2. The Book of Knowledge. 10. 3. Fire

The BOOK of KNOWLEDGE,
a novel by Alexandra Kryuchkova
in the “PLAYING ANOTHER REALITY” series

PART 2. ANOTHER REALITY

Day ¹10

CHAPTER 10.3. FIRE

We had half an hour left before the farewell dinner with a disco in the restaurant. It was raining outside, the glass on the roof had already been removed. We were packing things to go home. Dr. Ma gave each seminarian a magic bag, so our physical bodies would soak in a bath of herbal tea at home. RAM invited us to go to her Fire in St. Petersburg for a weekend.

The Fire meant walking on hot coals barefoot.

“Have you ever walked like this, Daphne?” Sasha asked.

“Not yet.”

“I haven’t either. But will you go?”

I nodded, “Yes.”

“I will go, too!” Svetlana exclaimed happily.

“Daphne, it’s a bit scary… fire with coals… Tell us something clever in the end. When else will we have time to talk like now?”

“Fire is one of the Elements, Sasha. Plato once spoke of 4 elements: Fire, Air, Water and Earth, they make composite bodies. The four Evangelists and the images of Taurus, Eagle, Lion and Angel on their portraits in esotericism are considered as symbols of 4 elements, 4 principles and 4 Constellations, and the sign of the cross balances them. According to Pythagoras, the Cosmos consists of Fire – Spirit, Air – Ether, Water and Earth. In Buddhism, they talk about 5 elements. Fire appeared in the first cycle, then Air was separated from it, in the third cycle Water was formed from the vapors in the Air. Then Air and Water neutralized Fire, and the Earth formed from it hid Fire under its crust. Ether, as the fifth element, is the conductor of Wisdom, an attribute of the Subconscious. When the body is formed, the five primary elements work on creation, helping each other. When the body is alive, they coexist peacefully, and then come into conflict with each other, and the body is destroyed.”

“Ether, what is it like?”

“Ether is not sufficiently developed in our race, invisible to earthly vision, as if semi-material. In the next cycle, it will become a conductor of Knowledge for people. It will be a common phenomenon of Nature, as now, for example, Air. In general, Ether is a luminous, transparent, plastic, creative matter, the lowest aspect of Akasha. It’s believed that Ether brings dead worlds to life, and is the cause of Sound.”

“So what happens when it manifests?”

“The Higher feelings in a person will develop to a degree unusual for people of nowadays.”

“So were the elements known today invisible in the previous cycles?”

“They have evolved consistently. The Earth and all the other elements in the previous circles were not as we know them now. In occultism, it’s believed that the total elements are Seven: five are those I have listed, and two more are too early to talk about.”

“Are they dormant and will be revealed in subsequent cycles?”

“Right. But all seven elements are aspects of the One, just His various manifestations or faces.”

“Theater of one actor.”

“Correct.”

“Alice, are you saying that a person is made up of…?”

“These Elements are involved in the creation of man and the world around him. They affect all aspects of life. In each of us, one of them dominates the others. The doctrine of the elements and the classification of people depending on their prevailing element appeared in China. There is a special table of the Lunar calendar, according to which, based on the date of birth of a person, it’s possible to determine the leading element. In total, the five elements are a form of self-expression of the vital energy Qi.”

“Daphne, don’t talk about Qi, better tell us about the next classification of people. It’s somehow closer to the Earthly Reality. The main thing is not to get confused. You’ve told us so much in 10 days!”

“Alice, start with Water!”

“The creation of the Earth is based on Water. The alchemists believe that when the pre-Adamic earth was dissolved by the universal solvent to its primary substance, it was like pure Water. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the Water. It’s no coincidence that the Baptism of a person in Christianity is performed with Water and of the Spirit – with Fire. Our body consists mostly of water. Water is considered one of the healing means, because it has many exceptional properties. The Chinese called Water the Blood of Life. It instantly absorbs information, regardless of its volume. That’s the cause of pagan whisperings, and RAM teaches us to talk to Water. Holy Water and Holy springs acquired their properties precisely due to the ability of Water to absorb information, respectively, to change and have memories. The words spoken by the priest transform the structure of Water, increase its optical density in the short ultraviolet area of the spectrum by almost 2 and a half times. It can revive strength and purify the body not only on the physical level, but also on a subtle level, for example, to cleanse the astral body of negative energy.”

