The world shaper

6

Next day the old man woke up and in a moment he realized he is not in his bed. Bed clothes color was dark purple with rose patterns and they smelled of washing powder. He wore stripped pyjamas that had button-down top.

Through slightly raised blinds came just enough light that he was able to look around. The room was fairly small and had completely empty white walls. There were only a bed, a small table and a cupboard. On the floor there was a parquet that squeaked when old man got up and headed to the window.

It was an early morning and the sun slowly began to rise behind the hills. He raised the blinds and opened the window. He deeply inhaled fresh morning air. A dog bark was heard somewhere in the distance.

It took him a while to remember how he got there. Then he walked to the mirror that was hanged on a wall by the door.  He looked into the stranger opposite him, into the wrinkled old man’s face. He grasped his thick, silver hair and caressed his long beard. He spotted his jutting ears. His eyes were dark and hollow, but they emanated some sort of energy.

After some consideration he looked to himself like a character from a cartoon.

Suddenly he spotted a bluish ball floating above his head. The ball resembled what he saw above Anna’s head a day before. It was just a glimpse, and it disappeared just as mysteriously as it appeared, but he knew it was there. It was always present and it will always be. He felt that with all of his being. He knew the ball meant something, something big and intangible.

Knock on the door snapped him out of these thoughts. He slid to the door and opened it. In front of him stood Anna in her robe. She was all fresh and cheerful and when he looked at her better she seemed almost like an angel.

“Good morning,” she greeted him, “The breakfast is ready. Come on.”

He took his hand, escorted him to the dining room and placed him on a chair. She turned toward a cooking stove and put on water for coffee. He saw the ball again, but this time it didn’t disappear.

“Hmm.” He murmured.

“Can I help you somehow?”

She turned over and the ball motionlessly floated above her head. It was a size of a tennis ball.

“If I tell you something you will probably say I have completely lost my sanity.”

“You mean so? Try me.”

“There is a small ball floating a couple of inches above your head. It is blue but not completely. It seems there are some patterns of different colors.”

She looked up doubtfully.

“I see nothing.”

“I told you that it would sound crazy.”

“What do I know? I’ve heard some pretty insane things before.  What would that ball be?”

“I have no idea. I got a hunch it is somehow connected to me.”

She shrugged turned to the coffee pot and put two spoons of sugar and two spoons of coffee in it.

“You do drink coffee, don’t you?” she asked and interrupted the previous conversation. It was too early in the morning for such deep talks.

“Mhm,” answered the old man. He was still staring somewhere above her head.

“You will remember when the time comes,” she tried to comfort him. “The coffee is cooked and I unfortunately have to go to work. I will be gone till the late afternoon. Meanwhile you can watch television or you can read a book.”