

81
Sonder
Each day that you sit in your coffee shop, each time your pen touches
paper, you discover more about Sabrina. The more you learn about
her lavish life, the more you envy her. She has everything you ever
wished for; a beautiful home, the perfect job, the nicest clothes. She
is happy. You wish you were that happy.
’
You are running late. Well, if it is possible to be late for your morning
coffee. You rush along the busy city streets anyway, becoming one
with the sea of commuters. Today you are meeting with a publisher.
You are excited, but nervous too. It’s not easy to get by in this world,
and you hope that today things will change. As you turn the final
corner of your journey a sudden collision throws you off balance and
you find yourself falling backwards, landing with a thud on the
concrete. You hear a soft moan. It seems as though it was a young
woman with whom you collided. You slowly rise to your feet,
gathering a few stray pens which managed to escape from your
satchel.
“Here you are,” says the woman, handing you your favourite pen.
Her voice is mellifluous, much softer and kinder than you had
imagined.
“I’m very sorry about this, it’s all my fault, really,” she explains.
Now that you see her face, you notice her eyes are not just blue,
but decorated with tiny specks of gold as well.
“I’m just in an awful rush you see, and I really can’t be late again,”
she looks worriedly at her watch.
She wears a draping, deep brown fur coat, although it’s not as
shiny and clean as you had envisaged.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” she asks.
You feel as though the answer should be yes, but can only shake
your head.
“Well, I must be off then, running late as usual!” she exclaims,
“Have a nice day.”
It is a strange feeling. You can’t help but feel as though you have
stepped into the very world of your own creation. You are an
intruder in your own story, in
Sabrina’s
story. You watch, mesmerised,
as she moves past you, and your eyes continue to follow her as she
walks hurriedly down the crowded street. You can’t look away. In a
moment of complete whim, you follow her. Darting through the
human traffic is no easy task, but something within you drives you
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