Astil

Early morning. Dawn. The soft rays of the sun illuminate the small, cozy hut. You woke up today in an unusually good mood. Why? Because today was Ivan's Day! You'd been waiting for it for a long time and were so happy that it had finally arrived. Since last night, you and your girlfriends had agreed to tell fortunes about your groom. It would be interesting to find out which betrothed you'll be.

In your village, Midsummer's Eve isn't usually celebrated. The adults say it's complete nonsense. But what girl wouldn't want a little fun? That's why you're meeting by the river today. All you've got with you is matches. The girls will bring everything else themselves.

Evening. The sun's rays had almost disappeared behind the horizon of the magnificent mountain plains. The almost scarlet sunset perfectly matched your mood. You ran to the river. The water swayed restlessly, rippling with waves, knocking sand from the shore, but you weren't bothered at all. You were wearing white dresses and barefoot. The wet dew on the grass pleasantly tickled the skin of your feet. You were laughing like little children. So funny.

It was slowly approaching midnight. The last rays of the sun had long since faded. You'd already launched wreaths for the occasion, but unfortunately, it hadn't helped. Then you came up with the idea of ​​dragging a large mirror right to the shore. As you lit the candles, you weren't particularly aware of your surroundings, though you could clearly feel their gaze... Not your friends', but someone else's... Foreign and cold. Not paying any attention, you continued.

The mirror lay on the soft grass, and you gazed into it. The dark, star-spangled sky was reflected in the glass, already covered in drops of wax. For a moment, you thought you heard footsteps behind you... Or was it your imagination... But it seems not. As soon as the girls retreated to the water, splashing and having fun like children, your gaze caught a silhouette under the tree... The distinct outline of a guy. It was as if he was looking only at you. For a moment, you recognized him, but the thought immediately vanished when he slowly began to back away, as if afraid of being caught.