The rain had poured relentlessly through the night, drenching the countryside in a glistening sheen. The reflections of passing cars’ headlights flickered on the wet asphalt like a hundred burning lightbulbs on the brink of burning out. The BMW was moving down the country road leading to Devin, a tranquil spa town nestled in the valley of the Vacha River in the Smolyan Province of the far south of Bulgaria. Only the monotonous hum of its engine was disturbing the serenity of the night.

Alongside the road, the Vacha River murmured softly, its tranquil flow starkly contrasted with the unsettling atmosphere.

Gradually, a peculiar halo emerged from the water, trailing the car with an otherworldly presence. "He has returned..." a whisper carried on the wind as the lights danced in a hypnotic rhythm, casting shadows that seemed to follow.

The tires slowed, rolling over the gravelly shoulder of the road, emitting a crunchy symphony until they eventually came to a halt. A few stray cats had scattered in alarm. As the man turned off the engine, the music ceased, and the halo dissipated.

Relief washed over Ivan as he spotted the warm glow of a nearby local shop, a beacon of familiarity in the eerie night. Inside, an old man greeted him with exuberance, his words flowing like a river:

“Ivan, my boy, welcome back, son! Where have you been all this time? Your mother was pining for your return,” the old man exclaimed, his words pouring forth as he patted Ivan’s back enthusiastically. “What can I get you? Thank God you’re safe and sound. And look at you, a fine lad in city clothes with an expensive car. Are you alone, or have you brought a wife with you?”

Caught off guard by the warmth of the welcome, Ivan found himself momentarily speechless. The old man, affectionately addressed as “Bay” in Bulgarian, continued to express his joy, patting Ivan’s shoulders and back. His thick, long mustache wiggled, extending with his wide smile. Ivan gently pressed his lips to Bay Stoyan's trembling hand as a gesture of respect.

After exchanging pleasantries, he bid the old man farewell, but a glimpse of the reflection in a weathered mirror stopped him in his tracks. A chill ran down Ivan's spine as he saw the old man's image, his white hair emitting an unnatural glow. A woman's figure appeared in the mirror's reflection, and Ivan recoiled in horror. Without a word, he fled the shop, clutching a bag of groceries, his mind racing with unsettling memories.

Ivan had spent the last five years abroad, working as a tour guide after graduating from the University of Sofia. His goal of amassing funds to establish his business, a hotel on a floating pontoon in Devin’s dam, had been long in the making. And now, his new hotel was nearing completion, poised to welcome its first guests in the coming spring.

Yet, as he sat in his car, haunted by the whispers of the past, doubt crept in. The halo enveloped him once more, casting a ghostly glow as the whispers echoed in his mind. With a trembling hand, Ivan gripped the steering wheel, struggling to resist the urge to scream. The road ahead seemed darker than ever, and the weight of the unknown pressed upon him. As he drove into the night, the echoes of the past followed him, a reminder that some secrets refuse to stay buried.

Once again, he felt its presence- his entire body tensed, his eyes ablaze, compelling him to stop the vehicle. Ivan eased his body into the car seat and shut his eyes. The halo crept upon his car, flickering like hundreds of stars in the predawn darkness. And once more, he heard their ghostly whisper: “He is back…” The echoes of Ivan's anguished yell lingered in the air as he recoiled from the haunting whispers of his past.

"Leave me alone!" he cried, his voice cracking with a mixture of fear and defiance. "I won't let you do it to me again!"

Then, suddenly, someone knocked on the car window. He stiffened, his heart racing, as he turned to face the unfamiliar face peering in at him.

“Are you alright?” the young man outside asked, concern etched in his features as he gestured for Ivan to roll down the window. Ivan hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at him, before nodding curtly and offering a forced smile.

"I'm fine, just... lost in thought. Thank you," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

As the couple walked away, Ivan's gaze lingered on them, a sense of foreboding weighing heavily on his mind. Then, without warning, a dancing light erupted from the darkness, embracing the unsuspecting pair in its ethereal glow before fading into oblivion.

