Guardian of the Dream
Oxana Kremleva

Co-author of the idea Svetlana Strinzha

Cover painter Daria Grunenkova

© Oxana Kremleva, 2024

ISBN 978-5-0062-2315-8

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to all the circumstances that Life has provided me with, both the challenges and the enormous help, so that I could write this book.

Thanks to my family who always support me.

My tai chi group. There was a time when I needed to slow down, come to my center and regroup for the next move. I walked into this group and met my friend, master Elena Martynova. Whilst doing energy practices, drinking tea in the traditional Eastern manner and having long discussions, I regained my flow. I started to get ideas for this new book. In a way «Guardian of the Dream» can also be a safe harbor for those, who need to regroup, re-think, re-feel… so to move further towards their dreams. I would like to thank Elena for being what she is. When we are ourselves, we allow others to be themselves: playful selves, weird selves, unique selves.

Through Elena I also met Svetlana Strinzha, who became like a sister to me. She supported me immensely with her faith, energy and ideas for this book and the characters as well!

I would also state my appreciation of Daria Grunenkova, who made the painting for the cover of this book.

A big thanks to all the people who contributed and made this book possible.

I am ready

Guardian sat still, with his gaze fixed on the fireplace. He saw the dance of the violet flames, but it seemed as if he looked through it. All his attention was on the words of the Elder. There, in those words, he tried to grasp the answer. He knew it already, he felt it inside – the time had come. The time of the final trial.

Guardian remembered rising in the light, walking to the edge of the sky, looking far, far beyond, in an attempt to solve that mystery. He smiled. He had learned so much from the Elder. But, there was not a day without thinking about it. It seemed as if his entire life was about finding that one answer. The time had come, but he didn’t have it.

«You must be ready for whatever comes…»

Guardian felt his heart beating faster at these words of the Elder. «What if I fail?». With all his knowledge Guardian suddenly felt totally helpless. His heart kept on racing faster. Guardian took a deep breath in and while he was slowly breathing out, he turned his head to the Elder,

«I am ready.»

The eyes of the Elder sparkled with joy. His entire figure was radiant. He put his hand on Guardian’s shoulder and Guardian felt the warmth. Relaxing warmth. As if it was enveloping him. Guardian looked around.

In front of him sat an elderly woman. Her brown eyes watched him calmly, with kindness. She nodded at him and he echoed her nodding. He turned. By his side sat a young lady. Her white clothing covered her as a cloud, radiating light. She looked at him gaily. Guardian felt his heart relaxing. Finally, he smiled. For some moments they looked at each other; then he slowly got up. Others remained seated on the pillows around a small table. One more time Guardian looked each one in the eyes,

«I’ll keep you in my heart. Let our…» he looked at the young lady and smiled… «This memory, let it support me…» he whispered quietly, then turned and walked out.

Skies are changing

Lisa’s grandma listened attentively to the silence. The snowstorm, raging all night, calmed down. Just single big snowflakes swirled in the air, before touching the ground. Silently.

Grandma squinted. Lisa and her younger friend Sveta looked at her, intrigued. Suddenly a smile lit up Grandma’s face. She nodded as if in confirmation of her premonition. She looked up,

«Skies are changing…»

The wind roared through the tops of the pines.

«New energy is coming!» she turned to the girls.

Sveta turned her head in excitement as if expecting a miracle to show up any minute. Lisa kept on looking at Grandma, attentively.

«It’s a huge opportunity!»

Grandma looked at Lisa with such a warmth as if she wanted to pour on to her all the love of the world. Her eyes radiating as she kept on speaking,

«Long ago, we used to celebrate these shifts. Letting go of the old and embracing the new.»

Grandma looked at Sveta. The little girl smiled at her. Their gaze shared the total awareness of the greatness of what was happening.

Lisa stretched her hand. A snowflake landed on her open palm.

Grandma looked at her; she watched Lisa observing the snowflake,

«But energy is just energy. It’s what YOU do with it, that matters.»

Lisa raised her eyes to Grandma. The elderly woman looked gaily at her, with warmth. Lisa drew a long breath in several passes and breathed out. Grandma hugged her by the shoulder, pulling Sveta closer with the other hand,

«Let’s go inside. The wind is rising again.»

