there was no tap for hot water in the shower, although the cold water got warmed naturally under the scorching Sun in some storage tanks outside the house.
And what to say about air conditioners! – I found only an ancient fan in the room, but the electricity in the network had disappeared somewhere.
And more! I double-checked, including the reception, there was still no Internet there.
However, perhaps the charm of the lost in the Ocean Island, the riddle of which I had to solve, was precisely in such wildness and complete isolation from civilization…
Planning my vacation, I decided to explore Camotes thoroughly, because the first time we had had to escape from the Island the very next morning for having no cash. By the way, no cards were still acceptable there.
I stepped out of the hut into the deep darkness and wandered towards the light of a torch burning at the reception like an eternal flame.
In fact, several torches were always available there so that any tourist could take one out if felt like walking around the Island at night.
I got the opportunity to light my path and stepped out the gates to a dirty road, on both sides of which long-legged palm trees towered, piercing the black-book Sky.
Turning to the left, I walked towards the pier, getting used to the darkness. Suddenly a boy jumped out of unknown to me species of the tropical thickets. He seemed to be about seven years old and looked like a homeless grimy beggar, easily found along the streets of big cities. The Boy grabbed my hand and began to beg, shouting out the same word in almost all languages of the world. And that word was…
«Lantern!»
Understanding nothing, I took a couple of coins out of my pocket and handed them to the Boy.
However, to my greatest surprise, having seen the coins, the beggar squeamishly threw them into the thickets, twisted his finger at his temple giggling, and then he shouted out again,
«LANTERN!!!»
1.4. Старик с чёрными птицами
Мне стало не по себе, но в тот же момент послышались чьи-то шаги, – слева, со стороны пристани, к нам приближалась сгорбленная мужская фигура, и вскоре около меня остановился босой седовласый Старик в холщовых одеждах, держащий в одной руке посох, а в другой – клетку с чёрными птицами.
– Добрый вечер, – произнесла я, чтобы разбавить гнетущую тишину. – Я могу Вам чем-то помочь?
Старик усмехнулся, продолжая меня сканировать, а мальчик снова захихикал.
Внезапно, откуда ни возьмись, появилась женщина, судя по всему, мать мальчика. Она низко поклонилась Старику, что-то пробормотала на местном наречии, затем схватила сына за руку, и они мгновенно исчезли в зарослях.
А мне стало совсем не по себе – я стояла как парализованная и не могла пошевелиться от страха.
– Чего ты хочешь, Душа моя? – отчётливо, властным голосом спросил Старик.
Моё сердце бешено заколотилось.
В голове царил полный хаос, но я почему-то подумала про рыбака. Мне захотелось, чтобы Янис сейчас оказался здесь, рядом со мной, но я промолчала.
Старик же, поняв, что ответа от меня вряд ли дождётся, развернулся и поковылял дальше. Я смотрела ему вслед, всё ещё не в состоянии прийти в себя, как чья-то рука опустилась на моё плечо, и я вскрикнула от неожиданности.
– Алиса? – послышался уже знакомый голос.
Я обернулась и увидела Яниса. Он любезно проводил меня до хижины, попрощался и исчез.
1.4. The Old Man with black birds
I felt uneasy, but at the same moment I heard someone’s steps from the left. A hunched male figure was approaching us from the pier side, and soon a barefoot, gray-haired Old Man in linen clothes, with a wooden walking stick in one hand and a cage with black birds in the other, stopped nearby.
«Good evening,» I said to break the oppressive silence. «Can I help you somehow?»
The Old Man chuckled and continued to scan me, and the Boy giggled again.
Suddenly, a woman, apparently the boy’s mother, appeared out of nowhere. She bowed deeply to the Old Man, muttered something in the local dialect, then grabbed her son by the arm, and they instantly disappeared into the thickets.
I felt completely uneasy and stood as if paralyzed. I could not move in fear.
«What do you want, my dear Soul?» the Old Man asked distinctly, in an authoritative voice.
My heart began to beat wildly.
The disastrous chaos reigned in my head, but for some reason I thought about the Fisherman. I wanted Yanis to appear right next to me, but I kept silent.
The Old Man, realizing that he was unlikely to wait for my answer, turned around and hobbled further. I looked after him, still unable to recover, as someone’s hand fell on my shoulder, and I screamed in surprise.
«Alice?» I heard a familiar voice, turned back and saw Yanis.
He graciously escorted me «home», said goodbye and
