During the break, I was back at the table when the door to the hall opened and…
«Hello,» Roman smiled, taking a seat next to me.
«Do you want coffee?» I asked.
«Yes.»
«So you’re not a phantom after all!» I exhaled in relief.
«What if you are a phantom, like me, and like your coffee?» I heard in response.
«And like the Guardian? And this house?» I continued my train of thought.
«And like all these guests,» Roman finished it there.
«When are we going to walk through walls?» Roman asked me aloud, sipping his coffee.
«As soon as we become phantoms,» I replied. «First, reset to zero to become wizard. The tasks I give you now, in fact, have to be done with a certain frequency, not just once. These are the rules of magicians’ life. They exist on a par with the rules of ordinary people life, like brushing your teeth, for example.»
«Okay. Have you already thanked everyone mentally?» Roman remembered my previous task.
The bell rang before I could think of a response.
Roman leaned towards me.
«In my opinion, the Guardian is jealous,» he whispered. «The break ends somehow quickly.»
«Write down the task!»
Task No. 5. WISHING WISHES
…Make a list of all your possible ill-wishers (of course, there shouldn’t be any, but they inevitably appear from time to time). Even if you have completed the task of repentance and forgiveness, even if you have personally reconciled with everyone, and you have been really (not in words) forgiven, wish everyone from the bottom of your heart exactly what he lacks, and / or what you want to receive for yourself personally, if you don’t know what the ill-wisher needs.
Address your request directly to God or to the Higher Forces. If you want mutual love, wish it to your enemy, ask God himself of mutual love for that person… If you know that someone envies you, because you bought a cottage in the Seychelles, ask the Higher Forces to gift the similar cottage to the envious person. It’s important to wish good to your enemies absolutely sincerely, as to yourself.
In this case, the Mirror Effect is triggered:
* you get what you wish for another person, or
* the negative is removed from what is envied,
* the balance of Forces is restoring,
* the theme of forgiveness is being worked through once more.
The Guardian approached me and defiantly rang the bell again. I cast a parting glance at Roman and went onto the stage to announce the Open Mic.
***
Having returned home, I thought about my current task.
«What should I wish for my ill-wishers if I disappear forever in 35 nights? I want to find the Portal and leave for Another Reality. I can’t wish the same for them, can I? Let them live, as Roman correctly noted, enjoying life. What do they still wish of not having yet? I have no idea, because, in my opinion, they, unlike me, have absolutely everything and even much more. For such people, one can wish good health only. For another 100 years, or better yet for 1,000!»
I lit a candle and made a list, which turned out to be quite long, if not gigantic. I decided to play it safe and listed everyone I had communicated in my life with and who, in my opinion, had not yet passed into the Other World.
«God, send these people health! Let all their bodies work properly, let them live as long as they need to fulfill their destiny, plus the same amount to enjoy simple human happiness.»
And, barely finishing the phrase, I received a message from Pasha.
«Love u, my girl. Think u. U what think me? Why u not want I call? U were on TV? U win final? U were Museum party, yes? I see u photo Internet. How party was? Good? Tell me how u! I want 2 be with u now. In Museum 2. But no fly… I want 2 live with u. U with me live. Where country u want? I want Germany or Russie. U? Greece no work, difficult… I want open restaurant fish / meat. Why u silent?»
6. Тмутаракань
Страж Портала встречал меня в дверях.
– Замёрзла? – спросил он, услышав завывание метели на улице, когда я заходила в Особняк.
– Мне нравится зима, – улыбнулась я.
Страж почему-то завис, взглянув на меня так, как смотрят на внезапный глюк в Матрице.
– Ты уверена, что тебе нравится зима, а не весна? – переспросил он.
– Да, конечно! Метель – настоящее волшебство! А для тебя это имеет какое-то значение? – удивилась я.
Страж повесил мои меха на вешалку и как-то разочарованно проследовал за мной в кафе.
– Сегодня ты представишь Мелкого Беса? – поинтересовался он, заваривая мне кофе.
– Нет, обычного старого Водяного из Тмутаракани.
– В Тмутаракани живут не тараканы, а Водяные?
– Представь себе… Он всю жизнь её ищет, эту Тмутаракань. Но в книжке, кажется, нашёл.
– Тогда что ему делать здесь, если он нашёл то, что искал? – удивился Страж.
– Хочешь сказать, этот Особняк посещают только те, кто всё ещё в поиске?
Страж принёс мне кофе и почему-то вздохнул:
– Ты даже круче, чем я тебя себе представлял…
– Это плохо?
Но Страж ничего не ответил – к нам подошёл Кот.
– Мя-я-я-у-у-у…
***
Водяной появился в зале без свиты, проплыл на сцену и, не переставая