- Uncle Vasya looked at those present appreciatively, frowning a little. Apparently, he did not like that the people had gathered so little.

- Yesterday, as soon as I found out ... And where have you already searched?

- Oh, Vikus, we have already combed half a forest about twenty kilometers in each direction. In all places where hunting is underway ...

- And nearby? River, bridge, old farm?

- Yes, someone seemed to look, - he shrugged his shoulders. - And what could have happened to him near the village ?!

Vika shrugged her shoulders, but for some reason she was pulled there: to the bridge over the river (under him and Kostik, they used to sit on the tree’s roots washed with water), to the huge oak tree in the strawberry meadow, on whose branches they first kissed. Apparently, this is just a nostalgia for the feelings and does not have a rational grain for searching, but the girl was sure that she would go there first of all.

“I want to check ...” she came out of her reverie. - The bridge and the river to the old church.

The men looked at her, puzzled.

- OK Go. Then catch up with Yegor Ivanovich with Seryozhka. Do you remember them, the former chairman is our son ?! They will go in that direction into the forest, along a well-groomed road — you will not get lost, ”Uncle Vanya finally said.

- A better take with you ... even Bear, our neighbor, remember him? - put Uncle Eugene. - Do not walk alone.

Vika looked at everyone and realized that she had no right to take another assistant in the search. Although it is terribly to go alone, yet the familiar terrain will have to go shallowly in the forest alone, then quickly catch up with the rest.

- No, I'll get one, it's not far! - I tried to say as much as possible. - Soon catch up with Yegor Ivanovich with Seryozha.

Uncle Vasya seemed to understand her and nodded, smiling a little.

- Do not get lost, girl! And do not waste time - the day is shorter ...

- Good.

She did not wait for Uncle Vasya to give instructions to everyone else, and went with a quick step towards the bridge.

It was still dark, but the road in that direction was well-worn, so it’s impossible to get lost, and Vick walked briskly along solid ground and frozen puddles. There was no snow yet, but freezing temperatures at night were not uncommon.

A couple of kilometers flew by. Vika thought that she would reach the bridge and be sure to see Kostya, alive and healthy. And this feeling drove her even faster, so that she soon became hot under her grandmother's warm downy scarf.

Here is the bridge, near the tree. It has long collapsed to the side, washed by a river, and the roots on which they once sat with Kostya under the bridge, stuck out in all directions, like the tentacles of an unknown creature. Vika looked into the gaps between the logs of the bridge, but except in some places the freezing water saw nothing. And no one. She sighed heavily. How everything has changed since the last time she was here! Nature is aging and fading, like everything else in this world. Like people.

The last time she was here with Kostik. They parted: Vika left for the city to study, Kostik remained in the village. Still hoping that the distance and rare meetings will not kill their relationship, in their hearts everyone understood that these gatherings are like a farewell. At that time, she gave him a pendant - half a heart. The second half remained with her. He smiled frowningly, casually putting the pendant in his pocket, and then Vika realized that everything was in vain, their relationship could not be saved. Maybe it was just a grievance against an inappropriate attitude to her gift. In any case, this insult played a bad role in further breaking their ties.

Looking around, Vika noticed two figures in the distance - this is Uncle Yegor and Sergei going in her direction. You need to have time to run to a large oak in a clearing and then join them, if she doesn’t find anything.And Vika quickly walked into the forest, along a familiar path to a lovely heart place.

It was already dawn, and it was almost not scary to go. The trees, already naked, let in the light, but, like silent guards, towered over the traveler, seeing it off by the howling of the wind in the branches. Something is mystical in the forest, even terrible. It seems beautiful, majestic, but there you realize that you are a small man visiting giants. They can shelter you, feed you, heat you, and they can lead and confuse, and even kill.

In the forest of Vika it soon became clear that she had acted rightly in putting on her grandmother’s handkerchief. Frost wade, running a fine tremor from the legs to the nape. Whether in the forest is colder, or unknown fear plays a cruel joke.

