beginning to interact and play, which makes gifting toys exciting for both them and you. In addition to researching and testing products, we spoke to two toy experts and a developmental psychologist to find the best gifts for 1-year-olds. Our experts include Jim Silver, CEO of TTPM, Maddie Michalik, senior editor of The Toy Insider, and Bronwyn Charlton, PhD, developmental psychologist and cofounder of Seedlingsgroup. 

It doesn't typically take much to excite a 1-year-old, but when buying them a gift or toy, take their age in months into consideration. A 12-month-old is very different developmentally than a 23-month-old. To account for this difference, some of our gift suggestions are recommended for ages 18 months and up.

Silver recommends only buying toys that are graded age-appropriate. Charlton cautioned gift buyers should think twice before buying electronic toys. "The more a toy does in terms of lights, music, sounds, batteries, the less your child has to do themselves, and the less they benefit," she said.

Whether you're looking for that big gift or just need a few small toys to round out your shopping, we've found a gift for the 1-year-old on your list.  

Here are 27 of the best toys for 1-year-olds:

An interactive crockpot

Amazon

LeapFrog Choppin' Fun Learning Pot, available at Target, Walmart, and Amazon, from $19.97

One-year-olds are at the age where they want to be involved in everything you're doing. While they can't handle kitchen tools and appliances just yet, they can join in the fun with this interactive pot. It comes with the pot, a bowl, a cutting board, a knife, a spoon, and four different vegetables. 

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A baby shark bath toy

Amazon

Robo Alive Junior Baby Shark Battery-Powered Sing and Swim Bath Toy, available at Amazon, $12. 59

The same reason adults can't get "Baby Shark" out of their heads is why 1-year-olds love it so much. The song is incredibly catchy, and it doesn't take long for kids to learn the tune. This swimming bath toy is water-activated, so all they need to do to play is drop it in the tub. 

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

Toys that stay put with a suction cup

Fat Brain Toys

Whirly Squigz, available at Fat Brain Toys, $21.95

Young kids are notorious for throwing their toys or otherwise misplacing them. Keep these fun swirly toys exactly where you want them with the attached suction cup. These are perfect for strollers, high chairs, airplane windows, or anywhere else you can stick a suction cup. And they're not just fun to play with — they can safely be used as teethers.

Recommended ages: 10 months and up

Their first finger paints

Amazon

Crayola My First Fingerpaints, available at Amazon, $22.99

Sensory play is incredibly important for development, and most kids love nothing more than to get their hands messy. You'd be surprised at how long some paint can occupy a 1-year-old. The best part: These paints are washable and nontoxic. 

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A wooden stacking toy with their favorite characters

Amazon

Melissa & Doug Blue's Clues & You! Wooden Rainbow Stacker Puzzle, available at Amazon and Walmart, $16.49

This simple Montessori-style toy includes six rainbow stacking pieces and three figurines. Kids can play with them as a puzzle, or they can stand them up to build their own little play world. We tested an editorial review sample of this toy and found the pieces to be very well-made and sturdy. 

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

A drum set with built-in games

Target

Learn and Groove Caterpillar Drums, available at Walmart and Amazon, $17.59

What kid doesn't want a drum set? Start them early with these caterpillar drums that have built-in games as well as a free-play mode. The three drums light up, the caterpillar's body twists, its feet wiggle, and its tale rattles. The included songs will encourage young toddlers to get up and start dancing.  

Recommended ages: 6 months and up

A plush elephant that plays peek-a-boo

Buy Buy Baby

Gund Flappy the Elephant, available at Walmart, $31.20

Flappy the Elephant is a stuffed toy that sings "Do Your Ears Hang Low?" and plays a game of peek-a-boo as its ears fold down to cover its eyes. Little ones can interact with Flappy by squeezing its feet to play music or a game, and they'll return to it for months. 

Recommended ages: 0 to 24 months

A play kit tailored to their age

Lovevery

Lovevery Play Kit,  available at Lovevery, from $36/month

Lovevery Play Kits are subscription boxes designed to match a child's developmental stage. Every three months, subscribers get a new kit filled with toys like a ball run, wooden coin bank, puzzles, and flashlight. Each box includes a play guide to help parents understand their child's development and maximize play time with each toy. 

Recommended ages: 0 to 48 months

A soft and cuddly baby doll

Amazon

Manhattan Toy Wee Baby Stella, available at Amazon, from $12.74

Charlton said Wee Baby Stella is a toy that can grow with children as they move through different developmental stages. The soft doll is 12 inches tall, a great size for a 1-year-old. Kids can remove and replace the doll's binky as well as change its clothes, both actions that strengthen fine motor skills. 

