He did not tell many people. He did not even believe it at first. He walked through the streets feeling something strange, a clean seriousness, as if he had been given a role in a play he had until then only watched from the back rows. They bought a tiny pair of socks for no reason, laughing like thieves inside a children’s store. Elena held them in her hand and said:

“It’s ridiculous how small they are.”

Adrian kissed her forehead.

“And still a whole person will fit inside them.”

He never got the chance.