The day is haunting, the whole city is foggy; there are no colors, there is no view. The big clock in the city rings and people fill the street, with closed umbrellas and heavy coats, looking as busy as ants at work. At the bottom of the sky a crack is visible, and a little light can be seen when the sun decides to peek. People clash, shoulder to shoulder, the bus stops and everyone is invited, breathing meets breathing, exhaling irritated by the lack of vision. The crossroads are wet, the green light is dripping, falling leaves battle against the waves, but are eventually pushed into the sewers. A girl runs covered in a red raincoat, while an old man kneels beside the lamppost. Few noises are peculiar, most are just annoying. A smell invades the environment and replaces the metallic air of the street; a boy raises his nose, smiling, enters the bakery. The young man with the umbrella sneezes and the girl next to him lifts her head, opens her mouth and licks the last drops of rain; the young man closes his umbrella and moves closer to her, taking her arm, the two jump each puddle. A man in a suit stops, looks at them, tilts his head to the right and then shakes it, holding his umbrella tighter he quickens his pace. Seconds later a car passes by, driving fast, splashes of water fly everywhere, the man who opens his shop screams with rage as the car disappears. A laugh is heard, the eyes and ears of the man from the store collaborate and look for the owner of the sound, ending up catching a woman sitting alone at the bus stop, he looks at her, she in turn covers her mouth, as if surprised by the fact that she was the one laughing, and then mumbles an apology; Still decimating her with his gaze, he turns, now with his back to her, the woman laughs again, this time almost silent when the man enters his store. A siren sound is heard in the distance, the woman looks at her watch and sighs. Minutes later a bus stops right in front of her, the woman fixes her dress, balances on her heels and makes her way inside. The woman inspects the bus, contentedly sits in the penultimate chair. When the bus seems about to leave, a fat man is seen approaching, running as if his life depended on breaking the laws of physics, panting he gets on the bus, looks everywhere, there are five empty seats, two of them before the of the woman, but the man walks and sits right next to her, and the woman is only able to look, watch the sweat run down the stranger body, while he tries to catch every drop with his hands, but it only results in spreading sweat all over his face, a horrifying sight. The woman could bear the smell, however, what happened next was far from her capacity for indifference, the man simply turned to her and decided that it was imperative that they started a conversation, unaware of the fact that his body occupied too much place on the seat, and so now that he was talking to her a few drops of sweat were moving toward her, discreet but still notable. When he farted and pretended that nothing happened, the woman decided it was a lost battle, but at least he leaves her alone after that. Fifteen minutes later the bus stops at another stop, the fat man declares to be his leaving point and leaves his seat; more people enter, occupy all spaces, but before they occupy the one next to her, the woman signals to a pregnant woman who thanks and sits down with her. The woman looks at her huge belly and smiles nervously when the pregnant woman starts a conversation. Time is called, the bustle of the city mentioned, pregnancy being the main theme, of course, is the subject of a longer conversation. It is not the woman's first pregnancy, who reveals that she is six months pregnant and has two more children at home. The most curious thing appears when they discover that they are the same age, reason why the pregnant one asks how many children had the first one, to which she quietly answers none, besides revealing that she is single, to the surprise of the other. In the middle of the bus an exclamation of pain is heard, followed by a scream and more screams, all from one man directed to another man who is preparing his own defense, putting the two of them to discuss over stepped fingers. With the bus practically full, the two men have no way to get away from each other, the argument continues until one of the men leaves, and what remains continues to murmur to himself. The bus is about to turn when a woman who got on the previous stop exclaims loudly that she was mistaken, that she took the wrong bus, asks to get off, and is allowed to leave without paying for the ticket. The other passengers mutter among themselves about how it was all pretense, claiming that they are sure that the woman only intended to take the transport for free, they were wrong. The collector ignores the comments and the trip continues with murmurs in the air. When the woman gets off, the transport is mostly empty. She says goodbye to the pregnant woman, straightens her briefcase and goes on her way, until she stops at a building with more than five floors. She greets the guard, the man at the reception and enters the building. Someone calls her name, and we come to know her as Rosa. Rosa takes the elevator but someone signals and she approaches, he is a small man with a mustache, working on the ground floor; Rosa greets him and the two exchange impressions of formality, the little man explains that the elevator is not working, that it was better to take the stairs. A vein forms on her forehead, but she pulls it away bringing a smile to her lips, and thanks the man, mentioning her bad luck. The stairs are hell, but she manages to reach her destination. Her office is simple, almost discouraged, there