A deafening splash shattered the night's tranquility, followed by the man's panicked screams for help. Ivan's blood ran cold as he watched in horror, his mind paralyzed by the chilling realization of what he had witnessed. With trembling hands, Ivan restarted the engine and drove away, heading home. The events of the evening haunted his every thought.

Upon returning home, Ivan was greeted by his mother's warm embrace, her eyes brimming with concern as she welcomed him back. Ivan’s mother, a widow for fifteen years, eagerly embraced her son once more and warmly invited him to join her for dinner. Ivan, exhausted from the evening’s events, didn’t immediately share what had transpired over the past few hours. Despite his attempts to mask his distress, his mother sensed something was amiss. His pale face and brief responses, more nods than actual conversation, did little to conceal the fear lurking in his eyes.

As time passed, Ivan began to relax, sharing exciting new ideas about the hotel and the woman planning to visit him the following month. His mom was overjoyed to hear this wonderful news and couldn’t hold back her tears of happiness.

“Oh, son! This is such wonderful news. I cannot wait to meet her,” she said with a warm smile, resting her arms on the table. “Now, off you go to get some well-deserved rest.”

With a reassuring smile, she encouraged him to rest and promised to talk more in the morning.

Time seemed to stand still in his mother’s house, with only a few modern additions like the electronic wall clock and a couple of recent paintings serving as reminders that it was, indeed, the twenty-first century.

Alone in his room, Ivan found little solace in the familiar surroundings. He cracked the window slightly open, allowing the cool night breeze to sweep away the old, musty smell in his room. The soft glow of the nightstand offered little comfort as he lay awake, haunted by the whispers of his past.

Suddenly, the halo appeared outside his home. As the voices grew louder, Ivan knew he could no longer ignore their call. It entered his room and bathed the space in bright white light. Ivan knew he had to follow it, or someone would die. With a heavy heart, he donned his jacket and slipped into the night, his fate intertwined with forces beyond his control. He had to get to the "Stroilski Dol" waterfall just a few miles from Ivan’s house, and he hoped to reach there by dawn without getting lost.

As he approached the waterfall, Ivan felt once more an irresistible pull toward the enchanting voices; even from a distance, the voices sent shivers down his spine. When he finally arrived, he saw the woodland fairies, also referred to as Samodivi, whose voices were seducing him irresistibly, dancing in their flowing, feathered white gowns around the waterfall. Ivan vividly remembered their captivating appearances from his childhood. These six tall, slender women possessed pale, radiant skin, fiery eyes, and long blonde hair that seemed to emit a magical light. They twirled gracefully, moving in harmony with the wind. Ivan remembered that he must keep his eyes closed, for gazing at theirs meant succumbing to instant love.

In the hidden corners of Devin's history lay a tale of tragedy and terror woven from the threads of Ivan's family legacy. Generations ago, his father fell victim to the enchanting allure of a Samodiva, a mystical creature whose beauty masked a deadly embrace. Each night, she danced with his father by the waterfall, draining his life force until he was found lifeless, a mere shell of his former self.

Bay Stoyan, Ivan's father's closest friend, was the first to discover the grim aftermath. His grief turned to obsession as he sought to understand and confront the elusive Samodivi. He spent several nights at the waterfall, enraptured by their bewitching dance. But his efforts only led to his own torment, as the creatures transformed into monstrous birds, lashing out with fire and fury at his intrusion. In a desperate bid to end the cycle of death and despair, Bay Stoyan stole a Samodiva's magical gown, hoping to use it as leverage against them. He playfully attempted to separate her from the others, harboring intentions to eliminate her and the rest, one by one, to banish them back to their dark, supernatural world. The Samodiva pleaded with him to return her gown, offering a small portion of her magical hair in exchange, promising him power and eternal life. Still haunted by the death of his dear friend, Bay Stoyan callously tossed her garment into the river, enraging her. She soared over his head in response, sending him tumbling to the ground. Their eyes locked in an instant. The Samodiva's retaliation was swift and merciless, leaving him broken and haunted by their curse.

