(short story)

It was an ordinary Monday at Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University and students, as usual, were rushing to lectures. But for Maksym Koval, a third-year student of the Faculty of Journalism, this day was doomed to become unusual. He found an old book in the library that described the secrets of the university, and he couldn’t let go of the thought of the archives hidden in the walls.

Maksym had always been a skeptic, but when he read about the secret archive hidden in the basement of the main building, his curiosity overcame common sense. According to the book, the archive contained rare documents and artifacts hidden from the eyes of the Soviet authorities back in the 1930s. The next day, he decided to test the truth of this legend.

Evening came, and the university began to get empty. Maksym, armed with a flashlight and a notebook, imperceptibly went down to the basement. He knew security would start patrolling the building later in the evening, so he didn’t have much time.

The basement was cold and dark, full of old boxes and cobwebs. Maksym found a door with a metal lock. This was what he was looking for. He pulled a pin from his pocket and, after a few minutes of not futile efforts, the lock gave way. The door creaked open and Maksym stepped into a small room filled with old documents.

Maps and photos hung on the walls and folders were piled high on the shelves. Maksym carefully examined the documents, looking for something special. An old box on the top shelf caught his attention. When he opened it, he found letters and records belonging to university professors who secretly collaborated with anti-Soviet organizations.

Maksym was fascinated by the find when he suddenly heard footsteps. Someone was approaching the basement. He quickly gathered the documents, put them back in the box and closed the door. Holding his breath, he listened. The footsteps grew louder, but then stopped. Someone, possibly a security guard, was checking the basement. Maksym stood motionless, praying that he would not be discovered.

After what seemed like an eternity, the footsteps receded. Maksym carefully left the room, closed the lock and quietly returned to his room. He knew he had found something important, but he was also aware that his adventure was just beginning. The secrets he found could change his life and even the history of the university.