The studio flat

WINTER

- I’ll take it, said Richard with a firm tone in his voice when the landlady showed him the studio flat. She was somehow surprised, because the rent was a little over the odds and Richard didn’t seem to be cash rich.

- It’s two months in advance, plus the current month, she said eventually.

- That won’t be a problem, said Richard taking 600 pounds out of his wallet and handing it to her. The woman took the money, gave him the key and wished him a pleasant stay, closing the door behind her.

The studio flat was on the first floor of a modern block of flats on the outskirts of the city. Richard drew the curtains and looked out of the window. The flat looked out over a rose garden which seemed well taken care of, probably by the landlady herself. Its calmness and serenity had a healing power over Richard, who felt it immediately.

Richard needed peace and quiet to come up with ideas and write his next novel. The last one was a blockbuster, but that was some time ago. He would either write another one, or fall into oblivion. The latter was his nightmare, the former laborious. “But nothing daunts a fighter”, his father used to say.

Within a couple of days Richard had moved in, with few furniture a TV set and his laptop, cell phone, and landline for a new internet connection. In the meantime, news broke out about a virus that would slowly spread across the world. But Richard was focused on one thing; his new novel. Then an idea struck him; why not write about this virus outbreak? The newspapers, the TV and the internet would provide ample material. All he had to do was stay updated and keep writing.

He put his idea into practice immediately. He would watch the news on TV, then read the morning paper and take notes and after that he would write. In the meantime, the pandemic got more and more serious, but Richard didn’t care. All he wanted was material for his new novel.

SPRING

Richard worked slowly and methodically, and followed the developments closely. The virus spread quickly all over the world causing deaths in great numbers so the countries resorted to strict measures such as lockdowns, quarantines and curfews.

Richard felt sorry for the victims, but he stayed dedicated to his work. He wrote a few pages a day, steadily. Sometimes he even forgot to eat or clean himself, or to call his friends. But the outcome looked fantastic. He had found his inspiration again, and was in seventh heaven. The days were identical, and so were the weeks and months. Work, meal, work, meal, sleep. “Soon it will be over,” he thought to himself and gave it another week, and another, and another.

He spent most of his time in that little cozy, comfy studio flat that had brought him luck.

SUMMER

The hot summer days didn’t daunt Richard. He stayed focused, read voraciously and wrote imaginatively in his studio flat which was now suffocatingly hot. He avoided using the air condition to save on his electricity bill. But he transferred his rent to his landlady’s account always on time and checked his balance at the same time, meticulously dividing into months or weeks. Will it be enough till the end? He couldn’t estimate when the end would come. All he knew was that he did a great job and had to carry on writing. Such was his belief in himself and his work that he never considered quitting it, or changing it in any way.

From time to time, he would go to the window, which was wide open, to see the sun setting in the distance, or the rose bushes which were in full bloom. Then he would switch on the light, make himself a nice hot cup of tea and he would return to his writings, with fresh ideas and courage in his heart.

AUTUMN

That morning a noise out of the window woke Richard up; it was the first rainfall of the season. He got up, went to the window and drew the curtains. Drops of rain slowly fell down the window panes, like tears. Soon the leaves would fall of the trees and the roses would wither and die. Richard felt a chill down his spine; maybe he was a little cold, he thought. He went to the bathroom for a shave. He looked a little pale and rather thin; the truth was he hadn’t been eating properly the last few months, but little did he care. He made himself a cup of tea and returned to his work.

He checked the morning papers; deaths and people hospitalized all around the world. The situation got more and more serious. That meant more material for his book, which had somehow started to become repetitive. Richard needed new ideas, new stimuli maybe.

As he was about to start his work, he heard a knock on the door. He looked through the peephole and saw two policemen. Strange, he thought. Nobody ever knocked on his door, let alone a policeman. Within seconds, a second knock was heard. Richard tidied himself up and  opened the door.

-        Good morning, sir. Are you Richard Matthews? said the policeman with a serious tone in his voice.

-        Yes, replied Richard, eager to find out why he was there.

-        Mr Matthews, may I come in?

-        Yes, of course, said Richard, all the more curious.

The policeman came slowly in, followed by the other. He looked around the place and then looked Richard up and down. Then he said, with a serious tone in his voice:

-        Mr Matthews, a friend of yours has come to the police station and made a complaint. He said that he has been unable to contact you for months. You don’t reply to his texts and don’t answer his video calls. You don’t open your door, either.

-        That is true, officer. You see, I have been very busy with…

-        Your landlady also said you are behind with your rent.

-        Oh, I must have forgotten it. I will see to it immediately.

The two policemen looked around the place, which was in a complete mess. Newspapers scattered everywhere, and on the table lay a half empty cup of tea, some papers with illegible scribbles on and a laptop, its screen blank.

-        Mr Matthews, please come with us, said the policeman politely, but firmly.

Richard immediately thought that he would fall behind with his work, but he couldn’t do otherwise. He took a light jacket and followed the two men out.

The rain had stopped, and a little rainbow could be seen in the horizon.