taste of his lips. The stranger straightens the scarf that closes my eyes and, the last time he runs his hand over his cheek, retreats into the darkness.

And eternity later I hear a crash - someone cuts a ribbon with a knife, pulling me to the column.

- Slowly count to one hundred. And then you can remove the bandage and go away. Goodbye, princess - I felt that there was no one else around. The dragon pushed me, already resigned to the inevitable, back to this side of life, and again disappeared in the depths, and did not allow itself to be considered. I counted to a hundred. Then again. And further. I counted until dawn penetrated the silent bulk of the abandoned building and dispersed the last shadows in the corners.

***

The police met me unkindly, and the farther away, the more intense the general tension, almost hate, was felt. From reservations, I realized that my kidnapper was loved, respected and sympathized with him madly, so in the eyes of the people interrogating me I read a keen desire to take me back to the ruins, to tie to something - and see if anyone would come before me there is rot. Therefore, I agree with everything I am told.

Did the former legal expert C ***** s please me? Yes. And if you think about how? Article for libel? Well then, probably not. He also did not force me to have sexual intercourse, did not hit me on the head, and did not intend to use me instead of bait ... No, this is a joke, I am not going to apply. Do relatives and friends know about my hobbies? Not. What is the point of interviewing them ?! No, I repeat, I'm not going to apply for your crazy, crazy ... Heroically killed, trying to detain the maniac who attacked me? Yes, let it be recorded, but, I believe, a survey of my loved ones is superfluous. Yes, I will sign everything.

I was warned that the criminal was still at large, offered protection and even a new-fashioned witness protection program. I refused, which was fine for everyone. It seems the fishing bait is not over yet.

Only a month later, I again dared to turn on the computer. “Wow, our loss has returned!”, “Hello!”, “It's strange, today you are dressed like a girlfriend - will you show something special?” - despite the insane rhythm of the network, I still remember this dump of people's passions. But today is not the day of the show. I just sat silently in front of the monitor, while among the multi-colored blizzard are vulgar, mocking. demanding and tender messages did not appear one:

Snake: Princess, I never thought to meet you here again.

I instantly switched to a private channel.

“Until what time was I supposed to count?”

Snake: Up to one hundred, my princess, but I saw - you thought a lot longer.

It's him. I froze, not knowing what to say. Not even knowing why I was looking for this conversation at all. Somewhere in the depths of the police department a warning signal probably sounds and a lot of specialists are trying to track where my interlocutor came from.

“I told the police everything.” They are looking for you. And now, probably, trying to track down.

Snake: I know. And not angry. You are a real little devil, but at the same time - surprisingly correct. Now tell me why you were looking for me?

“I ... I don’t know,” the mask suddenly began to put pressure on her face, as if made of red-hot steel, and, tearing it away, threw it far to the side, “I just wanted to ask why ?!”

Serpent: What - why? Why did I not touch you? Or why kill others?

- Probably, both questions, - I almost whisper, - And also, why things could not have happened differently ...

Snake: Do not cry, princess, it is not worth it. I kill because a maniac, a psychopath with a sick head. There is no need to look for other reasons - they will not change anything. That's the whole me.

- And I? - I hide my face in my palms. I am not ashamed of my interlocutor, but the police are probably watching our conversation, and I don’t want them to see my tears.

The Serpent: And you, princess, are the very exception that makes any dragon dream that a knight will fall in his way and eliminate the need to devour beauty. Believe the word, I was going to ...to do you Dozens of times planned what and how I will do, but each time I put it off. And when you were still in my hands, I realized that I could not ...

“I guess I should thank you.”

Snake: No, it should not. There was nothing good in my intentions. And yet, princess, you had better not appear here, even in a mask. There are many greedy eyes in the darkness, and I'm not sure that I can let you go again ...

Maybe he is right, but I still send a kiss to the webcam:

- Thank.

Snake: Please. Goodbye my princess.

The connection was lost.

***

I stopped my shows forever. After half a year, Grisha returned from the army, my first boyfriend. Recovered in high school. We started dating again. When one day I gathered up my strength to tell him everything, he became terribly angry, but for some reason, not at me, but at the rest of the world, and everything was trying to smash the police station, or to strangle all maniacs in the world. But it ended with passionate sex, which made us forget about all the monsters in the world. Soon we will get married, and in our life - everything is fine, everything is as it should be.

But sometimes I wake up in the night in the midst of a half-forgotten child's sleep: a huge, mighty body glides past me, soaring in the darkness among the stars, without touching, and only making me stand in awe of unknown strength. And from somewhere far away, whispering echoes:

- Do you miss me, my princess ...?