By the time they gathered for tea around the huge samovar, the storm was already throwing snow at the window.

«Hey, listen…» Sveta looked at Grandma, then at Lisa.

Lisa was just about to pour hot water into her cup. She stopped and looked at Sveta. The little girl had some jam on her chin. Lisa smiled, while Sveta kept on talking,

«It is Masleniza! What about making a celebration at school?!»

Lisa tensed a bit. She poured some hot water into her cup.

«Brilliant idea!» Grandma winked at Sveta.

The wind roared in the chimney, but around the table it was warm and comfy. Outside, the snowstorm continued. Neither heaven nor earth were to be seen in that white powder. Only flickering light. Light from the windows of that little house.

Sign

Guardian sat silently in a boat, observing softly moving waves. A colorful mist of energies surrounded him. Blissfully, he leaned his head on the edge of the boat, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He knew soon he would need to descend, but he couldn’t help smiling. «What beauty….» He opened his eyes. His gaze relaxed on the soothing, rosy, violet energies around him.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a quick movement. A couple of stars, as if dancing, formed a soaring owl. Just for a second. Then the image fell apart. Peaceful colorful mist surrounded him again. Guardian felt warmth in his chest – his necklace illuminated green. Guardian stared into space. Soon, he could distinguish a silhouette of a town, streets covered with snow, a house… and a sleeping boy.

Denis’s dream

Denis woke up abruptly and sat on his bed. Breathing heavily, he took a glass of water from the bedside table and took a sip. He wiped sweat from his brow, feeling pain in his heart. Again. Denis took a box of tablets, close to the glass of water, emptied one tablet on his palm, and swallowed it while drinking some water, then leaned back on his pillow.

For several nights now, he was having the same dream: He swirls in a ring dance holding hands with many people on a huge Masleniza celebration. He laughs and sings along with others. The entire happening is a bright, joyful, colorful mix. Then, a sudden rush of wind. Denis falls off the ring onto the snow. Colors are fading. An eddy of dust rises. Dust is everywhere. Denis waves it away. He jumps up and runs. The streets are covered by dust; it is hard to see. Denis turns around, waving the dust away… and wakes up.

Denis was lying in his bed. Lights from the window started to sneak into the room. Denis reached for the phone. Loads of SMSs. «Awesome party!» «You are the best!» «Wanna come tonight?» Denis scrolled further indifferently. His gaze stopped at the name «Jorge». Amused, Denis sat upright. He stared at this name for a couple of seconds, then opened the message.

«Hey Den! How are you, man? It’s been too long…»

Denis sighed heavily, put on headphones, switched on music, and leaned back on his pillow.

Mysterious labyrinths

Peter jumped up on his bed. Overslept! The alarm clock showed 7:57. He threw off the blanket and rushed to his desk to switch on the computer. While it was loading, Peter rumpled his hair and rubbed his eyes. He cast a look at the alarm clock and started to tap on the table with his fingers as if wanting to hurry up the loading process. The computer took its time. Peter cast a look at his jeans, but remained seated in pyjamas. Finally, mathematical formulas appeared on the screen. Peter moved closer as if he wanted to dive into these formulas.

Suddenly a photo of some stones lying in circles popped up in the middle of the screen. The heading said, «Expedition to the ancient labyrinths.»

Peter got irritated; he was about to close the uninvited advertisement while his eyes caught the phrase, «Walking the labyrinth reinforces greatly human ability to reach the goal…» He kept on reading, «Today mazes are created based on mathematical models and theories.» Scrolling further, Peter got more and more excited. Finally, he grabbed his phone and started to type an SMS, as he heard the knock at his door. Peter turned.

His father stood at the door, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. He was a fit youngish-looking man, dressed in a white t-shirt and dark sports pants.

«Did you know that labyrinths are the tools of the sacred geometry?» Peter looked at his father in excitement.

«Wasting your time again! Instead of preparing…»

«But listen!»

«I fixed your interview.»

Peter froze.

«The Genius School?» he whispered.

Father nodded and cast a look at the screen,

«If you don’t pass… you can put a big fat cross over your career!»

Peter could barely breathe, as his father continued,

«Let’s have a look at your homework!»

