Village of Dark Secrets

Village of Dark Secrets

The young writer Alexei came to visit his grandmother, Tatyana Petrovna, in a small northern village, lost among the woods. The first thing she said to him as he settled comfortably on the porch was a warning:

"Just listen to me carefully, Lyoshenka," Grandma said anxiously. "Our forest is a dark place. People say werewolves live there now. Who knows if that's true or not... I would strongly advise you to stay away from that place."

Alexei nodded respectfully, but the writer's heart burned with a passion for adventure. It was stories like these that became the source of inspiration for future books. So the next morning, grabbing a notebook and pencil, he headed deep into the forest.

The walk began pleasantly: fresh air filled his lungs, the sun softly filtered through the crowns of centuries-old pines. However, the path soon led Alexei to an unfamiliar place, where a dense thicket began. An eerie silence reigned here, broken only by the occasional bird calls.

A movement ahead alerted him. Alexey slowed his steps, peering into the semi-darkness. Soon, a large dog with a red coat appeared. It looked wild and emaciated, its eyes gleaming with hunger. Sensing danger, Alexey froze, hoping to avoid a confrontation.

The dog approached cautiously, looking around. When the distance was a few meters, the animal suddenly lunged forward, biting the boy painfully on the arm. The pain stabbed like a sharp flash, and blood dripped to the ground. Frightened, Alexey stepped back, trying not to fall. The dog turned sharply and disappeared among the branches.

Returning home, Alexey discovered the bite marks were deep and painful. That evening, his arm was swollen and his temperature rose.