original title: la palla
first edition: 23/12/2020
© Editrice Hencos
https://editrice.hencos.it
title: the ball
en-version 1.0 21/12/2021
translation by Emanuela Paganucci
published by © Tektime
https://www.traduzionelibri.it/
cover design: Erik Pethersen
This book is protected by copyright law.
Any unauthorized reproduction is prohibited
THE BOOK
After the pyramid, the cone and the sphere, I entrust Hencos Publishers with my new novel, which is the result of sleepless nights, sluggish days and restless thoughts: a rough diamond, something to take a little at a time.
Erik Pethersen
THE AUTHOR AND HIS BOOK
Born and raised in the Lombardy region, he self-published some short novels, according to unknown and untraceable sources, which happened to be spread, as the author himself corroborates, through sheets of paper handwritten in block letters and printed, using unknown devices, about twenty copies each, which are all missing. After some hesitation, we publish what officially appears to be the first novel written by the author: an introspective journey, at times claustrophobic, through gloomy and bleak landscapes, suddenly broken up by amazing short-lived flashes of light.
Hencos Publisher
THE BALL
ERIK PETHERSEN
INDEX
1 A day in the life
1.1 Intro
1.2 Life
1.2 Life One
1.2 Life - Two
1.2 Life - Three
1.2 Life - Four
1.2 Life - Five
1.3 Impulses
1.3 Impulses - One
1.3 Impulses - Two
1.3 Impulses - Three
1.3 Impulses - Four
2 A day in the life
2.1 Intro
2.2 Life
2.2 Life - One
2.2 Life - Two
2.2 Life - Three
2.2 Life - Four
2.2 Life - Five
2.3 Use your illusion
2.3 Use your illusion - One
2.3 Use your illusion - Two
2.3 Use your illusion - Three
2.3 Use your illusion - Four
3 Breaking into pieces
3.1 Naked and afraid
3.1 Naked and afraid - One
3.2 Jeg faller
3.2 Jeg faller - One
3.3 A fine day to exit
3.3 A fine day to exit - One
3.3 A fine day to exit - Two
3.4 In hiding
3.4 In hiding - One
3.4 In hiding - Two
3.4 In hiding - Three
3.4 In hiding - Four
3.5 Temporary peace
3.5 Temporary peace - One
3.5 Temporary peace - Two
3.6 Lost control
3.6 Lost control - One
3.6 Lost control - Two
3.6 Lost control - Three
4 Broken-down
4.1 Wishlist
4.1 Wishlist - One
4.1 Wishlist - Two
4.1 Wishlist - Three
4.2 Svartir sandar
4.2 Svartir sandar - One
4.2 Svartir sandar - Two
4.2 Svartir sandar - Three
4.3 Comfortably numb
4.3 Comfortably numb - One
4.3 Comfortably numb - Two
4.3 Comfortably numb - Three
5 Lights and shadows
5.1 Dumb hotel
5.1 Dumb hotel - One
5.1 Dumb hotel - Two
5.1 Dumb hotel - Three
5.1 Dumb hotel - Four
5.2 Hurt
5.2 Hurt - One
5.2 Hurt - Two
5.2 Hurt - Three
5.2 Hurt - Four
6 A brand-new life
6.1 A simple mistake
6.1 A simple mistake - One
6.1 A simple mistake - Two
6.1 A simple mistake - Three
6.1 A simple mistake - Four
6.1 A simple mistake - Five
6.2 The call of Ktulu
6.2 The call of Ktulu - One
6.2 The call of Ktulu - Two
6.2 The call of Ktulu - Three
6.2 The call of Ktulu - Four
6.2 The call of Ktulu - Five
6.3 Fragile dreams
6.3 Fragile dreams - One
6.3 Fragile dreams - Two
6.3 Fragile dreams - Three
7 Ipsa pila
7.1 Ipsa pila - One
7.2 Ipsa pila - Two
7.3 Ipsa pila - Three
7.4 Ipsa pila - Four
7.5 Outro
to whom it may concern
1 A DAY IN THE LIFE1.1 INTRO
I have never seen anything so bright blue.
A pair of sensual and slender legs come out under a feminine torso and end up in two flat black leather boots.