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

An animal push-and-pull toy

Amazon

Hape Push and Pull Elephant, available at Amazon, $9.99 

Hape Push and Pull Giraffe, available at Amazon, $10.95

If you're looking for an active toy, Charlton recommends pull-along toys. Kids can hone their gross motor skills while they push and pull one of these painted wooden animals. As they near 2 years old, the elephant or giraffe will likely inspire pretend play as well. 

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A Mickey Mouse stacker

Amazon

Green Toys Mickey Stacker, available at Amazon and Walmart, $9.99

From eco-friendly brand Green Toys, this stacker toy is made from 100% recycled plastic. It comes with red, yellow, and blue graduated pieces, with a Mickey-themed top and base. Stackers promote problem-solving, motor skills, trial and error, and spatial reasoning.  

Recommended ages: 6 to 36 months

Books that can withstand teething

Indestructibles

Indestructibles Books, available at Amazon, from $5.95

Indestructibles are ideal books for toddlers because they are water- and rip-proof. Whether kids are teething or don't yet understand how to handle a book, they will have a hard time destroying these. The books also hold a 1-year-old's attention with colorful illustrations front and center. 

Recommended ages: 0 to 24 months

A hooded towel for post-bath snuggles

Pottery Barn Kids

Animal Bath Wraps, available at West Elm and Pottery Barn Kids, from $34. 50

After bath time, 1-year-olds get cold quickly. They'll be excited to snuggle up in one of these cozy hooded animal towels. There are five designs with embroidered details: puppy, unicorn, bear, raccoon, and lion. The 31-by-23-inch towels are made of soft cotton terry. 

Recommended ages: 0 to 24 months

A sturdy toy chest

Alicia Betz/Insider

Melissa & Doug Wooden Toy Chest, available at Amazon, Walmart, and Melissa & Doug, from $112.99

One-year-olds tend to amass an overflowing collection of toys, so storage is a must. After nearly two years with a toddler, this toy chest is still in great shape. In addition to its durability, we appreciate the safety features, including a hinge on the lid to prevent pinched fingers. 

A Lego set with letter blocks

Amazon

Lego Duplo My First Alphabet Truck, available at Amazon, $20

Michalik recommends toys that encourage hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This Lego Duplo set activates both of these skills as kids stack blocks and maneuver the truck. It includes 36 Duplo pieces, including 26 letter bricks, a truck, and 10 other bricks and figures.  

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

A puzzle with easy-to-grasp knobs

Amazon

Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Wooden Puzzle, available at Amazon, $15.99

At a year old, kids can begin putting together big knob and peg puzzles, which Charlton recommends for developing fine motor skills. These farm-themed jumbo puzzles also help toddlers develop vocabulary, perception, hand-eye coordination, and matching. 

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A walker, bouncer, and ride-on toy in one

Fisher-Price

Walk, Bounce, and Ride Pony, available at Walmart, $48. 99

One-year-olds will work their gross motor skills when they ride, push, or bounce on this pony. The toy plays over 50 songs, sounds, and phrases. When they're done walking, the back handle folds down for easy riding. 

Recommended ages: 9 to 36 months

A classic activity center

Alicia Betz/INSIDER

Battat Wooden Activity Cube, available at Amazon, $59.99

This farm-themed activity cube is chock-full of manipulatives and play scenes. Features include doors that open and close, spinners, bead roller coasters, and movable animals. Charlton recommends this activity cube to encourage exploration and problem-solving in 1-year-olds.  

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A cause-and-effect musical toy

The Tot

Hape Pound and Tap Bench, available at Amazon and The Tot, from $27.89

Cause-and-effect is incredibly fun and educational for 1-year-olds. With this bench, kids pound balls through holes so they land on a xylophone below. They can also play the xylophone independently. At this age, creativity is blooming, according to Charlton, and musical toys such as this one help foster that creativity.  

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A set of bath rattles

Amazon

Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles Bath Toys, available at Amazon and Walmart, from $7.78

Kids can splash and explore in the tub with these floating, rattling bath toys. Each set comes with four transparent balls, two with animals inside and two with whirly toys. A textured ring on the outside can be manipulated to rotate around the ball. "Look for toys that help 1-year-olds to explore and discover colors, shapes, sounds, and textures," Michalik told Insider Reviews. This toy covers all four. 

Recommended ages: 4 months and up

Magnetic building blocks

Amazon

Blockaroo Foam Magnetic Blocks, available at Amazon, $19.99

Stacking can be difficult for 1-year-olds, but these magnetic foam blocks remove some of the frustration with magnetic areas that easily bond together. The blocks don't have hard edges, making them safe for little kids who like to throw things. Silver recommends building blocks to promote creative play. 

