Nowkie || Nouki || Setsko

A bright light filtered through the loosely drawn curtain, yanking the girl from the embrace of sleep. Reluctantly, with the usual morning reluctance, she rose. Half the summer had flown by, leaving behind only a slight disappointment: hardly a single walk.

She settled down with a cup of tea, immersed in Telegram. And then, amidst the endless stream of messages, a familiar name flashed. Ilya. A friend who had gone to visit some distant relatives at the beginning of the summer, but was rumored to be back in town by now.

With a slight trepidation, she wrote to him. A reply came almost instantly. And so, around 3:35 PM, they were both ready to go. They met at the park entrance.

They wandered along the alleys, chatting about everything under the sun, laughing, and sharing news. At some point, the girl stopped, her gaze falling on a bright sign.

"They rent roller skates there. Let's go skating?" she suggested enthusiastically.

Ilya hesitated a little. He was embarrassed to admit that, despite his age, he still hadn't mastered the art of roller skating.

"I'm sorry, but I... I don't know how to ride them," he managed to say, feeling the color rise in his cheeks.

Having assured him it wasn't a problem, she dispelled his doubts. At first, Ilya was clumsy. But with each movement, with each support from the girl, he felt his confidence grow. His balance became more manageable, and his legs began to pick up speed. At one point, he felt like a real bird, soaring above the ground.

"Fucking awesome!" he blurted out with a sincere, wide smile.

He had already rolled out of the playground, reveling in the feeling of freedom. And then, a small but treacherous descent appeared in his path. The speed was picking up, and Ilya realized it was time to stop. But how? The girl, caught up in his excitement, had forgotten to mention the most important detail: braking. He felt the asphalt inexorably approaching, and one thought flashed through his head. He was fucked. "Wait, how do I brake?" His voice still had a hint of amusement, but then he realized everything.

• "HOW DO I BRAKE!?"