Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro

Barra da Tijuca, 1 a.m., Saturday. A cold and rainy night on Dulcídio Cardoso Avenue, in the beautiful and quiet neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. At that time, the amount of cars is much more limited in comparison with the day. But there is still some movement of vehicles coming and going, of the most varied makes and models. Occasionally, Enzo and Vini would return late at night, despite the reports of robberies. Anyway, they had never been robbed by an armed criminal, neither there nor anywhere else. After all, nothing bad happens in our home.

- Hey, Vini, I bet you the next car that passes by is white.

- Enzo, my friend, this betting stuff of yours is messing with your head.

- No way! Bet365 says I'm fine.

- Before or after betting?

- After.

- Doesn't that mean anything?

- According to them, no.

As time went by, the lack of subject matter started to affect the relationship between the two.

- Vini, can fish drown?

- What's up with that chit-chat of yours?

Despite the hour, some people were walking along the red-floored bike path next to the street, usually with their dogs that refused to urinate indoors. Like it or not, it was a funny way to kill time. But while distracted with Vini, Enzo noticed a peculiar figure walking down the bike lane in a long white dress. He couldn't see much from the 10th floor, but there was someone there.

- Hey, Vini. - Enzo nudged his friend's shoulder, drawing his attention.

- What?

Surprisingly, the figure disappeared, just as it had appeared.

- What is it? - Vini repeated the question.

- Nothing, nothing. Never mind.

But as it turned out, Enzo didn't forget about that white-clad figure walking alone late at dawn. The next day, Enzo wanted to ask Vini if he saw the same thing he did, but at the same time he didn't want to ask so as not to look so foolish.

- Hey, Vini, do you think you can see, but at the same time your brain can fool you?

- Is that a question or a statement?

- A question, dumbass!

- Well, there are times when you see something, but it's not what you see.

- What do you mean?

- Have you ever heard of optical illusions?

- Maybe. You have those images that keep moving.

- Let me get the technical definition for you. - Vini turned on his cell phone and googled it. - Here it is: "an optical illusion or optical illusion involves images that are perceived by the visual system in one way and interpreted differently in the brain. While the brain can process some of the attributes of the image or object, there are aspects that are misleading and therefore lead to errors in the perceptual process."

- What is your point?

- You may be seeing something and your brain picks it up differently.

- Like Italy and my relationship with her.

- Now that's following a logic, Enzo.

- She thinks I'm the one who screwed up. Visually, her brain may have had a wrong impression of the facts.

- What wrong impression? You are a jerk and you use women to satisfy your own desires. There is nothing mistaken about that. You are the wrong one.

- It's okay, Vini. I get it. You're useless.

- Are you going to leave me here?

- On second thought, yes, I will.

So Enzo had to leave Vini behind and went to the bike path again, this time at a much more reasonable time. Unfortunately, he didn't really know what to do. He just stood there while people came and went with their bikes, some electric, dogs, or just simply wanted to go somewhere different.

- What the fuck am I supposed to do now? - Enzo asked himself.

Since he couldn't think of any other brilliant insights, Enzo returned to Lake.

- Did you get anything, Stephen Holder?

- Don't start. Hey, were you spying on me from your window?

- Well, you didn't go very far. And I have nothing else to do anyway.

- Very funny. Is Belgium on her way?

- She's spending the night.

- Looks like someone else is going to get an erection.

- And I won't be shot in the head for it.

- You don't know that. - Enzo pointed out. - Belgium is a little nutso.

- You're just saying that because you haven't been in a relationship for months. You' re in a dry spell.

Oh, Enzo wouldn't take that quietly.

- A cheap shot, my friend. But a clean one.

- Did you talk to Italy? She said she wanted to see you.

- No, I haven't.

- Why don't you stop this bullshit and propose to her right away? You're clearly into her and you're running out of options.

- Hey, hey, Enzo Carvalho is not desperate.

- But I stand by my point.

- There is no point to stand on, Vini. We are done. Life goes on.

- Except that you went on sleeping with the Portuguese teacher.

- Isolated case.

- And an unknown woman in Penedo.

- Another isolated case.

- And you flirted with a 35-year-old woman in the supermarket.

- In my defense, I did not know she was 35.

