2018-02-14
215
The Swain.
An anchor chain of a ship went down turquoise water towards the sandy bottom with a pleasant noise.A forty-two feet sailing catamaran ‘Dolce Dive’ made its first stop at the western end of the atoll Twin, which is located in the most remote place off the coast of the Great Barrier Reef and iscalledthe Swain Reefs. The weather forecast for the next week wasbrilliant and all the upcoming dives on these Australian reefs, almost unexplored by other divers,seemed to the catamaran teamto be promising much.
There were four friends on the shiponly: Josh and his young nephew Bobfrom Australia, Mikefrom the USA and Yegor, a diverfrom Russia. Different circumstances and ways brought them together in this distant place, but we will talk about it later.Besides everything else,the crew of the ship had one cherished dream – to find an old shipwreck at these reefs.
The point is that for the whole time when this continent was explored, there sank slightly more than a thousand of various ships at theGreat Barrier Reef. So far, only a few dozens of them were found.
Several years before that, Josh and Yegor had become very interested about this fact and immediately got down to sea maps of this part of the Great Barrier Reef. They studied currentsandwinds in this area, always trying to put themselves in place of the captains who had sailed a long time ago in these waters without accurate maps and navigation instruments. A conclusion they made, turned out to be quite curious: the ships that happened to be sailingin some areas of the Swain reefduring a harsh weather had a little chance of survivingthere with the help of their sailsonly. At some places, the reefs were almost located chequer-wise. At times, they even created some kind of a trap for big sailing ships in bad weather with poor visibility.
For better reliability, the friends made a small model of this areain order to practically observe possible locations of some shipwrecks. Then, the only thing that left – was to trythis theory in practice.
As it turned out later, almost no one had dived earlier in these places. The friends managed to find only one description of the site, made by an Australian diver – Tom Byron, who made a dozen of dives there more than twenty years before. No more information about the underwater world of the Swain reefs was found.
Toconclude, the part of the Great Barrier Reef several thousand square kilometers long was, in fact, a white spot on the Australian map of diving.
Of course, for many dozens and even hundreds of years, the ships on the bottom should have overgrown with corals. It won’t be easy to recognize them among the living reefsthere. Moreover, everything becomes overgrown with living creatures very fast in these warm waters. You have to be very attentive with the reefs of unusual forms, especially withthose having shape of across. Such cross-like reefs may actually be a mast intersection or any other structures of these ships. Nature does not create crosses of a regular shape - any cross is a result of a human hand work.
* * *
The Father watched His earthsmilingsadly. How much has changed there in the last two thousand years! People are now flying in comfortable planes, living in beautiful apartments with all modern conveniences, driving cars, often goingto different parts of the worldfor restconstantly keeping in touch with each other, as well asbeing in the course of all the world’s news. Of course, the Father did everything for the joy of his children on this earth.
It is only that growth of the people’s souls was much behind this external well-being. The true love grew up in them very slowly. Everyone talks about it on earthnow. However, mostly, it is just an empty talk. The love itself and the concept of it are much distorted. There is very, very littleofthe true love on the earth.
The Father took his eyes away from the earth and looked aroundHimself with warmth. How many beautiful and sincere children came here, to Heaven, in the last two thousand years! The Coming of Jesus onthe earth left a deep imprint there and helped many people to find the right way in life. However, everything has changedtoday, everything is different.
The last one or two hundred years in the history of the Earth have brought more changes into the external life of the people, than previous seven thousand. The bad side of this was that the people began to serve their new way of living, often forgetting about their souls.
The Followers of His Son could not maintain unity among themselves on the Earth. Today,the Christianity itself has many different branches, whichoften contradict each other in some waysand even reject each other. The passion in spiritual leaders of different years and eras did its job – the Christianity was divided. Almost no one remembered the former unity of all the Christiansthere. Important words of His Son and teachings of His first followers were forgotten.
They quarreled because of insignificant things and could not unify around the most important brought by Jesus to theearth. It was ordinary people, who suffered most. Today, they often fail to find out where the truth and the true God are indeed.
The Father sighed. Today, His whole angelic world, little by little, has started bringingpieces of the truth to the people, which once had already been given clearlyto them by Him. Now,Angels are leading their wards on the earth since their childhood through kind cartoons and good films, through useful books and kind people. Sometimes, good and kind priests helped them, who still remain in different parts of the world and who carry a spark of the God’s light and love in their hearts.
Difficult are the times oftoday. The humankindhas been sinking down more and more to disbelief and atheism, while the money and other earthly goods tend to become a new ‘god’ for the people.
Nevertheless, nobody gives up in the Heaven. Love had to come through many challenges on earth in two thousand years. But, it has survived and is still cherished in many bright and kind hearts. The struggle for eachof such light souls continues today.
* * *
It was Mike’s birthday and he was lying on a surf board far away from the shore thinking. Waves were asbadas they could be, but it did not upset him much. The morning sun beamed happily on the water surface as before and it was quite enough for him. To be honest, Mike wanted to spend this morning far away from everyone and everything, alone with the sea and his thoughts. He had something to think aboutindeed.
The past forty-five years changed a lot in Mike’s life, a lot, but far from everything. These years did not touch his soulmuch. He was still the same hopeless romantic,as hehad been many years before. Mike has always tried believing in a fairytale, but, speaking frankly, all of his ‘fairytales’would have either a banal or a sad end. The most unpleasant thing was that some of them would not even come to an endfor some reason.
Mike dived under a small wave crest and shook his head. The birthday…He knew in advance everything to the last detail about this day. He knew who would come, he knew what each of them wouldparticularly say, and even, what they would eat. He knew as well that many of these wishes would be said just habitually. Since his childhood, Mike’s soul hasfelt wellevery insincerityoccurring and it was something he could not help.
Once, a cheerful fellow said to him over a beer in a bar:
‘Mike, try congratulating nobody for the whole year. The one who will come to your birthday after that is your true friend.’
Mike wished to try out this advice incredibly, but it was beyond manners of that place. This is unaccepted, that is unaccepted, this will not be understood, this is forbidden… Oh God, at times,Mike would be so sick of all these formalities he had to follow in this life. No storm could make him that sick.
Many friends and acquaintances often envied him. He had all those things most of them were striving for: a good house on the water, a beautiful wife, polite children, good business and even, a large white yacht – the envy of all the men-neighbors. While Mike was lying on hissurfboard, he envieda merry twenty-year old guy who was swimming nearby. He would also have such a bright and happy facesome time before. He could afford himself being that free and light-heartedcompletely.