Golden lights

Sveta sat on the windowsill, muffled in a duvet, looking outside. She remembered how she, Lisa, and Lisa’s Grandma were observing clouds and how Grandma said, «Skies are changing». Sveta smiled to herself.

Suddenly, she saw some sparks of golden light in a gray mist.

«Wow!» She leaned towards the window and for a while was totally captured by the golden lightning in the clouds.

Then she jumped down and ran from the room. She hurried to tell her older brother, Peter, about what she just saw.

While approaching, she heard her father’s voice coming from Peter’s room.

«So, what have you achieved so far!? Who would need you, loser?»

«But I solved the task…»

Sveta could barely hear Peter’s voice.

«This? You call this a solution? Dull! As all the rest you do! You think it’s going to be like your school?»

Peter kept silent.

«You are about to compete with the smartest kids in town! And you’ve got nothing, NOTHING unique about you!»

Sveta carefully opened the door and stuck her head inside the room. She saw red-faced Peter looking at his desk.

«Peter,» she whispered, «Peter, I saw something really interesting!»

«Leave me alone,» Peter waved her away.

Sveta hesitated.

«Sveta, have you finished your homework?» she heard her father ask.

Sveta gently closed the door.

«Just try… to embarrass me!» she heard her father telling Peter.

Sveta was about to go to her room, but sensed a nice smell. She ran to the kitchen. Her mom was making pancakes. Sveta turned on the music, and while dancing, took some apricot jam and drew a smile on a freshly baked pancake. Her mom smiled and hugged her.

Sun City

Lisa sat, leaned across the table, totally absorbed by drawing. Suddenly she stopped and straightened up. The light from the lamp lit up mountain tops, touched with blue aquarelle. But Lisa didn’t finish that drawing. Beneath the mountains she started on a new sketch. She tried to put on paper something that had occupied her mind for the last few days.

A couple days ago, Lisa forgot a book at school and went back to pick it up. It was late in the evening. She didn’t expect to meet anyone except the security. But while walking the school corridor she suddenly heard music. It came from the open door at the end of the corridor. She became curious, approached the room, and looked inside.

Surprisingly, she saw Denis playing the piano. He was alone. Normally he would be surrounded by girls from their class, asking him out, inviting him to parties, or just trying to talk to him. This time Denis was alone.

Lisa stood in the doorway, watching him playing totally immersed. He didn’t see her. He didn’t see anything – he was totally in his world. His beautiful world.

Lisa wanted to enter the room, but kept standing at the door, mesmerized. Suddenly he stopped playing and closed the piano lid. Lisa rushed out and leaned on the door from the corridor side. She thought of what to say to him. Nothing came to her mind. Time passed, but Denis didn’t walk out. For some time, Lisa listened to the silence and then looked inside the room again. Denis sat, looking at the closed piano lid.

Lisa breathed out as she walked out of her memories. She continued drawing Denis’s face. Then she sketched the piano. Lisa’s grandma walked in. She watched Lisa’s head leaned towards the drawing, then looked around. All over the walls there were pictures of mountains in pure calming, rosy, violet lighting. Grandma smiled.

In the corner of the room, there was an armchair. A big floor lamp by its side, cast light over the colorful pillows scattered on the floor. Grandma sat down in the armchair and looked at Lisa. The girl raised her head.

«What is it?»

«Just admiring you.»

Lisa looked down at her drawing. She wanted to say something and searched for words. Grandma waited patiently.

«Yesterday… Sasha told me… that I am SOO not cool… She doesn’t want to be friends anymore.»

Grandma smiled.

«You think it’s funny?»

Lisa sighed.

«My only friend is seven years old!»

Grandma kept being silent, just watching Lisa attentively. Lisa took a breath and turned to Grandma,

«So, you say, „New energy“ … It depends on what you do with it! But what can I do if nobody gets me?!»

«Now I understand why this map caught my eye this morning.»

«What map?»

«Lisa, have you ever thought… maybe you are searching for the answers in the wrong place?»

Lisa felt a rush of energy, as in a premonition.

«What do you mean?»

«Your school is just a tiny bit of the Universe. If you don’t find your answers there… maybe because THERE they don’t exist. Or not yet exist?» she added quietly.

