I am returning home, and the guys seem to have pulled a lucky number. Our adventure finished earlier than we intended, and I don't know whether to feel happy or sad. Frankly, after two sick days, when the fever left me barely conscious and as a result ate next to nothing, I did not have any energy left to even think. I am just sleeping through the ride home. 

Ian stops the car near a gloomy apartment complex, towering above the dense traffic. He helps me get my handbag and backpack out and we come inside the building. 

The concierge is still the same, she's been working here since I was ten. She is a very pleasant woman, and not very talkative. Even now she just smiles in return to my greetings, without asking any questions.

"So here I am dating a girlfriend, and only finding out that she lives in the capital at the last moment." Ian jokes while waiting for the elevator.

"Did you think I hatched from an egg in a dumpster truck?" I smile, trying really hard to hide the fact that my head is spinning. "I even told you about my family."

"As if you told me a lot. The only thing was about how you ran away from home after arguing with your mom's lover. Apart from that I haven't heard any details. By the way, there won't be any problems now, right?"

"What problems?" I giggle. A disgusting weakness spreads over my body with a wet chill. It seems that my sickness is really hesitant on leaving my body. But I am not worried, as I will be home soon.

"My mother got married again a year ago and went to sunny Columbia. It seems that my thirst for adventure is from her. Now I share the flat with my brother."

"Is anyone meeting you today?"

"I have the keys. I called Toby but he didn't pick up, probably working in night shift."

However, an unpleasant surprise awaits me at the door. The lock was clearly changed, and my key no longer fits. I ring the doorbell and hear faint rustling. Then a woman's voice comes from the door phone. A woman?! Who is she? I look around to make sure I am at the right flat. Everything is correct, 7th floor and the door is ours, there are even old scratch marks on it.

"Can I help you?" The woman cautiously asks. "It's two in the morning, people are sleeping!"

"Can I come in? I live here. And who are you? Open the door!"

"What nonsense are you spewing?" She says with a surprised tone. "Please stop these pranks or else I will call the police!"

The door phone becomes silent, but i persistently press on the doorbell until the irritated voice shouts:

"The only people living here are me and Tobias!"

"Lies! I live here with my brother! Where is Toby?"

The door phone becomes silent once more. I hit the door with my foot from anger. I then hear the lock opening, and from the small crack the woman looks at me. She has a round face with blonde curls. Average height, weight, and attractiveness. And why the hell is she wearing my mother's slippers?

"Yes, Tobias," She is holding a phone to her ear. "The one with dark hair, she is your sister? Well, I didn't know... Okay, I will let her in." She gestures me inside. "Tobias let you come in."

"How generous." I cut her off. "Where would I be without his permission. And what are you doing here? A maid?"

The woman stands up straight and proudly proclaims:

"I am Tobias' wife!"

I am speechless. My brother lost his mind, it seems. This hag is at least ten years older than him! Although... I subtly examine her hands. She is not wearing a wedding ring. That means everything is not as bad as I thought.

"I think I'll go now." Ian says, reminding me that he is still standing outside. "Call me when you get comfortable, okay?"

"Of course," I kiss him on the cheek and grab my things. "Good luck."

I then turn back to the woman. It is time to get things straight.

I drag my stuff into the apartment. It is very neat and clean, which greatly annoys me. It is as if I came into a stranger's home uninvited.

"You can leave your things in the hallway."

"Yeah, of course." I drag my handbag on the new carpet and into my room.

"Come into the living room, wait until Tobias comes home!"

How can a single person be so annoying?! I rip open the door, and freeze, not believing my eyes. Where is... everything? Yes, the last time I was here was half a year ago, but... Where is my kitten carpet? My paintings and the shelf with dolls? Where?!

The place where I spent all of my childhood meets me with empty walls and a window without curtains. There are floorboards stacked up along one of the walls. The air smells of dust and damp plaster. The only thing on the bed is a bare mattress. There are rolls of blue wallpaper and a toolbox on top of it. I drop my handbag.

"I told you, you should wait in the living room." The woman grumbles behind my back. "We are doing renovation here!"

I close my eyes and clench my fists. We are doing renovation here. So... you are doing renovation... Okay, I understand, I will kill Toby! I come into the room and open the wall of a built-in closet. Some construction debris and a few small boxes fall to my feet.

"Where are my things?" I ask without turning around. I am afraid that if I even glance at this old curly hag, then I will do something that I will regret later myself.

"What things?" the woman sounds surprised. "I don't know anything!"

A sharp pain spreads through my right hand, I clenched my fist too hard which made my scratches burn. It helps contain my anger.

"Can you bring in some bed-sheets? I need to get some sleep."

"You can sleep on the couch."

"Some bed-sheets, a blanket and two pillows! Or should I call Toby for permission?"

Finally, she shut up. I put the toolbox and wallpaper aside, sweeping them under the bed frame and sit on the edge. I want to cry; I feel like I have been robbed and trashed. My hand aches and I feel my temperature rising. I need to lie down, or else my sickness will rise up again.

The woman comes in carrying a bunch of old rags, and a sofa pillow. This is it, I am definitely going to murder this bitch! With this hammer right here! It seems like my murderous intent shows on my face, as the woman takes two steps back and carefully spits out:

"I only have a bed-sheet, everything else is dirty and in the washing machine. We don't have a spare blanket. We threw the old things away."

"Give me your phone, I need to call Toby immediately!" I jump from the bed. "Did you all go crazy in here? I said give me the phone!"

The hag silently calls Toby and hands me the device. I hear a distant noise of people talking, the clanking of dishes, and finally the tired voice of my brother.

"Hello? Helen? What else?"

"This is not Helen! Toby, what in the world is happening?! Do you and your woman plan to throw me out for good? I can sue you, you know? This is my house too, and I can't even get proper sheets! Where are my belongings?! I want to have all of them back!"

"Wait, calm down... I don't understand! For how long are you staying?"

"Forever! Toby, if you come home without sheets and pillows, I will go straight to the court! I will tell mom all about how you met me, how your... hog beast is treating me! Don't forget the blanket! Grab some curtains too while you're at it!"

"Where would I find curtains for sale in the middle of the night?"

"I don't give a shit! Find a 24/7 supermarket! You understand?!"

"I do, stop shouting. Anything else you need?"

"A guillotine for yourself! Where is the table, or should I put my laptop on my head?"

"I will give you back your table. I also think you'll need a cable. I will come back in about two hours, so please wait until then and... don't be mean to Helen. I will explain everything once I come back."

The call ends. Helen waits, but before I give her phone back I copy Toby's new number, which he neglected to tell me about, what a good brother! I suddenly recall Colin's words: It's better to be an orphan with these relatives.

The memory comes back in a bright flash - the light-haired boy handing me a bag of tissues. And then the scene from the bakery - There are no more free seats left. I promise I won't disturb you. Why both of these people blurred together on the entrance to Valhalla? Who... or what was it? The question swirls around in my head, making my head hurt even more.

I return the phone to Helen and shut the door in her face. I throw the rags on the mattress and curl up in a ball, feeling the nauseous heat waking up inside me once more.

The sleep calms me down and gently drags me down to the depths of grey nothingness. I swim in it, and think about how good it feels to not worry about anything. The light happiness of a feather, floating in the summer sky. I glimpse a barely-noticeable silver light, and understand that the space around me is filled with thin threads, and that a gentle foam is holding me up. But the light gets brighter, dragging me into the cruel and heavy reality.