Chapter 3-5 Summary

In Chapter 3, Zoya is the night nurse and is trying to get her work done, but there are too many patients and not enough nurses. The orderly, Nellya, only does part of her cleaning job, then goes away for a nap. Zoya is left with Sibgator, a man who has constant pain because of the cancer on his back. Sibgator chooses to stay in the hallway and not have a bed because he cannot lie down without aggravating his condition. He has been a patient in the cancer wing for many years. Kostoglotov, one of the ward patients who has earned the nickname "bone crusher" from Pavel, comes to Zoya's desk for conversation.

Zoya is an attractive woman who flirts a bit with Kostoglotov. They tell each other their life stories, and as Zoya describes her medical studies, Kostoglotov asks to...