But there was one more thing that Vini almost forgot to ask.

- What were you doing there on the bike path? And does it have to do with those optical illusions?

- Sort of. Yesterday I saw a woman.

- Shocked. That should be the name of your book.

- Very funny. You are awful.

- Tell the damn story.

- Yesterday I saw a strange woman in a wedding veil walking alone on the bike path.

Vini was curious. Enzo knew how to arouse his curiosity with a few words.

- A wedding veil? That's strange. What time was it when we were standing there?

- One o'clock in the morning.

- Was there a wedding?

- Not that I was aware of. And it was fucking cold. Am I the only one who is suspicious?

- What do you want to do?

- Investigate this story.

- Count me in, Mr. Holder.

- Who the hell is Holder?

- A character from The Killing.

Sadly, Vini had the gimmick of taking Belgium to that disaster show. When she learned that Vini didn't call her for a romantic date under the stars, she complained. A lot. But as it turned out, Belgium's complaints didn't change the investigation one bit, because Enzo would go to the ends of the earth to find the answer to the matter.

- Here's what we' re doing. - Enzo began to come up with an idea. - You will look for people who have lived here longer than us.

- And you? - Belgium quickly replied. - What are you going to do?

- A witch hunting party.

- Enzo probably won't do anything. - Vini replied.

- Vini... Shut up. Now try to find some answers.

- Enzo, if you're seeing ghosts out there, it's not our fault!

- I'm not seeing ghosts out there. I see a strange woman walking around right here!

- Enzo, weird woman? Have you looked at Tik Tok? There's a lot of them!

- You understand what I mean, idiot.

Yes, Vini did, but making fun of Enzo's face was one of his favorite activities. After all, he needed to have fun.

Knowing that he couldn't count on the couple, Enzo went by himself on the bike path, walking slowly in search of something. Losing all sense of time, it began to get dark faster than he expected, one of the charms of winter.

- Holy crap. Is it already night?

Soon the streetlights came on, as well as the headlights of passing vehicles and the small lanterns on the bicycles that occasionally crossed Enzo's way.

A few hours later, Enzo couldn't wait any longer for something that probably wouldn't show up. So, he returned to Lake and sat down on one of the benches in the condominium. That scene brought back memories, because the kids would come back from school at that time, or go to play in the Association's football team that Lake is part of.

- Good times. - Enzo smiled.

One of the janitors noticed Enzo's apathy, sitting alone in the cold. Knowing that his shift had ended, he wanted to greet him before going home.

- How are you, Enzo?

- Fine, I think. - Enzo replied, a little dejected.

- Did something happen?

- Yes, but I don't really know how to explain it.

- Try me.

- Well, yesterday I saw a very, very strange woman.

- Usually those ones are in the more distant neighborhoods.

Although it was a joke, Enzo didn't laugh that much. And the doorman knew that Enzo enjoyed that kind of joke.

- But keep talking about this woman, Enzo.

- She wore a wedding dress and walked in a strange way, like a zombie. I couldn't see much, because I was at Vini's house.

- What time was it?

- One o'clock in the morning.

The doorman made a surprised expression.

- Are you sure about what you saw?

- Positive.

- Look, I recommend you talk to Mr. Albuquerque. He lives on the 15th floor. 1505.

- How could he help?

- He has lived here for a long time. Long before Lake existed. As a matter of fact, long before the whole neighborhood existed. And he is a historian. It's a shot.

Enzo agreed.

- You're right.

A few more minutes later, Belgium and Vini returned to Lake.

- The lovebirds are back. - Enzo said, ironically.

- What? I was at Belgium's house.

- Having a good ol' fashioned screw?

- None of your business! - Belgium moaned at the question.

Enzo took it as a "yes". But, surprising or not, that moment was not based on Vini's amorous adventures. Oh, no. Because Enzo had a hint to solve the mystery of the mysterious bride once and for all.

Without losing much time, the three knocked on the door of Mr. Albuquerque, who Enzo and Vini had never heard of his presence at Lake. Maybe this was a sign for them to meet more people in the condominium. As soon as the door opened, Vini's nervousness quickly took over.

- Mr. Albuquerque?

- Yes?

- My name is Vinicius, this is Enzo, and this is my girlfriend, Belgium.

