She wasn’t at her best. Her body felt the earth’s gravity more than on any other day. Her mind swirled around in circles, trapped in an ephemeral skull. Outside, the rain soaked the crackled ground. A suffocating haze lay above the horizon. No escape, not even to nature.
As she got up, the dog looked hopeful for a fraction of eternity, only to realise that the movement wasn’t meant for him. He curled up again, a furry coil sighing away its disappointment. “No, not you too”, she thought. “Too many expectations and demands”, she thought.
Day in, day out: “Do this, do that, go there, come here. Be cheerful. Be grateful”. She sat down again, cool leather cushions welcoming her thighs. As the clock’s ticking filled the room, she drifted off, dreaming of a weightless life.
Eva van Beek 