The only gift Mike could wish for his birthday was a gift for his soul. Mike looked at the sky and sighed. He did not much believe inthe God everyone wouldbetalkingabout. At the same time, Mike has never doubted that He exists. And he often appealed to that One unfathomable.
And then, he looked at the sky and thought: ‘It would be nice if something suddenly changed in my fade life today. Hey, are You there? Hear me…’
Having said that,Mike began turning his board to the shoredully – it seems that today he has to swim again to come back. Suddenly, there arose a big wave, which he impressivelyrode right to the beach. Mike smiled at heart to his first success of this morning and headed to his car. Having takena showerquickly, he decided to check his clever smartphone – someone’sgift forhis previous birthday.
There was only one message from Josh, his old friend in Australia. Mike liked scuba diving with him from time to time at some distant reefs. Josh was a very cheery and light-hearted chap, who sometimes liked to hide underwater from all these never-ending problems.
The letter began:‘Dear Mike, one day, we discussed a nice idea of diving at some little-known places. My Russian friend Yegor and I arejust planning an interesting expedition to suchreefs having a good chance of finding a shipwreck there. If you are interested, please, let me know. Sincerely, your friend Josh’.
Hardly Mike finished reading this short message, his hands began to shake with anticipation. Not hesitating, he started typing a reply, but then, he gave up this sickening form of communication and took a good old notebook from his bag, where he had Josh’s phone number.
Half an hourlater, he sat on a sandy beach smiling,looking at the skyblithely. ‘I don’t know, who You arethere, but thank You for such a birthday gift’, Mikesaid in his thoughts.
* * *
Yegor waited with patience of a philosopher for these endless negotiations, he was then conducting, to finish. Someone may have been interested in these unending gatherings, where they discussed many of the most important issues of a future construction, but for him. Yegor yawned, but keeping to good manners, he covered his mouth with a palm.
He was a director of a small construction company, who were conducting negotiations with a new client regarding a plan of their next building project. Yegor sighed againfatefully. Of course, he had to earn money. His large family and numerous subordinates always had a surprisingly good and healthy appetite and Yegor liked to feed them well. Well, what can a man do? Once, he gladly tookthese attractive and tempting director’sreins. Then, after all these years, he has only beendreamingof getting rid of them fairly and quietly.
Finally,the negotiations came to an end, Yegor said goodbye to his visitors and immediately dived into the Internet. Thatisright, there was a message from Josh! His Australian friend sent new information about their upcoming expedition on the Swain Reefs. That was whereYegor’s soul and real lifebelonged to! The rest was just means needed to turn these plans into reality.
One day, when Yegor was eleven years of age, he had a chance to divewith scuba for the first time in his life. Since then, the sea would not let him go. All his free time,Yegor spent travellingwith his friends to various beautiful reefsof the world. To be as independentas possible in these places, Yegor honestly worked all the way of a diver from an ordinary diver toinstructor. So, he had much more freedom to choose places and to conduct independent diving.
His Australian friend Josh recently became a diving instructor as well. Given that he was a lawyer by profession, Yegorwas accompanied underwater by an incredibly rare earth hybrid, though,by a very kind anda cheerfulone.
Yegor met him many years ago, whenhe applied to a law firm in Australia for advice. He liked this tall and attractive Australianimmediately, who alsowas a diver. Yegor was even more surprised, when he found out that Josh often puts everything aside and travels alone to outback for a week. Yegor, who sometimes also liked hiding in some wilderness from all these endless issues, realized that letter of Australian law did not leave a serious imprint on Josh’s romantic soul.
Later, they became very close friends and it was seldom they would not spend their vacationstogether, either with or without their families. Taking into account that both of them had painfully creative natures, it was not surprising that in the course of time, they cameto such an interesting project as searching for shipwrecks.
Yegor looked at his watch and dialed his home number. It was spring in Moscow and children had to go to school. That is why, this time, he flew to Australia alone. Although, his family usually spent school holidays togetherwith him at some interesting reefs. Veronika,Yegor’s wife and their children also liked diving and underwater world, having dived a lot with Yegor.
Having called his wife, Yegor immediately dialed the number of Singapore airlines from memory. The voice of an operatorgirl that he heard from the handset seemed the most beautiful voice in the world to him.
‘One ticket for the nearest flight to Brisbane, please,’ Yegor pronounced a sacred password that opened a door toanabsolute freedom for a couple of months.
‘There is one ticket for tomorrow,’ he heard an absolutely correct ‘response’ of a sweet-voiced operator.
* * *
Josh looked at the stars. They were always closer and brighter in a desert. He was lying on the roof of his trailer with a thermos of hot coffee thinking. Nowhere else in the world could he think so clearly as there, in an uncouth desert, alone under the stars.Thoughrecently, hestarted enjoying thinkingon upper deckof a ship somewhereat distant reefs during his diving trips.
However, there were advantages and disadvantagesof its own. The main disadvantage was that he ran out of coffee two times faster in these trips: his Russian friend and his diving fellow Yegor never refused a cup of coffee he was offered and would not take his sad lookoff Josh’s thermos. Although, there were moreof advantages. Yegor was also a romantic and their endless conversations after the diving often led them to such interesting places, where they would gladly stay.
For example, one day, they decided to create their own small diving center with aninteresting feature. For divers’ amusement, they would drive through remote Australian villages and bought old iron things – irons, various old tools, etc.
After that, they planned to drop all these thingsto the sea floor and leave them there for a year or so, and then,scatterthem on the way of their future guests,the divers. For that, having dug the things in the sand slightly… It would not be good to deprive themof their own discoveryjoy.
Josh and Yegor were about to go for this old scrap metal, which would later stand in the most honorable places in the homes of the divers from all over the world, but suddenly, a new idea came to their mind. For some reason, the friends decided have a look at general information about shipwrecks at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Soon, it becameobvious that they should move just in the opposite direction, preferably not by car, but by a good ship.
Josh smiled remembering this and poured some more coffeeto himself. After all, it is good that at times no one is begging it from you, lookingat it piteously with innocent eyes! Having sippedhis coffee,Josh looked at the stars again. He always felt comfortable looking at them. He had looked at them as a child, as a teenager andthen, he was looking at them as well. Life around him was flowing and changing, while the stars always remainedthe same.
And there he was: a respectable lawyer with a big family and a good house. However, he did not become muchhappier because of that. Certainly, he loved his family very much and always took care ofthem. But, there was something crucially importantfor him in this world, something that did not depend on the environment, place or time. Something that his soulhad alwaysbeen in need of; so much he needed it that he seemed to lack air without it.