are no colors, and it smells of boredom, if not for two fashion magazines on the wall, curiously with her name written on the articles on the cover; Rosa smiles at them, takes off her coat, yawns and sits up in her chair. With the computer on, hands on. An hour later a woman with glasses appears in Rosa's office and informs her that her presence is requested in the editor-in-chief's office. Rosa acquiesces, when the woman leaves she holds the bust and then gets dressed, the hair, the dress, the lipstick, until her voice is inspected. Happy with the way she looks, she leaves her room and goes down the first corridor, towards the elevator, in the middle of the way she lets out a breath and veers off in the opposite direction, taking the stairs. Third, fourth and finally on the fifth floor. Once again she greets the glasses secretary who gives her permission to enter. And there she is, her boss, the editor-in-chief, dressed in a blue dress that highlights the thin waist of her user, who despite her age exercises phenomenal control over him, the makeup is not at all exaggerated, tenuous, hardly visible , only small tones are present to accentuate the undoubted natural beauty of that face with the most beautiful apples that exist, coffee eyes that captivate and hold the eye, forcing anyone who looks at it to look at it, even wishing to avoid looking at it. There is something special about the smile she gives Rosa, as if she wants to say welcome, how good it is to see you, you are the greatest, I am proud of you, my greatest employee !; it's a smile that can make you let your guard down and run to hug you as if you're meeting a lost friend, but you don't do that, something in the tone of your voice reminds you that you are below her, there are boundaries and she is for nothing would allow anyone to cross. Rosa stumbled over her words and then on a non-existent step when she was allowed to sit. "Darlene, Editor-in-Chief", the name received her as soon as she sat in front of the secretary, who separated the two as a border that could never be crossed. The smell in the air is divine, discreet Rosa even makes an effort to capture that essence that comes from the older woman in front of her, but her voice immediately forces her to concentrate, and once again is reminded of the divine appearance of the other, no there must have been lips so full but only in the right places, not even the most perfect lashes. Forty-five years did not seem to have affected that face, which showed no youth or old age, just overflowed with maturity. Chief, Chief Editor, Ms. Laudos, stayed with Darlene. It was not the first time that Rosa had met the editor-in-chief, but she still could not call her name, as they had agreed, despite enjoying the intimacy of addressing that example of a woman by her first name. Once again Darlene praised her work, mentioned how everyone who read the magazine admired Rosa's articles, even calling them extraordinary, whoever wanted some fashion advice always looked for an article by Rosa Bastos. The latter, could not stand and turned into a perfect tomato when Darlene in a playful tone said that she dared to say that people only bought the magazines of the publisher with the simple intention of reading her articles, for which in addition to blushing Rosa refuted, praising the boss's superior fashion sense. The reason for the call was finally brought to the fore, as any cultured individual knew, a great fashion event had taken place the night before, pieces by the most promising designers climbed the city's stages. An employee was scheduled to write about him, but due to illness he was unable to join the service. In a kind but strangely authoritative tone, as if she were asking but did not expect refusal, Rosa was told that she should write an article about the event, to be published the next morning. Being in that room was like being in a garden, plants and flowers were everywhere, if they weren't proof, the recycling cans next to the office were enough evidence that the office was an environmentalist's sacred land. Fresh air came in from the window and mixed with what the plants exhaled, so it was hard to imagine why someone could feel suffocated in a room like that, it was supposed to be the paradise of an asthmatic, he didn't lack air to put in lungs. However, Rosa seemed about to faint, her breathing suddenly became more aggressive, as if her lungs were screaming for oxygen, but instead they received only water, which Darlene made a point of offering, in the face of that cry for help. Slowly Rosa's breathing became normal, while she tried to calm herself by looking at the pictures on her boss's desk, a pair of twins in her six years, a handsome man with eyes more intense than Rosa ever he saw, with a small smile he had a hand around Darlene, who carried a broader smile, as wide as that of his children, portrait of a perfect family. Calmer, Rosa accepted the job, and the two exchanged their last impressions, despite now having two more jobs to finish and to be published the next day Rosa left the room with a smile covering her face, Darlene's words of encouragement were able to put anyone in a good mood. She carried the feeling to her office, where she started her investigations, videos and more videos, then had the whole event in mind, as if she had been there, and then started to write, navigating her hands through the world of words. When the workday was over Rosa did not recognize herself in the mirror in the women's bathroom, her messy hair, red eyes, her makeup creating a mask that made her look like a monster. She washed her face and got ready, but there was little she could do about her appearance, all she had to do was sigh and accept.
