The Company of Strangers
The Company of Strangers
“She woke up lying on top of the bed, the counterpane rough against her cheek, a burning disc on her temple and her knees almost up to her chin. The window was open and the air was no longer thick with heat. Her back felt cool. The walls of the room were tinted to rose-water by the evening light. She rolled over to see a vast pink funnel of cloud taking up a segment of the light blue dome of the sky.
Her pillow was wet, an ear bunged with water and a low roar. She sat up, shook her head. Hot wat...er trickled from her ear down her jaw. She stared between her splayed knees as snatches of dialogue emerged in the sloppy horizons of her mind.
‘You’re German, aren’t you?’ she’d asked, panting into the sand.
‘Yes, I’m the military attaché at the German Legation in Lapa.’ Nobody’s here for a holiday.
‘Do I know you?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘You’re familiar.’ ‘I don’t mean to be,’ he said. ‘I carried your friend up to the house last night.’ ‘Were you following me?’ ‘Your friend was drunk.MoreLess
Her pillow was wet, an ear bunged with water and a low roar. She sat up, shook her head. Hot wat...er trickled from her ear down her jaw. She stared between her splayed knees as snatches of dialogue emerged in the sloppy horizons of her mind.
‘You’re German, aren’t you?’ she’d asked, panting into the sand.
‘Yes, I’m the military attaché at the German Legation in Lapa.’ Nobody’s here for a holiday.
‘Do I know you?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘You’re familiar.’ ‘I don’t mean to be,’ he said. ‘I carried your friend up to the house last night.’ ‘Were you following me?’ ‘Your friend was drunk.MoreLess
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