That is why Josh has never stopped communicating with the stars. No one could understand him better than they did. Well, but for the romantics like him, maybe. There were only two such romantics in his life: Yegor from Russia and Mike from California.
Josh was finishing his last cup of coffee and suddenly, he realized that he was full. He shook his fist in the direction where Russiawas and finished his drink out for spite – it was because of his Russian friendthat Josh’s stomach had become smaller. To be honest, Yegor would be helpful with his eternal thirst for coffee at that moment there. Well, not to worry, he and Mike were coming there very soon and Josh would regret about such moment of weakness.
Josh looked at the stars for some time more andthen, he turned on his side. He had to return thenext morning…
* * *
Bob was weary having nothing to do. In order to entertain himself a little, he opened a magazine that was left by one of his yesterday’s guests. The magazine opened atthe page with a description of some fashionable party in Sydney. Bob yawned.
Why all these people on the photos try so hard showing their white teeth? Sometimes, it seemed that it was not a magazine that he was reading, but an advertising leaflet of some dentist. Bob tried to smile in the same way in the mirror in front of him and shuddered unwittingly. No way! He will smile as he wishes to.
Bob threw the magazine back on the table,accidentally knocking off an empty tinof yesterday’s beer. After that, he looked at the window. A bright sunliterally ordered him to get out and run from this suffocating air of thedog-house. The lad quickly put on his t-shirt, took the phone that he was inseparable with and ran into the yard. Having walked down the alleyfor a while,he satdown on a cozy bench in the shadow under a blooming tree and began checking his messages.
Kathy wrote that if he did not show up, he would not see her again. Bob smiled broadly. It was apparentthatbykeeping silent, he awakened in a restless Kathy an infinite thirst for huntinghim.
‘Maybe I should try answering her someday?’ Bob thought cheerily and opened the next message.
His old school friends called him to some party with lots of girls in Brisbane. ‘Oh my God,’ Bob thought and swiped the message.
The next one seemed to be interesting. His Uncle Josh from the Gold Coast wrote that he was going for a trip on a catamaran to distant reefs. He invited Bob to joinhim,warning thata mobilenetwork might not be available there.
‘That’s a good idea!’ Bob thought to himself. He returned tothe Kathy’s message and, having looked at her grumpy facefor a moment, he immediately dialed his uncle’s number.
‘Distant reefs! That’s the place where no one can reach me,for sure,’ he thought joyfully. Besides, Bob always liked to travel with Uncle Josh, who taught him to manage a catamaran and scuba diving gear. In general, he was a cheerful and easy-going home-bred philosopher, just like Bobwas.
After a conversation with his uncle, Bob strode cheerfully towards the sea. But then, he suddenly felt ashamed: he imagined how upset Kathy would be. He fought with his conscience for a moment and quickly found a compromise:‘Anyway, I need to meet her before I leave’, he thought and,having instantlyacquired harmony in his soul, he continued his way.
* * *
Seven snow-white angels were sitting on a beautiful shore of the Heaven Sea talking to each other. Among them, there were angels who we know already well: Nias, Few and Asli, andthere were new angels: Sain, Manif and Leila, who came to Heaven about two thousand years ago. Thename of the seventh angel was Ikos. He was a former mentee of Manif and had come there not long before.
The angels ware discussing difficulties their Father had in those days leading the people towards their happiness. Everythingchangeddramaticallyduringthese years. Only four out of seven angels had their wards on Earth.
Angel Sain helped Josh, a romantic Australian; angel Nias was always close toMike,a cheerful American; angel Asli took care of a joyful Russian chap named Yegor;amerry Few did not take his eyes off young Bob.
As all the wards of the angels and the angels themselves liked the sea very much, the Father allowed them to organize an interesting expedition to little-known Swain Reefs. It was not surprisingthough, as the biggest romantic in the world wasthe Father, of course. Heshould have helped his children to restfor a couple of months from all this sticky and restless civilization in such a beautiful place, where there was nothing but the sea, the stars and the sea breeze, where He is much closer to them.
And,as forshipwrecks,hewill see! He will give something,of course, if they do not forget about the stars there, if they do not become too much excited with treasure hunt, but remain cheerful and light-hearted lads.
‘Right, my friends, it is not easy for the Father to lead the humans towards the goodness today,’ Sain continued the angels’ conversation. ‘Everything was differentin our times: almost everyone believed in God, and the people’s life was much simpler and clearerthen. Few things could distract us from right thoughts and feelings.’
‘Exactly,’ angel Nias supported him. ‘When I helped you two thousand years ago, you would look at the stars almost every night. You thought about eternal, high things. Now,the people look at starsof filmsonlyon earth. Fewof them look at the sky and, in fact,not so often.’
‘That isnothing, my friends,’ angel Asli entered the conversationbriskly. ‘Everything is not so bad. Now, we take our wards to the distant reefs, andthen, the Father will surely come up with some brilliant idea. It is sinful for us to complain about ours,look: they are so kind and romantic. Sometimes, when other angels tell of their wards, I become frightened even.Poor them, what means haven’t they used trying to melt their wards’ hearts in this cold and fussy world.’
‘Thatis for sure!’a cheerful Few caught up the topic.‘Our wards aredoing it well! And the Father will think of something to push themfurther in the right direction. He chose such a favourable placefor it! As if it was specially created for different unusual events and miracles. Maybe they will find a real treasure among this underwater scrap?’
All the angels laughedloudlyat an appropriate joke of their friend and joyfully ran to bathe in the sea.There were no shipwrecksin the sea, thoughno one would look for them there.
Chapter 2.
The dots on the map.
The beams of the rising sun played merrily on the watersurface. Josh, Mike and Yegor were sitting at the round table on the rear deck of the catamarandrinking their morning coffee. Young Bob was still asleep. Mike and Yegor had heard a lot about each other from Joshlong before and, thus, they were on the same wave. Similar looks on life and common interests always draw people together. As for cheerful Bob, he seemed to like everyonearound, except for apparent bores.
And so,the divers met that wonderful morning, away from all the earthly concerns. In the middle of the table, there lay a detailed map of local reefs with many notes on it. From time to time, the friends looked at it sluggishly, hastily turning their eyes back to the igneous horizon. The map seemsto be useful amid dull occupations at home, as there it often acts like a windowto the world of future interesting plans. But here, it was much more enjoyable to look at the reefs themselves.
‘What do we startfrom, my friends?’ Josh's voice sounded at last.
Mike and Yegor took their looks off the horizon and stared indignantly at their peacedisturber. But, having timely remembered that he prepared their excellent morning coffee, they turned to the tablequickly.