The day blinked and the night took advantage of the carelessness; taciturn, the night came with everything. The blue sky, in a start, turned orange and then black. A ghost, she thought, but it was just her. Chariot in the light, light in the blue, in the south a wind, in the west the sunset. Spontaneous corrosion, unholy land; delirium there was king. A knot in space and the moon came down. Crack in the armor, a knight without a king sang in the middle of the street: he fits the old void where he had space, the raindrop took my king. Music, laughter and cries from a fool, trumpet, a goofy prince, son of a joke, queen of comedy, sing, applaud the clown who became king. Whispers in the vast void, full chest, eyes of guilt, blindness of shame; the sorcerer's staff, scepter of the new king, the queen's last cry, the rope shook. Rosa watched everything from the window of her office on the third floor and went down the stairs with a lost look, when she finally reached the ground floor she cursed when she saw someone enter the elevator. In the street, cars honked, people clashed, shoulder to shoulder, breath found breath, tiredness found each step, the big city clock resounded and some doors closed, in a bar the sound of a saxophone was heard, and a couple entered on the sidewalk a drunk man shouted disparities, a beggar lay on the stairs of a closed shop, busy on his cell phones, people passed him, invisible to everyone he just snored. A bus stops, and all congestion at the stop decreases with a touch of magic when everyone is invited on the bus, leaving Rosa alone on the bench, hostage to the time and availability of men. Minutes later the bus that really mattered arrives and Rosa enters, or rather, is forced to enter, if she did not catch the one, she would hardly catch another one. She was a banana, a potato, anything that could be crushed on all sides, just one wrong step and she would be totally dented; Her small body was invisible, it disappeared each time the bus moved, when they stopped at a stop and two people got out, it was to be expected that more space would appear, on the contrary, it would get even tighter. Rosa was getting thinner, with each second she became smaller and smaller, all to be able to adjust among all those people, she was getting thinner so much that for a second she felt that she was disappearing. The smell of the perfume mixed with a long day at work didn't bother him anymore, she had become accustomed to him for a long time, if she really got used to something that seems to kill you little by little each day. What scared him the most was to shrink to the point of looking like an ant, a flea, anything, to the point that no one would notice, maybe someone was stepping on it, he could even see a boot, the giant's boot falling towards his body, and I couldn't even blame him, who really pays attention to an ant ?! Ninety percent of them die by accident, that's why it was better to be a cockroach, at least they were noticed, when they were stepped on it was purposeful, it was never because they hadn't been noticed walking around, taking care of their lives, certainly no cockroaches ever she would have been stepped on while working, pushing the small scraps of food into her home, the hole that no one noticed, but because it was a hole; why did she even have to be born an ant ?! Why not a cockroach, or a mosquito, anything that catches your eye. The only time the ant is noticed is when it is working, everyone loves to see the ant working, the boot sometimes even changes direction when the giant sees the working ant, they really love to see them work. Rosa watched the bag go down from the floor, tried to find a place to hide, but suddenly one boot turned into seven and then a thousand come, all obsessed with stepping on the working ant. Breathing grew, more and more difficult before the approaching boot, counted the minutes, counted the seconds, counted each beat of his heart until he forgot how to breathe and felt his aching chest, then everything started to spin and his vision darkened. Her paws tried to stay steady, but the vertigo wouldn't allow it, she tried to say something, but she remembered that it was just an ant, ants were not heard by people, their voices were too weak to be heard by the giant beings. But before her body hit the ground, someone took her by the arm and guided her somewhere, she could only feel her body being moved by a wave of bodies, but she was unable to recognize anything, she just knew that she should breathe, breathe and breathe, until someone put her sitting in a place and said in a tender voice that she should breathe more slowly, with the help of her voice she finally managed to control her breathing. When her eyes finally saw again, they hovered over a set of looks conveying different feelings, but only the look of concern in the eyes of the older woman, who seemed to have been the one who guided her to the seat, remained in her mind. Gluing her face to the glass, she watched everything go slowly, until it went out; luckily she did not sleep beyond her stopping point.
