TE20 Migrant Mosaics

Goran Vojnović

were incapable of moving; she found her balance and glared at himas if hewere amonster, and a thunderous roar fromher throat was the only eventual sound.

Aaaaaarrrggghhhhh!

Aleksandar put his hands up.

I’m not going to hurt you, Jana, it’s me, Jana.

Get out! Get outttt! Shoo! Shoo! Out! Outttt!

She spun around, and her arm spun round with her, pointing in all directions.

Jana, it’s me, can you see me, it’s OK, it’s me, your Aleksandar.

Her left armwas still pointing away from her, but she had lost her voice again. Now she was taking quick, shallow breaths. He tried to get closer to her, but he saw how her right hand softly clutched her chest, and he didn’t dare move. He didn’t go to bed that night. The sun was rising as he drifted off to sleep, propped up against the door to the bedroom, where she had hidden herself away. He listened to the silence, waiting for her voice to emerge. But the night remained deaf.

He woke up in pain. His body resisted every movement and he could barely get himself up. The bedroom door was still closed.

He opened it carefully and peeked at her lying there on the bed. 68