“Negativity should be discharged in the bath, Daphne, I get it.”

“Alice, what is connected with Water in the Earthly Reality?”

“Its cardinal direction is North, the season is Winter, the time of day – Night. Water is associated with the New Moon. All irregular, disorderly, horizontal forms are the element of Water. The material in the Earthly Reality is glass. Houses with large glass windows, glass tables, showcases. As for interior items – mirrors, aquariums, fountains. Wavy, curly and growing randomly plants, such as ivy or bindweed. Fabrics – silk and satin with wavy lines and non-uniform patterns. The color palette is all shades of blue, from blue to black.”

“What does Water bring to people?”


“So, a Water-man cannot be with a Fire-man?”

“Svetlana, don’t go to extremes. Fire can burn everything in the world in its way, if it’s not periodically cooled and calmed down, but, of course, not in such a way that nothing is left of the Fire at all. It depends on people, to what extend they are able not to press, reshaping the partner to suit themselves, but to complement each other harmoniously. Any relationship is always a compromise on both sides. Even if we are talking about crazy love at first sight.”

“According to Feng Shui, should fountains be installed at home?”

“According to Feng Shui, Water is a symbol of abundance and wealth, it promotes well-being, accumulates and revitalizes Qi. If you, Svetlana, are Water, of course, you can also install a fountain or even organize a waterfall. The main thing is not to damage the neighbors from below. Otherwise, all your wealth will be spent on repairing their flooded flat. Since Water is, conditionally, the North, it’s better to place everything that symbolizes Water in the North, as well as in the Wealth zone.”

“Daphne, where is it?”

“Somewhere, both in the flat and in each of its rooms. There is an octagon Bagua, it’s to be superimposed on the scheme of the flat. So you’ll find where your treasure is buried. If you have an office in your cottage, you can safely put an aquarium there, preferably with a goldfish, just in case.”

“If the aquarium doesn’t work, should I feed the goldfish in exchange for the fulfillment of wishes?”

“It’s better to place the aquarium in the corner, in the corridor or at any passage, just not opposite the front door and not between two doors.”

“And in the kitchen?”

“Both Water and Fire should reign in the kitchen together and on equal terms, therefore it’s not worth strengthening one of the elements and making it dominant. In general, fountains and aquariums calm the nervous system. It’s also good if there is a tree or at least a plant next to them.”

“Daphne, Water is Winter. I’m already cold from it. Let’s move smoothly into Spring. Spring is Fire, isn’t it?”

“Spring means the Tree, the beginning of the cycle. It corresponds to the phase of the growing Moon. The cardinal direction is East. The time of day is early morning. It symbolizes everything high, vertical, stretching towards the sky. The material is wood. Its objects are high decorative items, candlesticks, wicker and wooden furniture, everything narrow and high, like columns. Cotton fabrics with vertical patterns. Its color palette includes all shades of green.”

“What sensory organ is the Tree associated with?”

“With our eyes. It symbolizes growth and creativity. Wood feeds Fire, burning in it, feeds on Water, destroys the Earth with its roots, taking nutrients from it, and is destroyed by Metal.”

“With an ax? Alice, a Tree man, what is he like?”

“Daphne, let me say, he stands firmly on his feet, having grown into the ground with his roots.”

“Wood, as an element, gives a person tolerance, endurance, generosity. People are usually tall, athletic, resolute, relatively calm, easily adapting to various life circumstances. They have high standards and ambitious goals as the Tree strives upwards into the sky. They are successful due to their determination even in long-term projects. As for the negative character traits, they can react quickly and angrily when obstacles arise on their way, be unfair to loved ones.”

“Daphne, you and I, although we are Aprils, are definitely not Trees. Tell us about Fire!”

“In fact, Sasha, the classification of China is not by the month of birth, but by the year of birth. Rather, everything is very complicated there, the countdown date is not fixed. When we return home, if you want, I’ll send you their table, but what do you need it for?”

“Alice, don’t get distracted! We’ll be late for the disco! Let’s talk about Fire.”