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

A Batmobile play set

Target

Fisher-Price Little People Batmobile, available at Target, $16. 99

This Batmobile transforms into a play set complete with a gym and a dining table for Batman. Little People are designed to be safe for kids under 3, and 1-year-olds will likely enjoy pushing the car and playing with the figurine. As they get older, they'll begin to be more creative with pretend play. 

Recommended ages: 18 months to 5 years

Five musical instruments

Amazon

B. Toys Drumroll Please Instrument Set, available at Amazon, $35.99

Charlton recommends this musical toy to promote imagination and creativity. It includes a drum, two drumsticks, castanets, a whistle, a tambourine, and a shaker egg. When kids are done playing, all of the instruments fit inside the drum. 

Recommended ages: 18 to 36 months

A frustration-free shape sorter

Amazon

Fat Brain Toys Innybin, available at Fat Brain Toys and Amazon, $24.95

The Innybin is the ultimate toy to develop fine motor skills. It includes a sorting box with elastic bands and six shapes to squeeze into the box. Traditional shape sorters will likely be too difficult for younger 1-year-olds, but this one will be just challenging enough to spark curiosity.  

Recommended ages: 10 months and up

A wagon to transport their toys

Amazon

Green Toys Elmo's Wagon, available at Amazon and Walmart, $24.99

Charlton recommends toys that keep 1-year-olds active. This wagon will do just that as kids push, pull, load, and unload the wagon during indoor or outdoor play. At under 2 pounds, it's just the right size for them. 

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

Building blocks for little hands

Amazon

Mega Bloks Peek a Block Schoolhouse, available at Amazon, $32. 13

This mega bloks set includes interactive features that inspire creativity and fun like a slide, a launcher, and two "peek a blocks." Mega Bloks are large, making them safe for 1-year-olds and easy to grab. Charlton explained that blocks are "open-ended toys; ones that your child can use in many different ways."

Recommended ages: 12 months and up

A shape-sorting picnic basket

Walmart

Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket, available at Walmart, $17.31

Take shape sorting to a new level with this picnic basket that includes a shape sorter, two cups, two forks, two plates, six food items, and a picnic blanket. Silver recommends learning toys that focus on fun first. While 1-year-olds have fun playing picnic, they don't realize they're learning concepts like shapes, colors, manners, and sharing. 

Recommended ages: 6 to 36 months

Alicia Betz

Freelance Writer

Alicia Betz is a freelance writer for Insider Reviews, where she specializes in parenting and education. She researches and tests products from the hottest new toys to the most tried and true parenting products. Alicia tests products in the field with her daughter. She earned her bachelor of science degree in education from Penn State University with concentrations in English and communications. She earned her master of arts degree in education from Michigan State University with concentrations in literacy and technology. Alicia holds a certificate in online teaching and learning and is licensed to teach in Pennsylvania. She was a teacher from 2012 through 2019 and has been writing professionally since 2016. Alicia's writing has been featured in Scholastic, Brighter Higher Ed, Popsugar, AARP, and Yahoo News.  Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.

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how to determine it by the shape of the ears, earlobe and other features

Sometimes it is enough to take a closer look at a person to see his features. For example, a person who is smart or stupid, simple-hearted or cunning, kind or not very much, can be betrayed by his ears. The most reliable sign is that they cannot be changed by makeup or exercise! The shape of the ear and the character are often connected, and even without pictures it is easy to remember the basic principles of the physiognomy of the ears.

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Scientists have long proven that a person's ears are as special and unique as his fingerprints. It is believed that this part of the body is far from the least important in determining the nature and inclinations of the individual. How to determine the character of a person by the ears? Every detail in the features of the structure, location or size of the ear is responsible for certain - good or bad - personality traits.

Arrangement of ears

Physiognomists - specialists who determine the spiritual qualities of a person based on the analysis of facial features - have learned to determine intelligence by the position of the upper line of the ears. Everything here is quite logical and simple: if the ears are higher than the level of the eyebrows - high intelligence; at eye level - medium; below eye level - low intelligence. However, you should not run after everyone you know with a ruler and stigmatize the owners of low ears with narrow-mindedness. Since at the moment physiognomy is not recognized by the scientific method, the ears can only guess what kind of intelligence a person has.

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Making a new acquaintance, pay special attention to the symmetry of the ears. For example, if a person's ears are very different from each other, this indicates his mental and physical disharmony. It will be very difficult to communicate with such a person, and it is not easy to determine the character by the ears in such a situation.

The ears, which are very tightly pressed to the head, will hint at the subtle mind of a friend. Protruding ears are also good. The character of people with protruding ears is usually inquisitive and open, but their analytical thinking is weak. In addition, it is believed that if the ears stick out, then the character of a person is frivolous, one should not expect special sexual intelligibility from such an individual.

