• ‘I stumbled on my own feet. Again.’

    I let myself be lied down; can’t figure a good enough reason to get up. It feels nice; it’s quiet, the white floor is cool under my palms. I let my cheek touch the tiles, then my forehead, and I close my eyes. I inhale softly, but deeply too, and I relax all my body upon the floor.

    I drift into unconsciousness but still feeling the ground underneath me and still hearing my even breathing.

    The sound of each breath expands, fills my head and the space around me. Suddenly it duplicates, I hear an echo, space becomes defined again. The second breathing I hear is by my side. Lazily I lift my eyelids and peer. A pair of brown eyes is peering back, just as lazily. This doesn’t startle me. I don’t know why.

    Time passes and I stay the same way.

    I blink and then decide to look around the eyes. It’s a boy; a dark-haired boy with fair skin, that lies next to me. He seems young by the way he’s dressed. He’s tall too; or rather his body seems long. Finally my eyes take his whole face: his lips are pressed in a thin emotionless line, his nose is angled as in ancient Greek sculptures; his eyes still gaze at mine, but now they seem curious. I linger on them and think; in my previous overall look he seemed around my age, so he must study here too…

    Suddenly all my senses become alert and my regained consciousness reminds me where I am. The room feels empty, and the building seems quiet. Light is beginning to fade, I realise, and at the same moment I notice I’m still gazing at the pair of brown eyes. I don’t move, now deliberately, and my whole body feels tense. Then, in a quick single movement I close my eyes, push with my palms against the floor and I’m on my feet. I open my eyes again and search the floor ahead: there’s no one there. I scroll forward, searching further in the dim lit room and by the door I meet a pair of snickers. Not resting on them, I raise my head following the whole extent of the elongated figure with my eyes. I stop abruptly when I meet his face, and hold my gaze there. He seems as expressionless as I am, though looking closely I notice his eyes are still curious.

    And then the statue comes to life; his lips part, slowly, anticipating his speech, a soft gasp for air follows, and the words fall from his mouth. “We should do this again… Sometime... ” A clear, velvety voice.

    Offering no reaction, I move my eyes from his lips and take all his face again, searching for his tone. The beauty of it strikes me. He now looks very serious, his eyes pour honesty and… yearning. His thin lips are pressed together and though almost motionless they give a hint of a blissful smile… And then his face changes. Expressionless again; he turns calmly and exits the room.

    I stand where I am, frozen, still watching the door swing in its hinges until it finally closes with a muffled thump. I shudder. Quickly, I pick my bag up from the floor and leave the room.

    The space and time between there and reaching home feels blurry. And it’s with a short gasp that I realise I’m at my bedroom’s door. I push it open and fling myself on top of the bed. I immediately feel exhausted and quickly fall asleep.

    In my dream I stumble on my own feet. Again. I lie very still on the cool floor, with my eyes closed, and smile in anticipation.