“Philosophers considered Fire as a triple principle: Fire, which we used to represent as a flame, Astral or Electric Fire, and the Spirit, Pavaka. When divided, 49 mystical fires are formed. Fire is the Divine Essence, a pure reflection of the Single Flame in Heaven and on the Earth; Life and Death, the beginning and end of every material thing in the Earthly Reality, a symbol of the active principle, Yang energy, therefore it activates the human energy. The Earth, by the way, is being destroyed by Water and Fire in turn. Fire, like Water, is able to cleanse the surrounding space and our subtle bodies. There are several Fire exercises for those who have a disease. You can imagine any fire in front of you, pull out the disease and burn it in the flame. One can look at the flame of the living fire every day. It’s no coincidence that we light candles in church. I like to communicate with my Higher Self at night through candlelight at home.”

“If Water is Winter and Wood is Spring, is Fire Summer?”

“Yes, Summer. It symbolizes warmth, has creative properties. The direction is South. The time of day is daytime. The phase of the Moon is the Full Moon. As for the geometric figures, Fire is more in line with the Triangle, and a bit with the Zigzag. Among the forms, it associated with everything sharp, with sharp angles, for example, rocky mountains, church tops, gabled roofs. The objects of Fire are redwood furniture, candles, lamps, fireplaces, stoves. Materials are natural and eco leather, any artificial fabrics in red and orange shades with zigzag lines or triangular patterns. All flowering plants have the element of Fire. Fire feeds Earth with ashes, is fed on Wood, destroys Metal and is destroyed by Water.”

“What about Fire people?”

“They are bright, energetic, active, stretching up like a flame. Creative, always in motion. They need to do something, cannot lie quietly on the couch from morning to evening. Accordingly, they expect the same activity from their loved ones. Often their interest in something flares up as a spark, but just as quickly fades away. It happens, they have almost reached the highest peak, when they suddenly switch to another one. They are talkative, sociable, sometimes unceremonious, emotional, sensual, passionate, volcanic.”

“Daphne, even though you say you are more Water-like, but you have also a lot of Fire! It’s just hiding inside of you. You are holding it back. However, you’ll get a holiday on your doorstep, too.”

“Alice, do we need to light candles in the flat according to Feng Shui?”

“You can, just keep in mind that too many burning candles reduce the oxygen in the room, thereby weakening the vital energy of Qi. If a person is Fire, he will want to install a fireplace at home, or at least have a traditional stone stove in the country side.”

“Daphne, I tell you, you are Fire blooded! Aren’t you dreaming of a fireplace?”

“God with it, with a fireplace, Sasha. If it appears, okay, it doesn’t, I have a cottage with a stove. I like to look at the fire flame at night and listen to the logs crackling.”

“Listen, Alice, is the bath an element of Water?”

“Yes, why?”

“What do the people of Fire do in the bathroom? They must feel bad in there!”

“They faint in there.”

“Ha-ha-ha, Svetlana! Do you think Daphne walks a kilometer away from her bathroom?”

“A person of Fire needs to somehow warm the bath. For example, I instinctively tiled my bathroom in beige and orange colors, so I feel comfortable there. Someone lights candles.”

“Do you believe in the Holy Fire, which descends to the Earth on the Easter Eve?”

“On Holy Saturday in the Chapel, called Kuvuklia, on the Tomb of Christ, Fire, more often called Light by both Greek and Armenian clergymen, appears indeed. It symbolizes the Resurrection, the exit of the True Light from the Tomb, that is, the Divine Spirit, called Fire in ancient times. In the 5th-7th centuries, in the Jerusalem Church, the Easter Vigil began with the rite of lighting the evening Light. But from the 9th century, in various sources, there is a mention of the descent of Fire from Heaven. According to a pilgrim book, an Angel descended and lit the lamps hanging over the Tomb, while there was no one in the Chapel, since at that time the patriarch and the people used to stand outside. That fire was blue in color and had the property of not burning people for some time, since then they have been washing with the Holy Fire. Our contemporary, the secretary of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, once was present in the Chapel, and he saw Fire burning on the marble stone, the whole stone was in Fire.”

“How does it happen? May everyone enter there?”