Lisa looked at her Grandma waiting for her to continue. No continuation followed. So typical for Grandma, to light up and go silent…

«And what shall I do?»

«Accept it! Accept yourself the way you are, with all your questions. And accept that Sasha is, the way she is.»

«You think it’s easy?»

«You think, it’s not?»

«When Sasha says that I embarrass her in front of her friends…»

«And what is important for YOU? What do YOU want?»

Lisa looked perplexed. Grandmother dragged the floor lamp closer, sat down on the pillow on the floor, pulled up a map, and laid it out in front of her.

«It should be somewhere here…» Grandma ran her finger through the mountain area.

Lisa approached her; she read, «Sun City’.

«Wow! The map of the Sun City. So, you think, it really exists?!» she sat close to Grandma.

«I know it.»

For some moments they sat in silence. Light from the lamp lit up the map. Grandma carefully studied the mountain areas.

«But it’s not easy to get there,» she said. «Many travelers have tried to find Sun City… They had the best maps.»

Lisa imagined mountain tops covered with snow, grey dawn, illuminated highways, streams of cars heading towards mountains… Forests. Groups of people. They talk, look around. And again, she saw mountain tops. A snowstorm was starting…

«However, if the Sun City doesn’t invite you, doesn’t call you – the best maps are of no use,» calm Grandmother’s voice returned Lisa to the room.

«So how does he choose whom to call?»

«It welcomes those who ask TRUE questions…»

Lisa looked at the map. She gathered the courage, trying to find the way to formulate her question. Suddenly, as if she caught a perfect wave she asked,

«Sun City! Tell me, why can’t I be normal, just like anyone else!!?»

Immediately a little violet spark flashed on the map. Then it gently lifted off the map and flew around the room. Lisa jumped to her feet. Mountain tops on her drawings on the walls were glimmering violet. Lisa was in the middle of a violet wave. Amused, she looked at her grandma. Grandma smiled and nodded.

«It couldn’t be otherwise…»

Lisa looked around in awe; she looked at the map, then at Grandma. Grandma’s face had almost no wrinkles; soft clear joyful gaze of brown eyes. Strands of gray hair came from under the hat. Lisa rushed to hug her.

«Let’s go there! Let’s go today! Let’s go for a real adventure!»

«Is this what you want?»

«More than anything!!!»

«Hmmm… And what if Sasha wouldn’t consider this idea as cool?»

Lisa burst into laughter.

You don’t think that your concert is more important than my new job!?

Through the music, Denis heard the door. He took off the headphones, got up, and put on a bathrobe. While walking out of the bedroom, he heard the sound of a car departing.

He entered the dining room, rather spacious and stylishly furnished, and saw a beautiful suit, hanging over a chair. Denis gave a quick look at the suit as he walked to the table.

Close to the breakfast table he found a little note:

«Denis, darling, here is your suit for the Opera tonight. Please don’t be late. You know how important this meeting is for your father. Love you, Mom.»

Denis crumpled the note and threw it in the trash.

He made some tea and started on a sandwich, staring blankly into space. Then he cast a look at the suit and his father’s voice sounded in his head,

«Well, you certainly don’t think that your concert is more important than my new job!?»

Denis tightened his jaw a bit.

You can’t stop the river…

«Breakfast is ready,» Lisa heard her mother’s voice.

The door opened and Lisa’s mom looked inside. She smiled at Lisa, but then she saw the map and her facial expression changed. She marched inside looking directly at Grandma.

«How many times have I asked you not to put this nonsense into her head!?»

Lisa stiffened. Grandma kept silent, observing her daughter’s office suit of a grey jacket and skirt, her loose hair of bright red, same as Lisa’s, her still young and pretty face. «Do you have any idea of how beautiful you are?» she thought.

«My suffering was not enough?» Mother went on. «Do you want others to point and laugh at Lisa as it was with me?»

Lisa felt tears. She was eager to forget the travelling. She only wished this fight to be over.

«You can’t stop the river,» Grandma’s voice was quiet, but firm.

«Believe me, I can,» Mother grabbed the map.

Lisa couldn’t bear the tension any longer. She ran from the room. Not being able to think clearly, she found herself in the kitchen, standing in front of a beautifully served breakfast, as she heard,

«Don’t you dare tell me what I did and didn’t have courage for! You know nothing about how I felt!»

