Islanders

“Aha!” Angelica threatened him by her finger. “Here we are! You got confused in your mistresses …sorry, women. That's it.”

“I didn't.” Sergey said angrily. “I am sure with whom I want to stay.”

“And with whom?” Vera asked very quiet.

“Let's stop speaking about the family problems.” Arthur stopped them. “We are lucky that Sergey has only two women. If I shall start to tell you about mine whom I want or don't want it will take me a week.”

“Oh! We would like to listen to you with pleasure!” Angelica began to clap her hands.

“I am not going to listen to it.” Lida was against. “Let's stop it.”

“Wow!” Angelica was wondered. “Are you a virgin?”

“I am not!“

“By the way…” Angelica looked at everybody in the room. “Have we got here virgins? I don't want to confuse them. Sometimes I am so shocking!”

“We are all truthful enough here.” Ivan responded to her.

“Well, thanks God!”

“But it does not mean it is necessary to be rude.” again very quietly but firmly said Lida.

“It's nine.” Ivan looked at the watch. “It's time for a surprise.”

“What surprise?” greedy asked Angelica.

“I found a way how to help you to overcome your own fears. Sergey said he had the Robinson's complex. Actually he likes people and he wants to communicate. Robinson many years lived on an island searching for a way to get out and finally he met Friday. Communication is important for Sergey as well as for the others to get rid of fears. So, cross the past and think about it as you will never return back. It is necessary to move further. The others will speak later. And now I shall bring something.”

“What is it?” Angelica asked impatiently.

“Wait a minute.”

Ivan got up and left the room. Angelica took from the pack one more cigarette.

“You are smoking too much, aren't you?” asked Lida.

“And what?”

“Nothing. But you don't think about people around. Men do not smoke so much as you! “

“As for the other people …” Angelica enjoyed smoking.” I think you are always right. But it’s boring. Have you got a husband?”

“That's not your business.”

“I think you aren't married. And that is your problem!”

Totem

Lida became red and wanted to answer but at that moment Ivan came into the reception room. He carried something like a box for voting. Only the smaller size and was made from the other material not wood because it was light. Ivan came to a low little table with a transparent cover from the thick glass and put his box on it.

“What is it?” Lida asked with interest.

“By the way, are you afraid of anything?” Angelica laughed. “Are you sick? I bet you that it not a bomb!”

“Sure.” Ivan nodded. “It is our protective totem.”

“What is it?” Vera hesitated.

“Can you see that crack above?”

“Well, of course.” Arthur said.

“I guess Sergey's story had left nobody indifferent.”

“Why have you decided that?” Lida tried to put her hair in order nervously.

“I see it on your faces. You are thinking about something.You, Lida. You don’t tell me anything.” Ivan said softly. “I suggest you to overcome the fears. When I suffer from something, I act as follows myself. I write the fear on a paper and I burn it. Let’s burn the fears.”

“Burn fears?” Zhanna wondered. “How?”

“I shall carry the box in the next room. Put it on the table. There you can find clean white envelopes, pens and paper. Write your fear, put it in the envelope and throw it in the box. You will come in by turns, I understand that you hesitate. It is better to write it in loneliness …”

“And mind printed letters.” Arthur added.

“Why?” Vera asked again.

“Who knows what happens. I prefer anonymity.”

“Then we shall burn the sealed envelopes.” Ivan promised. “But you can really write printed letters. Or by the left hand.”

“Change the handwriting.” Arthur added smiling.

“Arthur is an optimist.” Ivan noticed. “He is always in a good mood. “

“I don’t understand why has he come here in general?” Angelica watched him expressively.

“Why? Oh, I’ve got the reason to come.” Arthur answered.” But I like the idea with the envelopes. To say truthfully I have also got my fear. And I dream to burn it.”

“I shall join this game with pleasure.” Angelica began to clap her hands.

“You are forty years old and you behave yourself as the little girl.” Lida revenged her.” It looks ridiculous.”

“Why do you think that I am forty?!”

“Ladies, calm down.” Ivan tried to stop them. “Lida, you quarrel with Angelica as she smokes towards you. Angelica, you know it and directly smoke to her side. Lida, it is evident. For Аngelica you now the weakest person and that’s why she attacks you. That’s your irritation, your anger. It is a weakness. Actually you are a kind woman, Lida. Why did you remind Angelica of her age knowing it will be so painful to her?”

“And she did the same. Well, that’s bad. You are right. I apologize.”