Vera & Aust (Dormiveglia)

Episode 1 - Vera

Everyone searches for that one story that changes their life.

There was a girl in my class I never got to know. She was usually holed up in the corner of the class or the library, but for some reason, my eyes always found her. She was an enigma, mostly, but I knew a few things about her. She liked her coffee straight black no sugar. Not hot and not cold. She often had her fingers hovered over her keyboard, always in the middle of an incomplete thought as she chased a story.

I was lost in her story.

I didn't understand why she sat there day in and day out, chasing a story that wouldn't come to. And I watched her continuously teeter between words and emotions. But one day, she disappeared, and I remained.

Sometimes, I wonder if she'd ever found the story she seemed desperate to find.

"Miss Vera?"

I snapped out of my head and refocused my attention on the customers. In my 1200 sq ft library cafe, I have about 20 regulars, all of whom order varying caffeinated drinks. Not one of them has ever ordered out of the usual.

"Would you like a sandwich with your regular, Laverne?"

Laverne was a regular at my cafe. She ordered the same juice each time. Then, she'll retreat to a corner of the cafe where no one really goes to.

It's been this way for the last year.

She too had been chasing a story except, she eventually gave up on it.

A year before, she ordered her juice with the sandwich of the day without change. This hasn't been the case for a while now. Back then, she would only stop by for an hour or two instead of the entire day. She used to carry with her a roll-up keyboard.

I didn't even know those existed.

The memory of her playing the piano is almost nonexistent. She stopped chasing her story even before it truly began.

I find stories to be quite fascinating which is why I started a library cafe. My entire life revolved around them. Eventually, I decided to share this passion with others.

That's how I thought my story began.