Character according to the size of the ears

Big ears and character

Considering the ears of the interlocutor, one should not always adhere to the rule “the more the better”, but there is still some truth in this statement. Big ears speak of the active character of a person, but only if they have clear contours. A smooth, neatly shaped shell testifies to logic and intelligence. People with such ears are among those who can be trusted.

Big fleshy ears with drooping lobes speak of wisdom and nobility. In the East, they read the character by the ears and believe that spiritual mentors and teachers often have such large ears.

Medium-sized ears

Medium-sized ears are lucky in love, but their careers often do not work out, and their financial situation leaves much to be desired. In this case, you should pay attention to the shape and size of the earlobe: the character of a person will largely depend on it. A fleshy lobe will indicate a strong-willed character, while a thin and small lobe indicates a lack of vitality and failure in a career.

Small thick ears

If the interlocutor's ears are small and thick, then most likely the person in front of you is deceitful and changeable. It is better not to start talking about art with "fat ears" - this person will not be interested in them. Just first look for reference books about the ears and the character of a person with pictures in order to have an idea exactly which ears are considered fat and not immediately reject new acquaintances.

Small thin ears

The character of a person can also be determined by the ears if your counterpart does not have outstanding "locators". Small thin ears are a sign of refined taste. But if the ears are very thin, almost transparent, then in front of you is a passionate person, but nervous and quick-tempered.

The shape of the ears and the character of a person

Long narrow ears

Long and narrow ears are usually people who find it difficult to concentrate on something, to decide in life. The nature of the elongated ears is usually difficult to determine, such personalities are very unpredictable. But such ears are often found in centenarians.

Ears with a thick edge

Ears with an unusually thick edge always indicate an extraordinary sense of rhythm, strength and skill. This can be expressed, for example, in sporting achievements, excellent ability to play a musical instrument or the ability to any craft. The character of a person by ears with a thick edge is also easy to determine: most likely, this is a smart, healthy, but not too prudent individual.

Pointed ear and character

If the ears are pointed like a cat's, this indicates an inconsistency in character. It is difficult for such people to make acquaintances, to trust others. By the way, the owners of "elven" ears themselves are not averse to deceiving their neighbors for their own benefit, they are cunning and prudent.

Angled ears

Rectangular ears indicate strength, health, lust for power and leadership qualities. This shape of the ears and the corresponding character are more common in men.

Round ears

Neat round ears without pronounced lobes are characteristic of idealists who, however, are able to adapt well and make compromises. They are more common in women. If you want to determine the character by the shape of the ears of a man, and you come across a round-eared specimen, take a closer look at it: most likely, it will be comfortable and fun with it.

Ears with a wide opening

If a finger, or even two, easily fits into the ear, then we are talking about an intelligent, generous, open person who is destined for a long life. If you determine the character by the ears of a man, pay attention to whether there are hairs in the ear. If there is, that's a good sign.

Ears with a narrow passage

If even one finger does not enter the ear, then such people are considered narrow-minded, stingy, secretive. They are constantly in a state of stress and live a little. Why physiognomy is so harsh on ears with a narrow passage is not clear, but what is, is.

Earlobe and character

Earlobe and character are also interconnected. If there is almost none, this is evidence of a tough character, which can sometimes be covered with quite soft and polite, sweet communication. It is believed that the longer the lobe, the longer the life span of a person. In the East, people with long earlobes are revered as sages. An elongated, slightly curving lobe is a sure sign of sincerity. You can have a heart to heart chat with such a person. And a long earlobe speaks of sexuality, and the longer it is, the more sexual partners it requires for its owner. A long earlobe and the nature of a person prone to treason often go together, so be careful!

To believe in all these conclusions or not is only your choice. It is quite possible that they will help you quickly get to know the interlocutor and build a dialogue with him correctly. The main thing is not to get too carried away looking. But you can determine the character of a person by the shape of the ears in the photo without attracting undue attention to yourself.

Text: Svetlana Maksimkina

Photo: Shutterstock

Stories from the finalists of the second season of the competition

Dudko Maria. Keys

So... Tick... So...

The voice of the old grandfather clock from the hallway already met me, but I could not open the door. Well, where are these keys?... Really lost? Only this was not enough, and so the day didn't work out!.. Ah, no, here it is...

The clock struck eight when I stepped on the creaky parquet of the hallway. How I missed the quietness of my apartment! I just wanted to fall apart on a shabby sofa, and lie there until the morning ... But instead, I trudged to the computer. While the old unit, inherited from the dinosaurs, turned on, I made myself coffee. Today you will need more than one mug. Article for the night, and inspiration from gulkin's nose. They also threaten to make layoffs at work. You can not delay, otherwise the dismissal cannot be avoided. And it would not be bad to update the blog, otherwise the last subscribers will soon scatter. Eh…

I worked in the editorial office of a magazine that was in demand in our district, and in the city in general. The editor - Fedot Stepanovich - always put only the best into print.

