We found each other at the winter camp site, while fierce snowstorms raged on the street and the February chill froze even the most fervent hearts. I came here with the goal of healing my nerves and taking a break from the bustle of the city, having overcome the five-hour road from Voronezh to this heavenly corner of the earth. The photos in the travel agency did not deceive me - I really found myself in a real fairy tale with white trees and snowy narrow paths luring the distance into the forest paths.

The prince appeared completely unexpectedly, though with a little delay, when I was already tearing off the last stingy pieces of elusive rest. He also, like me, came from a very distant unknown city for a couple of days to work as a DJ in the local disco. On it, we managed to get to know each other. Later, he casually sat down in a bar at a table for our noisy, intoxicating company, generously forcing all the free space with beer bottles.

And after some time, I shyly listened to cute nonsense, which he whispered enthusiastically in my ear, hiding in my long hair from the prying eyes of others. Distant uninhabited islands, gentle warm waves and small grains of sand on tanned skin, born of imagination from his words, circled me in a whirlwind of blind charm. I fled from them, and came across his soft lips. I tried to see the harsh reality, but invariably found myself in the grip of waves somewhere in the region of fabulous distant islands.

The next day in the evening there was again sand, waves and its delicate lips. He carefully warmed my heart, frozen from cruel intrigues of life, and I gratefully absorbed his life-giving energy with the whole organism. At dawn, I realized that he was leaving. Either my eyes suddenly became strangers, or I felt so keenly that I could read his thoughts.

This will be our last evening, you simply must be there! - with a plea I looked into his frustrated face.

I forgave. He was still there, and I forgave him. And the next day, squinting lonely from the bright sunshine, reflected from the dazzling white snow, she diligently convinced herself that the tears in her eyes were from these rays, and not from something else. “My sweet boy,” I carefully put out on paper words that he would never read. I wrote a letter to nowhere, and painfully realized that my prince already many kilometers from me was living his ordinary life at ease.

I waited for him exactly until the clock struck midnight. And then she was forced to admit defeat. Some important things unknown to me in another city turned out to be more important for him than my love eyes and uninhabited islands, which we created together.

When it became clear that it was already pointless to wait for miracles, I reluctantly sank to the ground with my friends having fun to the fullest. Outside the window, a blizzard frantically fought with impenetrable night, and I sat literally a few centimeters closer to the young man from our company. As the door opened in slow motion and everyone froze in shock. He stood on the threshold and frantically searched for me in the crowd.

I did not have time to move away, and these treacherous few centimeters were reflected in pain in his eyes. Naturally, I threw my beloved around the neck and hastily pulled him out into the dark corridor away from prying eyes. But he had already a little disappointed in me. Feeling guilty, I stood on tiptoe and impulsively kissed his cold cheeks. And she did not know how to do it so that he could see the delight and happiness that were raging in my heart.

We ran out into the street by the hand. The fierce wind instantly ruffled my long hair, realizing that I did not have time to put on a hat. A car stood nearby, indifferently illuminating the dying dances of snowflakes falling to the ground with their headlights.

I took a taxi. I came for you! Let's go faster, they are waiting for us.

Oh god - flashed in my head, - because he probably gave all his monthly salary for this risky journey in a government car!

Let's go! I will steal you! I realized today that I can’t live without you.

I stood in the wind and shook something in my hands in shock. It was both painful and very sweet. Life boldly and impatiently called me forward, and I firmly remained in place, wrapping myself from the cold into my unnecessary judiciousness. I was afraid to take the wrong step and fall into the abyss. I was afraid to become happy.

How did it all end? Who knows, maybe this is the very happy end? A large warm robe saves from winter colds, a huge gray cat sniffs sweetly in a chair, and I feel quite happy in a cozy home environment, because everything in the apartment and in the shower is neatly shelved.

But my fairy-tale prince, I hope, nevertheless forgave me.

Marina Bondar

"... Brega with a motionless river
Evened with a chubby shroud.
Frost flashed. And we are glad
Winter mother’s leprosy ... "
A.S. Pushkin

