"Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart."
- Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami

The images came in waves, as they are prone to do. The shattering of a glass, the raising of a voice, the shouting of words meant to devastate: each brought its own bit of information, the pieces coming together like a crudely cut puzzle.

Isak sat at a table on the sidewalk outside of a cafe, his heart suddenly racing and his forehead collecting sweat. His hands began to shake, fingers trembling, unable to maintain a steady grasp on anything they touched. His head vibrated, swirled, went too fast and too slow simultaneously. ( He recognized the early stages of a panic attack and, in a brief moment of lucidity, cursed himself for having it happen here - in public, with all these people around. )

Word Count | 588

Ten experiences that changed you

1. Losing my mother
2. Meeting my father and my sisters
3. My career booming
4. My first threesome
5. Moving to America
6. Eating New York pizza
7. My first standing ovation
8. "Coming out"
9. Being head-hunted for a role on Broadway
10. Meeting my lover

Matteo Lorenzi
original character