Alright - 1. Alright

I was looking out of the window, asking myself why and when things had changed. I found no immediate answer. The question nagged at me, though. And the sun blinded me. I blinked.

I turned away from the window and crossed the room slowly. I noticed the worn carpet and the dust on the shelves. Things had changed definitely.

I opened the door, left the room and walked down the hallway. I smelled the bad air. I felt I needed to get a breath of fresh air. So I left the house quickly.

The house was empty. They had sold it. They had left. They had moved to another town.

They had left yesterday. They had left together. But I still had a key to the house.

I had come here this morning, just to find that the house was empty.

I turned back to the house. I looked at the front door. Then I entered the house again. I walked around. The rooms were empty. They had taken along everything, except of the worn carpet and two wooden shelves.

The sun shone through a window. I noticed the windowpane was dirty. I gazed at the window, asking myself why and when things had changed. I knew the answer. I knew that I knew it.

Things had changed on a summer evening. All had changed within a brief moment of time.

I pushed my hands into the pockets of my coat. I blinked. The winter sun blinded me. I left the room. The hallway was dark and the air smelled bad.

I remembered that summer evening.

I went into the kitchen. I spotted a spoon in the sink. I looked at it thoughtfully.

I remembered that summer evening.

I took the spoon and looked at it closely. Then I placed it back in the sink.

They had met that summer evening. I had witnessed it. I had seen the looks they had cast each other.

I went back into the hallway. I looked up and down the corridor. My lips shivered. I turned my head.

I had left the front door open. The air was cold and it smelled of winter. At least, the bad air was gone.

I stood in the corridor, asking myself why things had changed. I found no immediate answer. The question nagged at me, though.

I climbed the stairs. The stairs creaked. I stopped at the top of the stairs. I gazed at the bedroom door. I was asking myself why things had changed.

I remembered the looks they had cast each other. Chris had moved in two weeks later. And I had moved out.

I made a few steps towards the door. I gazed at the wooden door for a while. Finally, I placed my hand on the doorknob. My lips shivered. And so did my hand.

I opened the door and gazed into the room. The room was empty. The winter sun shone through the window. I noticed the windowpane was dirty.

I clenched my teeth and I clenched my hands. I was asking myself why things had changed. Tears filled my eyes. I was asking myself why things had changed. My lips shivered. I was feeling cold. I was asking myself why things had changed. And then I let out an infuriated yell.

I hurried out of the room and ran down the stairs. I ran down the hallway and left the house.

I threw the front door shut. I ran down the street. People gave me strange looks. I just gazed back at them.

People are strange. So strange. Tears ran down my cheeks. I knew why things had changed.

All had changed within a brief moment of time. I had seen the looks they had cast each other. I took a deep breath and then hurried on.

I ran into a woman. She scolded me. I clenched my teeth and I clenched my hands. She made a step back. People gathered. I just gazed at them.

They spoke to me. I did not understand them. All had changed within a brief moment of time.

People are strange. I felt like a stranger. I felt like a stranger in a strange land.

I pushed my hands into the pockets of my coat. I blinked. The winter sun blinded me.

There was no answer to my question, at least no answer that I would understand.

The people gazed at me. And I just gazed back at them.

“Alright,” I said to them finally.

I blinked. They gazed at me with a blank look in their eyes.

People are strange. So strange. I felt like a stranger. I turned away and hurried on.