Lisa ran from the kitchen and met her mother in the hallway.

«Mom, you made such a beautiful breakfast. Let us all calm down and eat together!»

«I am not calming down – this has gone too far!»

Grandma watched her with warmth,

«I know, it takes huge courage to be yourself. Lisa has this gift…»

«I forbid you to talk to your Grandma,» said mother abruptly, looking at Lisa.

Lisa couldn’t say a word, she couldn’t even breathe.

«Why are you taking away her dream?»

«Those are only your fantasies! And I,» Mother took the coat. «I just want to protect her.»

«Her or yourself?»

Mother didn’t answer. She took her purse and went out.

«Don’t worry sweetheart… just give it some time…» Lisa heard Granny’s voice through tears.

I care

«Heeey!» somebody shook Lisa by the shoulder.

Lisa raised her head, trying to come to grips with the reality and saw Sveta’s face. Her little friend was concerned,

«What happened?»

Lisa looked around. She sat at the kitchen table. Did she fall asleep? She remembered the fight and frowned, «It’s all my fault’, she thought and sighed.

«Mmm… it looks delicious!» Sveta poured some tea in Lisa’s cup. «Here you go!» she put a pancake and some jam onto Lisa’s plate. «So! Are we celebrating Masleniza?»

«Don’t think so…»

«But your Grandma said it was important to celebrate, remember?!»

«Who cares about this anyway…?»

«I do! I care!»

Lisa smiled and hugged her friend. Sveta lightened up,

«Hey, I dreamt of him again!»

«Who… Guardian?»

«Yeah, he said the time had come……. He actually mentioned celebration.»

«What did he say… he’d show up at Masleniza?»

Sveta’s little face got concentrated,

«I am not sure if that was exactly what he said… maybe!»

Thousands of thoughts rushed through Lisa’s head, as she sipped her tea.

Depression

Denis looked at the mirror, while styling his longish hair. Beautiful face, elegant clothing, slim pants and stylish sweater. He knew how popular he was at school. Maybe because of his awesome parties, or because he was really handsome, or maybe because he wouldn’t care.

Denis looked into his own green eyes without enthusiasm and fell on the bed. «Should I skip school?» He raised himself up and sat on the bed. He looked at the box of pills. Slowly he took the box and poured them out on his palm. For some time, he looked at pills, then put them back into the box. On with the headphones, he grabbed his bag and went out.

Denis was late, as always. When he entered the classroom, the discussion was on. The teacher had just asked Lisa what the author aimed to express with his masterpiece, «Eugene Onegin’.

«I can’t be sure of what Pushkin meant to say. But… I wonder why handsome, rich Onegin, he who had all this success… Why was he depressed?»

Walking up to his place, Denis looked at Lisa with interest. He had never noticed her before. Girls were trying to make eye contact with him, but he wouldn’t bother to pay attention. He sat down.

«Well, people read Byron at that time… it was kind of fashionable… to be slightly depressed… you know, to be in Byron’s mood…» the teacher replied.

«So, you say that Onegin locked himself at home, refused going out, stopped reading… just because it was in fashion?»

Denis continued watching Lisa. A light smile touched his lips.

«I asked you so you could improve your C,» the teacher got agitated. «You ought to read critics. And stop asking silly questions!»

Lisa blushed. The moment the bell rang, she started to collect her stuff. She just wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Suddenly she noticed somebody picking up her «Eugene Onegin» book from the desk. She raised her eyes. «Denis?» He smiled slightly to her and turned to exit. Bewildered, Lisa watched him walk out of the class. A group of girls passed her, looking perplexed at each other.

«With us, your dream is your reality»

Peter walked across the school hall. On both sides there were desks with representatives from different Universities and High Schools. Advertisements were rolling on huge screens. Peter stopped at one.

On the screen was a graduate. Elegantly dressed. Blue suit. Tie. Smartly dressed men came towards him. They smiled, shook his hand. Peter noticed an expensive watch on the arm of the graduate.

In the following scene the graduate walks out of a stylish building. A cool car is brought around. He gets in the car, smiling, leaning back in the seat.

