The cold wind of winter continued to blow as he slowly made his way through the deserted streets of the city. The only few people that remained outside that night were those that were running late to their respective family gatherings. And even them quickly disappeared into one of the multiple apartment buildings as quickly as they had appeared. Some of them, mainly couples, would even argue for taking too long to get ready, or for being unable to find a parking spot closer to their destination.

The bell from a church rang in the distance, though he didn’t have to count the chimes to know it was already ten o’clock. Whilst people were rushing to spend the night with their families and loved ones, he was doing the exact opposite. A small argument, if it could even be called that, was enough for him to storm off …

The sun had already set when we arrived at Mark’s neighbourhood, and the streets were far from empty. People were strolling peacefully now that the heat of the day had begun to dissipate, and some were even on their way to meet up with someone. It had been two years since Mark had moved there, and while both Jason and I had visited him on several occasions, something about how he called us over seemed quite strange.

“Why do you think he called us here?” Jason asked, as if he was able to read my mind. “Whatever it is, I just hope it’s worth it! I was really looking forward to eating that pizza we were preparing!”

As luck would have it, Jason had come over to my apartment to discuss something, and we were in the middle of preparing the aforementioned pizza when Mark called, asking us …

“Thank you for agreeing to do this, Mr. Leister,” said the face on the screen. The man, who couldn’t be much older than me, shuffled his papers and took of his glasses to look directly at me.

“Of course,” I replied. “Please forgive me for talking to you from my bed, but these days I seem to be unable to move much.”

“Not at all! I understand you are still recovering in hospital, hence my initial surprise when you replied to my email. In fact, we could postpone the interview until you are back in full health.”

Many journalists had gotten in touch with me after the incident, though I had no idea how they had obtained my personal phone number or email address. All of them showed the same discourse acting close and friendly, but in between the lines of their messages I could always sense their selfishness …

All the pieces lie before me. An infinite puzzle that has been there for as long as I can remember.

Some parts are fairly easy, as if each piece was calling out to be placed next to its siblings, one after the other. The scenes those pieces conform often feel familiar, natural, like they were always meant to be like that. Like I was always supposed to see them, and doing so triggered so many different emotions in my mind: most of them of relief or joy, while others bring out a tint of sadness and loss. Even so, I would not have them be anything else than what they are.

However, at times I come across pieces that are completely unknown to me. No matter how hard I look, I cannot seem to identify the pattern, the shapes, the colours, the scenes. I wonder if perhaps they do not …

“What do you fear you would find?”

Those words resonated in my mind as I made my way through the swamp. It had already been a while since I left the warmth and comfort of the meadows, and the terrain was becoming increasingly difficult to traverse. Two out of five steps I took saw my boots sinking into the mud and several times I thought I would just sink and never be able to to leave that place. The air was impregnated with a strong smell of stagnant water, while the enormous trees around the path I followed blocked any and all sunlight, and sounds made by creatures I couldn’t identify echoed throughout the infinite shades surrounding me.

But I didn’t really mind all of that, for it kept my mind from overthinking, as it usually did, and wandering off into a vicious cycle. After all, what was …

The only thing I could remember was walking for a very long time, not knowing how I got there, nor how I was going to return home. However, there was something strangely familiar to that bazaar, though I couldn’t tell exactly what it was. Taking a seat at the edge of the fountain in the main plaza, I observed the people around me: they were going about their lives with ease, not showing a single worry on their faces. Some of them had their hands full with all the things they had bought, while others were just browsing what the different stalls had to offer.

Someone stopped next to me and I noticed them inspecting me. “Aren’t you hot in those clothes?” they asked. They were right, how didn’t I notice before? The winter clothes I was wearing were far from adequate for that desert climate, and …

Knowing where I could find the craftsman’s workshop I left the town through the south gate. As I took my first steps outside the walls, the heat of the summer enveloped my skin with such intensity that I was grateful I had left my armour behind.

Having followed the directions of the people I had met along the way, a small one story building appeared in the distance. Although at first glance it was no different to any other house in the middle of the meadow, the cart and anvil in front of it indicated otherwise.

As I approached I noticed a man who did not appear that much older than me, and a young girl around ten years old, sitting on a wooden bench by the entrance of the workshop. The shade cast by the building protected them from the rays of the summer sun.

“Good day,”, I …

I was woken up by an announcement from the conductor of the train.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is now twelve o’clock,” the conductor said. “This will be the last announcement for the day. We are expecting to reach the midpoint of our journey by seven thirty in the morning. Please enjoy your night, and thank you for traveling with us.”

Taking a deep breath, I got up and sat at the edge of the bed. My cabin was completely dark, save for the occasional light coming in from the window. It had been more than two hours since I had come back to lie down and, luckily, the migraine I had been suffering during the afternoon seemed to have subsided.

When I was younger, I would often say that I really enjoyed traveling by train: feeling the movement over the tracks, watching the incredible landscapes passing by, enjoying the …

“Tell me,” he said after taking a sip from his glass and putting it down on the table. “How would you describe your life?”

I didn’t really understand his question. Did he want to know what type of life I had? Whether I was content with it or not, or missing something? No matter how you looked at it, it was a strange thing for him to ask, especially considering we had known each other for years and he could surely answer that question himself. Still, I could see he was genuinely curious about what I would reply, so I told him.

“I guess… I’d say it’s a good life? I have achieved many of the goals I set for myself when I was younger. I am happy with who I am and where I am.”

He laughed. “Yes, of course. I know that.” Once again, he …

It was the stroke of midnight. Most of the citizens were already sleeping in their homes, and those who weren’t were spending their time at the many taverns located throughout the city. City guards were dutifully making their rounds in the districts, relieved to see that their night would seemingly be quiet and uneventful, allowing them to enjoy the warm spring breeze which made working at night much more tolerable.

The city of Morese was built on top of an island that had been separated from the continent by the sea over the course of millennia, and now around three hundred meters of water stood between both lands as a natural barrier. Although this water was navigable, most people usually accessed the city by means of the many bridges that had been erected to facilitate trade. Said bridges stood tall over the sea level in order to allow small …