“There is the Status Quo in the Holy Places, an agreement on the procedures for holding events, according to which each church has its own place inside the temple. The Greek Patriarch enters the Chapel together with the Armenian Archimandrite. The doors close behind them immediately. The Greek Patriarch kneels before the Tomb, while the Armenian Archimandrite remains in the Angel corner near the South Window of the Chapel. They both recite prayers, according to their own prayer book, asking God for Fire, as a sacred gift for all the Sons of Light and a horror for demons. At this moment, people in the Temple are praying intensely in anticipation of a miracle, holding bunches of 33 unlit candles at the ready.”

“Why 33, Alice? Pythagorean mathematics?”

“The age of Christ. And at the South and North windows of the Chapel, clergy and the so-called speed-walkers are already waiting. When the Fire appears, the bells start to ring in the temple. The Greek Patriarch passes the Holy Fire through the North window, and the Armenian Archimandrite through the South one. At the same time, bundles of 33 candles descend down the walls by ropes from the upper levels of the Temple, since there are also many spectators, eager to receive a portion of the Blessed Fire. At this moment, 2 clergymen, one from the Coptic Orthodox church and one from the Syrian, enter the Chapel, light their candles from the candles of the Greek Patriarch. He leaves the Chapel first, blessing the people with the Holy Light. He is followed by the Armenian Archimandrite, the Coptic and Syrian clergy. Everyone carries the Holy Fire for their church.”

“Isn’t it possible to light candles for the whole world from one Patriarch only?”

“People, Sasha, unfortunately, will always divide something among themselves. And God, no matter the divisions, is still one.”

“Alice, does the Holy Fire appear always?”

“It may not appear for a long time that day. In the 17th century, there was no Fire for two hours. Then those present in the Chapel swore to God that they would kneel two thousand times, and the Fire appeared.”

“Daphne, do you say, the Holy Fire really appears by itself?”

“Not itself, by God. Although some church critics write that all this is a fiction, and there is an inextinguishable lamp hanging behind the icon in the Chapel, that’s where the Fire comes from.”

“And what do you think, Alice?”

“God can perform any miracle at any time and in any place. I believe that Fire can appear in Chapel, especially on Holy Saturday, when the entire Christian world unites in anticipation of a miracle. It would even be strange if the Fire didn’t appear. However, I would play it safe, leaving the secret lamp there. If one day the Fire doesn’t appear as a miracle, because we sinners won’t deserve such grace, imagine what will happen on that Saturday in the Christian world.”

“Have you ever washed yourself with this Fire?”

“I have several bundles of 33 candles at home, scorched by the Jerusalem Fire. When you are very ill, light it and wash yourself. I lit them up once, washed my face and wasn’t burned. But it is better to refrain from washing your hair.”

“I have read somewhere that sitting and standing by the fire is very useful.”

“Right, especially on the side where the wind blows. Smoky baths draw out the nasty things from a person, cleanse one’s aura, burn dark energy. Apparently, RAM on her Fire will guide us also through the smoke.”

“Daphne, let’s move on to the next point of our plan, is it Autumn?”

“Guessed wrong. The next element, Earth, corresponds to the time of harvest, that is, the end of Summer and the beginning of Autumn. Symbol of fertility, growth. The time of day is the second half of the day after lunch until supper. The Moon phase is the same of Fire, the Full Moon. Geometrically, it symbolizes the middle, the center, among the earthly figures there are: a square, a rectangle. Everything flat is referred to Earth, for example, flat roofs, even hills, plateaus. Its patterns are marbled, horizontal stripes. A typical fabric of Earth is linen. As for furniture, low cabinets, chests, benches. The materials are ceramics, porcelain, clay. The color palette includes yellow and from light beige to dark brown. By the way, if any of you find yourself in the British Museum, there is a terracotta relief with the remains of polychrome painting, it depicts Lilith, the Queen of the Night, from Babylon, mind you. It seems to me that Lilith there has an Ankh in her left hand, but such a strange one.”

“Daphne, we’ll surely double-check it and let you know. Whom does the Earth feel good with?”

“With the people who care about it, Sasha. They don’t litter, for example… Earth feeds Metal, is fed on Fire, destroys Water by absorption, and is destroyed by Wood.”

“Alice, does a man of Earth look like a Square-man in the geometrical classification of people?”