Finally, the forest parted, revealing a large clearing. In the summer, it grows strawberries, it is simply strewn here. And in the center of the glade there is a huge oak tree, or even two, grown from one place and diverging in different directions practically from the ground, so that one could easily climb their branches. Oak has become even more massive and unapproachable since Vika saw him last, but he could not be confused with anything else. Memories of this place lie too deep in memory.

And why did she suddenly decide that she could find Kostik here ?! This is just nostalgia. Instead of toil this obsessive feeling, it would be better to help other people to look for the missing person!

Vika was turned to leave, not reaching the oak, realizing the strangeness of her coming here, but suddenly something caught her attention. It was heavily worn dry grass near the oak. As if someone had been lying there for a long time. And just recently. The girl ran to the place, looked around - no one. She sat down in a place that so attracted her, under the branches of an oak tree, strongly bent to the ground. Nothing suspicious.

A sharp gust of wind almost knocked her squatting. The oak tree rustled with the remains of brown leaves above her head. Vika lifted her head - right above her on the half-naked branches of the oak there was something small, dark, on a black strap. She got up and tore the find from the tree. It was a half heart pendant.

The girl frantically began to unbutton her jacket, pulled out the exact same pendant hanging on her neck, only the symmetrical one found. There was no doubt - this is the one that Vika gave Kostik. So Kostya kept it! But what is he doing on the tree ?! And why is grass grazed here ?! Kostik was here!

The girl's heart pounded wildly, her eyes swam. She leaned her back against a tree, not understanding whether it seemed to her, then it was true that fine snow had suddenly started, twisting in a blizzard. In a matter of minutes, the trees around the meadow became barely visible shadows. The wind howled at the top, swaying the trees and creaking branches. The oak tree moaned under the whirlwinds of the snowstorm, tending the branches to the ground.

Vika put the find around her neck and tried to find with her eyes a skylight where she needed to return. Hide behind the trees - the wind will not beat like that. Suddenly it seemed to her that she saw a silhouette in the place where there should be a way out, from where she herself had recently come.

- Uncle Egor ?! Serezha? She shouted, trying to shout down the wind.

Vika stepped towards the guest, peering at the approaching silhouette. And suddenly she stood up in place, not believing her own eyes: a woman stood in the gap between the trees and looked straight at her. Her eyes seemed to burn with anger between the curtains of gray, disheveled hair, and her lips curled into a grin. She was dressed in a light dress of old breed and stood barefoot.

“Well, come to me, my little bird ...” whispered lips twisted in a smile, but for some reason Vika heard the words of this strange woman through the howling of the wind.

Fear gripped hand and foot. Vika stood and did not believe her eyes. It can not be? Is she sleeping? The woman was like a witch from the horror stories that Baba Glasha used to tell.

The brain issued only one command - to run. Throwing off her stupor, Vick began to run in the opposite direction, not feeling the ground under her feet, not turning around.

- Where are you running, baby? - I heard a hoarse laugh from behind. - I will find you anyway ...

But Vika ran at breakneck speed, sinking deeper into the forest, escaping from an unknown danger.Fear would not let her stop for a second.

She was stopped only by a fallen tree, which she did not notice, because she rushed without looking at her feet. Vika stumbled and, by inertia, having flown another couple of meters forward, hit her head against the root of a tree protruding from frozen ground. She tried to get up, but her head was spinning wildly. The girl raised her hand to her forehead - there was blood on it. Rolling over on her back, she looked at the tops of the trees, trying to keep the consciousness floating away.

Quiet steps - and bowed over her. Fearing to see a terrible woman again, Vika closed her eyes, but when she heard a warm male laugh at herself, she opened her eyes again.

“It seems you need help, madam?” - over the girl leaned a young man, dark-haired, dark-eyed and terribly beautiful, as if leaving from the picture. And again, I could not believe that this is possible to see in the forest! She does not know him, so he is not from their village. But from where?

- Caution! There ... a woman ... - whispered Vika dry lips.

The young man laughed softly again.

- Yes, no one is here. Only me alone. Let me help you ... My home is nearby.

He easily raised the girl in his arms, she did not resist - there was no more strength. Soon her consciousness left.