“My mother had warned me there was danger in the woods, but I went for a walk anyway. And as it turns out, I’m not the only one.” – Hours later

foot. iStock by Getty Images, Maxim Belchenko

As usual, when I went mushroom picking, my mother had to give up the circus.

“Don’t go there!” It’s a hellish place.

I really wanted to tap my forehead, and would if anyone else was raving like that.

“Come on, Mama. I’ve been going there for years and I plan to go. The best mushrooms grow there, it’s all for me, because nobody bothers me picking them.”

– father The rest of the people understand!

– Well, when I look at the absurdities that are happening around me, I sincerely doubt it … muttered.

I zipped up my hoodie and pulled on my hat. My equipment consists of a basket, penknife, and rings. I don’t count the irony.

– You’re not going anywhere! said my mother, and like a ragtan in a house coat, she barred my access to the door.

“Mom, why don’t you come with me?”

Christ has left you! I waved goodbye.

Neighbors fed her gossip

I had no idea why she was so stubborn. What happened to her? She was always in her circus every time I went mushroom picking, but this time she went too far. I understood her a little, or at least tried to understand her; Once she had a very unpleasant adventure in the woods, because she got lost and wandered until dawn. From then on, she had a constant fear of any forest area. Fortunately, it didn’t scare me. I wandered through the bushes and forests whenever and wherever I could.

I spotted this grove some years ago; Mushrooms grew in it even where there was no alder anywhere else. Few people visited it, and the natives may have been afraid of the grove’s bad reputation. Apparently, two girls died violently, and the man involved in them disappeared and was never heard from. People said that His ghost haunts the area to this day. Moreover, apparently, some tragedy happened there later, and another. People were talking—and my mother was fond of repeating what she had heard in the wood—that bad things had happened in the dreadful grove.

I was in Ireland…

And everything is clear.

“Magel” was currently sitting at Irina’s house, The biggest gossip in the county.

“Don’t close your eyes, I beg you, because you will stay that way.” And these are not stupid theories. Hanka, Irena’s sister, in her youth made a date with a boy who dragged her there. To the garden I mean. Erka still doesn’t know what happened, but Hanka comes home so terrified that she hasn’t spoken to anyone for a week, and of course she doesn’t want to know the boy anymore. And Since then, Hanka has not gone to the forest at all.

“Maybe the flirtation was too intense…” she suggested with a crooked smile.

“Can you just sneer and sneer?” My mom was angry.

“Well, sorry, maybe something really bad happened to her, but from what you’re saying, it’s more about the boy than the jungle. I’ve been there a few times and I’ve never been attacked.” I didn’t feel any sinister atmosphere I didn’t see any symptoms.

“Because it all happened…today!”

“How are you today?! Mom, I beg you, like wounds, do not create…

– Well, years ago, however Today is the anniversary.

I sighed heavily.

“If you have all kinds of agrophobia, that’s your business. And I must wander through the trees, or else I’ll go mad with work. It’s the only thing that calms me, so please get out of my way if you don’t want a mad woman in the house.”

– Yes, that At least take your phone The mother’s voice calmed down a bit.

– For what? You called me every five minutes. That is why I go there to relax, unwind and not feel stressed.

“It’s better to be nervous than to regret being late,” she said angrily. Finally she let me through the door.

Suddenly I heard strange noises

I must admit that our local urban legend, or rather the forest legend, was very comforting to me. Everywhere, in almost every corner of the forest, I came across rubbish, and in my favorite place, near the town, nothing, always clean.

It was like this now, not a single piece of paper or plastic cup, not a single bottle or can. Even the bums didn’t like it here. Well, to be honest, it wasn’t the most pretty part of the wood, and there was no heather or mulberry bushes, and the leaves were a dull colour. Today it was raining every few minutes, and the sky was covered with thick leaden clouds. It didn’t bother me a bit. I wanted to make my circle and be home before dark.

And so I was wandering through this damp green darkness when I heard a disturbing sound. At first, I attributed it to the squirrels, who, like me, especially loved this area. But no… Something big and incautious was moving around here somewhere. like towards me. cholera. with all power I tried not to think about my mother’s stories.

I preferred to focus on jungle animals. For example, in the wild. I thought hard about what I would do if I came face to face with a curious pig or an angry pig. I cannot climb a tree because the large branches have side branches too high, while the small branches are too weak to support my weight. The penknife was not suitable for defence, but I had a great idea and found a branch with which I could fend off my aggressor if necessary.

I felt a little fasterWhen I swung the stick like a sword. Unfortunately, the theft seems to be getting louder and closer. There was also panting. I liked him less and less and he seemed less brutal. Because can a wild boar move its branches a meter and a half above the ground?!

In fear, I ran the other way to escape from him. I walked straight ahead, trying not to make any noise at first; Then I sped on, almost running, and stopped when I was within a few hundred yards of the troublesome thing. Tired, I sat under a large oak tree And I was relieved when I heard only my loud breathing, without suspicious rustling. I had to laugh at my stupidity. If I hadn’t heard these stupid stories, I wouldn’t be so scared.

I stopped cheering when I realized the situation was getting darker around me. The trees became thick and tall, so thick that the rain was almost impervious. And me I didn’t know which way to goBecause in the midst of escaping I didn’t care about my surroundings. Damn, I could have taken the phone!

I have been involved in a rescue operation

I got up and chose a direction at random, because I decided it was better to go than to stand and wait for God knows best. I promised myself that this time I wouldn’t be frightened by a supposed ghost. After a few dozen meters or so, it turned out that I could not go further, because Dense blackberry bushes blocked my way. I was entangled in it and unable to free myself for a long time, and every minute was precious, for darkness was falling around me at an alarming rate.

The cold deepened. Rushes, puffs, and crackles attacked me on every side. I’m beginning to understand how terrified my mother felt when she got lost in the woods. Panic can only hurt you, I said to myself, but wise advice is one thing and another to follow.

I kept trying to walk because it seemed to me that if I sat down somewhere something bad would happen and I wouldn’t be able to get up. It’s almost dark over Egypt – I could see no further than an arm’s length. I was fooling myself that I had finally found the right path. Unfortunately, when a large fallen log got in my way, I realized I was still lost. I sat on that stupid stump and cried.

Tired, cold and resigned, I stopped caring about the noise. Suddenly I felt something warm running down my cheek, something… like blood! I turned around completely paralyzed because I saw a nightmare from my mother’s stories! A large man with a long beard was standing above meI think he was talking to me, but all I could hear was nonsense. He was wearing a jacket and blood was pouring from his hands. He grabbed my arm tightly and yanked. Fear stabbed me like a catalyst.

I broke free and moved to the side, bushes tore at my face, branches and roots did not let me run, but I moved forward like a bulldozer. After a dozen steps or so – a miracle! I ran out onto the sidewalk, straight into the police car. I realized that I was only a few hundred yards away from where I had always entered the woods. I’ve been going around in circles, you idiot.

“There…there…” I gasped and pointed behind me. “There is this thug!”

– What thug? The policeman was surprised. We are looking for an elderly gentleman with dementia. got lost this morning. Older, bearded, wearing a jacket. did you see him

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I turned and ran back into the bush. I heard heavy footsteps behind me, so the police were after me. This time, reaching the fallen trunk and the lost old man caused me no difficulties, I led them like a chain. I couldn’t get over that I had never come across this fallen tree before. Well, the forest has its secrets.

My mother, as soon as she saw me — scarred, tired, and wet — began her old song. She summed it up in one sentence:

– Participated in the rescue operation! – but I did not intend to go into details.

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