The best. Yes. It means not me. For some reason, lately my writing has not been impressive at all. Even myself. Honestly, not surprised. It looks like I've lost the spark, like there was nothing to write about. It's funny somehow: I live in a metropolis, where something happens every day, but I look as if into a void. Other people's problems ceased to excite, everyone here is a drop in the ocean. So my news is gray, alien, distant and unnecessary, in general, to no one.

What did I write about? As I then still thought, about the important. About eternal, to some extent. I noticed that the people around were so closed that they seemed to stop seeing each other, let alone feel and understand. Everyone at some point withdraws into himself and loses the key to the door he entered. Locks up the heart. Puts on a mask. Indifferent. And silently walks along the gray stones of the pavement...

I just wanted to be heard... I thought I would become the key to the world on this side of the mask. I will help those in need with my word, I will teach people to listen and hear, I will save the world... But it seems that something went wrong. And now... Now I don't even know how to save myself. So in response I get the cry of tearing paper and the famous last warning from the lips of Fedot Stepanych. Last chance. Tomorrow I will not come with a sensation - that's it. Well... It looks like it's time to forget about your reasoning for a while and plunge into the world of human intrigues. Write what will be read. What is expected of me. No not like this. What do you expect from an article in our magazine.

What are the stone jungles talking about these days? What is the wind of change carrying along their paved paths? The most discussed topic was a series of strange deaths, however, as is usually the case. For a long time now, criminals taken into custody have been dying one after another. The most different: from simple pickpockets to almost murderers, adults and still teenagers of fourteen years. Most of them haven't even been sentenced yet. And they all have the same diagnosis - poisoning. What is still a mystery. This happened with some frequency in different parts of the city, but most often in our police department. And, by pure chance, none other than my older brother, officer Yuri Diskarin, worked there.

How I could use his help now... But no. My brother and I don't get along. And they never got along. It just so happened ... Probably, we are just too different. Yurik is secretive, distrustful. He never told me anything, he preferred to do everything himself, and I felt that he did not need me at all. I must have been a little jealous of my brother. He is successful, just the pride of the family, and I grab the last chance to stay at work.

...Grasping for the last chance to stay at work. Although ... You can try to find out about the high-profile case first hand, so to speak. This, for sure, would interest Fedot Stepanych, but he would have to turn to his brother for help. Yeah ... And once again become a loser in the eyes of a whole family. Hell no! Even for the sake of work, I will not ask for the help of this person!

Well, nothing. I prepared, collected materials, now I will write and saved! I manage myself. If only I could make it in the morning…

GO!!!

The sound took me by surprise. It was a signal that the factory was over, from the old watch in the corridor. The matter is fixable. I got up, went to the clock, opened the lid and reached for the key with a familiar gesture. Only the key was missing. What's the strange thing? In my house, I valued order, but such incidents simply unsettled ... What should I do now, look for this lost key? Looks like I'll have to...

Casting a sad glance at the computer, I began to remember where I could put this old piece of iron. So I have already climbed several shelves, looked into the boxes and ...

What is this? There was an envelope in the dresser. And, if I was ready to see the key to the winding mechanism among the socks, with my absent-mindedness, then there’s no strange message at all. Although, maybe I'm too naive? Oh, I don't like it all...

Naturally, I opened the envelope and immediately recognized Yurik's handwriting.

"I'm not sure I wasn't followed. Check your mail. I never forgot your birthday!
Yu.»

What are the jokes? I knew that it was necessary to take away the keys from him when he moved in! Wait, there's something on the back...

"KeyHole4u..."

I ran my eyes over the hastily written lines again. The text seemed devoid of meaning and meant nothing to me.

What is he? For henbane, it seems, it’s not the season ... Just in case, I checked the calendar and made sure that my birthday is not today and not even in the coming days. The only thing that made sense was to check your email.

What am I doing with my time? Before my hand could close the text editor, a window popped up asking if I really wanted to do it. Here, even it mocks...

One letter actually arrived in my mail. So, why is Yurik doing this: invading my house with a strange note and tweeting on the Internet at the same time? After all, isn't it easier to call? Of course, I would not jump with delight when something would make our little star descend to mere mortals, but why reinvent the wheel?

So I thought as I sipped my cold coffee while waiting for the text to load. Finally, the following lines loomed before my eyes:

“Hello, Egor.

I know you'll be surprised by my letter, but I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't really serious. I wanted to call, but my new phone didn't have your number. My number hasn't changed, if you're interested...

