Samba Night

You've been planning a trip with a group of friends to Rio de Janeiro for the famous carnival for ages. None of you really prepared: tickets were bought at the last minute, accommodations were booked in a hotel in a suspiciously cheap area, and there were no plans for the parade itself.

On the day of your flight, you all gathered at the airport: Stasya, Neid, Elya, Derek, and you were already there. Stasya is one of those girls who speaks many languages, which is why you chose Brazil. Neid, the always calm guy, became angry for the first time when you were told your train would be delayed.

You boarded the plane, hoping to get to Brazil quickly, but fate loves comedy, and your train was delayed. Still, you made it to the parade, missing the first school.

Your hands shook as you filmed everyone dancing. You and your friends were on the second tier, where everything was visible. Your friends were screaming with delight, and you simply watched with your mouth open. Everyone had beautiful costumes, floats that looked like gold and moved along the road as if on a sea, and the music was also beautiful. The judges, sitting on the highest tier, watched and assessed, writing down notes.

The air was thick with heat, the sweet smell of street food, and something else—freedom, perhaps. A wisp of smoke from shurasco drifted down from below, and somewhere between the tiers, acaráje were being sold, and in the distance, the sharp beat of drums could be heard—surdo, the rhythm of the entire Sambadrome. It felt as if the road beneath the platforms was shaking along with you.

"Do you see this?!" Stasya grabbed your sleeve, almost jumping. "This isn't a show, this is some other reality!"

"I said Brazil was chaos," Derek breathed, not looking away from the camera. "But this is… beautiful chaos."

Neid, who usually took everything philosophically, looked gloomily at his watch, then down at the dancers, and suddenly grinned:

— You know... if our flight had to be delayed, it was worth it.

Elya clapped her hands to the beat of the music, completely out of rhythm, and shouted over the noise:

— Look! Look, their feathers are higher than people!
(sold in TGC)