As he drives away, a slogan emerges at the corner of the screen, «With us, your dream is your reality.»

Peter was totally absorbed by the advertisement.

Denis, who walked by, kept his glance on Peter for a few seconds, then looked at the book in his hand, turned around, and hurried down the stairs.

Are you capable of fitting in?

Lisa and Sveta stopped at the open doors to a classroom.

«It will work out fine!» Sveta looked at her friend with a cheerful smile.

«Yeah…» Lisa was thinking how to present the idea of a Masleniza celebration.

«Ouch,» Sveta started back.

A small eddy of gray dust flew from the classroom right at her.

«This dust is even here!»

Lisa looked around – no dust.

«Do you think I made it up?» Sveta looked at her friend.

Lisa just sighed.

«Anyways, good luck!» Sveta ran away to catch her class.

Lisa stepped into the classroom and looked around. The majority of the students were sitting at their desks, pale and tired, looking at their phones. Somebody stared at the wall; another looked up things in books.

The window was open a bit. A group of girls chatted by the window. Lisa approached them, searching for words to start a conversation. The girls ignored her.

Loud voices came from the corridor. Peter entered followed by two boys. He was showing them some notes.

«Man, you are good!» one of the boys couldn’t hide his admiration.

Peter smiled.

«Yeah, I know!»

Peter looked around. He met Lisa’s gaze and smiled even brighter. Lisa smiled back.

«Close the window,» the teacher marched in with a pile of papers.

Everybody hurried to their places.

While closing the window, Lisa saw Denis. He stood outside, leaning on the banister and drinking coffee. In his hand he held her «Onegin». Obviously, he was not going to attend the class. He flipped through the pages, raised his head, and looked into the distance.

Lisa smiled as she sat down at her desk.

«Believe me young lady, you have absolutely nothing to smile about!»

The teacher threw a paper on Lisa’s desk, with the mark C on it.

«It concerns all of you!»

He shook the pile of papers with results from the previous test and looked at the class.

«Talented children are waiting in line to study here! And you have the nerve to occupy their places!»

The students kept silent.

«As you know, the best High Schools have their reception desks at our school these days. They interview students. Of course, not everyone will get the chance!»

He stopped by Peter’s desk,

«Here you go, genius boy!» he put a paper in front of Peter.

Horrified, Peter saw the mark B.

«Think twice, are you worthy of the time of these highly respected people? Are you capable of fitting into the culture of these schools? Will you manage to meet their expectations?

It was total silence in class.

«Get to work!»

The students studied their books.

Lisa turned to one of the girls from the group, she tried to approach her earlier,

«Hey Sasha… I got this idea… what about making a big celebration… of Masleniza?»

«Really? I have a better idea. Masha throws a party tonight and I think Denis is coming.»

Lisa wanted to say something, but was met with Sasha’s pitying look, so she turned to other girls.

«Oh, stop embarrassing yourself!» whispered Sasha at Lisa.

«What’s going on?» sounded the teacher’s voice.

Lisa kept silent, looking at her desk.

«I asked what’s going on here?»

Students turned their heads to Lisa and the teacher.

«It’s about the celebration of…» Lisa could barely think.

«What’s wrong with you?» the teacher stared at Lisa. «Will your celebrations help you getting into college? Make a good career?»

One girl burst out in laughter. Others echoed her. Lisa stiffened; she just wanted to disappear. She opened her textbook on some page and stared at it.

Long after the lesson was over, Lisa still kept sitting, staring at her textbook. Students were packing their things and exiting the room.

Masha, the girl who first started laughing, gave Lisa a look, while passing by her desk. Lisa felt this gaze, slowly coming out of trance. Masha didn’t say anything. She just looked at Lisa and passed by. Lisa started to collect her stuff, slowly she put her books in the bag. Without looking at anyone, she went towards the door when she heard the teacher,

«Grades are your guarantee for success! Not some silly celebrations!»

Lisa got distracted and bumped into Denis, who just entered the classroom. He looked at her, then at the teacher,

«I came for my test.»

The teacher gave him a paper with the mark A on it. Denis grabbed it and hurried after Lisa.

The teacher sat at his desk, looking at the closed door after Denis.

