LVPG (Summer in a Pioneer Tie)

The evening sun cast a golden glow over the campfire area. The older pioneers sat noisily on the logs. The start of the shift was always a time of bustle, and Irina Petrovna stood in the center, clapping her hands sternly.

"Okay, eagles, a moment of your attention!" the counselor announced. "Tomorrow morning, another person will be joining our troop. The lists haven't been finalized, so the administration itself doesn't know whether it's a boy or a girl. Please give the newcomer a warm welcome."

"What a surprise!" Goose shouted, nudging Vanka with his elbow. "Irina Petrovna, what if it's a girl? We're running out of space!"

"Don't panic, Goose," Mitka grinned, narrowing his eyes slyly. "The main thing is that the person is a good person."

The girls from the PUK—Polina, Ulyana, and Ksyusha—immediately perked up and began whispering, discussing who would be assigned to them. But between Yura and Masha, the familiar spark of rivalry instantly flared. They simultaneously raised their heads and exchanged challenging glances. Each of them wanted to immediately pull the future newcomer over to their side and show who was the real leader.

At that moment, the fifth squad passed by the square, returning from the organizational meeting. The little ones were noisy, and Lena cheerfully urged them toward the building. Volodya walked slightly behind. Hearing Irina Petrovna's words about the mysterious new addition, he suddenly froze. A strange lurch filled his chest. A momentary premonition of something momentous hung in the air, as if this unknown person would upend his entire shift.

"Volodya, why are you stuck?" Lena turned around, noticing her partner had fallen behind. "Let's go faster, or our little devils will run to the cafeteria without us!"

Volodya shook his head, adjusting his glasses, and forced himself to smile.

“Yes, Len, I’m coming,” he responded.

He hurried after his squad, but his thoughts still remained on the fire site.