“Yes. Earth has a calm energy, collected in the center, therefore a person is calm like a boa constrictor, unlike a Fire person, is caring, prudent, prone to reflection. Earth also symbolizes reliability and stability. Its people stand firmly on their feet. But in life, I get bored with such people, although, probably, the Stone Wall should have the element of Earth.”

“Your Stone Wall, Daphne, will be Fire. I’m 100% sure of this somehow. You made me almost clear-knowing in 10 days.”

“Alice, let’s go on with the Elements. We’ve already known everything about clear-knowing.”

“Autumn is the season of Metal. It has the highest density of all elements, each metal has its own sound. The phase of the Moon is waning, the time of day is evening, the direction is West. Its forms are round and rounded, oval, arched. For example, rounded hills, domes of temples, arches. Its plants are those with round large leaves, shrubs trimmed in the shape of a ball. Coniferous trees carry this element, too. Its materials are gold, silver, copper, brass, iron. Among the interior items, there are round picture frames, iron furniture, metal shelves. Woven fabrics, brocades, fabrics with silver and gold thread, dot patterns, polka dots, arches and semicircles. The color palette includes white, silver, gray and gold. Metal feeds Water, is fed by Earth, destroys Wood, and is destroyed by Fire.”

“Metal must be a cold blooded person.”

“Metallic-man, Svetlana! Yes, Daphne?”

“Metal was used to make swords for war and money, it symbolizes wealth, success, fortitude. Such people are cold-blooded, of course, they love money. Although, who of us, sinners, is indifferent to it? However, it’s among people with Metal predominance that religious and public figures, whose lives are built on high ideals, are often found. Metal is associated with Circle in psycho-types. Metal people tend to be overweight.”

“So, Alice, at our houses we should light candles in the South, grow flowers and plants in the East, install a metal bed in the West, and a fountain in the North?”

“Yes, Svetlana, don’t forget to fill the center with earth, it’ll make more comfortable to sleep on a metal bed. Believe me, for example, I don’t know where in my flat is the North and the other cardinal points.”

“Daphne, if you say you know, I wouldn’t believe it!”

“Alice, but how then to live in a house? What if I put out Fire with Water?”

“That’s why you don’t need to know anything. Live enjoying life. What if suddenly it turns out that you have to put an iron bed or throw earth in the bathroom? You have to feel it. By the way, have you ever thought that usually there are several people who live in the same flat or house at the same time, each of them has its own element predominating? What is good and useful to one, will irritate another. Why do you need to know the place of each cardinal direction in your house? Feel what you should do to make it pleasant for you and your family inside. If someone says that he doesn’t want the wallpaper in the living room to be black, give in and find a compromise.”

“Okay, Daphne, let’s return from the theory of the elements to our practice, the upcoming barefoot walking on hot coals. Do you know anything about this?”

“Sasha, I know it’s possible to be burned with a word. Say to someone in an altered state of Consciousness that he has touched a hot stove, and a burn will appear. A somnambulist was given a flaming coal in his hand and told about the glacier, and he became numb from the cold. You can bathe in an ice-hole in the Epiphany frost, imagining a hot summer. Scientists conducted an experiment – a person’s hand was placed in icy water during suggesting, ‘It’s hot!’ and the blood vessels automatically dilated. But a person can suggest anything to himself, including reducing the sensitivity of the skin to high temperatures. The phenomena associated with thermoregulation is called the abstruse word parasthesia.”

“Alice, what does all this mean?”

“The suggested emotions are accompanied by biochemical changes, and words affect a person more than the real environment. Physiological processes can be controlled, but they depend on the mental state of a person.”

“So, does the Soul, or the psyche, control the body?”

“The Spirit controls the body through the Soul. The phenomenon of walking on hot coals has long been known. Both Indian yogis and Sufis practice working with Fire. As well as we learnt to walk on broken glass, so we’ll learn walking on coals.”

“Listen, Alice, but walking on broken glass is easier!”

“Thermoregulation is not needed for glass, I agree, but the mechanism is the same. It depends on how each of us will set ourselves up. For example, I don’t expect a miracle. It depends on me only, what happens with my heels, as a result of walking on hot coals. Of course, RAM will support us, however, the coals are exclusively in our hands, or rather, heads, minds. RAM won’t hypnotize us.”

