The summer silence at Lake Andromeda was almost palpable, interrupted only by the quiet splash of water and distant laughter. Actually, this was no ordinary lake - it was surrounded by a dense, wild forest, and a small island in the middle was covered with the overgrown ruins of a former observatory. For Lena, Krzysiek, Maia and Igie, this was their last trip together before the end of high school. Each of them carried anxiety, although they didn't always admit it. Their base - a wooden cottage on the edge of the forest - was teeming with excitement. Lena sat by the open window and jotted down loose thoughts in her notebook, exchanging observations with Igi, who always knew how to defuse tension with a joke. Krzysiek - the oldest of the pack - had his gaze fixed over the horizon. Surprisingly quiet, as if something was gnawing at him. Maja, on the other hand, could not sit still and every now and then went outside to run barefoot on the grass. One evening, when the sky turned graphite and the surface of the lake was covered in a thick fog, a storm came. In the lightning, Maja noticed something strange: on the island, against the backdrop of the ruins, someone was standing. She called out to the others. Everyone ran down to the platform in a hurry. It seemed that the island was closer than ever. The shocked boys tried to joke about it, but Lena felt a shudder. Memories of the past weeks danced before her eyes: the silent arguments, the growing tensions, the misunderstandings they hadn't managed to clear up. There was something more than the usual holiday excitement - some kind of weight that floated between them. - Why don't we go there tomorrow morning? - whispered Igi, watching the shadows flitting across the island. - Or... right now? Maja smiled a little too broadly, as if in spite of her fear. - 'He who is afraid is Trump,' she said, shaking Lena's hand. Christopher was overwhelmed by a sense of responsibility. He took a deep breath and suddenly expelled it: - I wanted to tell you something. But I don't know if this is the right time. A silence fell in which everyone - even Igi's joker - felt that this night was changing everything. The storm quietened, the fog thickened, and a blurry shape reappeared on the island. In an instant, everyone knew they had to get there. Before they set off, Lena felt a strange sting in her heart - an emotion that was hard to name. Was it fear or anticipation? Joy or grief? Their feet crunched on the wet platform. Each step was heavier than they had expected. For a moment it seemed as if silence consumed their words and thoughts, and the night itself froze in anticipation. Then Maja stopped suddenly and in a whisper said: - Do you see it? A shadow began to draw on the water, right next to the boat. No one dared to take another step.