Created with intellectual publishing system Ridero

      Prologue

      The high-pitched thin sound was barely audible. Gradually, it grew louder, throwing numerous passersby into confusion. Some people started to throw back their heads and to look intently into the sky.

      The sound came from a tiny spot high in the sky. It was changing, disturbingly vibrating, as if complaining and warning everybody of some disaster that was happening there.

      People felt this and kept their eyes on the spot with alarm. Smiles disappeared, and silence fell all around. Anxiety gripped the drivers of the vehicles going by. Some of them stopped, got out of their cars, and started to look into the sky, too.

      The spot became larger. Now, one could see with an unaided eye that some badly controlled aircraft was making a crash landing. Everybody sensed that the crew was fighting desperately to keep the craft gliding slowly and prevent it plummeting down.

      The sound became louder and even more plaintive, as if it came from a living creature.

      The unusual round shape of the spaceship stood out sharply against the background of Westminster Palace. It suddenly turned around Big Ben, nearly knocking down one of the towers of the palace.

      The sound coming from the spaceship turned into a scream, the last cry for help choked with the Thames waters…

      People hung on the bridge railing peering into the water. Air bubbles, rising from the depths of the river, were carried away by the current, and it seemed that nothing had happened, were it not for a strange bright light coming up from the water.

      Suddenly, the atmosphere around the place of the accident became dry and brittle, multicolored electric flashes, followed by unpleasant cracks, ran across the walls of the nearest buildings.

      All vehicles on the bridge stopped, and three more spaceships of the same shape hung over the river, their dull metallic color evidence of long traveling in space. They formed a triangle over the place where the light emitted from the water, motionlessly hovering in the air.

      «The London Eye» stopped, but no cries were heard from there.

      Only Big Ben’s clock chimes broke the silence.

      Soon, there appeared a new spaceship in the center of the triangle, of much bigger size.

      People heard a weak buzzing, and the drowned spaceship slowly started rising out of the water. First, its upper part became visible, and then it all came out of the water that flowed down the spaceship in streams.

      The new spaceship opened a huge receiving bay, and the drowned spaceship was pulled into it. The door closed, and the spaceship disappeared.

      In short time the three spaceships, guarding the point of impact, disappeared too.

      People regained their composure, exchanged uncomprehending glances, and continued their own business.

      Vehicles started up on their own, and the drivers who got out of their cars looked around perplexed, as if asking – what am I doing here?

      The life of the town got back into a grove, as if nothing had happened there.

      And had anything really happened?

      Chapter 1

      Their departure was being obviously delayed – one passenger did not board, and ground crew was looking for his baggage. The air in the cabin was stuffy, because the air conditioning was not switched on yet.

      When all problems were solved, the huge plane soared heavily upwards. The cabin crew was excellent, and flight attendants quickly served the passengers. All were restored to good humor, and passengers got busy with their own pastimes.

      A group of young people stood out against the background of typical passengers. They were briskly exchanging remarks, paying no attention to recent discomfort and to other people in the cabin. Their light-hearted laughter was evidence of good moods, and that soon rest was waiting for them.

      The plane started descending, sharply turned over the sea, and landed at the airport. The baggage was got, and the cheerful company noisily headed for the exit. A bright sunny day welcomed all who arrived at sea side.

      The town they arrived in was a real sea pearl. Situated on the only bay there, it was sheltered from high winds by mountains from three sides.

      The company of young people picked their way towards it. Having driven through an old bypass road up the mountain to the top of a low pass, they got out of the cab and called. In some time, a door in the big metal gates opened, and they went in.

      The friends walked down a road with a slight grade, and in about three hundred feet, after a steep turn, they saw a two-storied stone house, looking like a ship, with an attic and a big terrace, like a captain’s bridge. It seemed that it stood at its moorings, by a small mountain, which hid it from all misfortunes.

      The terrace gave a beautiful view of the town and the bay. The mountain to the right of the house was particularly impressive. It looked like a huge petrified crocodile, with a hotel on the mountain as its eye.

      The air here was also unique. A morning offshore breeze blew away all evaporating waste products to the sea. Instead, the air of the ancient relict box-tree grove filled in all the space around.

      A narrow mountain river with transparent purling water flew out of the ravine. It divided the town into two parts. One part was occupied by dwellings, and the other by entertainment and theatre buildings.

      In the afternoon, a breeze blew from the sea, filling the territory with its summer smell.

      When the breezes stopped their work, the fragrance of all flowers and blooming trees, gathered here from all over the world, flooded this beautiful bowl by the sea…

      An iron door opened, letting the guests in. In a big hall, decorated with marble tiles, was a sofa, a big mirror in a gilded frame, and a small carved table with curved legs and a light marble top.

      The guests put down their baggage and went to the living room.

      The living room was lit by Italian bronze chandeliers and side lamps. By the fireplace, there were two green leather armchairs and a coffee table. A big green sofa, a huge TV set, and some pictures by modern artists added to the interior of this room.

      The main windows of the house faced the bay, and the last rays of the setting sun painted the living room into different inimitable colors.

      The living room joined the dining room through an arched passageway. The dining room was ready to receive guests. A crystal chandelier illuminated a dark incrusted table with tableware on it; crystal side lamps gave additional light to the room.

      Thick soft carpet covered the floor, completing the interior.

      The cheerful fuss of guests noisily settling into their rooms animated the whole house. Everybody tried to choose a room, facing the bay at the foot of the mountain. Guests opened the windows, and rhythmic music filled in the surroundings.

      Not all young people were guests, though – Julia was the master’s daughter, and, as hostess, gave orders to her friends, helping them to settle and unpack their things. Soon, everybody went quiet, took a shower, changed into summer clothes and came down to the dining room.

      Girls seated young men around the table and went to the kitchen.

      In the kitchen, they saw a huge cake, ordered by Julia’s parents for the occasion of their arrival, and lots of cold snacks, that were quite to the point in such hot weather.

      The girls were quickly carrying the dishes to the dining room, and putting them on the table closer to the young boys.

      Such attention and care pleased the young men. Full as they were, they asked for more. Joking, the