me?
Never cold again, I thought. And I pressed. Never cold or ashamed again. My arms were so tired they were shaking, I turned my face to the moon, it looked so bloody proud, up there, so high up there, asking me whether I could hold out for a whole night, one whole night isn’t so hard, I’d held on for so many years, with the chemicals, without the chemicals, with sleep and with insomnia, with my own kids and with kids that the world swallowed up.
I collapsed, my body against Stan’s. Between our two faces, a pillow with his last breath in it, my son’s last effort. I got back up gently, I was sweating and cold. I took the pillow away, put my face very close to Stan’s and I saw it, I saw the mark left by the sheets on his cheek. He hadn’t lied. I kissed him, there, right on the mark, his soft crumpled skin.
I had two dead children. And them? What did they have? I stood up to look at them both, now they were the same. I looked at their bodies hidden by those old sheets and thin blankets, Kevin’s curled up in a ball and Stan’s stretched out. I looked at them and I saw. I saw something I’d never thought of, something I’d never imagined ever: Kevin’s facewas turned towards the wall, and Stan’s towards the window. They had their backs to each other. They weren’t together, no, each had gone his separate way. They weren’t joined together in death, they’d lost each other there.
And I screamed.
Subscribe
Subscribe to Peirene’s series of books and receive three world-class contemporary European novellas throughout the year, delivered directly to your doorstep. You will also benefit from 40% members’ discount and priority booking for two people on all Peirene events.
PEIRENE’S GIFT SUBSCRIPTION
Surprise a loved one with a gift subscription. Their first book will arrive tied with a beautiful Peirene ribbon and a card with your greetings.
The perfect way for book lovers to collect all the Peirene titles.
‘What a pleasure to receive my surprise parcel from Peirene every four months. I trust Meike to have sourced for me the most original and interesting European literature that might otherwise have escaped my attention. I love the format and look forward to having a large collection of these beautiful books.
A real treat!’ GERALDINE D’AMICO, DIRECTOR, JEWISH BOOK WEEK
Annual Subscription Rates
(3 books, free p&p, 40% discount on Peirene events for two people) UK £25 EUROPE £31 REST OF WORLD £34
Peirene Press, 17 Cheverton Road, London N 19 3 BB T 020 7686 1941 E [email protected]
www.peirenepress.com/shop
with secure online ordering facility
Other titles from Peirene Press
Peirene curates its books according to themes. Each year we publish a new series – three books which form a cluster in terms of style and/or content. All our authors are award-winners and bestsellers in their own country.
……..
FEMALE VOICE: INNER REALITIES
NO 1
Beside the Sea by Véronique Olmi
Translated from the French by Adriana Hunter
‘ It should be read .’ GUARDIAN
NO 2
Stone in a Landslide by Maria Barbal
Translated from the Catalan by Laura McGlaughlin and Paul Mitchell
‘ Understated power .’ FINANCIAL TIMES
NO 3
Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius
Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch
‘ A small masterpiece .’ TLS
……….. MALE DILEMMA: QUESTS FOR INTIMACY
NO 4
Next World Novella by Matthias Politycki
Translated from the German by Anthea Bell
‘ Inventive and deeply affecting .’ INDEPENDENT
NO 5
Tomorrow Pamplona by Jan van Mersbergen
Translated from the Dutch by Laura Watkinson ‘ An impressive work .’ DAILY MAIL
NO 6
Maybe This Time by Alois Hotschnig
Translated from the Austrian German by Tess Lewis ‘ Weird, creepy and ambiguous .’ GUARDIAN
……… NEW IN 2012 SMALL EPIC: UNRAVELLING SECRETS
NO 7
The Brothers by Asko Sahlberg
Translated from the Finnish by Emily Jeremiah and Fleur Jeremiah ‘
Never cold again, I thought. And I pressed. Never cold or ashamed again. My arms were so tired they were shaking, I turned my face to the moon, it looked so bloody proud, up there, so high up there, asking me whether I could hold out for a whole night, one whole night isn’t so hard, I’d held on for so many years, with the chemicals, without the chemicals, with sleep and with insomnia, with my own kids and with kids that the world swallowed up.
I collapsed, my body against Stan’s. Between our two faces, a pillow with his last breath in it, my son’s last effort. I got back up gently, I was sweating and cold. I took the pillow away, put my face very close to Stan’s and I saw it, I saw the mark left by the sheets on his cheek. He hadn’t lied. I kissed him, there, right on the mark, his soft crumpled skin.
I had two dead children. And them? What did they have? I stood up to look at them both, now they were the same. I looked at their bodies hidden by those old sheets and thin blankets, Kevin’s curled up in a ball and Stan’s stretched out. I looked at them and I saw. I saw something I’d never thought of, something I’d never imagined ever: Kevin’s facewas turned towards the wall, and Stan’s towards the window. They had their backs to each other. They weren’t together, no, each had gone his separate way. They weren’t joined together in death, they’d lost each other there.
And I screamed.
Subscribe
Subscribe to Peirene’s series of books and receive three world-class contemporary European novellas throughout the year, delivered directly to your doorstep. You will also benefit from 40% members’ discount and priority booking for two people on all Peirene events.
PEIRENE’S GIFT SUBSCRIPTION
Surprise a loved one with a gift subscription. Their first book will arrive tied with a beautiful Peirene ribbon and a card with your greetings.
The perfect way for book lovers to collect all the Peirene titles.
‘What a pleasure to receive my surprise parcel from Peirene every four months. I trust Meike to have sourced for me the most original and interesting European literature that might otherwise have escaped my attention. I love the format and look forward to having a large collection of these beautiful books.
A real treat!’ GERALDINE D’AMICO, DIRECTOR, JEWISH BOOK WEEK
Annual Subscription Rates
(3 books, free p&p, 40% discount on Peirene events for two people) UK £25 EUROPE £31 REST OF WORLD £34
Peirene Press, 17 Cheverton Road, London N 19 3 BB T 020 7686 1941 E [email protected]
www.peirenepress.com/shop
with secure online ordering facility
Other titles from Peirene Press
Peirene curates its books according to themes. Each year we publish a new series – three books which form a cluster in terms of style and/or content. All our authors are award-winners and bestsellers in their own country.
……..
FEMALE VOICE: INNER REALITIES
NO 1
Beside the Sea by Véronique Olmi
Translated from the French by Adriana Hunter
‘ It should be read .’ GUARDIAN
NO 2
Stone in a Landslide by Maria Barbal
Translated from the Catalan by Laura McGlaughlin and Paul Mitchell
‘ Understated power .’ FINANCIAL TIMES
NO 3
Portrait of the Mother as a Young Woman by Friedrich Christian Delius
Translated from the German by Jamie Bulloch
‘ A small masterpiece .’ TLS
……….. MALE DILEMMA: QUESTS FOR INTIMACY
NO 4
Next World Novella by Matthias Politycki
Translated from the German by Anthea Bell
‘ Inventive and deeply affecting .’ INDEPENDENT
NO 5
Tomorrow Pamplona by Jan van Mersbergen
Translated from the Dutch by Laura Watkinson ‘ An impressive work .’ DAILY MAIL
NO 6
Maybe This Time by Alois Hotschnig
Translated from the Austrian German by Tess Lewis ‘ Weird, creepy and ambiguous .’ GUARDIAN
……… NEW IN 2012 SMALL EPIC: UNRAVELLING SECRETS
NO 7
The Brothers by Asko Sahlberg
Translated from the Finnish by Emily Jeremiah and Fleur Jeremiah ‘
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