«He thinks he can get away with anything, if his father…»

He looked out the window, then folded his arms, while leaning back on his chair.

Coming out of class, Denis saw Lisa walking the corridor towards Peter. He heard an SMS sound and looked at his phone – unknown number. He read the text,

«You disappeared so quickly yesterday… Coming today?»

Denis started to type «No», but erased it, without sending. He saw that Lisa and Peter started walking together. Denis threw the phone in his bag and quickened the pace.

What’s wrong with me?

«You heard? About Masleniza…»

«Would you stop with your celebration!» Peter held his phone in his hand. He was still red in the face after the conversation with his father regarding the B in math. «This interview is the most important thing!»

Peter almost cried,

«Honestly! We are talking about our future now! Celebrations?! Get serious!»

Lisa looked at him and sighed.

«Lisa!» Sveta ran towards them.

When she heard about Masleniza, she tried to cheer Lisa up,

«No worries! We’ll figure it out!»

But Lisa was sad. «Why do I always fail? Really! What’s wrong with me?», she ruminated. Her best friend Sasha started to hang out with a group of cool girls. They were always engrossed with their phones; often Lisa couldn’t even understand what they were discussing. When she told this to Sasha, her friend responded that it was Lisa who was weird. That nobody got Lisa’s ideas and that she was just embarrassing herself.

Sasha was not the only person telling her that. Lisa’s mom found her ideas weird as well. She also called it a fantasy, when Grandma said that Lisa had «a gift.»

Grandma! The only person who got her was Grandma. Lisa wanted badly to believe her. She told Lisa so many interesting things. How they celebrated Spring, Midsummer, the traditions of Harvesting times. Lisa’s face lit up when she thought of it. She wanted so much to make a big celebration as they did in earlier times. A huge happening, and to have someone to share this joy with…

«Hey! Let’s go to Roma’s Cafe!» suddenly Sveta said.

Lisa turned to her and smiled,

«Yeah! Let’s go visit him!»

«I’ve got no time!» Peter sounded irritated.

«Please!» Sveta jumped around.

«Ok – five minutes!» Peter already regretted that he gave in.

Roma’s Café

Roma, a sixteen year old kid, was making pancakes. He wore caps, a grey striped long-sleeved shirt, jeans and black apron. Roma put a pancake on a plate. He smiled, while painting on it with sauce. Then he grabbed the plate,

«On the house!» he put it in front of Sveta.

Sveta ate it at once.

«Mmm… delicious sauce!»

Roma smiled.

«Take it easy, man!» Roma leaned towards Peter. «You think she’d fancy you with this… face?!»

Peter jumped up,

«What? Look at you, dropped out of school! What would you know…?»

Roma looked at him in a thoughtful way,

«You know, many great personalities considered a high school education to be totally useless as for helping them to manifest their dreams.»

Roma kept silent for a while, then he looked at Peter and added with a tone of mystery,

«Knowledge of another kind helped them to acquire success.»

«Loser! Just admit it, instead of covering up your failure with nonsense.»

Roma didn’t answer. He went back to the stove and started on a new pancake.

The door by the bar rack opened and a strange man entered the coffee shop. He was wearing a weird costume. Peter, Sveta, and Lisa exchanged looks.

«Roma, make me a coffee to take away,» he turned to kids and smiled. «Just love take away coffee here!»

Roma handed him a paper cup. The strange man took it and exited.

«Weird,» mumbled Peter.

Sveta looked at the door as it was closing after the man, and for a second in the tiny wind draft she saw golden lighting. It dissolved quickly.

«Just like this morning,» she whispered.

Sveta looked at Lisa, then at Peter. «Did they see?» She looked at the door again.

«Don’t even think about it!» Peter knew what was about to happen.

Sveta jumped to her feet and ran towards the door.

«I have no time,» Peter screamed.

But it was too late. Sveta ran out. He didn’t have a choice but to follow her.

A Place of Light

Running out the door, Peter and Lisa stepped into the tunnel of trees. Lisa looked up where the crowns met,

«Wow! It’s like a gate.»

They went through the gates and found themselves as if in another world, bright, colorful.

Peter blinked. Lisa breathed in the light and smiled.