‘Well, to begin with, we need to make a plan of our dives here,’Yegor was the first tospeak,as the most experienced diver in the group. It seemed that his business negotiations still chased him here, though they carried a pleasant treasure-hunting touch. ‘I suggest we dive in pairs, changing regularly. This way, everyone will have the same level of nitrogen in the blood. Bob will steerzodiac and pick divers out of water. The third person must stay on the ship all the time for safety.’
Having thought it over, Mike and Josh nodded in agreement. All of the drivers present there had skipper license and knew how to act in different circumstances very well.
‘I also suggest limiting the depth of our dives to thirty meters,for a start,’ Yegor continued. ‘At such depth, we will be able to see clearly ten-fifteen metersfurther belowus. There is no point in searching for the shipwreck deeper than that. A special equipment is needed there, which we don’t have.’
‘Would it be better, if we limit the depth of our dives to twenty meters?’ Mike joined the conversation, who also was a very experienced diver. ‘This way, we’ll easily do three dives a day,as a result, we willmanage to cover amuchbigger territory for the same time. And, frankly, it’llbe much more pleasing to find a ship at a shallower place.’
Josh and Yegor exchanged looks and nodded in accordance.
‘Which reef will we start diving from?’ Josh askedonce again and moved the map towards the center of the table.
Mike and Yegor looked at each otherperplexed and suddenly,they both burst out laughing, when they realized they were thinking about the same, seemingly.
‘Josh,we’ll certainly start right here,’ Mike saidto both of them. ‘To begin with, we will look at fishes, wash out our headswell and then, the idea of what to do next will come by itself. It comes to washed headsquickly. In addition, it does not matter where to dive: unexplored reefs, where no diver’s flipper have ever treaded on before, are everywherehere.’
Yegor agreed with him and smiled.
‘Whichpair will go first today?’ Mike asked his friends a little later and immediately suggested, ‘maybe,we’ll draw good old lots?’
No one objected. Josh quickly tore off two pieces of whitepaper and a dark one from a half-empty pack of coffee. After that, he put them in a big captain’s cap,someone’s gift for his birthday and stretched it out first to Yegor, and then to Mike. They both pulled out pieces of whitepaper. Josh smiled contentedly, as the law of Australian hospitality was observed in full.
Mike and Yegor finished their coffee and went to prepare their outfitwithout any haste. Josh headed to his nephewto wake him up.
* * *
Angel Glay watched with a smile Kathy, his ward,to either punch orkiss Bob’s picture. This lasted for the whole morning and it seemed that the energetic girl was not going to do something else.
Yes, the Father tied her heart tightly to his cheerful ladindeed! How can she learn to forgive without this tie? She would find someone else and that is all. So now, sit hereandkeep on hitting his picture, but don’t forget to kiss it sometimes, silly! After all, you feel good at such moments. It is your pride that hits him. It’s not easy to be happy so.
Little by little, Kathy began to calm down and began kissing the picture more often, and finally, having sighed blissfully, she smiled and put it under her pillow.
That’s much better, little silly. He won’t leave you anyway. Away and away for diving, and there he comes. And if you blame him less, he will return even quicker. The Father will take care of it, as only He decides for the people’s hearts. He will tighten one screw in his heart and Bob won’t be able to live without you anymore. Only a good behavior is rewarded.
The angel looked at the wall clock in Kathy’s room and nodded satisfied. This time, she whacked his picture byfour minutes less. Not bad, not bad.
Glay kissed Kathy’s forehead. After that, the girl sighed warmly, took Bob’s picture from under the pillow again and pressedit toher heart. The angel smiled finally and flew out the window. Outside, birds greeted him with a loud cheerful twittering.
* * *
Mike and Yegor swam along the reef slope overgrown with big fan-shaped corals. Both of them felt light and joyful at heart. Today,not every diver happens to divein a place, where nobody elsehas ever dived. Only fish and some other sea animals have seen this reef before. And, of course, the God,the One Who created it.
The friends did not hurry and there was nothing to rush for. Among all this heavenly beauty, all they wanted was to enjoy it and fill their souls with some childish delight. Multicolored flocks of small fish surrounded some corals like bright clouds. The sunlight, penetrating the water, cheerfully played and gleamed on sandy spots of the sea floor. Sometimes, larger fishes swam past the divers: various types of tuna, groupers, and small reef sharks.
Once, a huge black skate swam past them. His languid wavy movements harmonized perfectly with the general rhythm of this reef. No oneand nothing was in a hurryhere. Well, but for some fish that sometimes escaped from the teeth of larger species. And then,peace and tranquility restored over the reefimmediately.
Mike and Yegor swam to the southern reef end and saw an entrance to some large cavern. Having switched their flashlightson, they headed inside. In the darkness, their beams of light flashed upon incredibly beautiful and colorful pieces of unearthly world.A giant grouper, who apparently was the host of this cavern, gave them waybeing confused. There, Mike and Yegor should have seemedsome bubbling aliensto him.
Suddenly, they saw the light glimmering around the next corner of thecavern. Mike and Yegor immediately guessed that it was one more way out of this underwater cavern. They headed towards it,at timesswimming through big clouds of small underwater fish. The darkness was lighting with every movement of their flippers and very soon,the friends approached a wide exit from this grotto.
Having reached it, the friends stopped abruptly: a giant manta ray was circling around just by the exit. Like a big plane, it performed aerobatic maneuvers in front of the divers. Actually, it was only hunting for plankton and small fish that swam there in abundance. However, the friends preferred to believe that Neptune himself organized a beautiful ballet on their visit to the reef.
The divers sat solemnly and gratefully in the front row of the underwater cinema and began to watch the performance.
* * *
‘So, gentlemen!’ Josh began. He looked especially solemn in the rays of the setting sun. ‘We have to make a plan of our future dives on these reefs. Any suggestions?’
Yegor, Mike and Bob glanced at each other and propped up their heads with the fists thoughtfully. For a few minutes, one could hear only the sound of waves washing the side of the ship. At last, Yegor raised his head and looked at his friends first.
‘Gentlemen, our beginner treasure hunters!’he spoke out following Josh’s manner. ‘What do you think about intuition?’
‘Very good,’ Mikereacted immediately.
‘And I would already be dead without it,probably,’Josh added passionately.
Bob nodded positively too. Maybe, he did not even have the idea of it, but a true Australian will never spoil thefriends’ company.
