The following version of this short story was used to create the guide: Sorokin, Vladimir. "Horse Soup." The Best Short Stories 2022: The O. Henry Prize Winners. Vintage Anchor Publishing, 2022.

Vladimir Sorokin's short story "Horse Soup" is written from the third person point of view and in the past tense. The short story opens in July of 1980 and ends during the fall of 1994. The majority of the narrative is set in Moscow, Russia, and traces the protagonist Olya's experiences with a stranger named Boris who she meets on a train.

In July of 1980, Olya was traveling with her boyfriend Volodya and her friend Vitka. After being away for some time, they took a train back to Moscow together. Because they were tired and had drunk too much the night before, all they wanted to do was eat. Therefore, when a talkative man named Boris began engaging them in the restaurant car, the friends were annoyed. No matter how cruel they were to Boris, however, Boris would not leave them alone.

Boris proceeded to detail his experiences at a labor colony over the course of the preceding seven years. He told the three friends that for nearly a decade he had survived on nothing but horse soup. This experience had changed him. He then asked Olya to do him a favor. He promised to pay her if she would allow him to watch her finish her food. Although confused, Olya agreed.

After a nap, Olya ran into Boris outside the bathroom. He begged her to speak with him. He then asked if she would come to his apartment once a month so that he could regularly watch her eat. She was still unnerved by Boris, but his offer of 100 rubles per session was tempting.

In September, Olya began her sessions with Boris. While she ate the food Boris served her, Boris shouted ecstatically into a pillow while quivering. Olya was still confused, but she was delighted by the payment.

Over the course of the following months, Olya maintained her sessions with Boris. She grew accustomed to his odd antics, barely noticing them at all. Months soon turned to years. Olya stopped saving the money from Boris and used it to buy whatever she pleased. Then one day, she noticed that Boris was serving her smaller and smaller portions. Odder still, he was insistent that she eat the invisible food on the empty side of the plate. Olya obliged.

As more months and years passed, Olya got used to pretending to eat. She enjoyed the artistry of the performance.

In October of 1994, Olya got married to a man named Alyosha. On the eve of the couple's European tour, Olya decided to end her engagement with Boris.

Not long into the couple's journey, Olya fell ill. Every time she tried to eat, she was overcome by nausea and vomited everywhere. Her husband was sure she had a virus and simply needed rest. However, when the illness did not abate, Alyosha became convinced the condition was psychological. One day, after waking from an odd dream, Olya told Alyosha she must return to Moscow at once.

In Moscow, Olya reunited with Boris. He understood why she was so distressed. The two got into a car and headed to his apartment where his cook Polina would have a meal ready for her. En route, however, Boris and the driver were shot dead.

Olya ran to the apartment. Polina showed her the food. However, Olya wanted the invisible food and it was nowhere to be found.

Olya wandered aimlessly around the city. Finally she reached a café and saw two men from Boris's office inside. She eavesdropped on their conversation, discovering they were responsible for Boris's death. She stabbed the one man in the neck with a nail clipper. The other man then stabbed her in the heart with an awl.