What a miracle this Russian winter is! In what other European, even northern, country will you find such a variety of winter landscapes that we can observe in the vastness of our vast Motherland.
Winter, as a natural phenomenon, is vividly distinguished by its purity and transparency, novelty and brightness, mesmerizing by the whiteness of the snowy expanses ... Just yesterday, a dull, untidy and bleak landscape of a prolonged autumn was visible in the window, and suddenly the frost hit, the snow fell, at first a little, then all is thicker and thicker. And in an instant everything was transformed. Where did the bumps and gullies, cluttered ditches, garbage from branches and untidy leaves go? Everything has disappeared.
From edge to edge of eyes, the endlessness of the snow cover pleases, which, with a fluffy carpet, hid from the eyes all the obscenities of autumn blemishes, unrecognizably transformed the whole the world and began the countdown of a new time in an endless series of natural wonders of life on earth. And after all, it is really wonderful that only in hard frost you can see amazing patterns on the window pane, which a rare artist could depict.
And how falling snowflakes look fabulously calm, they look like swan fluff, noiselessly descending from heaven to earth and turning into an untouched, pristine blanket, warming the freezing earth.
Only in winter can you enjoy the beauty of the snowstorm when the element is unstoppable in its outbursts, emits a wolf howl and a robber whistle, spinning snow dust into a huge spinning top, scattering it in different directions. : "... you can't see any zgi ...". After such a riot of nature, amazing traces of snow drifts remain, and a nagging sense of defenselessness and respect for the great power of nature remains for a long time in memory. I still remember how in our Siberian village in
I noticed the times of my childhood at home under the roof, and in order to be able to go out in the morning, adults had to dig out for hours, helping neighbors. And we, the child, were immensely joyful of the opportunity to climb freely on the roof of the house in the snow and head over heels into a snowdrift.
And how amazingly pleasant is the first strong frost at -40 degrees Celsius! The breathtaking from the ringing silence, broken by incomprehensible rustlings and crackle of trees (not for nothing they say: "... crackling frosts ..."). In such frost, the sun always shines during the day, and at night the sky is strewn with bright stars and the Milky Way is visible from edge to edge. Around the star appears a rainbow of radiance, mystically warning of a further decrease in air temperature. White smoke comes from the chimneys, rising up a column, the snowflakes around sparkle in a special way, and the snow under your feet begins to crackle like a cabbage leaf. Lyapota !!!
You feel a genuine joy when walking along forest paths in the first snow. There, unexpectedly, you can meet strange but clear tracks, looking at which you can imagine a bunny who has recently rushed past with an arrow or slowly, majestically past a forest giant with branching horns - a handsome moose. And near the edge, next to the bumps, there was a barely noticeable path of small patterned traces of a field mouse, which is the main prey for both the cunning fox and the wise owl, echoing loudly in the thicket at night.
The appearance of fluffy hoarfrost on trees and transparent ice on a river or lake. An ordinary-looking birch, decorated with a diamond scattering of hoarfrost, suddenly turns into an extraordinary beauty, from which you can not take your eyes off. And you will not immediately understand what is more pleasant for the soul - green leaves or iridescent whiteness of fluffy branches. And sonorous ice attracts the boys like a magnet, and, not paying attention to the warning crackling of a still weak ice cover, they with a bang and a dash roll dashingly along the slippery surface of the river. Beauty!!!
Constantly repeating harsh winters in Russia they created at the genetic level a completely different person even from the nearest foreign neighbors, who is always internally ready for any hardships and difficult trials in his life. He is not afraid of huge distances and half-empty spaces of uninhabited territory, harsh nature and a long period of cold weather. Rare people will survive in such unfavorable conditions for a normal life.
In Russia, winter was always held in high esteem, it tested the people for strength of spirit, tempered physically, encouraged development, helped in the fight against uninvited guests ... It was not for nothing that they always called her affectionately and touchingly: winter-winter, winter-beautiful, mischievous winter, mother winter ...