From the stop to her house it is a fifteen minute walk, and everything is as usual. The crazy old man in the straw hat is in the same place, sitting next to the trash can with two sticks in his hands that he uses to hit the trash cans, moving his head from side to side, as if lost at his own pace ; the lady of the soup, Dona Amélia, as usual, has her eyes on the old man, in a few seconds she will shout at the old man, accusing him of driving customers away with his noise. The drunks in the tent are always the same, as are the conversations, for Rosa always incomprehensible. The neighbor's dog barks in the same way, and her good night is the same as always. The lock is cold as always, but still she shakes when she opens the door, to escape she runs for heat, on the way she turns on the television and disappears into the bathroom. The bath is quick, as is the act of dressing. But what really should be fast is dinner, and she guarantees that it is, from the almost empty glacier she removes only a jar of instant noodles and puts it in the pan, minutes later it is on the table, at least it should be, however, the table is replaced by the couch, where she sits and enjoys the television. It's time for bed, pajamas, pillows and scarves are chosen; consumes the entire jar of pills in the pantry, in the bathroom he plunges into the bathtub where he disappears for hours, during which he chases someone in his head, someone she knows, but who at every step, minute, it seems that she knows her less, it reaches the point of feeling distant from that mysterious figure that used to be so close to you, to the point of being confused with itself, perhaps it was itself. After the bath she puts on a blue dress, in front of the mirror she imagines that she is Darlene and, therefore, editor-in-chief of a magazine. Every morning she drove her expensive blue car through the always warm streets of her city, witnessing the biggest antics, it was a circus that delighted her whenever she felt in a bad mood, that day, for example, she watched a fat man from the traffic but small running towards a public bus that seemed about to leave, his weight echoed, the noise of his step and his panting, overlapped, so loudly, with the sound of the horns. Earlier, an even funnier episode had taken place, she was absent from her car with the aim of buying her morning coffee when she witnessed the episode, five meters from her a man opened his shop, unaware of everything that happened around him, unfortunately, a gray car was accelerating when the tires went through a rain puddle and splashes of water flew everywhere, it was not soaked but it was close. Rosa couldn't help herself when the man started screaming, cursing the moving car. He must have heard her laugh, because he turned to face him, and destroyed her with his eyes. Halfway to work she found a pregnant woman waiting at the stop, invited her in, and the two followed; when the woman said she was six months pregnant and had two more children at home, with a huge smile and pride, she Rosa mentioned that she also had two children at home, a couple of twins. Then she opened her wallet and showed the children's picture, which, of course, the woman called beautiful, as was obvious. Rosa arrived at her job, however, the woman's journey continued, so she suggested that they continue.
"I don't want to take advantage of your kindness," the woman said, upon hearing her suggestion.
Rosa shook her head. - I insist. In fact, I have plenty of time. And even if I didn't, there would be no one to penalize me, after all I am the boss.
And so they continued. Rosa left the pregnant woman at her destination, and still managed to get to work early, as an exemplary boss. But an inconvenience awaited her.
- Sorry lady. The main elevator is damaged, I suggest you take the exclusive elevator. Said the little man at the desk. Smiling, Rosa thanked him and headed for the elevator that only executives had access to.
Her room was simple, she didn't need much, just a few pictures on the wall with her dressed in a red dress and receiving a prize of $ 500,000 for the first place in the Brisa de Verão contest, where her pieces were voted the best. In another photo she was standing next to famous actors, on the red carpet, with everyone dressed in her plays. Photo after photo, making room for nostalgia after nostalgia. His front-page articles in the main magazines in the country were too many to occupy the space on the wall. In the center of the desk she kept a photo with her family, she, her husband and the twins were traveling in their beach house when the photo was taken, everyone was smiling happily, happy for the special day. It had been the best vacation ever.
- Tina, honey, do me a favor. Can you call Darlene Fontes to come to me? -
Tina nodded, adjusted her glasses, and left her. She really was a good secretary. Minutes later, Rosa heard a noise at the door, followed by a request to enter and she gave permission. Darlene came in. Darlene was a younger woman, and by coincidence the best among her employees, she never let her down, she had one of the best articles in the magazine, Rosa really liked her. That was why he could only entrust that task to her, to no one else.
- Darlene, dear. Make yourself comfortable. - Rosa smiled, noticed nervousness in the girl, but it was to be expected, it was not every day that she was in front of her boss in an extraordinary summons.
_ Yes, Ms. Bastos-Laudos. - The girl retorted taking a chair, Rosa could not hide a smile.
- Please, dear, what do we agree? - Darlene became scarlet. - Call me Rosa.
_ Yes Sen ... Rosa. -
Rosa smiled. - You must be curious to know why I called you here. - Darlene acquiesced. - First of all, I want to congratulate you for the incredible work you have done, her last article was spectacular.