Let's get down to business. We need to talk. But the conversation must be face to face. Come today at nine at the intersection of Pskovskaya and Myasnaya, there, in the courtyard of house 26, I will be waiting for you.

It's about a series of prisoner deaths. Correction, about a series of murders... I thought it might be of interest to you, I'll explain everything when we meet, if, of course, you show up... your guilt. But I ask you to believe me one single time. You are my last key to hope. I expect you to read this letter and come.

Your brother Yuri Diskarin

Hmm...

Everything is more and more wonderful, as the heroine of a famous fairy tale used to say...

I re-read the message several times to make sure that I really stopped understanding anything. Except, perhaps, for the fact that some kind of mystery lies in this whole affair, and Yurka for me now is the key to all answers. Besides, since he himself calls me to talk, I will not fail to interview the lead investigator . .. Unless, of course, this is a stupid attempt at a joke ... But it is unlikely that he would write to me for fun.

And what, now it's raining again, right?.. But he came home! Okay, I’ll figure it out quickly, and I’ll have another six hours for the article ... I glanced at the clock, belatedly remembering that this was pointless. Another advertising message comes to the phone, helpfully suggesting that I need to go out if I want to be in time for a meeting. Having extinguished the monitor that had just woken up and abruptly grabbed my raincoat, which had not yet dried out after a day's walk, I jumped out into the entrance.

Only at the car I hesitated a little. Isn't it too easy for me to fit in? Just a couple of minutes ago, I was sure that for the sake of my brother I would not lift an eyebrow, and for my own sake I would not mess with him. What did this message do to me?

It filled me with a sense of self-importance. Finally, something depended on me, on me alone! Probably, I was driven by the desire to prove that I was worth something . .. But I didn’t want to admit such motives. From this, an incomprehensible annoyance settled in my head, but I stubbornly explained it only by the spent time taken away from writing the article.

Stopping at the appointed place, I looked at my watch. Another full five minutes ... It was possible to leave later, although ... as if it would give me something. Around no one like Yuri.

An unpleasant, vile fog reigned in the street. I hid from him in the car.

The sun has long since set behind the clouds, and the city has lit its fires. Lanterns, not stars. I sometimes thought about how this noisy world lacked stars. Each of them is unique, even though there are billions of them in the darkness of the sky. It's the same with people, isn't it? But we almost purposely forget about that, therefore we hide from condemning burning looks from the depths of the immense.

And just now the thought flashed through my head: how often do I myself think about others? It would seem that constantly . ..

I digressed from philosophical reflections to look at the time. Five minutes. There was no one even humanoid in sight, the yard was empty.

Ten... I'm checking my phone, mail. Not a line about being late.

Twenty! No, it's not serious anymore! I shouldn't have come... Nervously dialing a number, preparing a scathing speech. In response, only long beeps are heard. Okay... Let's wait... You never know. He's got a job too... Trying to calm down seems to be working until I remember that damned article never started! Where the hell are these fools?!

"I'm waiting another fifteen minutes and I'm leaving" - I angrily type a message and press "Send" furiously.

Time is running out and the message hasn't even been read! Twenty-five minutes... thirty... Still silence. There is no point in waiting any longer.

To clear my conscience, I call again. A melodious female voice is heard from the handset:

- The device of the called subscriber is turned off or is out of coverage area . .. - the lady says, slowly repeating the phrase in English.

- Damn you!.. - irritably hissing, I throw the phone on the next seat. - So... Okay... I warned you, I waited... waited longer than promised. Now you can go home with a clear conscience.

As I looked down the road, I was surprised to find that I was not so much angry as nervous. It pissed me off even more…

***

There was less and less time left for work, and I continued to pace the apartment. Usually such a calm creak of the floorboards now mocked my poor hearing with all its might. It was by no means the article that occupied my thoughts, despite the fact that they would not forgive me if I screwed up such material...

Minutes passed slowly. I felt them even without the usual ticking of the clock. OK. I will be frank with myself, because my strength is no more, and then to work! All this is strange! What exactly? That I couldn't get through. Yura does not turn off the phone and diligently monitors its charge, he should always be in touch, should I, as a brother, know about this. Also this line from that note, it is no coincidence that it is the very first ...

So... don't panic. What the hell is this blockhead in general so businesslike settled in my head?! Anything happens. All! Article. Only an article.

By an effort of will, I managed to sit down in front of the monitor and even write a couple of lines before I again plunged into thought. And yet... what could have happened?..

***

The days raced by like clockwork, but not mine. I never found the key, and I haven’t tried, to be honest, since that evening. They froze, showing half past nine, as if that day had not yet passed. I didn't show up for work the next morning. I don’t believe it myself... how could I put everything on the altar for the sake of a person whom I was mortally envious of, whose disappearance I dreamed of... the one whom I had known all my life and with whom I was still connected invisibly?!..

