Page 48 - Where the Dream Ends ebook

Marc Erdrich

see across the room to the wall where his brother had once
painted a mural. It had survived endless paint jobs, but now it
appeared to be gone. Standing there, he thought about all the
times he had climbed in through this very window on the rare
occasion when his mother locked the door from the inside.
Surely, now, no one would dare leave the window to a walk-
up apartment open; but on a whim, he pushed up against the
window. To his surprise, it slid open several inches. He looked
around nervously. At this time of day, the street was deserted.
He lifted the window open farther and stuck his head in. There
was a small sofa against one wall, a flat-screen TV sitting atop
a stand, an easy chair with a floor lamp next to it, some book
shelves, and a few simple prints on the walls. Sparse compared
to the old days.

Glancing sideways to be sure no one would see him, Harry
hoisted himself onto the sill and climbed into the apartment.
His heart was pounding. He had never done anything like this
before. Aside from the fact that it was not like Harry to place
himself in danger, he felt his actions were somehow out of his
control.

Entering through the living room window the sofa was on
a wall to his left; the TV hugged the opposite wall. Book-
shelves lined the wall facing Harry, the one where the mural
used to be; next to him, on his right, there was a comfortable
easy chair and a floor lamp with a white ceramic base that sat
on a narrow oak table. The floor was carpeted in earthy tones;
art prints, the kind purchased at a mall store, were scattered
about the walls. The furnishings were quite unremarkable, and
in simple taste. All together it was totally unlike anything Har-
ry remembered.

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