(short story)

Margo has always been in the spotlight, but one day she realised that she needed a break from this crazy social life. She decided to spend the weekend at a cottage in the village, away from the phone, the internet and all those endless notifications.

When she arrived at the house, she breathed a sigh of relief. She was greeted by peace and quiet, and the air smelled of herbs and fresh hay. “Here it is, my happiness!” she thought, pulling her favourite book out of her suitcase.

But as soon as she settled down on the terrace with a cup of tea, she heard a loud bark. It was her neighbour Oleksandr’s dog. It was very happy to have a new guest and decided to get to know her better. “Come on, dog, give me some peace!” Margo cursed, trying to drive the tailed impudent dog away.

Eventually, she managed to lock herself in the house, but then neighbours from all over the street started calling. “Margo, come to our party!”, “Will you be at Kupala Night holiday?” She patiently refused everyone, dreaming only of solitude and silence.

But then the calls died down, and Margofinally felt calm. She sat down at the table, picked up a book and started reading. But then something started buzzing above her head. It was a swarm of mosquitoes that obviously wanted to be with her as well. The girl waved the newspaper, but the mosquitoes were relentless. “What kind of karma is this?” she sighed.

Unable to stand it, she decided to go to the nearby lake. She dreamed of a quiet picnic on the shore. But as soon as she laid out her blanket, a fisherman from a nearby house appeared. He started talking about his catches and giving advice on fishing, although Margarita had no interest in this topic.

Eventually, she returned to the house and, exhausted, went to bed. However, a surprise awaited her here as well: a bat flew into her room. Margot, as if in a comic horror, ran around the room, trying to drive the uninvited guest away.

In the morning, she was tired but happy — all the obstacles were over. She sat on the terrace with her coffee, watching the sunrise.

Then her phone rang again. “Hey, Margo, where are you? Come over, we’re filming a new series about Kupala here! There will be jumping over the fire, gathering herbs, dancing and singing!” She turned off the phone and just laughed.

“Perhaps a break from society is not for me,” she thought, hugging Oleksandr’s dog, who had come to visit again.