As Ivan witnessed the tragedy unfolding before him, a sense of duty and defiance took root within him. With stones and branches as his weapons, he confronted the Samodiva, driving her away with a courage born of desperation.

As the first sunbeams began to sneak above the horizon, causing the Samodivi to vanish, Ivan emerged from his hiding place. All that echoed in his ears was her haunting promise: “I’ll be back for you!” Then, the Samodivi were all gone, at least for the time being.

Bay Stoyan remained unconscious on the ground. Ivan, who was fifteen years old at the time, found himself incapable of carrying him back home. Instead, he urgently hopped on his bike and pedaled tirelessly in search of help.

Later that morning, Bay Stoyan regained consciousness in his bed, feeling utterly drained and pale, and a distinctive white lock of hair adorning his forehead. It felt as if an immense weight pressed down on his chest, making it difficult to draw breath. Her enchanting magic imbued him with overwhelming power, and he found it nearly impossible to resist their appealing attraction. Like magnets, they were forever destined to be drawn to each other.

Realizing the heavy situation, Bay Stoyan instructed his wife to lock him in his room, regardless of the sounds she might hear, his pleas for release, or the beckoning voices of women. He implored her never to open the door.

Around midnight, he spotted the halo accompanying his wife as she sleepwalked toward the waterfall, lured by the captivating voices of the Samodivi. In sheer horror, he pounded on the window, screaming helplessly. Bay Stoyan never saw his wife again. A month later, a fisherman discovered her decomposing body in the river.

The forced suicides in the village multiplied, and several more men watched in terror as their wives were ensnared by the halo, confined within their homes, unable to save them. Since then, Bay Stoyan had to lock himself up every night until dawn to resist the alluring force of the Samodivi, lest he, too, would be lost forever.

And now, fifteen years later, Ivan found himself back at the waterfall, seduced by the very same Samodiva he had attempted to rescue his father’s best friend from, the same one who had caused his father’s demise.

This time, Ivan acted with determination, seizing the Samodiva's magical gown as she bathed in the river. Enraged, she pursued him relentlessly, her fury mounting with each step. But Ivan was prepared. With a swift and decisive strike, he pierced her with a thorn, causing her torment to consume her, fulfilling the prophecy of her vanquishment.

However, the victory was short-lived as the remaining Samodivi transformed into malevolent birds, descending upon Ivan with vicious intent. In a desperate move, he shut his eyes tightly, bracing for their onslaught. Amidst the chaos, he heard the chilling declaration, “We are wed now, forever,” from one of the Samodivi before succumbing to unconsciousness.

Hours later, Ivan awoke to a world gripped by cold and terror. Attempting to rise, he found himself overwhelmed by exhaustion, slipping back into the depths of sleep once more.

It was the local woodcutters who discovered him, still lost in his slumber, and brought him back to his mother's embrace. Seeing her son in such a state, with the telltale white lock of hair, she understood the grim reality that had befallen him, mirroring the fate of her late husband.

When Ivan finally regained consciousness, it was in the dead of night. His room felt suffocating, haunted by fragmented memories and the stark reminder of his transformation. Panicked, he sought to escape, only to find himself trapped within his own home, his fate sealed by the curse that now bound him.

Meanwhile, Ivan's mother stood vigil by the waterfall, armed with thorns and determination, but the Samodivi were nowhere to be found. They had departed for Zmajkovo, a mythical village where they would bide their time until the spring.

As dawn broke, Ivan's mother returned home, resigned to the relentless battle ahead. Together, they shared a silent meal, the weight of their shared burden heavy upon them.