“She won’t, Daphne, that’s for sure.”

***

We arrived in St. Petersburg by train early in the morning and at about eight o’clock we found ourselves in a glade surrounded by forest, far outside the city. The day was sunny. Once the Fire hadn’t take place because of heavy rain. We were lucky.

About 150 people gathered for the Fire, mostly from Russia. Among our mountain seminarians, there were Larisa, Svetlana, Sasha and his wife, Zinaida, Vera from America, Lena from Kazakhstan and I. By the way, I forgot to tell you that Lena was our heroine. She was pregnant with her fifth child. Lena was two years older than me, but she looked like a very young girl. She had four sons and, although she was going to give birth to the fifth one very soon, she bravely had walked with us in the mountains, and would walk on the hot coals barefoot.

At first we gathered firewood. We had to take logs out of a dry ditch, it looked like a dried-up swamp, and carry them to the glade. It took us about five minutes to walk one way. The logs were different: both long, dry, thin ones, and thick, very thick, very heavy ones. Each of us made several walks. For example, I dragged about seven thick, very thick ones and the same number of long, but thin ones. Some logs I dragged together with Svetlana. A log symbolized some problem we had to be burned. So, the more logs we could bring, the better, and no one thought of being lazy.

Then we went to the forest to cut dry branches. We brought knives, axes and saws with us. It was right to get to St. Petersburg by train, and not by plane. Imagine a plane full of heavily armed people, with saws, axes and knives, who had nothing in their luggage but weapons.

When the wood for the Fire was ready, the Sun was already baking. We started sawing and chopping logs. Having stacked them in neat woodpile according to their size, we organized a long, long table for lunch on the grass. After the delicious lunch, RAM lit the Fire and began to prepare us for walking on coals.

The first of the exercises was a light Sufi dance. Not at all like the one we had danced in the mountains. Five people went to the center of a huge circle to spin around on the grass with their eyes open, looking at the Silver Flow pouring from the sky into the center of the right palm, and to fall to the ground and come back.

Then we formed a train and walked barefoot around the neighborhood. It seemed simple, but in fact it was very difficult to walk, closely touching the body of the previous person, especially because there were 150 people in the train. Its tail wagged and fell off all the time. Having returned with the same train to the glade, we engaged in a pleasant procedure of twisting the tail of the train into a ball. Each of us in turn, clapping his right palm on the right palm of a passing by, greeted him with the magic word ‘Hello!’. So, gradually twisting, we became one whole. Then the tail was untwisted back.

The Fire turned out to be gigantic. The television team arrived, and RAM was telling them something. Each of us was left alone with the Fire. Larisa kept throwing logs into it. I took pictures of her. Then we performed round dances and did other exercises. Toward evening we had dinner and after it we waited for the Fire to burn out.

We were sitting on the hill – me, Sasha and his wife. She was very beautiful, probably of my age, or even younger. Unlike me, she was very thin. She had cancer and got recovered, but six months after the Fire, she would be re-diagnosed again and…

“Alice, I’ve read the first part of your Book. You know, I was very touched about the balloons. My daughter lets them go into the sky, too.”

We dozed off for a bit. Closer to midnight the Fire burned out. Long sticks were used to make a carpet of coals. They said it was such a huge one for the first time. We stood at a distance of 3–4 meters. RAM offered to come as close as possible. We tried, but immediately stepped back, so furious was the heat of the coals. TV cameras were ready to film the procession. The coals were red. RAM said not to take flash pictures of each other. I tried to do it without flash. It turned out very interesting, as if it was not the physical body that appeared in the photo, but the astral one, honestly.

RAM walked first. We stood around and constantly repeated, “This is ice, ice, ice.” Then we lined up, RAM slapped each of us on the ass, and we went. It took me three days to tune into the Fire. Not on purpose, of course. I just felt something already working inside me to let me pass through the Fire.

It was my turn. I wasn’t scared. I imagined that I was flying over the city at night, and the flickering red coals were the light of the windows of earthly houses. The carpet was wide and long. Not a glass one – just a couple of small steps, and you were on land. It was long about seven if not more giant steps. It was interesting how everyone later would estimate its length and width. Someone would say ten meters, someone – five, someone – twenty. Funny, isn’t it? It was two and a half meters wide, I think.

