Our Worlds

It started on a Saturday morning. The never-ending siren of the ambulance cars and the echoing sound of each car and tram that passed filled the air. The heat was starting to become almost unbearable and Emily in a frustrated manner put down the book she was reading at the desk. She put her head sideways on the table, looking at the flower pot on the right.

- You don't seem to like it either. Imagine if you were outside... you'd be withered by now.

She remained like that for a few moments, looking blindly at the flower and the small rays of sunlight that managed to pass through the curtains. She suddenly rose, took the book into her hands then went to the shelf above her bed. It was full of different dictionaries and a few novels, some in translation, some in original. She looked at the book in her hands, then with a quick movement she went back to the desk and put it down. She reached down under the table, searching for something, and as her hands did not meet with anything, she left for the kitchen and stopped at the refrigerator. She looked inside and unable to decide what she really wanted she sat down in front of it, enjoying the pleasant coolness and listening to the humming of the machine. She then noticed on the lowest level an unopened bottle of water, took it out and touched her neck with the icy bottle.

She then got up, changed her clothes, put the bottle into her bag, took the book from the desk and went outside, hoping to find a quiet place where she could enjoy her novel. She went out the building and headed for the nearest park. It took about 12 minutes until she could find a free bench, then she sat down, drank a few gulps from the bottle and opened the book to the last page she has read. She could not even read the second page when somebody suddenly sat down next to her.

- You know, it really is a pity to look down on some pages just to imagine a world that doesn't exist, when you have an even better one around you.

It was the voice of a young man, in his late twenties, looking up at the branches of the trees while smiling. Emily put the bookmark in the book and quickly closed it, looking at the man with a disturbed face.

- Have you ever thought about what kind of trees there are in this park? – he said while looking at Emily.

Her eyes suddenly grew bigger and he could read her confusion, as her hands stopped while she wanted to put the book into her bag and leave.

- Thought not. – said the man. – Look! – he said while pointing upwards – it's a sparrow with yellow feathers. It is looking at you! You should smile, it will definitely sing for you.

Emily looked but she couldn't see any bird in the direction the stranger pointed to. She regained her composure, put the book away, then as she wanted to stand up, she heard the chirping of a sparrow. She stopped for a moment, then with a determined step, went towards the tram station.

The next day, she came back, and she sat down on the same bench she did yesterday. She took out the novel, rested her hands on its cover, then with a quick movement she looked at the tree in front of her. There were no birds and she, with an ironical smile opened her book.

- How are you enjoying the book? Are there any unexpected events in it?

Emily recognized the voice from yesterday, but she decided to ignore him and continue reading. She saw the contours of the man from the corner of her eyes. He did not move, with his elbows on his legs he rested his head in his palms and stared blindly ahead.

The next day, she again took her book and a bottle of water, went to the park and then sat down on the bench. For some reason, she liked it there, though there were other free benches now. She sat down, opened the book, but she could not start reading until the mysterious man arrived. He sat down, smiled at her then just kept looking around himself. The words seemed to flow before her eyes, she read them, but the exciting world of the novel seemed to be hidden behind a black veneer. She did not move her hands, nor her head, only raised her eyes and looked above the book to see the world her companion saw. Some old couples slowly walking before them, children returning from the nursery with their parents, a few young people walking their excited dogs. Just the usual.

The man started humming a pleasant melody and Emily closed her eyes. The noise of cars and trams faded as she let herself enter into the world of 'now'. She heard the chirping birds that accompanied the humming and heard the laughter of the children, the excited sniffing of dogs, people talking to each other. She closed her book and in the same manner as the man next to her, she rested her hands on her palms.

On Tuesday she put the book back to the shelf, took the bottle of water then headed to the park without taking the tram. She sat down on her usual place, but no matter how long she waited, the man did not come.

- What was I expecting? He is probably working. How silly of me... I did not even know his name.

- I should go home.

Emily took her bag, then went back home. It was almost 4 PM.

After two hours, she had finished the novel. She put down the book and looked at her flower.

- You know, you should go outside for a bit, the weather is quite pleasant today.

She stood up, took the flower pot and went out to the balcony. She put the flower on the window ledge. She leaned on the railing, looked up at the clear sky and listened to the melody of the sparrows.

- Today is different, isn't it?

Surprised, Emily looked to the left, where on the neighbouring balcony the stranger from the park was leaning on the railings. She smiled and leaned on the railings:

- Yes. It is.