Mr. Albuquerque made a questioning face.

- Is her name a country?

Vini stared at Enzo.

- When will people be okay with it?

- When it stops being funny. - Enzo answered.

- Mr. Albuquerque, we'd like to ask you a question.

- That's alright.

- Does a bride walking around make any sense?

Using these terms...

- No?

- Ignore the stupid Enzo. Sir, yesterday my friend spotted a woman walking in a white dress along the bike path.

- And what's this got to do with me?

- The doorman said that you are a historian, so maybe you knew something.

- You have to be more specific. I am a historian, not a genius.

- We couldn't see very well. - Vini revealed. - I mean... I didn't see a damn thing.

- Do you have any record in your memoirs of a bride?

- I'm sorry, but I got nothing.

Well, that was a letdown. There was nothing else to be done but to send Belgium back home. With one small precaution. Although they did not tell each other, they both took Belgium home late at night and changed all their original plans, almost at the time Enzo claimed to have seen the bride. They would do an early night hunt to confirm Enzo's story. It was all or nothing.

Almost midnight. Enzo and Vini took Belgium on foot to her condo. There weren't many people on the street at that time, which could be a good indication. The woods, where they were about to go, were where things would get really tense. Many trees, blind spots and poor visibility. Vini wanted to speed up, but Enzo relaxed his pace. After all, they were on a mission.

- Okay, Enzo, I have to say, this place gives me goose pimples. - Vini confessed, looking all around.

- Oh, it's not that bad. - Enzo ignored the concern. - Sure, it's a little dark and empty. But we've been through here hundreds of times.

- Yes, but that was before you told me that a scary woman is prowling around.

- Oh yeah. There is that particular detail.

- Now, tell me. What did you see that night?

- Vini, we were on the tenth floor of your apartment!

- And your superpower?

- In the dark? At night? And I look like Batman?

- Then how can I be sure what you saw?

- Because I saw it, you moron! Have you ever seen a strange woman with a veil wandering around aimlessly at dawn?

Ah, that Vini didn't expect.

- Well, no. But this is Barra da Tijuca, so anything is possible.

It wasn't long before the end of the woods. The two followed the winding path of Portuguese stones, surrounded by walls and the other condominiums around them. Every now and then they heard bird noises and the engine of airplanes passing over their heads. Vini didn't say anything, but the truth was that he was terrified of Enzo's chase.

- Let's take a look at the dog park. - Enzo suggested.

Vini, if he had a gun, would have pulled the trigger right there.

- No fucking way! Enzo, we have to go over there! - Vini pointed forward. - What you want to do is to go left on an even more isolated and darker road.

- Vini, what are we doing here anyway?

- I don't even know anymore, my brain is going into overdrive.

- We came after the damned witch.

- Bride.

- Whatever!

- You know what? If you want to go, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you.

A classic Vini quote.

Instead of going the regular way, Enzo and Vini went left, on an unlit, completely empty and inhospitable course. And not only that. Twenty years before, what is now the dog park was a twenty-floor residential building, like all the others on the street. With one small difference. Twenty years ago, due to bisonous engineering errors, the building collapsed, killing people. But even before that, during the process of its construction, a worker fell into the moat and died in the fall. Many residents claimed that the building was haunted, and ghost stories have followed in people's imagination to this day. Currently, the place is a vacant lot surrounded by grass. During the day, the place is ideal for dogs to run and play. But at night the place turns into a darkness, without any lampposts or any presence of life? Alive, at least.

- Damn, I've never been here this late at night before. - Vini commented.

- Vinicius Valverde is afraid of the dark? - Enzo provoked.

- You're the one who is afraid of the dark. - Vini reminded.

- But I never denied it.

- I can't believe you're not scared.

- But I am. My heart is so fast that I think I'm going to do something insane. I almost called Italy just now.

- Stop talking garbage, you stupid fool!

While both men were discussing, or teasing each other, a noise suddenly interrupted their talk. Enzo stopped walking and faced Vini, who shrugged his shoulders.

- Was it you?

- Of course, idiot, the noise came from far away, of course it was me!

- So, what was it then?

Vini noticed a strange movement about twenty meters ahead of him.

- Is there someone there?

- Impossible. There is no way through for pedestrians. Maybe if we go over the wall.