‘Great!’ summarized Yegor. ‘I won’t take a single step without itmyself. Besides, there is one interesting word in the Russian language – avos’. A foreigner can understand its meaning only after he has challengeda bottle of vodka… Speaking seriously, it means that a person hopes for something illogical and opposite to a common sense. It’s nonsense, certainly, but in Russia,it seems to work and that’s why this word is rather popular there.’
Yegor waited until his friends took breath after laughing and continued.
‘So, we havegot only one paper map. But, there is also an electronic version too. I suggestthat each of you pinpoint randomly ten spots that look interesting and promising regarding the possibility of finding shipwrecksthere.’
Yegor took a sip of juice and finished his speechcheerily:
‘Well, after that, we will compare these maps. Avos’, something interesting will come out of that.’
The other friends at the table looked at each other. One could apparently see interest and curiosity in their eyes.
‘I like it!’ Mike answered firstand added, distorting a new Russian word in a funny way,‘Avos. Hum… I’ve heard only about ‘Russian roulette’. I hope that it is something much luckier. Anyway, it means we’ll either waste twenty minutes or will have some curiousresult.’
‘I’m in too!’Joshreplied. ‘It’s quite unusual, of course, but there is a flavor of mystery in it. At least, it’s funny.’
‘And what about you, Bob?’ Yegor asked the guy.
Bob gave an affirmative answer in a cool Australian slang and raised high his finger.
‘Then, come on!’ Josh summed up and went to computertable to make copies of the map for all participants of the game codenamed Avos.
* * *
The angels were happy. Today, the Fatherhas managed to lead his ‘treasure hunters’ in the right direction. The Russian word avos that Yegor remembered in time helped himmuch. That’s quite a good start and gradually, these romantics might be led close to someof more serious discoveries in the future.
‘Great job, Asli!’ Angel Nias complimented his friend. ‘You have managed to put that avos’ very timely in Yegor’s head, when he was propping it with his fist.’
‘Right, it was quite challenging,’ Asli responded laughing. ‘These Russians have verytough heads, sometimes.’
‘But they can keep these thoughts well in such headsafter that,’angel Few caught up the joke. ‘This word has been circulating for several centuries in Russia and won’t be forgotten yet.’
The angels burst out laughing.
‘Well, now we should lead them further in this direction,’angel Nias continued after a short pause.
‘The Father will think somethingup,’ Sain entered in the conversation.‘Something very assuring should come out for them from their decision of acting by intuition.’
‘I think, the Father has thought something uplong before,’the angel Few said. ‘Andas always, we have to listen to Him well and convey that to the people.’
‘That’s right! The Fatheralways finds so beautiful solutions that I’m still wondering at them,’ the angel Sain smiled.
‘You don’t say so!’ Asli said laughingly. ‘When He prompted me about avos’, I immediately realized that it would work.’
Then, the angels stood up.
‘Well, my friends,’ Nias said to the angels cheerfully. ‘Will we fly on earth to help our romantics to point places on the map correctly?’
All the angels laughed and the ones, who had their wardson the earth, flapped their wings.
‘I adore this job!’ the angelFew said with a broad smile flying.
* * *
Four pairs of eyes peered with interestinto the computer screen,where Josh was summarizing the information. He transferred the dots of allthe Avos’ game participants on one map and, in ten minutes, he finished the job. The computer screen had exactly forty dots onit. Many of them were scattered, but one look at the screen was enough to see that the Avos’ game participantshad three areas with dots quite close to each other.Moreover, there were four dots in two areas and only three dots in one area. There were no other close matches on the map.
‘Well, what can I say? We have not got perfect matches, but these three areas should be paid a special attention,obviously,’Josh spoke after some time.
‘I agree,’ Mike caught his thought. ‘If we continue with the Avos’ plan, we should start diving there first.’
‘Gentlemen,’ Yegor joined the conversation, ‘even if these coincidences are just nonsense, we will feel anxious, until we check all these places. Besides, we still need to start somewhere.’
‘I have never imagined that serious misters may engage in such a nonsense,’ Bob interfered with a laugh. ‘But I absolutely enjoy it. Just like a new super game in 10D format.’
‘Our whole life is a game, dear Bob, and namely in this format!’ Uncle Josh said to his nephew, meaningfully raising his forefinger.
And, namely for such philosophyBob likedhim.
‘What place do we visit first?’ Mike asked his friends.
‘I’d prefera place with three dotsonly. All good restaurants serve a small dish of salad first and the main dish comes only after that,’ Yegor suggested with a smile.
‘Accepted,’agreedJosh, who also liked to have a good meal. ‘Besides, this place is almost in our way, just a couple of miles aside.’
While the friends were sitting in front of the computer, the sun dropped behind the horizon. The beautiful starry skysparkled with all its gloryabove them. The friends returned to the table on the rear deck and looked at this beauty for several minutesin silence.
‘The stars remind me the dots on our mapin some way,’ Josh put forward a romantic observation.
‘There is something in it,’ Yegor agreed. ‘And in some areas,the stars are concentrated moretoo. Maybe there are also some treasuresthere?’
‘Probably, there are,’ Mike made a small contribution to an overall romantic air and,then brought everyone back to the ground. ‘Well, we’ll surely never be able to checkthat. Let’s go to bed.’
All the friends smiled. After a quarter of an hour, they went to their cabins. An early passage to a new placewas planned for the next day.
Inthe Heaven, the angels of the romantics were smiling broadly as well. Their wards had come up with right brilliant ideas that day…
* * *
The Father smiled looking from Heaven at the dear divers,who were sitting atthe computer with a mapopened in it.
Intuition… It’s so great that they learn to trust it. After all, this is themost direct connection with Him. And sometimes, it can be pure, very pure. All the angels in the Paradise always hear His voice correctly. When they have to make a decision, they have noslightest doubt about it. That is so, because they have pure souls and live in kindness and loveall the time.
The people can also hear the Father’s voice all the time. Heartfelt poetry, scientific discoveries, and beautiful music – these allare from Him. The Father always shares with his children everything they ask for. Even if these children are far away from Him, still He cares about them and helps them. Moreover, if they try seeking Him in their earthly life or, at least,they step on the way towards kindness and love, then the Father comes to meet them with a great happiness.
After all, His wholejoy of the Father is to be pleased with success and happiness of His children. There is nothing complicated about it. Even earthly loving parents are always happy about the success of their childrentoo and need nothing, butthis and the children’s love. While the joy ofthe Heavenly Father is million times purer and brighter.
And, of course, the Father always helpsall His children to make right steps and take right actions in different situations. In various parts of the world, an ability to hear the Father’s voiceis called differently. Our romantic friends liked the word ‘intuition’.
