The portal to Apricon.

01

Without exaggeration, I have crossed mountains, climbed volcanoes, I have jumped from the highest bridge in all of Europe and even my friend Konstantin managed to overcome my fear of the ocean by making me swim with sharks while being caged.

But they went crazy to come to the most toxic lake on the planet.

"I understand that when I decided to leave my house to go backpacking with you it was going to be an incomparable experience, but from there, I risked my life coming to Lake Kakarachi.

"I don't know what you're complaining about if you loved Chernobyl," Vladimir adjusted his glasses and some blond locks that fell over his eyes.

"We went to Chernobyl with safety masks, hopefully and now I bring clean underwear.

"Do you still use that?" Nikolay mocked, making me disgusted.

"We're coming," Konstantin warns, and the wind moves his dark hair. The compass is going crazy.

"But with Google Maps we can get there faster," he said.

"I didn't spend 15 euros for anything!"

"The worst money spent in the twenty-fourth century," I sighed.

"At least he didn't spend on a shirt that says I love Russia, making him look like a tourist.

Vladismir (offended) pushed Nikolay with his lost tourist shirt.

"To the north!" Konstantin exclaimed, walking forward, staring blankly at that trinket.

Look at the guys.

"Who tells you that the north is to the other side?"

"Allow me, Mademoiselle," Nikolay kissed my hand. Hey, elephant scrotum, monkey abortion, the north is over there!

"And where am I going?"

"To the south," I answered.

Konstantin blinked several times.

"Then to the south!" And he went on his way, dragging us with him.

This happens when a friendship exceeds 10 years, they go to the end of the world (and it is not a metaphor). These idiots are leading us to our certain death.

We have just come out of Chernobyl, and all the nuclear waste went to our next destination: Lake Kakarachi.

Very little known that they already consider it reading. It is forbidden to even pass through the forest.

I have read about that place, it is one of the most harmful not only in Russia and Europe, but also in the whole world.

"I'm tired, guys.

I laid my body on the tree while Nikolay gathered his long white hair.

"Are you okay?" Vladimir approached.

"Can we camp?" I ask. It's almost dark

The two looked at Konstantin.

He sighed.

"I'll take care of the tents, you guys get something to make a fire."

Nikolay and Vladismir left me in charge of their backpacks as they drove away. Konstantin asked, taking out the tents to start setting them up.

"The chest," I'm honest.

"When will you tell him that this trip will be his last?"

"I'm not ready yet, I don't want them to change." Vladismir will treat me as crystal and Nikolay...

"Milenka, they'll understand.

"They will want to go home," I contradict.

"They have to know that you have cancer.

I swallowed the lump that began to form in my throat.

"You promised me by the stars that you wouldn't tell him!" I remind him.

"And I will keep that promise for the constellation of Scorpius."

My constellation.

He made a promise of silence for me.

"It's going to hurt," he concludes.

"You know?" It always bothered me that you were right.

After that we didn't talk anymore until the boys came back with branches for the campfire that lit us up in the dark forest.

They sleep, I don't. The pain in my chest did not allow me to breathe well, I hold my cough as long as I can until I get away from the camp.

I cough and cough, my throat burns and when I see my hand with drops of blood I understand that time is starting to run for me.

I refused chemotherapies, so cancer cells dominate my entire system, without any other alternative, my parents gave me as a gift to let me take this last sabbatical year to see incredible places before leaving this world.

Only Konstantin knows, I had no choice but to tell him the truth when at the top of the wheel of fortune I choked on my own blood.

—There is a long way to go before my dream of touring all of Europe come true.

But I feel that I will not be able to continue.

I continue wandering through the forest, keeping an eye on the campfire until I come across a small stream.

"It's white.

White.

Lake Kakarachi is white. I follow the small path of water, each time it widens and leads me to contemplate its toxic magnitude in its maximum splendor.

Under the stars, under the constellations... It's beautiful.

Dangerously beautiful.

It seems effervescent, something hypnotizes me and urges me to go down and throw a stone. It's a huge grain of salt, the stones shouldn't be whitish.

I throw it away, it splashes into the air and the small drops shine like pearls.

Something neighs nearby, a gallop can be heard in the distance and in front of me, on the other side of the lake, black hair appears.

Her long white hair touches the water when she bends down to drink.

Without a doubt it is beautiful, and too strange.

Where did it come from?

"They have to see this.

The boys are not going to believe me.

A smile comes on my face when I see the animal alive after drinking water from Lake Kakarachi.

So it's just a myth that it's danger.

When I turn around I find the same horse.

"Hello, big...

The greeting is half-hearted when the horse pushes me into the lake.

I immediately close my mouth, eyes and cover the nostrils when I feel the acid burn my skin and the current of water carries me in a swirling motion that makes me lose consciousness.