In front of them was a beautiful meadow, framed by trees. A huge happening was going on. Music, competitions, contests, people laughing, enjoying themselves. The meadow overlooked a lake, covered by snow.

Lisa knew this place. She would often come here to chill out and to dream. It was always full of light, even in the rain it kept a kind of clarity of space. But she didn’t remember trees in the form of gates.

In the middle of the meadow there was a colorful whirl; a tall stick and bands of different colors attached to it. People caught the ends of the bands and ran around the stick, creating a colorful vortex. All this swirling looked like waves, giving the sense of space to be real and unreal at the same time.

Lisa watched it, mesmerized, feeling a growing sense of joy.

«Where is she?!» Peter searched for Sveta in the crowd of people.

Lisa didn’t hear him. Slowly, in step with the swirling, she moved towards the colorful vortex.

«You know, this interview…» Peter looked down, «Lisa, you think… Am I a loser?» he blurted out.

Peter didn’t dare to look at her, and when he raised his eyes, he saw Lisa running towards the colorful whirl.

«Lisa!»

Why should I waste my time on something that is not for me?

Denis entered Roma’s Café. He looked around – no customers. Rather perplexed, he ordered a cappuccino and took a seat, looking around one more time.

Roma put a cappuccino in front of Denis,

«They joined the Masleniza celebration,» Roma waved in the direction of the door by the bar rack.

Denis gave a look at the door. In his head he repeated Lisa’s question, «I wonder why handsome, rich Onegin, he who has all this success… Why is he depressed?» Denis smiled bitterly.

Masha entered the coffee shop.

«Masha! Long time no see!» Roma went forward to greet her.

Masha ignored him. She walked straight to Denis’s table and sat down in front of him,

«Hey.»

«Do we know each other?»

Masha looked puzzled at Denis, not knowing what to say. Denis left money on the table and walked out through the door that Roma showed him, without looking back.

Memories from the previous evening – the party, streamed through Masha’s head. He was with her and then left, without looking back, just as he did a moment ago. She remembered his spine, how he walked down stairs.

Sasha’s voice, «Denis, are you leaving?» No answer – of course.

Masha was not aware that she was crying.

Roma made some tea, walked up to Masha, and put a tea cup in front of her. Then he went back to the bar rack, sat on it, and observed Masha for a while,

«Why cling so hard to that which is not for you?»

Masha came to her senses.

«You don’t cling to anything. Dropped out of school. Happy now?»

«Of course… I don’t cling, I don’t worry… What do you think? I got it! I was aware of all the opportunities that our school opened up for us. Golden career opportunities, money… so what? It didn’t fire me up – none of it!»

«Yeah, we all thought you were a complete idiot!»

«I enjoy cooking!»

Masha grinned bitterly.

«That’s what I love… And I can do it right now,» he looked at her.

«Why should I waste my time on something which is not for me, no matter how golden and promising it is?»

«And I love…» Masha stopped, «We will be together!»

She got up,

«Talk about wasting my time – here, with you!»

Masha looked angrily at Roma and went towards the door.

«Well, are you enjoying it, this… at all?»

Masha exited without answering him. The door smashed; Roma felt a cool breeze. He watched her through the window, how she crossed the street. Then he looked at her cup. She didn’t even touch her tea. He jumped off the bar rack, walked to the table to pick up the cup, and saw her phone laying there. He ran outside, but Masha was already out of sight.

Pick wisely!

Lisa swirled in a colorful vortex, laughing. Letting go of the end of the band, she looked at the sky. Through light clouds she could see bright blue. She stopped and looked around.

Not far from her was a small tea house. On the desk, there was a samovar and sweets. Bagels hanging on the wall. A few customers. They drank tea and made small talk. Lisa approached and bought a sea-buckthorn drink.

«Lisa!» Peter ran towards her.

Steam was coming from Lisa’s tea cup. She took a sip, holding her hands around the cup and exchanged smiles with other customers.

She looked around. In some distance away, guys were climbing a huge pillar. It looked difficult – nothing to attach to, to grab – just a naked pillar. The majority just slid down straight away. But it was funny – Lisa laughed together with other spectators. Suddenly one guy managed to climb up to the top of the pillar. People started applauding. Lisa felt a wave of joy. She started to dance a bit for herself, as she drank her tea.

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