The Father smiled. Indeed, yesterday they found another good word – avos’. Actually, it means trust to something more than earthly rules, that is, the trust to Him.
Of course, everything in this world comes from Him and to Himeverything returns;it is so. But how pleasant it feels, when You are surrounded by manydear, kind and loving children. The true children of the Father, of whom He always takes carewith a special warmth.
As for the intuition, His voice, that is, all the peopleon the earthcan hear it. This is like the main radio wave there. It canalways be heard clearly, if a person has the right ‘antennas’ to catch it. So, the less a human being is sunken into frustration of the world, the kinder and calmer he is, the more of love he has in himself, the higher his antennawill be andbetter willhe hear the Father’s voice. And vice versa.
The Father looked again at the dots on thedivers’ mapsmiling. Right, his romantics,purified by the sea, had very good ‘antennas’. They wereclose, very close.
The Father burst with laughter once more, having remembered their Avos’ plan. Oh, those children, how many names they callMe!
Chapter 3.
The everyday life of the treasure hunters.
Bob was cooking breakfast. He wanted very much to be helpful on the ship and yesterday, he convinced his uncle to let him cook spaghetti for breakfast, a dish that he himself loved very much. When Josh asked him whether he knew how to cook them, Bob only responded with a confident nod. In fact, the young lad had onlya recipe of the dish saved in his phone, but Bob was sure that it was as easy as cooking.
Bob opened a file called ‘SpaghettiallaCarbonara’ and got down to cooking. He followed every step of the recipe in detail and even began to think of working as a cook. It is saidthat the cooks earn a lot, but the only thing to do was to follow the instructions and add ingredients in the right order and in proper time.
The first doubt regarding easiness of this professionarose in him, when oil on frying pan suddenly caught on fire. Bob extinguished it quite quickly by covering the pan with a lid. The second doubt appeared, when he ripped the spaghetti off the sides and bottom of the pot stirring them. Despite that, Bob bravely overcame these insignificant difficulties and breakfast was served at six-thirty exactly.
The cheerful friends came out of their cabins in anticipation of their firstactual dive in search of shipwrecks, but only after a short passage and a delicious breakfast,of course.
‘What do we have for breakfast today?’ Mike asked first,sniffing the air.
‘Spaghetti alla Carbonara’, Josh replied proudly instead of Bob and added, ‘cooked by my dear nephew!’
Meanwhile, Bob was standing at the stove blushingfrom happiness and trying hard to look indifferent to this high praise.
‘Oh, really!’ Yegor said being surprised by the words of Josh. ‘Well, many people can follow the example of Australia. I am forty-eight and still can’t cook properly.’
Bob’s heart sank again. The divers sat downat the table.
‘Well, Bob, uncover the pot,’ Mike spoke out solemnly and the lad pulled the lid of the pot. The latter wouldn’t open… Apparently, pieces of spaghetti stuck between the pot and its lidhaving glued itsecurely. Bob used some more efforts; the lid champedand opened way to the dishat last.
‘It smells somewhat strange’,saidYegor, who was sitting near the pot, and added, ‘it seems that we have a slightly different recipe in our Russia.’
Josh prepared to lay out the dish and was the first to dive his fork into the pot. After that, he began to wind the spaghetti on it. The other divers could clearly see how muscles rippled under his skin. The fork wouldn’t turn at all…
‘Bobby,’ he addressed gently the nephew, gradually increasing the force, ‘what’s the last time you’ve cooked spaghetti?’
‘Right now,’ the guy answered, gradually losing his interest in the profession of a cook.
‘And before that?’uncle Josh asked even more gently and finally pulled the whole reel of spaghetti out of the pot.
‘Well, I sa-aw the mo-othercooking and r-read the recipe,’the lad replied slowly, syllable by syllable, not taking his eyes off the mopof food on his uncle’s fork.
‘Ah, I see,’ Josh sighedand began to cut the spaghettia la Bob’s like a bread on his plate, serving it to his friends.
‘Pour some more sauce, gentlemen!’he advised everyone at the same time. ‘More sauce…’
Almost no one talked during the breakfast. The friends fostered all their efforts to unstick their jaws, smiling to Bobat times, in order to support him and demonstrate that everything was not so bad.
* * *
Jesus sat next to the Father and looked at earth, where He once lived and that he left two thousand years ago. The life of the peoplethere has changed so much since then! Only human souls remained untouched since that time, each of which still seeks happiness and loveon its own. It seeks, but seldomitfinds.
And, it is despite hundreds of ‘recipes’ for happiness that humankind invented in thecourse of its long history. A soul needs not hundreds, but only one reliable and time-tested way given by the God and the Creatorof all these souls. Namely this is what the people lost and distortedin many aspects; somewhereto a greater and somewhere to a lesser extent.
Jesus sighed. Then, He did notknowthat the simplicityHe had brought to the peoplecould be distortedso muchand in different ways. Nowadays,the people preach such odd and bizarre ideas from His name! And all of that ‘grew out’ from his simple words about love and forgiveness, about honesty and mercy, about faith and kindness. He had not told them anything that would be more difficult to understandthen.
How much violence has been done over these years by people hiding behind His name. These people, probably, have never read the Gospel with His wordsin it. It is not surprising that only few people today trust such His ‘followers’. And what such should be called in fact?There are dozens of themon the earth today and each of them interprets His teachingto his own taste.
It is difficult, very difficult for ordinary people to find a right way in all this confusion. They would better take His words and simply read them, but there is another problem – they will not take their eyes off the screens of TV sets, computers, and phones. Sometimes, they do not even have time to look at the nature. There is no place for miracles and eternal life.This all is like a fairytale to them.
And so, they torture themselves searchingfor happiness in places, where it has never existed. And earthly life is passing by… The life that was given to them with one and only purpose – to come toone’s own happiness, love and eternal life afterwards.A very short life…
Everything is so simpleindeed. A body needs food for life, and human’s soul needs love for happiness. A soul cannever be happy without it. Andof that, what leadslead to love,He told the people two thousand years ago. Much of thathas been forgotten or what is even worse – distorted. Sometimes, it is better not to go anywhere, rather than go ina wrong direction. Otherwise, you will have to return.
‘Yes, Father,’Jesus smiled sadly. In those times in Jerusalem, only Pharisees led the people in a wrong way, and now, it is difficult to count the false paths,even. It is not easy for the peopletoacquire the truth today.