A step to land during the first walk I felt like I was burning. My heels seemed to be burned. I looked at them and found just a tiny scratch. We walked three times only, because there were a lot of us, but usually they walked at least seven. The second and third times I didn’t feel anything under my feet at all, as if I had been flying, not walking. The television team, of course, was intrigued.

You must not walk barefoot on hot coals on your own, as RAM says, this is not playing toys. We tuned in with her throughout the day and she supported us. But not everybody succeeded. A woman burned so badly that she could no longer walk even on the grass, both soles were a solid burn. She had waited for a miracle, but had done nothing to make the miracle happen. Miracles are firstly due to a serious inner work, you can’t get them lightly, just snapping your fingers, nothing will happen.

Around two in the morning, the Petersburg locals went home. We packed our things and were quietly dozing by a small fire. It was cold. Most seminarians had an early morning train back. I had to stay in St. Petersburg for business for a few more days. Larisa offered me hot tea with gingerbread. We were sitting with her under the starry sky and waited for the dawn. At five o’clock one of the Muscovites who had come there by car would take me and two other seminarians to the train station. They had a train there, I had my things in the storage room. Larisa would go with someone else.

“How are you, Larisa?”

“Fine. I’ve burned the Past here, and now… You know, Alice, I decided to leave here. Far, far away…”

“For a monastery?”

“There is a place in another country. I’ll go there. Many people went there…”

Larisa was very sad, but so young and beautiful. I didn’t know yet that I would never see her again. In this Reality. We finished our tea. I lay down next to her to feel warmer. Lena from Kazakhstan was dozing to my right. It was so quiet, only the fire crackles were heard.

At five in the morning, we parted, one by one, saying goodbye to each other. I kissed Larisa and promised to call her. I got into Victor’s car, and we went to St. Petersburg. On the way, I remembered that the alarm clock in my mobile phone was switched on, it was no longer needed. I took my phone out of my backpack, switched it on, waited for everything to be loaded, switched the alarm-clock off, then switched the phone off and put it back in my backpack. I was sitting next to Victor, who was driving the car, and my backpack was under my feet.

We approached the train station. Victor offered me to exchange our phone numbers. I dictated mine.

“Great, Alice, switch your phone on, I’ll dial you right now, so as not to dictate it, and you’ll save my number.”

I got into my backpack. Well, to let you imagine it correctly, the backpack was not a right word for my small leather bag, a decorative one, with one pocket only. I opened the pocket where my phone used to be, and… it was not there! I looked at Victor in surprise.

“Alice. What’s wrong? Haven’t you just taken it out of there?”

I nodded. I didn’t understand anything and looked inside the pocket again. I searched for it everywhere, not only there, in the pocket, where I had put it with my own hand and zipped the pocket fifteen minutes before. There was no phone anywhere.

“Alice, it’s not funny. Put everything out of it!”

I did as he had told me, but there was not much to put out of it, because I had left everything I needed for my business trip in the storage room at the train station. Victor was shocked.

“Look in your pockets.”

“A great idea! But I don’t have any in my clothes.”

We got out of the car and looked under my seat – not even there. Victor opened the glove box, it was the same empty. Step by step, he scanned his car entirely, including the trunk.

“Come on, Victor, how would it get in the trunk?”

And then I felt funny, very funny, really! I started laughing with all my heart. If to burn the Past, so let it all be burned! It was cool to lose all my contacts for ten years, recorded nowhere else, but in the missing phone. Most of them could no longer be restored. It was also interesting, who would remember me of those whom I could no longer dial myself.

Victor made me take money from him to buy a new phone so that I wouldn’t be left in St. Petersburg without communication during my business trip. He felt guilty about the loss.

“Restore your number today, then buy a phone and send me a message, okay?”

“Thanks! But today is Sunday, the day-off, it can be done only tomorrow.”

We took my things from the storage room and said goodbye. Victor was still looking at me in a deep trance. I laughed, waved to him and joyfully started walking along Nevsky Prospect towards the hotel.

Everything was flooded with sunshine.

It was Sunday morning.