О чем не расскажет смерть | ✓

Chapter 5 EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS

As I ventured deeper into the forest, I began to recognize some places. Memories flooded back, creating a kaleidoscope of last year's snapshots. The images came alive before my eyes. Smiling to myself, I was glad I hadn't made a mistake with the location. I continued on my way, delving deeper into the forest.

More than two hours had passed, and my sore leg was throbbing. It became much harder for me to choose a path. Everything around me seemed new and unexplored. For a moment, I was afraid that I was lost. And no one knew where I was, which meant that I would be very difficult to find, especially since I was in an unfamiliar city.

Deciding to take a break, I had a small picnic. I took out my thermos from my backpack, drank my favorite Ceylon tea, and let my foot rest.

After the break, I continued on my way. Approaching the edge of the cliff, I had the impression that I was literally at the end of the earth.

In front of me were fluffy white clouds that slowly drifted high above the ground. The clouds looked very harmonious mixed with light fog. All this splendor was very beautiful and at the same time eerie. There was a certain mystique in all this. It seemed that behind the fabulous veil, some kind of magic was hiding. It was time to return to the car.

The cool evening quickly turned into a cold night. Darkness descended on the quiet forest. The dark blue sky turned black. The mountaintops sank into milky mist. In the ensuing darkness, the city could be seen even better from the slope of the mountain. It looked like a canvas generously sprinkled with stars. After sunset, the highway near the suburb was surprisingly empty.

Suddenly, I heard a noise. For a moment, I thought it was just my imagination. But, after listening closely, I could clearly distinguish some low rumbling. It seemed unnatural for this place. The sound reminded me of an event from the past. The surrounding darkness remained as thick as ever. I looked up in the direction of the strange noise. A patch of sky appeared slightly brighter than the rest of the darkness. I gasped in amazement as something bright and fast streaked across the sky, leaving a long yellow-orange tail behind it. But I never figured out what it was.

The flick of my lighter gave me a dull flame. The cigarette smoldered between my fingers, and my lips twisted into a gloomy smile, releasing a small cloud of white smoke into the air. I had to go back. I walked over to the rented car and, after warming it up, drove to the hotel.

Waking up early in the morning, I decided to take a walk. I had one day left before returning home to New York.

As I stepped out onto the street, I approached the car. My gaze fell on the keys that I held ready.

"No," a voice in my head said. "Not this time." I put the keys in my pocket and headed towards the subway. (After the incident, for some reason, the subway didn't repel me. On the contrary, I wanted to visit it). "Let it be a game whose outcome cannot be predicted," I thought. "The subway is perfect for a spontaneous trip, especially in another city."

Descending into the subway and waiting for the train, I sat comfortably in the first car on a soft seat. After we were freed from the avalanche, this was my first trip. Following the rules of my whimsical game, I didn't look at the signboards or stations to avoid reading the names of the stops. I wanted to get off at a random one. My strange impulsive decision lifted my mood. I wanted to continue this little game.

Suddenly, the train stopped and there was absolute silence, which was extremely unusual for the metro. But I decided not to break my own rules and not to look up. After all, I didn't choose this stop. I also sat with my head down, looking at the floor and the diverse shoes of the passengers, patiently waiting for the train to move again. Soon, this silence was interrupted by a very familiar sound. This sound repeated several times before I paid attention to it. I lifted my head to understand where this sound was coming from. It turned out to be the sound of a watch bracelet. They jingled, hanging on a girl's wrist. She shook her hand, trying to turn the dial in another direction. Unexpectedly, I remembered this girl. Once we found ourselves walled up in the metro. It was difficult for me to realize that I had seen her again. It was hard to believe in such a coincidence.