‘Not much difficult than always, son. But there is too much confusion onthe earth these days, though. I’m sure we will thinksomethingup. Not a single soul that seeks us will be forgotten, not a single kind person will be forsaken,’the Farther looked warmly atthe earth and smiled. ‘You may not doubt about it.’
* * *
A fresh southeast wind blew that morning. The friends quickly weighed anchor and set sails. The trip to their next anchorageshould have taken slightly more than two hours, so Mike and Yegor pulled out spinning rods for fishing in order to pass the time efficiently. Bob sat down next to theminterested, while Josh was steering the catamaran and could only give themsome advice.
There is nothing tastier in sea voyages than a fresh and well-cooked fish. Besides, the friends had to clear off the aftertaste left after Bob’s spaghetti that apparently was far from the best one. We shall not call it ‘Carbonara’loudly, otherwise, Italy will declare war on usimmediately.
So, our friends attached the biggest spoon baits to their spinning rods and threw them into the water. Yegor accompanied it with a phrase from a Russian fairytale: ‘Let a big and a small fish be caught’, then he thought for a moment and added, ‘a big is better, of course.’
The sea was calm that morning and all the fishermen satthemselves at the table. They drank aflavoury green tea,glancing sometimes at their spinning rods that bristled from the ship’s boards. Fish always bites, when you least expect it. Mike’s fishing reel began clacking, when hewasreaching the climax of his brand new American joke. Having glanced apologetically at his friends, hedashed to his spinning rod. Bob and Yegor came closer after him too and observed what was happening with interest.
Apparently, the fish on the hook was not a smallone, as Mike’s spinning rod bent sometimes in a steep arc. In three minutes, the friends could distinguish the fish’s shadow in the water, quite big as well. Mike either pulled the fish closer to the ship or slacked the linefor another ten minutes. After all, everything ended well and soon, a large and tasty wahoo fish leapt on the deck.
Everyone congratulated Mike on his first success. After that, the senior divers began discussing loudly the best dish and sauce for the wahoo fish. For some reason, Bob did not take part in that conversation. It seemed that he would not be interested in the art of cooking for the nearest one hundred years.
After that, Yegor’s fishing reel began singing loudly. He took it quickly and tried to pull the fish up as well. However, on the other side of the line, the fish was too bigand strong: the reel continued to unwind. Feeling of strong jerks of the fishing line made Yegor think that he caught not a fish but a submarine. At one of these jerks the fishing line tore off.
Yegor said goodbye to the spoon bait and the big fish in his thoughts, and began to repair his spinning rod. In twenty minutes, he put a new line out,murmuringthat phase in a different way: ‘Let big and small fish be caught. A big one, of course, is better, but let it beunder twenty kilos or so.’
* * *
Josh had been searching a sandy bottom for the ship to anchor for a long time, as a true diver-captain is always trying to save the corals. Finally, anchor noisily went underwater andthe friends slowly began setting out for diving. It was the first place out of the three ones they had marked on the map. There, the dots of their unusual Avos’ plan were scattered most. That is why, the friends marked several points to dive in that area.
Mike and Josh were the first to go underwater. While, Yegor settled himselfcomfortably on the rear deck of the catamaran, having taken his friend’s thermoswith him. The friends still could not figure out how to drink coffee underwater, that is why,for the whole hour,the thermos was in full possession of the Russian coffee maniac.
Soon, the two fully equipped divers got into zodiac and Bob put off the ship. Yegor waved them goodbye from the rear deck with his one hand, while holding the thermosin another. The way to the place of their first dive was short and took only two or three minutes,as Josh managed to park the catamaran very close to the divers’ places of interest. Soon, the divers were on the spot and on Bob’s command, Mike and Josh somersaulted overboard together.
Underwater visibility was very good that day. The friends slowly swam down along the reef slope to an appropriate depth and then, they swamfurther with current. The divers didn’t forget for a minute about their treasure hunt – they were carefully looking at large detached reefs, trying to understand whether those were overgrown parts of some shipwreck or not. Although, even their overwhelming fantasy could not help them to see anything resembling a ship’s shape.
Although, they were not disappointed by the underwater life around them. They saw so much on the reef during that one hour! Several turtles, one of which swam close to the divers for several minutes, a couple of reef sharks, onegreynurse shark that looked very serious, but was not dangerous at all, and many other things. The corals there were very beautiful and vivid too.
At the end of the dive, Mike and Josh swam out to a beautiful sandy bottom among coral hills and stopped thereenchanted by the spectacle they saw. Five large graceful leopard sharks were swimmingabove the site. Despite their famous predatory name, they are absolutely harmless. And at that moment, their beautiful long tails were winding graciously in the waterfusing into one danceof the sea.
Mike took his camera from the pocket and shot several pictures. After that, Josh slowly swam out to the middle of the site. The largest shark, which did not even have normal teeth, moved towards a new visitor – either out of curiosity or simply to check whether he would be afraid or not.Josh, who had to deal with four childrenof his own, had nothing to be afraid of at all. Apparently, the shark realized that timely, turnedaside one meter from him and swam away, leading the other members of its ‘leopard’ school.
Josh was left in the middle of the empty field thinkingwhat to do further. Having sprawled onbeautiful bottom sand for some time, the friends checked air in their balloons and sent a beacon to the surface: it was time to come to the surface.
* * *
Angel Sain looked lovingly at his ward Josh. He knew how it felt. Once upon a time, a long ago, he was an earthly human too. He would feel similarly sadorhappy, trying to find the meaning of lifetoo. And he succeeded.
It was so long ago. Now everything has changed. His Josh dedicatedas much as fifteen years of his life to studying. The whole village, where Sain had lived,had studied less than Josh alone. Nowadays, many people on earth live like that. Nevertheless, for the Heaven,all that knowledge has little value. These ‘goods’ are onlyneeded for a short human life, though, frankly speaking, it is not always so. It does not lead the people to happiness and love–it doesquite the contrary.
It is very easy to miss the main thing because of that. The main thing does not need knowledge. The humankind reads many books of the authors whohadno education, though these books have travelled throughout many centuries. The point is that knowledge and happiness have only one source – the Father.And,discovering Him in your heart, you will openeverythingelse you need. And by using your head, you can open only a part of it, which is not essential for happinesseven.
Sain smiled. If only thosedearpeople knew, close to what they are going from morning until evening and live arm-in-arm. One day,each of them will find that out. Several times Josh managed to touch such blessing and these were the brightest moments, which he would never forget.
One way or another, every human being is looking for happiness in earthly lifeall the time. The happiness is the ultimate purpose of everything that a human being does. True happiness is hidden inside of usonly. This is our soul itself, if it is clean, free of all passions and full of love. Nothing on earth can be compared to the happiness that comes from a pure and loving heartof a human being.
