Brother Davis brought up several projects and plans that Louis Snyder had to decide on personally. Once he finished speaking, he left without staying long.
The sky outside had already darkened.
After dinner, the entire building became lively again.
The sound of couples quarreling, parents teaching their children homework, and the noises from the TV came together, making the quietness inside the house even more apparent.
Louis Snyder didn't know how long he had sat there until his legs had become numb. Only then did he lift his head and look at the empty room.
There was nothing on the dining table in front of him—no freshly cooked meals, no soft muttering from the kitchen, and at night, when the wind picked up, no one to remind him to bring in the clothes.
The pitch-black room seemed to have become a desolate grave overnight.
Housing only him.
Louis Snyder sat there blankly as the harsh light from above bore down, reddening the rims of his eyes.