– What are your plans for the season? One of the guys asked a friend sitting next to him.
– I do not know yet, I am afraid to guess.
– Change the moth? Maybe a motto wedding?! A third joined their conversation.
– No. I will not sell my horse to anyone, this is my faithful friend, and for the wedding, I have not yet met a soul mate. So far, it is easy to earn money and have a good summer.
– And I would change my horse, said one of my friends, I hope for this summer. The three guys continued a lively conversation in a cozy, rock bar on the Black Sea coast.
– I hope the summer will be hot. An elderly man spoke while inspecting the cafe’s territory.
– «What’s that to you?» The interlocutor who was standing next to him and calmly watching what was happening asked him.
– Maybe there will be more people, you will earn more money.
– Happiness is not in money, but in their quantity. The answer came with a grin in his voice.
– What do you think to do here this summer, what kind of show is waiting for us?
– So far, everything is a secret. Then you will find out everything. A man answered with a mocking smile, and watched the movement of the river.
The river flowed in a fast stream. The shores were crowded, and went beyond it, after a long and cold winter. The air in this area was so clean and fresh that it was impossible to breathe enough of it. It was completely impregnated with boxwood. There were so many of them that the gorge was named «Boxwood». Spring flowers were already blooming on the elevated hills that surrounded this place. The hills were shrouded in vines, covered with moss in some places, and a layer of autumn foliage lay on them. Thanks to what, this place it looked like an enchanted forest. On the territory of this area, you could walk for hours, or just sit and listen to the birds singing. A beautiful bridge stretched over the river, and two men stood silently and watched how fast the water in the river was running and foaming. The blue streams of water were so clear and transparent that the bottom could be seen. – And here are the first tourists!
– They are not the first, they have been walking here all winter, the second interlocutor replied.
– I wanted to say for today. The tour, coming closer, asked the men, —
«Will they be able to go further?» What is this river? And what kind of place is this? We are from a sanatorium, they continued, and we do not know anything here.
– This is the Sochi National Park, «Boxwood Gorge», and then there is the waterfall «Miracle Beauty». You can admire this river, only now, in the summer it will dry up, go further to the waterfall, there is beautiful nature.
The morning in Moscow passed as usual. «I’m late again,» Marina, said.
– Not again, but again, the friend picked up.
– I have every day, Groundhog Day. I am late every day, every day at work I hear wild screams and whispering colleagues. And at home in the evening from parents about unsettled life.
– Everything will get better soon. Let us go and have a rest, her friend supported her. Why don’t you hook up with your colleague? It is obvious from him that he is not indifferent to you.
– I am not attracted to him. I think he is boring.
– «I think he’s just shy.» Okay, see you tonight, do not get bored. The girl got out of the car and walked quickly to work. It was noisy and lively at work, and to Marina’s great surprise, no one yelled at her.
– Something is too quiet, she said, something is wrong!
– Chief, too busy with the upcoming holidays.
– What are your plans for the May weekend? One of the colleagues asked the girl.
– I did not make any plans; I do not even know what to answer. Perhaps with friends at the dacha.
– Our team offers to rent a country house in the Moscow region, for all holidays. We hope that you will be with us! A colleague spoke animatedly. It will be great! How do you look at it?
– A tempting offer, more likely yes than no. Chief, will he join our ranks?! Marina asked sarcastically.
– No. A colleague answered, God forbid. He will go abroad.
– It is a gift from the Gods, the girl said, and then I am definitely with you! That is good, the colleague replied. When she got home, Marina, as usual, slipped into her room so as not to cross paths with her parents.
– Marina, daughter, we have a festive dinner today.
– What kind of holiday?
– Aunt Natasha is coming to us to sit with us before the weekend.
– Why not on the weekend?
– She is going to the sea, for the whole weekend.
– People are lucky. The girl thought to herself. It is good that she will come; we can have a quiet dinner. There was a friendly atmosphere at dinner. Aunt Natasha, who loved adventurous stories and adventures, talked about her trips and trips to cafes. Yes, I still have that aunt, I would like her character, the girl thought to herself, watching her aunt finish a glass of wine.
– Marinochka, – and let us go to the sea with me, suddenly unexpectedly, a slightly intoxicated woman said. Marina was amazed at the unexpected offer.
– But we wanted to go with the team, out of town.
– But we! They wanted to! Her aunt mimicked her, and laughed. Marina remembered the boss who mimicked her not so long ago, and it hurt her.
– Agree!!!! She heard it from her mother.
– It will be great!!! You won’t get bored with me!!!! The thought that she would see the sea instantly settled in her mind.
– At sea? For such a short period? – I wanted to go on vacation with friends in the summer.
– I wanted to! Marina heard her being mocked again. You are going, period. Now you and I will buy us tickets! On the Internet! Turn on the computer. And in the summer you will go again, where you wanted to go with your friends. Do not forget that you have a cheerful aunt. – Marinochka, talk to your aunt, I see you have sad eyes. The woman who came to Marina’s room spoke. What is the matter with you?
– There is no order at work; I do not know what to write about. I have a creative crisis. Inspiration is gone.
– All the more reason to go, the woman encouraged her. You will have material right away. You have a marine name, Marina, Submarine; this is a real marine name. You should definitely go. Your name is also consonant with Mara Madder; this is one of the revered pagan Goddesses of the Slavic Pantheon.
– That is enough! The girl shouted. What other Goddesses. Auntie, you are out of your mind.
– Dear, I have a large social circle, I read a lot, I know a lot. Paganism is a myth.
– Me too, I read about it once. Enough of this.
– Let’s buy tickets. They sat and talked for a long time in Marina’s room.
The next day, Marina told the staff that she would not be able to go with them. And all her thoughts were occupied with the sea. She closed her eyes and heard the sound of waves, imagined dolphins. But most of all she was alarmed by incomprehensible sounds, she heard the sound of running water, and could not understand what it was and where they came from.