Enzo stared at Vini.

- Your people don't see a wall and want to jump over it.

- Mexican jokes. I'm laughing my ass off. - Vini noticed another movement in the dark. - Hey, is that a light?

Enzo saw what looked like a small floating lantern. But he didn't really want to check it out. So they did what characters in horror movies don't usually do. Instead of sneaking into the - technically - unknown terrain, they simply ran away from there as fast as possible. The strangest thing is that now they had the feeling that they were being followed.

- Damn it, Vini! Someone's following us! - said Enzo, breathless as he ran.

- Don't look back and run!

It must have been one of Vini's best decisions. In a matter of seconds, they were back on the original route. Only this time, it took them no more than ten seconds to make their way to the bike path. With a little more momentum, they could finally breathe a little easier.

- Crap. Holy shit, Vini.

- Tell me about it!

- What was that?

- Honestly? I think fear has affected our ability to think.

- In Portuguese.

- We shredded our pants.

Enzo looked at his cell phone. 1:13 a.m. The clock was ticking stupidly fast.

- Let's go to Lake, Enzo.

Then Enzo had a strange feeling. As he was crossing the street to the gate of Lake, he noticed a movement near the water canal, someone or something moving the bushes almost at the water's edge.

- Vini, look! - Enzo pointed.

- What the fuck is that? - Vini knew where he was looking, but could not tell what he was staring.

There couldn't have been a clearer opportunity. Instead of returning home, which any rational person would do, they both followed the canal towpath. Slowly, approaching the bushes hidden by the darkness. That's when it finally happened. Enzo saw it first. An apparently human figure covered by a veil, with blond hair, pale skin and dark eyes. It didn't look so frightening anymore, at least not at that moment. Then the female figure opened her mouth, and a small white light came out of it. And it made a horrifying sound before disappearing completely into the water.

- What the fuck! - That was Enzo's last sentence before he blacked out.

The following day Enzo woke up to someone poking him. His head felt heavy and the nudges disturbed him.

- Damn it! - Enzo was startled awake. - What the fuck?

- What the hell are you doing here? - a man asked.

- What? - Enzo couldn't assimilate the question. - What are you saying? Who are you?

- You and your friend were lying on the bank of the canal.

- Friend?

- Yes. Blond, green eyes, white skin. Short.

It took Enzo a few seconds to understand that the man was referring to Vini, although he was not that short.

- Hey, Vini! - It was Enzo's turn to bother his friend.

- What is it, Enzo? - Vini complained. - How are you gonna ruin my day today? And what the fuck are you doing in my house?

- What are you talking about, you stupid jackass! We're not at your place!

- Say it again?

Vini raised his head and saw the huge 22 floor building they lived in, Lake.

- Oh, bugger shit. - Vini realized his confusion. - This isn't right.

- No kidding!

- How did we get here?

- I don't know.

- How come I have no memory of last night?

- I don't know!

- Did we ever see the bloody bride?

- I don't know!

- Is there anything you do know?

- At the moment, none.

But one important detail almost went unnoticed.

- What did we lie on? - Vini was forced to ask.

- Something gooey. - Enzo answered. - And smelly.

- Oh, shit. Don't people pick up their dogs' poop?

- Vini, we have bigger problems.

- I guess not.

- We need to remember what the hell happened yesterday.

- The bike path has cameras. To catch the criminals who were stealing bikes. Do you remember?

- Do they still work?

- We need to ask the Association.

The neighborhood association is the one with the decision-making power for all actions involving the neighboring buildings, the bike path, the street, and the park complex. Subjects like security, events, sports, membership cards, and the charter buses were frequently discussed, always with some kind of drama or some problem.

Getting access to the video cameras would be an interesting task. Of course, nobody has access to the images except the park's security personnel, who monitor the entrance and exit of people in a small room reserved in the neighborhood association's administration. Still, Enzo had to try.

- Hello. - Enzo approached the counter. - Could we have access to the cameras?

It's not every day that you meet someone randomly asking about the security cameras on the bike path.

- And why?

- Because I was robbed and I wanted access to the cameras.

- We can send them to the police.

Uh-oh. Enzo's plan began to fall apart.

- In fact, I didn't want to include the police.

- And why not?

