Untitled Story - Episode 1

That summer, the Czech Republic made it all the way to the Euro Finals when nobody thought they'd come close. Meanwhile, in England, they still couldn't get over Gazza who in extra time had the ball on the German goal line and all he needed was a little tap.

That summer, on one of its many curious mornings, Andy and Adelaide were sitting and talking on the bleachers. More correctly, Andy and Adelaide were sitting on the same set of bleachers. Andy was surrounded by his group of friends; and Adelaide, the same. A group of boys and a group of girls were mingling. Andy and Adelaide might have exchanged an utterance or two in the midst of it all.

The bell rang. The children hopped off the bleachers and were heading back to class. We can still call them children. At least from this angle, from this distance, they look like children. Only children do what they do.

Andy walked slowly. He always did. Adelaide walked slowly too. In this sense, they matched. But as they reached the door, Adelaide tripped over the pedestal and fell on her right ankle. Her friend rushed over to help her. Andy froze.

The friend helped Adelaide walk up the stairs one step at a time. "You'll be alright. It's not too bad," the friend said to Adelaide. The poor girl was now watching her steps very carefully, her long black hair was now messy and her whimpering sounded like tse tse tse. Andy stayed close. "Go ahead. You'll be late for class," the friend said to Andy.

But Andy stayed close anyway. He felt his limbs out of place and his face very warm. Adelaide was languid and pale.

It was their fifteenth summer.