And the apartment! Oh... if the old me had seen what my temple of comfort had turned into. .. however, he would have shot himself right away, leaving behind only the gloomy aesthetics of a broken creator... All the tables were cluttered with dirty mugs and fast food packages. The entire floor is full of shoe marks. Here and there were meticulously compiled lists of those with whom my brother could communicate, where he could go, who could wish him harm...

But none of that mattered anymore...

“- Egor Diskarin? - I heard a calm male voice from my phone this morning.

- Yes. I answered nervously.

- The police are bothering you - my heart threatened to break my chest. It must be from stress and lack of sleep ... And in the meantime, in my head: "If only they could find ...".

- Your brother was found today at noon, - a slight pause, as if to realize what was said, - He is dead. The circumstances of death are being investigated. - just as calmly, as if nothing had happened, the man on the other end of the wire continues. - We offer our condolences. Today you should come to the department ... "

Followed by instructions and occasional questions to which I answered things like “yes”, “no” and “understood”. Be afraid of your desires. Found...

I spent the next half day in the same department. Some papers, some formalities, a funeral... And a conversation.

From that conversation I learned something that struck me. Yura was suspect. They said that he killed the prisoners by slipping poison into their food or something like that. There was not much evidence, so they only planned to arrest him, but now the main version of my brother's death is suicide during an attempt to escape from justice. What heresy… But at that moment I could not object anything. Exactly like believing even a single word.

And now I'm back in my home again. Devastated, with only one thought in his head: “he is no more”…

What are words? A set of letters, a set of sounds, nothing more. .. But some become keys. This key with three heavy teeth will open one of the most terrible doors: the door of despair and pain. Maybe I should have phrased it a little more bluntly? But as? What would it change? There is only one key, no matter how you decorate it, and there is only one door, and you are standing on the threshold. You can't go back. And the castle succumbed. Started...

I look around the apartment with a detached look, slowly falling into a rage.

- Damn! - comes out of the chest. How long have I not uttered this word, - Damn! - I repeat louder, clasping my hands sharply. My whole army of mugs is flying down to the sound of glass. A blanket of scribbled sheets covers them from above.

- Dunce! Brat! Freak! I scream, not remembering myself.

- Look... Look what you've done, you bastard! I lost everything because of you! Inspiration! Work! Dreams! How can I pay my bills now? I've wasted so much time on you, damn it, even the key to the clock. .. - the silence hurt my ears, so I continued to throw empty phrases, trying to throw out everything that had accumulated inside me. My voice broke, growled and wheezed, turned into hysterical laughter, and I didn’t even understand why I was so angry ... At myself?

Yes... I was jealous of my brother in black! The pride of the family, a great future, office authority, lofty goals, a dream job - everything I wanted to hear about myself, I heard about Yurashi! I remained his little brother, always second, always underestimated. It was an axiom that everything was easy for him. But for some reason it did not occur to me that we were actually brothers. Our conditions were the same. And I seemed to be blind, I did not see what he had to go through. And what did I do when I got tired of being a shadow? Exactly. He erected that very wall, the wall of indifference. I didn't care. And there is one more drop in the ocean. It was not Yura who closed himself off from me, but I from him. And what did it lead to? “He is no more,” and I can’t even say with certainty that I’m not the brother of the killer! And all because I don't know! I don’t know how he lived all these years, I don’t know what was going on in his soul, I don’t know if he called me to stop the rumors in the bud, or to repent of what he had done even a little to his own creature, albeit such a vile one, how I . .. And I will probably never know, my key to this secret is forever lost ... What a blockhead I am ... What are all my arguments about feelings, words, stars, but all about the same keys worth now! How could I have changed the world when I myself could not find those vices for which I reproached mankind?! That's why my articles weren't being read. When changing the world, start with yourself, otherwise everything is empty words. Gray, alien, distant and unnecessary, in general, no one ... Such words will not become keys ... Keys ... I return to them over and over again. Oh, this world is really crazy about them! We have the keys to everything, they are even where we don’t think to find them, because they have entered our lives so deeply that everything now rests on them alone, and we don’t even notice. Yes, and life itself is like a constant picking of locks! But even that is not important. The important thing is that there is no key leading from There. This is what gives meaning to all other keys. No matter how hard I try, I won't start Yurik's time again like the old clock. But who knows from what doors, I would have taken him away, if only I was there ... It's a pity, I realized it too late ...

- I'll never sit down to write again... - I said to myself, almost delirious, barely recognizing my own hoarse voice. After that, I fell asleep and didn’t think about anything anymore.

