At first, I thought it was someone’s cruel joke. Dozens of questions ran through my mind: who could have left it here, where did it come from, and what was inside?

At first, it even looked like a large plastic container. But the closer I got, the clearer its contours became. It was a coffin. White, lacquered, with metal handles.

I slammed on the brakes, turned on the flashing lights, and stopped a few meters away. My heart started racing uncontrollably.

— “Base, this is 12. I have… a strange discovery. There’s a coffin in the middle of the road. I repeat — a coffin. Requesting backup.”

— “12, copy. Are you sure? Maybe it’s just a shipment, something fell?” — the dispatcher’s voice sounded confused.

— “Looks far too… out of place. There’s nothing around, no cars nearby. Waiting for colleagues.”

I got out of the car