Setting:
A cold morning in late autumn. Two friends, Anya (superstitious) and Misha (rational), are walking through a park in a small town near Moscow. Steam rises from their coffee cups, and fallen leaves crunch beneath their boots.
Anya: (stops suddenly)
Ой! Did you see that? A hare just ran across the path. We should go back.
Misha: (chuckles)
Anya, it’s just a rabbit. Probably late for a meeting or something. Come on.
Anya:
I’m serious, Misha. My бабушка always said if a hare crosses your path, something bad will happen. Once, she ignored it, and the samovar exploded the next day.
Misha:
Maybe the samovar was just old. I don’t think the hare caused a pressure malfunction.
Anya: (narrowing her eyes)
It’s not just my бабушка. Everyone in our village knew it. Hares sense things. Why else would they dart like that across the road?
Misha:
Because they’re scared, Anya. That’s literally their only setting: panic. Loud noise? Run. Squirrel farted? Run. Human walking with coffee? Run.
Anya:
Still… every time I’ve seen one, something goes wrong. Last spring, remember when I slipped on the stairs? I saw a hare that morning.
Misha:
Yes. And also, the stairs were covered in ice because you were wearing those ridiculous heeled boots in March.
Anya: (grinning)
They were fashionable. Not practical.
Misha:
Exactly. That’s what caused the fall, not Peter Cottontail playing a prank on you. You’re just remembering the hare because your brain is wired to make connections—even when there aren’t any. It’s classic confirmation bias.
Anya: (teasing)
Oh, here we go. The Great Scientist Misha is giving me a TED Talk in the middle of the forest.
Misha: (laughs)
I’m just saying—if hares really had this bad luck aura, wouldn’t wildlife photographers be cursed? I follow this guy on Instagram who camps out for days just to snap one bunny photo. He’s still alive. No explosions. No mysterious rashes.
Anya:
What if the bad luck is delayed? Or only applies to people who accidentally cross paths, not those who seek them out?
Misha: (mocking awe)
Ah yes, the laws of supernatural misfortune. Very selective.
Anya:
Hey, at least I’m cautious. You’re walking under ladders like it’s a hobby.
Misha:
I check for loose paint cans first. That’s real caution.
Anya: (softly, a bit serious)
Okay, but don’t you ever… I don’t know… feel like these things might carry energy? Not magic, but something we just don’t understand yet?
Misha: (pauses thoughtfully)
I get that. We all want patterns. Meaning. But I’d rather believe in things I can test, prove—or at least question. Superstition can be fun… until it starts making people fearful or stops them from living fully.
Anya:
So you’re saying I should stop avoiding hares and just… live dangerously?
Misha:
Exactly. Starting now. Let’s keep walking—and if anything bad happens, I’ll buy you a пирожок and admit you were right.
Anya: (smiling, starts walking again)
Fine. But if a crow caws three times, we’re turning around.
Misha:
Deal. But only if it’s wearing a tiny hat. Then I’ll really be concerned.
Science Vs Superstition 
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