***

I spent the next day almost without getting up. Only in the evening I somehow tried to eliminate the consequences of my yesterday's insanity ... But the attempt was nipped in the bud, as soon as the very note that I found among the socks caught my eye ... Surprisingly, all the time while I was busy looking for my brother, I almost did not remember her, as a thing that does not carry any meaning in itself. But there were so many questions connected with it! I re-read it. As expected, nothing new appeared ... And yet ... Why was she needed?

I immersed myself in the memory of the day when I lost the key to the clock, which was so silent for the last week… It seems that since that time I have not turned on the computer… How is it, my old man?

The heritage of the ancestors, as expected, grumbled and buzzed at my long absence, but in the end they had mercy and opened my e-mail page for me. Yurik's letter has not disappeared anywhere. I didn't reread it. One thing is a note with unclear text, and another is an invitation to a meeting that was not destined to take place ...

"Check your mail..." echoed in my ears. The sudden realization made me jump. What if... This strange text on the back is nothing but a login? But my hands are unstoppable...

Hastily logging out of my account, I entered the characters into the appropriate box. But you need a password... Password... Another stupid thought... "I never forgot your birthday!" I enter.

Only one digit changed on the monitor, but I didn't believe it. This eternity could not last for one miserable minute.

- It worked... - I said, looking into this luminous box in a frenzy. Another account. And only one letter.

The entire apartment fell into absolute silence as I read what was written here.

“Egor, I knew that you would solve my message! Help out, brother! I need you, we all need you!

For several months now I have been busy with the death of several criminals in custody. These are not just deaths, Yegor, these are murders. I'm sure I got very close to the solution. I have two prime suspects. But there is a problem. Both of them are my work colleagues. And I don't know if any of them acted alone or in concert. In other words, I don't know who in the police force I can trust with regards to this case.

Also, I notice that I am being watched. Apparently, the attacker feels that I got too close, and will soon try to eliminate me. Well, that's what I use to pinpoint the culprit. How? I told one of us about our upcoming meeting. If I guessed right, and he's not a criminal, then you don't have to read this, I'll tell you everything myself. But, if I made a mistake, and you are still reading this, then most likely I am already dead ...

Brother, now only you can solve this case. And only you can I trust him. To this letter I will attach documents in which my evidence is collected, there you will find the details of the plan, all the names, all the evidence. Publish them in your journal, let everyone know, and then the villains will have nowhere to go! I hope for you. I know you won't let me down..."0118

For some reason, my heart skipped a beat. Brother... I won't let you down!

***

Never say never. For the next few days, I did not let go of the keyboard. I know, I promised myself, for writing, no, no, but the last, last time! For Yurik! This will be my best article...

And it really became the best. Where did I get it from? Just my blog would not be enough for such an important mission. So I had to visit Fedot Stepanovich. I almost begged him on my knees to read my work. But he still read it. Read it and put it on the first page!

A few days later I had to go to our police station again. There, of course, there are again formalities, thanks, apologies ... But they did not interest me. He was arrested. I wanted to talk to him. With a killer. I wanted to look into his eyes. For help in solving the case, I was even allowed to do so.

I was taken to a special room. He sat opposite me and froze with his cold gaze. But there was nothing in the eyes... He was... Empty. However, the first one spoke.

- Because I saw how souls died, - he answered my question before I could ask it, - Every criminal who was brought here did not set foot on this path from a good life. The world has treated them cruelly. It's wild, but for some, crime is still a way to survive. Not for everyone... But I didn't talk to everyone. Do you know why? Because they don't listen, you know? And when I talked to them in this very room, they just wanted to be heard ... And I listened to them, watching how the eyes on the contrary go out, and how hopelessness penetrates into the very heart. They had not yet been sentenced, but they no longer believed that something could be changed. Outcasts of humanity. They could only hide in themselves and wait for the end. Then I gave them the key to freedom. An ampoule with poison, as the end of all torment. You won't understand, must be...

- And now, being in their place, would you like the same? I asked quietly. My interlocutor was silent. And I continued, - Do you know why? Because there is no key from there. As long as you're alive, you can still fix it...

We talked with him for a while, and then I went out into the street. It was already getting dark and the lights were on. The downpour threw fragments of stars right under my feet, and they flared for a moment with earthly human light, breaking on the wet asphalt. I silently walked along the gray stones of the pavement, finally throwing off my indifferent mask. Raindrops on my cheeks from something became salty. His image stood before my eyes. Indifference. The way I saw him once on Bolotnaya Square - not seeing, not hearing, impregnable. The source of human vices. I wanted to run away from him, and I even ran, as if it could help. God! Who would have known that it hurts so much to open your heart to the world! The dialogue with the murderer still sounded in his thoughts, and his brother's voice echoed in his soul.


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