Everything is possible...
Vika was going home from the institute, it was a difficult day, the couple were boring, the time dragged on for a long time, and even the exams soon. In short, the day failed “but nonetheless it ended” Vika thought and smiled
grandmothers sitting near the porch “like a night watch” flashed through her head, the girl smiled again and entered the porch.
“Today is cool”, Andrei thought when leaving the institute, the couples were delayed today, so he was obviously late for dinner “I have to go to the store, it seems that there was one nearby for 24 hours ...” “hmm ... it snowed.”
None of them knew that this first snow would be their beginning ...
Warming up after a warm bath, Vika settled in a soft armchair and picked up a laptop. while she was thinking about the computer, the girl turned on and entered the search line with only two VK letters. The search results appeared immediately. Vika went to her page “hmm .... messages 2, groups 0, applications 93, friends 24, I wonder who it is?” mostly classmates from the institute and friends from the club were added to friends. Scrolling through the entire list and adding all who need and who do not need, she noticed another request “who is this?” she went to the page to Andrei, this young man’s name was called “hmm .... interestingly, it’s from one institute that he’s got it from the third year, but a year older, we’ll see the information: hometown-Krasnodar, date of birth January 27, 1992, yes a year older, dachshunds and now we’ll see the photo, and the boy doesn’t do it, cute ”the girl said with a smile and clicked on my page, while she climbed his page the number of messages increased“ so let's get started ”. Vika opened all the dialogs. The first message was from Andrei “hi there))) I already thought that you wouldn’t want to go here at all, I went to the music)” she was obviously surprised but packed up and answered “hi) but it just takes a lot of time to study and social. there is almost no network, so I rarely go in ... ".
“What difference does it make to me if I go or not ?! And anyway, how does he know me? ... ”but then the girl’s thoughts were interrupted by soft, creeping steps, at first Vika was frightened, as she sat in the dark room alone, but listening carefully she understood who her night guest was“ Marquis, kitty-kitty-kitty ” She called her kitten. The steps accelerated. "Well, you scared me." A dark fluffy lump came up to the chair and jumped into the arms of the mistress. After returning from the kitchen with hot tea and refreshments for Marquis Vick, she again sat down at the laptop with one new message “how was it a day?)” Without hesitation she replied “honestly, not really, but how about you?”
sms with the answer came literally in half a minute "how can I write so quickly from the phone?" flashed through my head "why not? I’m fine only the last lecture was delayed, but I’m going home here, it is snowing so beautifully, and I don’t feel like going home) ”“ Snow? Not really because the day dragged on for too long. ” “Yes, snow, the first time this year but with such large flakes)))” “You know, my mood rose sharply)))”
"why?"
“I adore when it snows, it becomes so beautiful) I’m sitting and looking on the windowsill now, honestly even my heart beats faster)))”
"Then you have a snow maiden) and where do you live?)"
"Near the park, but what?"
“Well, I'm just in the park now, can you come out? Anyway, I don’t feel like going home, and you love this weather too. ”
“A tempting offer) but I can see the snow tomorrow)”
"And if tomorrow he does not wake up to go?)"
"Maybe I'm scared"
“What?”
“Firstly: I don’t know you, what if you are some kind of villain who knows you?” Secondly: the night is already "
"Hmm ... reasonable, but I really call you to just take a walk, will you come?"
“You say to the park”
"Yep"
"Well, well persuaded) where will we meet?)"
"I will wait for you at the Christmas tree"
“I'll be good soon)”
"Waiting)"
Vika turned off the computer and began to get ready, put on a jincy sweater and jacket, “why am I doing this?” she herself did not understand why she was going there to meet a completely unfamiliar guy. But in the end, she found an excuse for her act "I just haven’t seen snow for a long time, but I definitely go there to take a walk under the snow," but still she had a good feeling about this walk.
After 20 minutes, the girl came to the meeting place, walked around the tree several times and frowned “well, where is it?”
“Are you looking for me?” Came a voice from behind.
Vika jumped up in fright, but when she turned around, she calmed down when she saw Andrey holding two glasses of hot coffee.
"Yes you", the girl smiled
“I just thought that it’s cold here and it would not be bad to warm up, here on,” with these words he handed her a glass with a hot drink
“Thank you,” the girl held out in surprise.
“Well, do I still seem to you a maniac?” - asked Andrei with a smile
“Actually, I was going to look at the snow,” Vika answered reddening
"Well, let's look at the snow"
they stood silently and looked at the snow flakes falling on the Christmas tree decorated before the holidays. It took about half an hour just that much time they stood and smiled at the snow, but then the girl turned and looked at her companion and burst out laughing
“What are you doing?” The young man asked, surprised at such an unexpected laugh.
“You have such a funny cap on your head,” the girl said through laughter.
Andrei touched his head and realized that because of the falling snow, a pile of snow formed on his head like a gnome's cap.
“Not something funny, it’s natural we stood for half an hour without moving,” Andrei unexpectedly flushed, but instead of stopping laughing, Vika took a camera out of her pocket and took a picture of it until he understood something.
"What did you take a picture of me with?"
"Yes" the girl answered still smiling
"Well, she asked for it herself"
" for what?" but then she saw how Andrey takes snow in his hands and makes snow out of it
“So only without nonsense” Vika tried to save her skin, but it was too late since the first snowball was already flying in her direction
" Ah well?!"
“Yes so” the guy answered with a smile
"Well, now I'm serious"
"So what?"
“But what” with these words, the girl threw a snowball at the guy and did not miss, that's why after that she had to run away from him for a long time.
They walked for about an hour, after which Andrei escorted Vika to his house and went to his home.
The next day, seeing each other at the institute could not restrain laughter
“Well, what shall we repeat our walk somehow?” Asked Andrei, smiling
“Only under one condition,” Vika answered smilingly.
“What?” The guy asked in surprise
“If it snows” ...
Friends, I am writing for the first time so I will be glad to all comments and critics;)