Perfect

Coming-of-Age Roman (Erstlingswerk)

Auszug aus dem dritten Kapitel des Romans

Dad was already sitting at the little table on the patio in the backyard, reading his newspaper and whistling contentedly. The birch trees surrounding our property and the big oak tree sight in the center looked truly pretty today. Beams of morning sunlight were shining through the branches, and the full green all around the house made the place look like a postcard idyll. I closed the mosquito screen behind me and sat on a chair beside Dad, who promptly laid down his papers and pressed my hand for greeting. Then he drowned his glass of juice and gave me a warm smile.

“I better get going, Sóley. I think today there’s going to be a few people in town in desperate want of a good cup of tea. Anyway, I need to take care of the latest orders.”

And with that he left me sitting in the beautiful, calm summer morning. I leaned back in my chair, fingers interlaced. Just then the doorbell rang. Reluctantly, I got up from my comfortable seat and made my way inside, debating with myself whether I should really open the door. I was too lazy to chat today and still had a lot to do, planning the trips and hunting for a job. But at last I opened the door anyway.

It was my neighbor Susanne, whom Gabriella and I knew very well. Susanne was a tall, broad-shouldered woman in her 50s. She had a dozen horses on her farm not far away from here and also looked after the horses of Gabriella’s family. We spent many of our weekends on her farm, horseback-riding, barbecuing, and taking care of those elegant animals. Susanne was a good friend to both our families. Whenever I saw her, she radiated energy and optimism. My body turned tense and stiff when I realized that today she looked exhausted, and her eyes were dull. Only a few minutes later I would understand why. My whole world, all I knew for sure, would be completely shattered.

“Come on, my girl, let’s get you inside so that you can sit down and have something to drink. Henri, could you please get me my mobile from the car? I want her to call someone to come over. She’s home all alone, but she really shouldn’t be in a moment like this.”

Everything was spinning. My eyelids were heavy, my head felt dizzy. My whole body only wanted to sleep— as wanted my soul. I was so tired…why couldn’t they let go off me! I just wanted to lie on the ground and never get up again. Ouch…now my heart started aching like hell. Was it going to jump out of my chest? It certainly felt like it.

Suddenly, a huge wave of desperation rushed over me and took me with it by its force. My vision turned sharp as a knife—only for me to realize that I would never see her again. Gabriella was dead! She was gone, and forever would be. It was undoable. She was gone! Dead! Gone!

I grabbed the space in front of me, trying to get ahold of something, anything…but I felt only thin air.

“Watch out!” Susanne called from far away, but I had already hit the floor.