“I won’t stop waiting for them, and when they return, I’ll send them all to the other world,” Ivan’s mother finally broke the silence, her hand grasping her son’s. Their eyes spoke volumes, understanding that sooner or later, one of them might be lost forever, if not both.

“Are you sure we don’t need anything more than a pound of cheese and yogurt? Because Bay Stoyan wants to fill my bags with everything from his store,” Mary giggled cheerfully as she discussed groceries with Ivan on the phone.

“Yes, that’s all we need! My mom prepared so many dishes, and all she wants is to meet you.” Ivan replied, his excitement palpable. He hadn’t seen her in over a month.

It was Christmas Eve, and Ivan’s siblings and their spouses were enjoying a feast like no other in the past five years—laughter and teasing filled the room, reminiscent of the old days. There were tears of joy when Ivan announced his proposal to Mary, who accepted. The wedding was set for late spring, in May of the following year.

Later, the very same night, after they announced their engagement, Mary gazed with love at her fiancé and softly stroked his face.

“Did you accidentally spill paint on your hair or something? It seems you have a darker curl, or are you trying to impress me with a new hairstyle?” Mary smiled and gently touched his hair.

“It must be the dim light playing tricks on your eyes,” Ivan murmured, holding Mary close and embracing her passionately. He had decided to dye his white lock of hair, fully aware that it would otherwise stir up countless questions and evoke terrifying memories among his brothers.

As he passed by his younger brother the following morning, the latter nearly knocked him to the floor in his nervous haste to reach the staircase.

“Why didn’t you tell us they’re back? I saw Mom heading to the waterfall last night. Why didn’t you say anything? Why?” His younger brother was visibly upset, pulling Ivan’s pajamas and shaking him vigorously.

“They are not back yet! That’s why! You don’t need to worry now!” Ivan finally snapped at him.

That was the last time he saw his brothers and their wives. They eagerly piled into their cars and drove away.

Over the next few months, Ivan and Mary basked in harmony and happiness. Ivan had almost forgotten about the haunting halo. Despite the unsettling undercurrent, Devin Village was a beautiful place to live and a renowned tourist destination. They planned to spend their honeymoon there and open their new hotel to guests. The grand opening was scheduled for April of the following year, and Ivan hoped everything would go as planned.

Alas, one morning in March, Mary noticed the strain in Ivan's mother's eyes as she silently went about her tasks.

“Are you alright?” Mary asked.

“Yes, dear, I just didn’t sleep well last night. That’s all,” the elderly woman replied, attempting to conceal the fear in her eyes.

When Mary left the room, Ivan’s mom discreetly slid a local newspaper article in front of Ivan’s eyes. “ Young girl found dead near the waterfall,” the article’s first sentence read. The halo had returned, more potent and wrathful than ever.

Ivan stiffened in fear, his thoughts racing with worry for his mother and Mary.

Later that night, as Mary drifted off to sleep, Ivan sat in the rocking chair, watching his future wife sleeping. In the darkness, the ominous halo descended upon their bedroom, its presence suffocating and foreboding. The lights instantly trapped Mary’s body, rendering her paralyzed in fear, unable to move. Helpless, Ivan watched as Mary became ensnared in its grasp, her body lifeless, squeezed in its deadly embrace.

In a cruel twist of fate, the halo's magic compelled Mary to leap from the window, leaving Ivan powerless to save her. As he screamed in horror, bound by an unseen force, he heard the chilling whisper of the halo, sealing their tragic fate.

“You took one of us down; we take two,” and then everything faded into darkness.

The last image Ivan witnessed before pulling the trigger against his head was his future wife’s dead body drenched in blood on the backyard lawn. His mother, trapped by the halo, was heading towards the waterfall.

And then, there was this blinding light once again. Ivan and Mary walked down the aisle, hand in hand, on their wedding day, accompanied by Ivan’s parents.

The End

By Silviya Rankova

From: Bulgaria

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