Scary legends circulated in your village, which was surrounded on all sides by dense forest, and the field was quite far away, and many adults left the children at home alone, and they themselves went away for the whole day. It was said that real snakes lived in these forests.

But these snakes were not ordinary, but guides between Nav and Yav, and the main one there was the Black Asp - Niyan. Niyan was presented as a tall youth with amber eyes and narrow pupils, he was always dressed in a silk shirt and high trousers, and on his feet were boots embroidered with a golden snake pattern. Evil was handsome.

On the night of Ivan Kupala you celebrated with the girls by the river, launching wreaths and dancing around the fire, but when they suggested going to the swamp to look for Aspid there, you refused and returned home.

You were afraid to get involved with legends, because they could not exist without a reason. You fell into a deep sleep in your warm bed, completely undressed, as it was hot at night. But that same night you had a strange dream.

You found yourself in the middle of the water, it reached your hips and was completely transparent. Suddenly you felt thin fingers wrap around your bare shoulder and turn you towards them. In front of you stood a young man who looked just like you, only his eyes were amber and snake-like.

He was naked, just like you, but you couldn't take your eyes off his softly smiling lips. He leaned down and kissed your lips briefly and gently, the way relatives in your village usually did.

?: My sister. Why didn't you come to me? I was waiting... waiting... waiting..

The whisper echoed in your head as the dream faded and you woke up in a light sweat. It was deep night outside, but the lips were warm.