- You know how it is. I don't want to have to file a police report. It's too much work. And let's face it, it doesn't do shit.

- I see. Fine, but do it quickly. I'm not allowed to do this favor.

Enzo smiled.

- Thank you, sir.

It was actually quite easy. Beside him, Vini began to watch the images of the previous night together with Enzo. Since the cameras record 24 hours, it wouldn't be too difficult to find them in the late hours of that night.

- Look here! - Vini pointed at the screen. - That's us! When you had the bright idea to go the other way.

- No cameras in the dog park?

- No - Vini confirmed.

- Put on the bike path camera.

Vini pressed some buttons and located the images from the four cameras facing Lake, right where Enzo and Vini were found.

- Right - Vini said. - Now just go back to the right moment.

But the images only seemed to confuse them.

- That's strange, the screen is a little shaky. - Vini soon realized.

- Hey, check it out. - Enzo came closer.

It wasn't clear where Enzo was pointing, but there was certainly someone with them. And the most bizarre thing was that the thing in the video didn't walk with his feet, but floated in the air.

- What the fuck are we looking at?

It was then that suddenly the video image became totally dark. Vini thought it was a technical problem, but then with no warning a shocking face appeared on the screen, scared the hell of them.

- Holy shit, fuck! - Enzo screamed and punched the computer screen. - What the fuck was that?

- Okay, enough of this horseshit. - Vini got up and left the room.

- What are you gonna do?

- Going after this ghostly woman from hell.

- Alone?

Vini was surprised.

- You're not going with me?

- Why would I?

- You started this fucking mess!

- Yes. And I'll finish it.... Staying as far away as possible! I think I'll even sell my bike so I don't have to ride in the bike path again.

At night Enzo needed to go to the bathroom. Well, what could he do? When the bladder complains, you have to get up and let it out, because it is very difficult to hold on until the moment you wake up. A disaster can happen that will only be noticed hours later. Still, it could be worse. Then, he clearly felt the presence of someone or something passing behind his body. The hairs on his arm stood up.

- Holy shit. What the fuck.

One of the disadvantages of living alone. Encountering a ghost and having no one to call for help. But Enzo wanted to be strong.

- What do you want? Talk! Say it!

Finally, the female figure appeared, with her white veil and pale skin, slowly approaching Enzo, who was about to have a stroke. But for some strange reason, as the creature was getting closer, Enzo's fear diminished. It didn't make much sense, but gradually the terror on his face disappeared.

- What are you?

Of course, the woman didn't answer. It was then that she pointed with her forefinger to the mother's womb. If Enzo was a little smarter, he could make the connection to a child, but Enzo just wasn't.

- You... - Enzo couldn't formulate a simple sentence. - Did you die?

The woman smiled.

- Rosana.

Finally, answers.

- Rosana? Is that your name?

Enzo wanted to take a further risk by touching the being. Well, that would be an alternative.

- Vini won't believe it.

Early the next day, Enzo thought of a funny theory in the shower, the place where the genius ideas of regular people are born. With a cigar in his mouth, he led Vini to the edge of the canal again, in the same place they had apparently spent the night. His intuition told him to trust his instincts, because he would be rewarded.

- She doesn't want to kill us, that sucks, because it could be the good way.

- Is there actually a good way?

- Of course there is! Remember the guy who died of an erection?

- He didn't die for that, Enzo.

- Then what was it?

- He was shot in the head.

- But he had an erection, right?

- Well, yeah. But before. His wife caught it with a lover. It was at the hotel across from Lake, the Windsor.

- Oh, yeah. I'm sorry for the hotel staff who had to clean up the whole mess.

- Here. - Enzo pointed to Vini.

And that was it. The decomposing bodies of a woman and a child. Just as Enzo thought. Vini called the police and the investigators did the rest of the work.

- Good job, guys. - said one of the policemen. - Rosana and her daughter had been missing for weeks. Strange that nobody noticed the bodies in the water.

Once again, they returned by the bike path late at night. But for some reason, they no longer felt fear or terror. Everything seemed calm. However, as they were crossing the street, Enzo saw the bride from a distance, who was also looking at him, only with a smile of relief and happiness, until she completely disappeared into the darkness. Enzo, at the same time, smiled too, only of relief. And peace.