Fury of the broken mate

re wooden floor. I stood in the centre of the room, looking at the blank canvas while holding a paintbrush. This was

ity, I felt

y, the muffled sound of my neighbor's television and the honking cars outside. This place was really calm.

g shapes on the canvas. But something didn't feel quite right. The strange realm I had experienced had left my mind disorganised.

door interrupte

d around the room as

well-tailored suit. He stared at the canvas,

ing." "Are you here for a specific purpose, or are you

ard, hands in his pockets. I rema

eed to feel as though this mausoleum of a hous

if my words had surprised him. "You we

se it feels more like I pledged

o stiffen. What do you want, Claire

ffective, and completely emotionless. I shook my

may depart, and then he said, "Why don't you go fo

ck to the art world like nothing happened? Here's some good news, Adrian:

rove to them what you can do. I said I would cover all of you

ectness, but it also hurt. As if he were

s obviously tinged with bitterness. "This

e a promise to you, Claire. I'll keep it. Wheth

away, leaving me alone with my rac

-

me break through the creative block I had been having, I decided to do as he suggested. I

rring to use the tube instead. I had to recall who I was be

miring the colours and textures of the artwork produced by different artists. It was

ast gallery on my list whe

air

boyfriend, stood a few paces away. The o

id in an infl

hat it's you is astounding. I am aware that the gallery

Yes, well, lif

ou continue to paint? You've always been so talent

ns I had almost given up was because of Ethan's constant

working on something new

w where to find me if you ever want t

, leaving me standing there with a knot of u

-

ening, Richard was in the living room,

asked, his eyes sharp a

bags to the floor. I saw someone I

he didn't ask for details. "And? H

the conversations, the emotions I ha

t were the only a

," as I turned t

tartled by how qui

ore than you realise," he said, his face incompre

asn't sure how to respond. Instead, I just nodded

-

been taunting me for days. As they played again and again, memories of Ethan,

certain at first, but they grew bolder and more confident over time. In order to

work that I failed to hear th

saw Richard standing at the

I asked, breaking the

stead, he walked into the roo

, "I thought you

ered, "I couldn't." "I've be

me time before turning to me. "Claire

I could ask what he meant. So

ice made me feel nau

I'd seen, and then he replied, "This arrangement... It's not just

stared at him, waitin

h more questions than answers and the unsettling feeling that