Once, when angel Sain was a human, he discovered this happiness inside him. He discovered it and was astonished how simple the Father’s world was. Most of all he wanted Josh and all other people to discover that too. What a joyit is to live every day like a feast and to live so forever. The Father gave this possibility to all His children, to everyone without exception.
Sain lovingly looked at Josh who was steering the catamaran.‘Steer it, my dear Josh, but steer in the right direction,’he thought warmly.
* * *
The friends dined cheerfully at the rear deck of the ship, marveling at the sunset. The day that was ending did not bring them a shipwreck lying on the sea bottom, though Josh served an amazing lamb rack with a spicy sauce, it was not known which of these the divers were more pleased with.
‘Uncle!’ Bob addressed Josh,having thrownanother bone of the meat overboard, ‘what will other diversthink,when they discover this bone on a distant reef one day?’
‘My dear Bob,’ uncle answered with a smile, ‘it depends on a person who discovers it. For example, if it is a famous anthropologist, he will make a coherent and smooth theory about flocks of sheep that fed there many years ago. Maybe, he will even be awarded for that. Or, for instance, if a pretty blonde girl finds it, she will nag at her husband for the whole eveningthat the only thing they were eating for the whole weekon the ship is only fish.’
‘And if your Uncle Josh finds it,’ Mike added cheerily, ‘he will throw itaway deeper to save everyone from overthinking.’
After that, Mike threw the bone far into the sea, while his friends wereshaking with laughter.
‘Actually, it is very strange. How is it possible that people see the same thing, but make conclusionsthat are completely different?’ Bob continued his philosophical thought and rememberedabout Kathy unintentionally.
‘Different indeed,’ Yegor, who did not throw the bones into the sea, but put them in a beautiful pyramid on his table-napkin, joined the conversation. ‘It is much harder to find those who make the same conclusions. All our knowledge about the world, about everything that surrounds us is like a spyglass. We look through it at our world, but everyone has one of his own.’
‘Do you think that the people don’t have the same spyglasses?’ Josh asked him with a tint of curiosity.
‘No, never,’ Yegor replied.‘The people cannot acquire knowledge that is absolutely the same, there are always differences, and that means different perceptions. But sometimes, there are other cases. At times, these spyglassescan just be left out. After that, the people begin to see the world in the same way, but there’s nothing to do with their knowledge – it is somethingradically different. By the way, it includes intuition as well.’
‘Where have you read all this?’ Mike asked him with interest.
‘I do not know,’ Yegor answered. ‘I just see it so. Maybe, it is even better that I do not know or there might appear another spyglass.’
‘Mmm…’ Josh mumbled with a wise air and stretched his hand to cupboard for some wine.‘It seems thatnot only the Russian avos’ is unperceivable without a bottle of alcohol…’
‘That’s right,’ Yegor answered contentedly and took glasses from the other cupboard door. ‘Russia drinks because it is much sensitive!’
* * *
Angel Blos dipped his brush made offluffy feathers into the paint and made another brushstroke on canvas. His work was almost done. Friends of Blos, angels Anrie and Maty were sitting nearby, talking to each other cheerilyand watchingBlos’sartwork.The final brushstroke was made andat last, their friend put the brush down.
‘Thatis it!’he said and turned tohis friends.
‘Perfect!’ Angel Maty,who also liked drawing, replied and then added, ‘though, my dear Blos, I thinkit’s time to change your brush.’
The angels laughed loudly. The point was that for many years,one bird had been pullingthe feathersout of its tail for Blos’s brushes, but only on conditionthat Blos painted it in a corner of his picture. Nothing else could persuade the bird tomake suchsacrifice. Blos smiled andtook his brush againwith a sigh.
‘Well, it likes to be in my picture’, he said gladly, quickly drew the bird on the canvas and explained, ‘but, it likes to be drawn alone. Once, I drew a whole flock of these birds and thought that it would give me more feathers, but in the morning, I saw only one feather in front of the picture.’
While Blos’s friends were laughing at this news, he put his paintsaway and sat next to them.
‘Do you know’, Maty asked him, ‘that the wards of our friends Nias, Sain and Asli arenow looking for a shipwreck somewhere at the distant reefs in Australia?’
‘No way!’ Blos could only say. ‘That is a rare thing for the earth. I am sure that this trip will be for theirowngood. In such remote places, the people always hear the Father’s voice in their hearts better.’
‘Oh, I am so happy for them!’angel Anrie smiled, butsaddened instantly. ‘What things haven’t I tried with mine, but still he does the same: he spends the whole days at his computer and thinks only aboutthe money. That does not surprise me:it is all that he seesrolling every day. I can hardly send him on vacation once a yeareven!’
‘That is right, it is difficult for the Father today to reachthe people’s minds,while they are nottaking their eyesofftheir screens,’ Blos agreed. ‘It would be fine, if they see there something good or useful, but theyaremostly shown either bad news or silly advertisements.’
‘Well,I willtry dragging him further,’ Anrie said. ‘He is good and kindat his heart, but he cannot understandanything in this life, even though he is in his late forties already. In some twenty years, he will have to leave everythingon the earth anyway. Still, he thinks only about material goodsnever remembering about his soul. I feel so much pity for him…’
Anrie’s eyes filled with tears.
‘Don’t be sad, my friend,’ Blos hugged him. ‘Maybe the Fatherwill give you some prompt. Just keep trying to wake him up.’
‘Well, Anrie,’ angel Maty told him sadly. ‘So it goes, such arethe timesthere today. The Father gave the people aright to choose a life they like. We can only make some prompts for them, so far.’
‘I know, dear Maty,’ Anrie replied. ‘But I want so much for him to be happy. And there is no happiness in the place where heis always sitting.’
‘All right, my friend, enough with sad topics. The time goes and the Father is not sleeping. He will come up with somethinghe may,’ Blos stood upfrom his place. ‘And now, let’s fly to visit Nias and Sain, and swim in the sea togetherwith them.It has been a long time, since I have ridden that underwater geyser.’
Angels started tosmile again and soon, they flapped their wingstaking off.
* * *
The second bottle on the table was almost finished, when Mike and Josh began to understand something. As for Bob, he drank beer and was notmuch interested in philosophical issues.
‘Your country is so unusual,’ Mike said thoughtfully. ‘You do many things in a different way, generally.’
‘Right you are,’ Yegor agreed. ‘Sometimes, even I can understand nothing. Well, today, to be honest, it is boring in Russia, but in the old days… ever