Darlene blushed again and replied a silent thanks. The girl was adorable, Rosa had to admit. - That's why Darlene, that's why I have a proposal for you. It is a request, but I do not expect refusal. Rosa smiled at the younger woman's nervousness. - It's a good thing, don't worry.
- You know Sebastião, don't you?
- Yes, I do. IT IS
- Yes, the man in charge of covering yesterday's parade. Unfortunately, this did not happen. - Rosa continued - You can imagine the embarrassment, now I will need someone to write about it.
The sound of the younger woman swallowing was lovely. - Mister ... does Rosa want me to write about him?
- Of course! - When Darlene contracted, Rosa fixed her tone. - Of course not, it's a ridiculous parade. I am not surprised that Sebastião did not attend, it was to be expected, he must have felt humiliated when he was forced to participate in that.
- Not understanding lady.
Rosa smiled, looking at Darlene, she laughed. - You're really innocent, aren't you ?! I can't believe you haven't figured out what this is all about yet. - Darlene continued with the same confused look, increasingly shy. - I sent Sebastião to cover that event without salt because he has been letting me down lately, it was the last test, and he failed. I think it's time to cut ties with him. Do you understand what I mean?
- And me
- That's it Darlene, I intend to occupy Sebastião's position and pass to cover international events, it will be our eyes abroad, you will have everything paid for, travel, food and accommodation, all at our expense. What do you say, do you accept this let's say big promotion?
Rosa had seen many imitations in her life, but none so perfect as Rosa's imitating a fish. - II ... I don't even know what to say. -
- It is not difficult to think about it. - Rosa suggested.
- I accept. - For the first time Rosa saw a smile on the younger woman's face. - I accept, I accept. Thank you! . - The girl vibrated, seemed to hold on to not hug her, and Rosa just had fun.
- No need to thank you, you deserve a girl, you have been the best employee of this magazine for years, I am amazed at myself for not having done this earlier. You Ros ... Darlene Bastos is a perfect employee. Be proud of that, because I am also proud of my decision. -
Thanking, Darlene left the room with a wide smile, Rosa could only have fun with everything.
- Rosa Bastos is really a good employee. - She sighed, before returning to her work.
Six at night she was already heading to the house, just as earlier the city was her circus, amused by the second. Sometimes she felt like she was in a play, but different from what happened in her nightmares she was not the ant of the story, but one of the protagonists, but the protagonist, who all pay attention and are grateful when she saves them. She did not step on the ants, on the contrary, when she saw one she would bend down and leave a rest of the bread so that they had something to eat that day, it was totally different from the giants that only knew how to step on everything that did not attract their attention. She was a good hero.
When you get home, your maid says goodbye, Rosa greets the children, asks about their day, at least about the boy Enzo, the girl Josefina, always a ninja, is the most difficult to find. When she finds it, it's kisses after kisses of welcome. Hours later, after relaxing a bit, she continues with her relaxation, although it consists of doing her job.
- Enzo stop running around the house, still dock and get hurt - She screams, her voice is thin, but definite. She reprimands from her office, where she works on pieces for the winter, which are destined to sell. At this point the children already think of her as someone with super powers, she never needs to be around to discover that the children were doing some mischief.
- All right mother. - Your little Enzo answers, and goes to her at his desk, gives her a kiss on the cheek, murmuring - I'm going to my room to finish the homework, good night.
- Sleep well dear. - Rosa smiles and watches her cub walk away, remembering that there was a little ninja at home abandoning her job, and decides to track her down. The search doesn't last long, she finds the ninja in her old sewing room, sitting in front of a table and with her hands scribbling something on the paper.
- What are you doing Josefina? - Josefina raises her small curious eyes to see the figure above her, and then brings them back to the paper.
- I'm designing a dress. - And it was really a beautiful drawing, Rosa observed with pride. A simple, but beautiful dress, recalled something that a princess of children's drawings could wear.
- Very well dear! It's beautiful. - Rosa said, still with her eyes fixed on her daughter's drawing. - Is it for some princess?
- Yes, it's for Princess Tiana. She retorted, and finally looked up to face her mother. Rosa knew that look, she did. - Mom, can I use that old dress to sew? It's just a part, little one. And needle too, and thread. I'm asking mom, it's just for a few minutes, that's all and
- Josefina, you know that ..
