And victory is near

The glassy surface of the sea perfectly reflected the lush blue sky. However, today I couldn't see it because my thoughts were focused on the voyage. Yes, I knew I shouldn't set sail, as clouds were appearing on the horizon, heralding a storm. But the desire to sail overpowered common sense, and I couldn't think straight. I became wood in the fireplace for the fire, which insistently called out, and instead of politely asking for permission, it brutally, ruthlessly invaded my mind. Its expansion was successful. I thought only of setting sail. I imagined how, speeding along on the boat, I would feel the wind whipping against my face and watch another victory of the advancing bow over the churning water. I didn't feel the gentle breeze cooling me against the blazing sun and caressing my cheeks with a refreshing coolness.

I tried to resist mentally for a moment, but then I quickly abandoned my little house on the shore, jumped into the yacht, and with quick, energetic movements began to push the boat away from the shore with my oar. The set sails caught the wind almost immediately, and with a slight tug, I was moving swiftly across the water. I didn't look back for the house. I was very glad to finally have left it. But if I had looked back, I would have seen how quickly the clouds were growing and approaching me. Perhaps that would have worried me more than the dim awareness of the wrong decision I had made.

"Yes! Faster! Exactly!" The yacht sped across the water faster and faster. No wonder. The wind was also getting stronger by the moment.

As time passed, it also got colder, but I didn't notice it immediately, as I was excitedly rushing around the deck, enjoying the adventure.

I was lying on the beach. It was sunny and windless. I lifted my head and looked to my right. A woman was walking towards me. She was beautiful. Long, straight, black hair framed a delicate face. She had a typically European beauty, though her eyes seemed very wide. Pale skin, rather narrow, barely defined hips. She wore only a long, almost knee-length white blouse. I stood up and walked toward her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close. She wrapped her right arm around my neck, her left resting on my chest. I kissed her, slowly but passionately...

We lay side by side. There was so much tenderness in her eyes. But after a moment, sadness appeared. Tears welled up on my face too. It's not like that! This isn't the way! She cried too. She got up and ran inland.

Suddenly, I felt the first drop on my shirt. It worried me deeply. I knew what was coming. And indeed, a moment later, it started raining. I looked back and saw clouds that were rapidly beginning to cover the sky.

This worried me greatly. A real storm was brewing, and I was about five miles from shore. Maybe I could still turn around. But I knew it was truly impossible. With the wind blowing from the shore, sailing towards it was only possible by tacking, and that was very arduous work.

However, I had no other choice. I made a quick turn and began slowly sailing towards shore. It quickly became dark, as if evening was about to come. I steered the boat increasingly nervously. After the third tack, a moment after the boat had relatively stabilized on course, I slipped and fell. I was unharmed. However, as soon as I placed my knee on the deck and my hand on the gunwale, some premonition told me to look straight up. How black those clouds were! And then something strange happened. It was as if I had entered a windless zone. I looked around. In an instant, there was no wind! It was still very dark.

Dazed by this phenomenon, I made one serious mistake. I stopped paying attention to the mast. And as the boat was returning from its heel, it pulled the mast with it. This coincided with the moment I was starting to rise. My head was level with the boom, which was rapidly tilting.

I felt a powerful blow to the back of my head, and I was thrown overboard.

I don't know how it was possible, but I was almost losing consciousness in the water. I felt someone grab my arm. With a strong, decisive movement, I was pulled above the water, and a moment later I was lying on the deck of the yacht. A man was leaning over me. Even though I was almost unconscious, I felt an incredible majesty and gravity in this man. Fear gripped me.

"Don't be afraid," he touched my head. He lifted it gently and began wrapping it in something like a bandage. Before I lost consciousness completely, I realized who he was.

I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was the sky slowly clearing. I raised my head and at the same moment I felt the boat jerk. As if we'd reached shore. And indeed, he jumped onto the bridge and tied up the yacht. Then he stood beside me and said,

"I'm worried about you. And victory is near. Not every wind is an ordinary wind. You always have to look at it." His eyes were sad, but also calm. And something else. There was great confidence in them, determination. I felt safe with him. "Come on," he said, and offered me his hand, helping me up and onto the bridge. We walked toward my cabin.

Just before the entrance, he stopped and said, "Come on, come on."

"Friend. Don't let anything distract you from what's most important." He then went inside first. I stood in front of the door for a moment, digesting what he'd said, and then I went inside. No one was there. My friend had disappeared. I searched the entire room, but I knew—he was simply gone.

She looked around her cottage and didn't know why he was gone. He simply vanished. Finally, she decided to change. Her white sweatshirt was covered in sand. She had to take what he'd told her to heart.