Blinking rapidly, Constantin tried to look away from the fan. The noise gradually subsided, but an unseen force compelled him to glance back.
The fan blades sliced through the air in a synchronized march, and Constantin instinctively grimaced, trying to suppress the unpleasant, familiar symptoms as he distracted himself from the nagging hum outside. He took a step back, intending to retreat deeper into the room, when suddenly, in the window frame – like a scene from a painting – the silhouette of a girl appeared, reflected back at him. A fleeting thought crossed his mind: the reflected figure was painted in the same colors as his recently completed canvas.
"I need to change my daily routine." Constantin smirked and took a sip.
He stepped away from the window, glancing back one last time. The silhouette had vanished, and a cheerful ray of morning sunlight blinded his eyes, inviting him into a new day.
Hurriedly, Constantin rushed to the shower, shedding his clothes along the way, unaware that he was stirring his second self – or what is referred to in the Higher World as a "Guide" – who was lounging comfortably on the bed, having observed the scene outside just moments before.
Due to the limitations of earthly life, Constantin could neither see nor know his faithful companion. The thoughts and insights she whispered in his ear, having spent hours performing her role as a Guide, he perceived as his own ego, occasionally amusing him with fairly decent works he crafted from memory.
The droplets of water, like a life-giving balm, flowed over his body as Constantin relaxed and closed his eyes. In that moment, his subconscious whirled with thoughts, dragging him under the surface of an unfamiliar lake. Suddenly opening his eyes, Constantin felt a sharp pang of breathlessness.
“You’ve successfully mastered your skills.”
Constantin stared in astonishment at the familiar dark-haired girl, who was jotting something down in her notebook. He wanted to ask who she was, but no words came out.
“It’s a pity your time was so short. But now you can choose another version. What do you prefer?” The girl snapped her notebook shut and looked at him. Her gaze pierced into Constantin, rendering him immobile.
As if rewinding a film, Constantin found himself again by the river. He sat at the edge of the wooden bridge, searching for something in the water. An object sparkled enticingly, and as he plunged his hand into the water, he grasped an unknown item between his fingers. It was a string of pearl beads. The thread holding the alluring beads snapped suddenly, and nearly all of them scattered back into the water with a characteristic splash. He managed to keep the last pearl in his hand. Constantin began to examine it in the sunlight, admiring its beauty.