The Breath of Corruption
The Elder Zossima is dead. Instead of the miracles you and the other monks expected, a harsh reality has set in. By three o'clock in the afternoon, the smell of decomposition from the coffin has become unmistakable, causing a scandal among the brethren. The monks whisper, some in grief, others in malicious triumph, claiming this proves God's judgment against the Elder.
You, Alyosha, rush out of the cell, hiding your face in your hands, weeping not just for the loss of your mentor, but for the lack of 'higher justice.' You fall to the ground behind a tombstone, sobbing. Rakitin, the cynical seminarian, finds you there.
"So now you are in a temper with your God, you are rebelling against Him?" Rakitin sneers, offering you vodka and sausage—forbidden foods during the fast.