Josefina shook her head. - I won't hurt myself, Mom, I'll be careful. Please, Mom. Just for this dress. - Those little eyes, what Rosa could do against those little eyes.
- Hmmpff! - Rosa sighed, with her hands on her waist, she looked at her little stylist, whose eyes stared at her with a sea of tenderness that compels her. - All right. But with one condition, I will supervise, only when you are close can you sew, understand young lady?
Josefina nodded, Rosa even laughed when she watched her daughter vibrate in the chair. - Now my little ninja, have you finished your homework?
What happened after that question, convinced Rosa that maybe she had at home not only a ninja who managed to disappear when she wanted to, but also a cheetah, there was only air left in the chair where her daughter sat in seconds.
With a laugh Rosa turned off the bedroom light and headed across the room to the bedroom that served as her workplace. It was in the middle of the corridor that he bumped, his body bumped into something firm and at the same time his lips into a soft thing, first he was surprised, but as soon as his eyes got used to the figure, his lips also learned, right there Aphrodite made his own, made you puppet in your little love games.
- Uuu, that - Rosa gasped. - Me and. - She continued to pant. When she finally controlled her breathing, she also had a controlled voice. - What is this reception?
The figure in front of her laughed. - It's a little payback for yesterday. - Arthur, her husband said, and took her lips again, this time in a quick peck. - Good night dear.
- Night, dear. I didn't like it, you scared me - Rosa crossed her arms. - I thought you were a malefactor.
"So you react to the advances of a malefactor by kissing back?" - Rosa struck her husband. - What a sapeca, Rosinha, but what a pink sapeca.
- Idiot! Rosa snorted, approaching her husband and taking off his coat. - Didn't you have a meeting until later?
Arthur nodded. And the two went to the living room. - It was supposed to be that way, but I decided that my family was more important, I immediately refused the proposal to travel, so the meeting didn't take long. Arthur replied, stretching his arms across the sofa.
- But dear ..
- I could not accept a trip with my children's birthday so close. Rui is competent, he takes care of everything for me. - Rosa couldn't believe it, what had she done to deserve such an amazing husband ?! She really didn't deserve it. - I'm going to take a shower, are the kids gone to bed yet?
- They must be finishing their homework. I'm going to warm up dinner, I thought I was going to be late, so I asked JoJo to prepare something for her when she returned. You're going to eat cold food, it's revenge for what you did in the hall. - Rosa went to the bathroom, when her husband came in, everything was ready, he almost persuaded her to take a shower with him, but he had a job to finish. And so, the night went on as usual, Rosa watching her husband put the children to bed, and then with the two of them in each other's arms, in a perfect imitation of Adam and Eve.
When she wakes up, Rosa is alone in bed, there is no husband, or the sound of the sound of children, just the sound of car engines and horns, screams of her neighbors arguing and the barking of the neighbor's dog. But Rosa smiles, and still wearing the blue dress, she goes to the mirror, combs her hair, washes her face and smiles at her reflection. Bringing both hands to her neck, she struggles to suffocate herself, but when she feels her tightening loosen, she snorts, and leaves the bathroom, when she returns she has a rope and a chair in her hands, climbing on the chair she loved the rope where a lamp used to be and then knots; all ready, she puts the knot around her neck, but different from what might be expected, she doesn't count to three, still in one she pushes her chair, and her body struggles in the air. Rosa is suspended in the air, becoming more and more purple, but in no time she makes an effort to untie the rope, when everything seemed to be over, and she was passed out, the rope comes loose and Rosa falls, in a crash. For minutes she lies there, and last night's dream returns strongly, she continues to chase a figure, but the figure is even further away, only her shadow can be seen, and suddenly, Rosa stops, watching the shadow disappear for a while. complete, as well as the last feelings of connection he felt for that figure; when she opens her eyes again, they are injected with blood. She gets up, goes to the mirror and smiles at her reflection.
- Darlene Laudos, editor-in-chief of a successful magazine. With a couple of twins and an amazing husband - she sighs at her reflection. Satisfied with her appearance, she leaves the bathroom and heads for the door, and before taking the first step outside, again murmurs to herself - I am Darlene Laudos, editor-in-chief of a successful magazine. I'm Darlene Laudos ..
- Good morning, Rosa. - Someone screams from the next yard, she is an old woman, holding a dog by the collar that pees on the roses that seem to lose what remains of color.
Rosa looks up and smiles a wide smile. - Sorry, I think you got confused. I am Darlene, editor-in-chief of a successful magazine.