A pale and velvety complexion shows from a V-neck, which restrain a playful vitality, and from her three-quarter sleeves on a pair of thin arms: probably some Fennoscandian genes.
I say «hi» casually.
She answers back showing a beautiful smile with teeth so white that lessen the blue brightness of her eyes.
This magnificent creature gets into the lift before me and stands on one side; I position myself at the bottom, as I do every morning.
The cosiness of this tiny space is suddenly filled with a delicate scent of bitter orange and cardamom. I lose myself in this aroma, while I ask her what floor she is going to. «Seventh floor, please» she says. I press the button, lingering among her sea like and icy colours.
I watch her bring her right hand as far as her shoulder: she twists a strand of her light brown hair around her index finger varnished in black; the other hand slips into one of the pockets of her dark jeans.
She has a delicate, gentle and regular face. She seems to shine with positive melancholy. Number seven lights up; the doors open.
«See you.»
«See you, have a good day.»
The lift goes up as far as the 11th floor.
No, I have never seen anything so bright blue.
1.2 LIFE
1.2 LIFE - ONE
A few more seconds in the lift and I reach my floor. I open the front door; the darkness of a February early morning envelops the office. Before me, a dim and foggy light shows behind the reception desk. A sequence of nine large windows, each measuring one metre and a half in width: beyond the windowpanes and the mist, in the distance, the castle towers over the city.
It is 7:30 am and nobody else is in the office, apart from the notary public, of course. His Ferrari California was already in the car park, like every morning, parked with the front of the car towards the exit, keeping the same distance from the two lines painted on the ground.
I took my jacket off and I hang it in the closet placed at the side of the desk. I get across the room looking at the castle in the distance from the windows on my right and I go for my self-stirring mug in my office. I go into the little room in front of my office and I wait for the kettle to boil. I pour some hot water onto my dissolvable Colombian coffee. I switch on my mug and I walk to the end of the corridor. The door of the notarys office is open and he is busy reading something on his 29-inch computer screen.
«We need to take care of that issue I mentioned to you earlier on» he says looking up, after greeting me.
«What issue?» I asked, I am puzzled.
«That matter regarding that couple: that lady, or as you refer to as, well...»
«Alright, I get it: the slut.»
«Thats it, later well get to it» the notary replied with a big smile. «Stop stirring that thing, please.»
«Sure, I am sorry» I say keeping a straight face while pressing the button on the stirring mug that I am holding in my hands, to increase the speed.
«Brando, tell me: the golden teaspoon that I gave you did not suggest anything to you? Did you think that that gift could have some sort of a secret meaning?»
«No, I did not think much of it: should I have? I thought it was just a present from our fat-bellied client from the valley».
I go away while I hear Alessandro grumble behind me and I unwillingly get back to the main room to drink my coffee, admiring the castle and the mist from the windows.
I wonder if she smiles at everyone this way: it wont certainly be the first time she smiles and I wont certainly be the first person she has turned to with such innocence. On the seventh floor there are a financial company and a language school: I would go for the first option.
I hear the door open behind me. I greet Domenica who is coming in, dragging a heavy bag. She strides to her office. Busy day with real estate deeds today, like every Tuesday. I glance at the big silver clock in the waiting room near the door: it is 7:51am. I dont really feel like working. I take a glimpse at the city again: I can only see the blurred shape of some buildings. From here, it looks so quiet and it is hard to think that there are thousands of people there stuck in the morning traffic and busy trying to start their day.
I need to file several documents from last week. Later this morning then, there will be two extra tasks which are all set since yesterday. Luckily today there wont be any legal counselling service, however after lunch there will surely be half the documents to be filed, which will take up a lot of my time. Also, all the real estate deeds which will be signed in the afternoon: Domenica will ask me without fail to do something like some missing energy certificate. Around 7:00 pm the documents to be filed will not be all done and that will mean that I have worked for eleven hours in a row, I will be tired and ready to dream of the lift to start my journey home. The slut comes back into my mind now. She was unconsciously being left out of the daily agenda through some mysterious brain function: I guess that the matter will be somehow included before the evening, following the notarys request.